Smart specialisation strategies in south Europe during crisis

2014 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 448-471 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicos Komninos ◽  
Bernard Musyck ◽  
Alasdair Iain Reid
Keyword(s):  
Private Investment ◽  
Added Value ◽  
Discovery Process ◽  
Regional Innovation ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Entrepreneurial Discovery ◽  
South East Europe ◽  
Exit Route ◽  
Smart Specialisation ◽  
Innovation Strategies

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to assess how national and regional authorities in south-east Europe in a period of crisis perceive and set in motion research and innovation strategies for smart specialisation (RIS3) and the options that these strategies offer to overcome the current fiscal and development crisis. Design/methodology/approach – The paper starts with a literature review on the guiding principles of smart specialisation strategies and the differences from previous rounds of regional innovation strategies. Evidence on smart specialisation efforts is provided by cases studies in Greece, Slovenia, and Cyprus, focusing on the elaboration of such strategies in three countries with precarious innovation systems under severe conditions of crisis. The case studies are organised around key aspects of the smart specialisation logic, such as the selection of specialisation priorities, bottom-up governance, private sector leadership, and engines of innovation and competitiveness. Findings – The paper explores the obstacles encountered in running effective RIS strategies under crisis conditions. The paper highlights the main challenges to address, such as the readiness and credibility of public authorities to design and implement sound RIS3 strategies, the willingness of companies to be involved in strategic planning, the availability of private investment funds, innovation and diversification during a crisis, and the drivers of specialisation that could lead to competitiveness and growth. In the conclusions the paper identifies three routes towards smarter productive diversification and five critical stages in the entrepreneurial discovery process. Originality/value – The paper has both practical and theoretical significance. It focuses on the main challenges of smart specialisation and offers guidance in the elaboration of RIS3 in peripheral EU economies. On the other hand, it proposes a model for the entrepreneurial discovery process, based on the assessment of areas and futures of productivity and added-value increase, as productive diversification and crisis exit route.

Guest editorial on research and innovation strategies for smart specialisation in Europe

2014 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 378-389 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mikel Landabaso
Keyword(s):  
Innovation Management ◽  
Policy Formulation ◽  
Economic Transformation ◽  
Practical Implementation ◽  
Current Debate ◽  
Special Issue ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Research And Innovation ◽  
Smart Specialisation ◽  
Innovation Strategies

Purpose – This Special Issue of the European Journal of Innovation Management sheds new light on the burning issue of Research and Innovation Strategies for Smart Specialisation (RIS3), both in terms of their policy formulation and their practical implementation in the field. This new policy approach refers to the process of priority setting in national and regional research and innovation strategies in order to build “place-based” competitive advantages and help regions and countries develop an innovation-driven economic transformation agenda. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach – This is an important topic both in the current debate about a new industrial policy for Europe and as a policy option for a successful crisis exit strategy led by public investments in the real economy. Moreover, smart specialisation is promoted by the European Commission as an ex ante conditionality for all regions in Europe to receive European Structural and Investment Funds in the field of innovation. Thus, it has become a pre-requisite for accessing fresh funds for investing in badly needed innovation-driven productivity growth throughout the European Union (EU). Findings – The six papers in this Special Issue are the fruit of ground-breaking research and policy testing by nearly 20 leading academics and policy makers throughout the EU. They explore the early smart specialisation concept and its further developments, examine the methodological tools at its disposal and advance specific policy proposals and governance considerations based on actual experimentation in the field. Originality/value – All these make the present Special Issue of the European Journal of Innovation Management an important research milestone. This Special Issue is the fruit of a call towards the European academic and research community to help shaping and advancing the smart specialisation concept and thus contribute to better position regions and countries in the global economy through innovation-driven policies.

scholarly journals Challenges and opportunities of building an entrepreneurial discovery process through university–industry interaction: A Norwegian case study

2020 ◽  
pp. 095042222097834
Author(s):  
Thomas Brekke
Keyword(s):  
Collaborative Work ◽  
Active Role ◽  
Policy Implications ◽  
Discovery Process ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Regional Innovation ◽  
Bottom Up ◽  
Entrepreneurial Discovery ◽  
University College ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities

This study provides new insights into the entrepreneurial role of universities in an entrepreneurial discovery process. Over the past decades, European policies have encouraged universities to identify opportunities and develop new partnerships and connections with society. This analysis focuses on the Vestfold region of Norway, which contains an institutionally rich and specialised electronic industry, supported by a university college. The development of entrepreneurial discovery as a process capability at the regional level is examined using qualitative analysis based on semi-structured interviews. Regional actors developed regional innovation capabilities based on a bottom-up entrepreneurial discovery approach, in which a local university college played an active role. Entrepreneurial discovery capabilities entail a rigorous assessment of the region’s knowledge base, experimentation and the institutionalisation of new collaborative work forms that mobilise industry–university interaction aimed at identifying and facilitating the emergence and growth of new domains. The article highlights the challenges and opportunities of a bottom-up entrepreneurial discovery approach and concludes with policy implications.

scholarly journals Lessons Learnt: Changes in the Methodology of the Entrepreneurial Discovery Process in Defining the Priorities of Hungarian Smart Specialisation Strategies

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (22) ◽  
pp. 12695
Author(s):  
Zoltán Birkner ◽  
Ádám Mészáros ◽  
István Szabó
Keyword(s):  
Strategic Planning ◽  
Discovery Process ◽  
Policy Documents ◽  
Hungarian Literature ◽  
Entrepreneurial Discovery ◽  
Lessons Learnt ◽  
Smart Specialisation ◽  
Planning Cycle ◽  
Institutional System

This study shows how one of the fundamental methods of designing and implementing the Smart Specialisation Strategy (S3), the Entrepreneurial Discovery Process (EDP), was applied in the period of 2014–2020 and how, taking accrued experience into account, it has been adjusted in the new planning cycle in Hungarian practice. Based on Hungarian strategies and other policy documents, international and Hungarian literature, the study shows that although the involvement of relevant actors in strategic planning and prioritising was achieved in both cycles, the nature of the actors’ participation differed fundamentally in the two periods. We found that learning from the experience of planning the S3 for 2014–2020, the design of the 2021–2027 strategy required improving the focus of priorities, validating priorities and creating an institutional system capable of making EDP continuous during the cycle 2021–2027, in line with the European Commission’s expectations. We concluded that a well-functioning EDP methodology is an essential part of the substantive realisation of an S3 that can be dynamically shaped according to the challenges.

Strategic planning and foresight: the case of Smart Specialisation Strategy in Tuscany

foresight ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 18 (5) ◽  
pp. 491-508 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emanuele Fabbri
Keyword(s):  
Strategic Planning ◽  
Innovation Systems ◽  
Social Implications ◽  
Quadruple Helix ◽  
Regional Innovation Systems ◽  
Regional Innovation ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Implementation Phase ◽  
Planning Decisions ◽  
Smart Specialisation

Purpose Within the theoretical framework of Regional Innovation Systems, the purpose of the paper is to introduce an innovative methodological scheme for strategic planning decisions in public administrations, based on foresight, roadmapping and large participation processes. Design/methodology/approach Starting from the main literature contribution on Regional Innovation Systems, foresight and decision-making processes, an innovative methodology has been elaborated for strategic planning, based on innovation and large participation processes. A practical application is also described with regards to strategic planning in Tuscany (IT) for Smart Specialisation Strategy (S3). Findings On a practitioner perspective, the methodology elaborated addresses strategic planning uncertainties, both when problem setting and in solution finding; a detailed application is provided, easily to be adapted to other regions, and main findings are related to regional innovation governance enforcement. Research limitations/implications Being the Tuscany S3 in the implementation phase, it is not possible to verify the adequacy of alternatives selected. Only mid-term evaluations will allow a deeper insight on the effectiveness of the methodology adopted. Practical implications The methodology represents a useful tool for public administrations in charge of strategic planning and in particular for S3, as an ex ante requirement for European Structural and Investment Funds. The description of the case of Tuscany provides practical hints for the methodology application. Social implications The methodology presents interesting social implications related to the large involvement of stakeholders and quadruple helix within regional strategic planning. Originality/value Within the framework of Regional Innovation Systems, strategic planning decisions are addressed with a scheme based on foresight and large participation processes. European Commission requirements are fully taken into consideration by the methodology. The methodology is easy to be adopted and customised to specific needs of other regions.

Regional Innovation Strategies

2010 ◽  
pp. 253-269
Author(s):  
Murad Tiryakioglu ◽  
Sinan Alcin
Keyword(s):  
Regional Scale ◽  
Global Scale ◽  
Added Value ◽  
Regional Innovation ◽  
Developing Regions ◽  
Great Opportunity ◽  
Social And Economic Development ◽  
Strategic Location ◽  
The World ◽  
Innovation Strategies

Regional innovation strategies which emerged during the mid 90s and were implemented especially in the developing regions of the world are significant for the transformation of both the knowledge produced in the regional scale and the added value it created into competitive power in the national and global scale. These strategies which have successfully been implemented in different parts of the world are a great opportunity for a country like Turkey which has a large young population and stands out among the other developing countries with her strategic location and potentials for human resources, agriculture and commerce. Focusing on these strategies and exploring national and regional innovation systems, this chapter both investigates the leader implementations in Europe and examines the first implementations of regional innovation strategies in Turkey. This chapter suggests that by transforming her regional innovation skills into products and services that have added value, Turkey will have a potential to achieve rapid social and economic development and therefore increase her significance for the national and international innovative investors.

Regional Innovation Strategies

2012 ◽  
pp. 209-225
Author(s):  
Murad Tiryakioglu ◽  
Sinan Alcin
Keyword(s):  
Regional Scale ◽  
Global Scale ◽  
Added Value ◽  
Regional Innovation ◽  
Developing Regions ◽  
Great Opportunity ◽  
Social And Economic Development ◽  
Strategic Location ◽  
The World ◽  
Innovation Strategies

Regional innovation strategies which emerged during the mid 90s and were implemented especially in the developing regions of the world are significant for the transformation of both the knowledge produced in the regional scale and the added value it created into competitive power in the national and global scale. These strategies which have successfully been implemented in different parts of the world are a great opportunity for a country like Turkey which has a large young population and stands out among the other developing countries with her strategic location and potentials for human resources, agriculture and commerce. Focusing on these strategies and exploring national and regional innovation systems, this chapter both investigates the leader implementations in Europe and examines the first implementations of regional innovation strategies in Turkey. This chapter suggests that by transforming her regional innovation skills into products and services that have added value, Turkey will have a potential to achieve rapid social and economic development and therefore increase her significance for the national and international innovative investors.

scholarly journals Smart specialisation in regions with less-developed research and innovation systems: A changing role for universities?

2017 ◽  
Vol 36 (2) ◽  
pp. 219-238 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul Vallance ◽  
Jiří Blažek ◽  
John Edwards ◽  
Viktor Květoň
Keyword(s):  
Innovation Systems ◽  
Regional Innovation ◽  
Strategy Formation ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Research And Innovation ◽  
Smart Specialisation ◽  
Innovation Strategies ◽  
Research Organisations ◽  
Changing Role

Universities and other knowledge institutions have quickly come to be seen as central to smart specialisation. However, their exact role in Research and Innovation Strategies for Smart Specialisation has yet to receive much critical attention in the academic literature. This is particularly notable as defining features of smart specialisation – such as the entrepreneurial dynamic of the strategy-formation process, and differentiated nature of the goals for strategies in regions with varying research and innovation capabilities – represent challenges to the notion that public research organisations should be drivers of smart specialisation in all regions. This paper articulates these conceptual tensions and then explores how they are unfolding in practice with particular reference to regions with less-developed research and innovation systems. The empirical material is drawn from a European-wide survey of institutional factors affecting the implementation of Research and Innovation Strategies for Smart Specialisation and two regional case studies from Central and Eastern Europe. Overall the paper reveals a multifaceted picture of still emerging (and potentially conflicting) dynamics around the introduction of smart specialisation that have the potential to reconfigure the role of universities in regional innovation systems in Europe.

Smart specialisation in the tangled web of European inter-regional trade

2014 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 472-491 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carlo Gianelle ◽  
Xabier Goenaga ◽  
Ignacio González Vázquez ◽  
Mark Thissen
Keyword(s):  
Structural Characteristics ◽  
Trade Flows ◽  
Policy Implications ◽  
Policy Framework ◽  
Regional Economies ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Regional Innovation ◽  
Regional Trade ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Smart Specialisation

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present a new methodology to assess the outward connectivity among regional economies in the European Union (EU) and derives policy lessons for the design of regional innovation and competitiveness-enhancing strategic frameworks, with particular reference to research and innovation strategies for smart specialisation (RIS3). Design/methodology/approach – The authors study the network of inter-regional trade flows in the EU25 in the year 2007. Trade data are taken from the PBL Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency database and mapped onto weighted directed networks in which the nodes represent regions and the links are flows of goods. The authors measure several structural characteristics of the networks, both global properties and centrality indicators describing the position of individual regions within the system. Findings – European regions appear to be mostly integrated in the European single market. Strengths and weaknesses of individual regions are discussed based on rankings obtained from network centrality indicators. Specific policy implications in the context of RIS3 are derived in the case of the Spanish region of Andalusia. Practical implications – The authors show the potential of the methodology for providing a new family of indicators of the external connectivity of regional economies that can be used by regions wishing to develop their own RIS3 for 2014-2020, as required by the EU in the context of the new cohesion policy framework. Originality/value – The characteristics of a EU-wide inter-regional network of trade flows are obtained and thoroughly discussed for the first time. A unique and original instrument suitable for inter-regional comparison is developed and tested.

The process of entrepreneurial discovery in the context of regional smart specialization: some theoretical and conceptual aspects

2020 ◽  
pp. 42-48
Author(s):  
N.V. Berezniak ◽  
L.V. Rozhkova
Keyword(s):  
Research And Development ◽  
Innovation Policy ◽  
Private Investment ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Discovery Process ◽  
Public And Private ◽  
Entrepreneurial Discovery ◽  
Research And Innovation ◽  
Private And Public ◽  
Smart Specialization

The issue of shaping a new EU innovation policy based on smart specialization is new to the developed countries and to Ukraine in particular. Currently, regional state administrations are tasked with developing regional development strategies based on European approaches to smart specialization. One of the main principles of smart specialization is the entrepreneurial discovery process — EDP, to which this article is dedicated. The views of smart specialization theorists on the emergence of this phenomenon, peculiarities of its formation and development in interaction and interdependence on the factors of technological and knowledge influence on the economic growth of countries and regions, establish of their competitive advantages, make political decisions to support the development of priority technologies and sectors, attracting public and private investment in research and development were analyzed. The theoretical foundations of the concept of entrepreneurial discovery are considered, which have a decisive influence on the choice of the structure of regional smart strategies, as well as on the formation of priorities of innovation development, focusing on the existing strengths of the regional economy and innovations and using the results of private and public research and development carried out on this territory. The European Commission program documents have been studied, in which conceptual approaches to the entrepreneurial discovery process have been concretized and developed in the context of developing and implementing smart specialization strategies at national / regional levels. The Smart Specialization Research and Innovation Strategy Guide emphasizes the need for step-by-step development of a regional smart specialization strategy. The study found that the EDP principle more or less influence on the formation of each of the six stages of a smart strategy. Examples of such influence are given.

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