Abstract
Vitality of a smart region depends on the network of closely interconnected actors (individuals and institutions) seeking common goals of development and their capacities to ensure effective knowledge creation and exploitation. This network (a regional innovation system (RIS)) empowers processes of absorptive capacity—knowledge access, anchoring and diffusion, contributing to regional innovativeness and competitiveness. Absorptive capacity is considered an important object of scientific research. However, there is still a lack of research providing specific tools that are adaptable for assessing the regional absorptive capacity in a small country. Existing differences among countries and even regions inside a small country require adjusted and modified methods and instruments. Consequently, the goal of this research is to present and substantiate the methodological approach of assessing the RIS's absorptive capacity giving evidence from a smart region (Kaunas County) of a small country (Lithuania). The mixed-method approach of the research (combining qualitative and quantitative research strategies) was used to substantiate the presented methodological approach. A smart region of a small country can be characterized by a denser institutional infrastructure and higher results (outcomes) of innovative activities. Smartness of the region can be understood as a consequence of the higher level of absorptive capacity.
Highlights
Challenges of the changing socio-economic environment require new ways of thinking and acting, even at the regional level
The analysis of the absorptive capacity in a regional innovation system is based on the theoretical approach of the well-known Triple Helix model [41,42,43]
We made a decision to create the methodological approach to assess absorptive capacity of an regional innovation system (RIS) in a small country based on a case study
Summary
Challenges of the changing socio-economic environment require new ways of thinking and acting, even at the regional level. The INSEAD, the WIPO (the World Innovation Index), and the OECD (for countries belonging to the organization) provide techniques identifying the level of innovativeness. These instruments can be used for the analysis of data, highlighting country’s (large regions’) competitiveness at the national and international levels [54,55] only. Regional Innovation Scoreboard (every two years) are the most important sources for assessing regional innovation Both types of studies outline their methods of measurement which are more focused on three types of indicators—enablers, firm activities, and outputs [56,57]. The INNO-Policy TrendChart reports describe and analyze main trends and changes of priorities of the innovation policy at the national and regional levels across
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