Abstract
Research background: The identification of smart specialisations should be based on information allowing the identification of resources and capital in the regions, which constitute the unique value of the area providing for the development of competitive advantages based on innovations and achievements in the research and development activities. 
 Purpose of the article: The key goal is to present the proposal to use an aggregate (synthetic) measure for the purpose of identifying regional development potentials and next the initial smart specialisations (RSS). This approach is particularly useful at the very initial stage of recognizing the potential in the region, and ? after some modifications ? may offer a useful tool for assembling the de-velopment of industries (services) in the region. The additional goals are: (1) to organize the knowledge regarding statistical approaches and selected methods to be used in the process of identifying initial smart specialisations in regions (RSS); (2) exemplification of the presented methodology for the initial regional smart specialisations (RSS) identification in voivodeships in Poland based on a multivariate approach.
 Methods: Multivariate statistical analysis (MSA) methods are used in the identification procedure of initial regional smart specialisations (RSS), which allowed for performing the assessment in 4 areas: resources and capital; specialisation; development potential (dynamics); the involvement in research and development and innovative activities. They can also be extended with additional dimensions related to the cooperation of enterprises with social or environmental priorities.
 Findings & Value added: The conducted procedure allowed identifying NACE rev. 2 divisions useful in determining development potentials in Polish regions and later the initial smart specialisations (RSS). The identified initial RSS for Polish voivodeships can be a starting point for building regional smart specialisations based on values supply chain or other premises. Due to the universal nature of the proposed methodology, it can be widely used at the level of subregions, regions and the EU countries.
Highlights
Foray is considered the creator of the smart specialisation concept, as a member of the specialist group known as “Knowledge for Growth” established to provide consultancy for the European Commission on the development of the Europe 2020 strategy (Capello, 2014)
As emphasized in the subject literature (Godlewska, 2013), smart specialisation seems to be a new term, it combines the concepts being developed for years in the theory of regional development and international trade, such as: − specialisation, the importance of which was already emphasized by the authors of the classical theory of international trade: Smith in the theory of absolute advantage (Smith, 1776) and Ricardo in the theory of comparative advantage (Ricardo, 1929); − competitiveness, in economics, generally understood as the ability to succeed in economic competition (Kamerschen et al, 1991)
Statistical methods offer a useful source of knowledge about the resources and capital in the regions, as well as other factors indicating the potential development and competitive advantages, such as high growth dynamics or regional specialisation
Summary
Foray is considered the creator of the smart specialisation concept, as a member of the specialist group known as “Knowledge for Growth” established to provide consultancy for the European Commission on the development of the Europe 2020 strategy (Capello, 2014). As emphasized in the subject literature (Godlewska, 2013), smart specialisation seems to be a new term, it combines the concepts being developed for years in the theory of regional development and international trade, such as: − specialisation, the importance of which was already emphasized by the authors of the classical theory of international trade: Smith in the theory of absolute advantage (Smith, 1776) and Ricardo in the theory of comparative advantage (Ricardo, 1929); − competitiveness, in economics, generally understood as the ability to succeed in economic competition (Kamerschen et al, 1991). Endogenous factors represent the developmental force of a region resulting directly from its socio-economic potential, location, infrastructure, the availability of production factors, entrepreneurship and intra-regional policy, which allow the development of economic specialisations constituting the basis for the development of a strong competitive position. The studies attempting to develop an evaluation methodology of the smart specialisation conceptual framework in the context of adherence to current European Cohesion Policy are important (Gianelle et al, 2020)
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