Localized productive systems, knowledge transfer, technology transfer and innovation: a structured narrative review with a focus on Morocco

Abstract

Localized productive systems (LPS), industrial districts, clusters and regional innovation systems are territorial configurations in which proximity can facilitate the circulation of knowledge, technology transfer and innovation, without guaranteeing them. This review analyses the mechanisms linking these configurations to innovation, with specific attention to Morocco. We conducted a structured narrative review with a systematized approach, combining a base of grey and open-access literature with searches in Scopus and PubMed; the two-stage selection is reported according to the applicable items of PRISMA-ScR, and the synthesis is thematic. Of 565 unique references, 308 were retained for in-depth assessment and 124 were included (2001–2026), 20 of which explicitly concern Morocco. University–industry relations (38.7%) and absorptive capacity (29.8%) structure the corpus. Absorptive capacity is the most frequently documented mechanism (45.2% of references), ahead of social capital and trust (32.3%) and knowledge spillovers (27.4%). Geographical proximity acts mainly as an enabling condition: innovation depends on actors' capacity to absorb and recombine knowledge, on the complementarity between local networks and extra-local connections, and on the effectiveness of intermediaries. In Morocco, studies describe a consolidating system that remains constrained by post-patent valorisation, the coordination of interfaces and the absorptive capacity of SMEs. The findings argue for a territorial orchestration of transfer rather than a linear model, and for policies focused on capabilities rather than on the mere creation of clusters.

Keywords: localized productive systems; clusters; technology transfer; absorptive capacity; university–industry relations; Morocco.

Received Date: August 17, 2026

Accepted Date: September 09, 2026

Published Date: October 01, 2026

Available Online at: https://www.ijsrisjournal.com/index.php/ojsfiles/article/view/1011