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Knowledge Appurtenancy
Offshore Oil & Gas
The Port at Prince Rupert
Regional Development in Norway


Knowledge Appurtenancy:
Universities, Regional Development, and the Knowledge-based Economy


Thesis abstract
The emergence of the knowledge-based economy has challenged non-metropolitan regions that have traditionally engaged in the extraction and export of natural resources. These regions require government policies that will enable them to participate in an economy that now favours human capital over resource endowments. Appurtenancy is one such policy. Originally used in the management of water and forest resources, appurtenancy provided the conditions for regional sustainability by formalizing a relationship between a community and its adjacent resources.

This thesis presents the characteristics of appurtenancy and applies them to new northern universities in British Columbia and Manitoba. The data from these case studies provide evidence of how the universities have a strong relationship with their regions and embody a new social contract involving these regions and the state. At its foundation, knowledge appurtenancy is based on regional responsibility and providing the capacity for sustainability in a knowledge-based economy.

Above: Giving the Triple Helix a regional context
Various scholars (Etzkowitz, Leydesdorff, Arbo, etc) have described a relationship between industry, government, and universities that appears to be vital to economic development in a knowledge-based economy. Knowledge Appurtenancy has built on this theory, giving the relationship a regional context. Placing “the region” at the centre of the helix gives the relationship a focus on community and sustainability.

Find this thesis
UNBC Library HD75.7.V36 2008
Copies of the thesis are also available from the National Library of Canada and the University College of the North Library at the Thompson campus.



This website features the videos, photos, and writings of Robert van Adrichem, who has explored several northern regions in transition.