The Economics of Relational Spaces

In view of the global economy, the concept of space in economic theory needs to be reconsidered. The currently dominant territorial concept of space should be expanded to include its relational dimension. In regio-global networks, which are characterised by polycontextual, polycontextural, and polylingual events, cognitive, moral, and social interaction spaces are constituted. These are relevant for understanding the economic performance of regional clusters, global production networks, and the companies involved, along with their stakeholders. With a focus on network theory, this chapter draws on and further develops the arguments and theories discussed in Wieland and Hellpap (Cooperation in value-creating networks. Relational perspectives on governing social and economic value creation in the 21st century. Relational economics and organization governance. Springer, Cham, pp 3–20, 2024).