Abstract
The article shows how regional smart specializations that are currently considered as the most essential tool of European innovation policy may be assessed if they form innovative ecosystems based on social, cognitive, and geographical proximity. The article presents the concepts of smart specializations and innovative ecosystems, as well as the concept of proximity and its aspects being of reference to smart specialization ideas. The concept of innovative ecosystems is presented from the perspective of its foundations and relations to other concepts and theories. Cooperation in the innovation process by varied actors is considered a significant feature of innovative ecosystems and the manifestation of social proximity. Related diversity of smart specialization areas indicates their cognitive proximity, and embeddedness in a particular administrative region shows their geographical proximity. The results of research carried out in the Subcarpathian region prove that firms in smart specializations are more Research & Development and innovation-intensive and more prone to cooperation than other companies, which determines their social proximity. The research also shows that smart specializations have positive effects on regional development, which indicates the efficiency of their innovative ecosystems. Related diversity of Subcarpathian Regional Smart Specializations (RSS) is also measured to show their cognitive proximity. Analysis of the locations of RSS companies indicates that they are characterized not only by regional but often even by local geographical proximity. The applied methods are desk research, web site queries, a literature review, statistical data analysis, as well as direct research based on a survey and econometric analysis of the results of the survey. The article responds to the lack of studies on smart specializations in the context of proximity.
Highlights
Regional smart specializations (RSS) in the EU have been indicated as stimulants of the innovative development of regions
Social interactions may sometimes lead to an unintended spread of tacit knowledge during informal meetings, which is enhanced by geographical proximity
The tool developed for finding out if RSS areas constitute innovative ecosystems based on social, cognitive and geographical proximity consists of a theoretical approach, methods, and sources of data
Summary
Regional smart specializations (RSS) in the EU have been indicated as stimulants of the innovative development of regions They reflect areas of not necessarily the highest technological advancement but in which the region specializes and has a comparative advantage, and implements innovations based on research. Strategies for smart specializations assume the joint implementation of projects by enterprises and scientific entities, and the existence of cooperation of these sectors in the regions for the development of innovative solutions. This means that smart specializations should reflect innovative ecosystems characterized by links between enterprises and between sectors (like business-science links) in the research and innovation process. A wellfunctioning innovation ecosystem will determine the competitiveness of its members, and at the same time, translate into effects in the field of regional development based on innovative processes
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