Territorial entrepreneurship and territorial sustainable development: new addresses and rules to be competitive in a cohesive vision

The chapter’s aim is to explain how it is possible to investigate and to measure `the productive regional capability' of SMFs in Europe. This will be done in light of strategic parameters with regards to the contribution of Economic Geography to the development of new localization models. These might respect aims of cohesion and competitiveness in sustainability (Prezioso, 2008; New Territorial Agenda 2011 and towards 2020). In the following, it will be illustrated how, in the Europe2020 perspective, the conversion of endogenous resources in social, economic and territorial development opportunities is demanded trough the development of regional production patterns, in order to obtain smart growth, sustainable development, social inclusion. Lisbon Strategy (2000, 2009a), as well as the Gothenburg Strategy (2001), represent the start-up of this new approach. They have anticipated Europe2020 goals (2010) and the renowned Territorial Agenda (2011), directing the entrepreneurships and regions’ strategy to reach both the capability to be competitiveness in sustainability, and more co-operation and cohesion (economic, social, territorial and environmental) (V Cohesion Report, 2010). As in the past, Economic Geography contributes to elaborate theories and models, that include these policy goals. The new researches in this field, overtaking the concept of geographical space (understood as indifferent and homogenous place), introduce territory (understood as a relationships’ system between environmental, social and economic components) as fundamental variable for each policy, localisation and planning choice. This has permitted to up-load old and traditional models (see agglomeration and localization theories and Porter’s Diamond), addedding new parameters to the governance’s rules in the enterprise behavior (Par. 1 and 3). In order to orient concretely the reader in the regional behavior and values, some territorialised performance of enterprise systems and networks will be presented as examples, constructed regarding specific European territorial typologies and using quali-quantitative statistical indicators, . The innovative methodology that has generated these evidences: STeMA (Sustainable Territorial economic/environmental Management Approach) (Par. 1) and its governance process (Par. 3) with regard to the territorial dimension, take account the process of the organization and coordination of actors to develop regional capital. In order to better understand new aims of the entrepreneurships and regional development, the reader will be shortly introduced to the study of: territorial organisation and dynamic, its different forms, and its transformation in place and time. In this approach, very important is the territorial capital that include socio-economic, cultural, historical and environmental heritage as specific and characteristic components of places (Par. 2). Finally, some words are dedicated to the assessment process of the territorial entrepreneurship and the regional sustainable development in competitiveness; and to how decision makers, using STeMA, can simulate an ex ante and ex post scenarios to reduce negative effects of their policy choice for a specific territorial contest and on the base of regional differences and potential. In order to obtain these new economic and external advantages, some appropriated policy recommendations are suggested in main fields of the regional productivity (Par. 4). The chapter follows an multidisciplinary and integrated approach using the principal results of geographical and managerial researches to help i) scholars for adopting flexible and integrated competences and credits and regional stakeholders and decision makers for adopting an enterprise and entrepreneurship vision thought the sustainability.