Regional Innovation Strategies Research Articles

Innovating for Cleaner Skies: A Study on the Impact of China's National Innovation Demonstration Zones on Urban Air Quality from the Perspective of Energy Consumption

In pursuit of innovation-driven green development, effectively leveraging innovation policies for environmental betterment has emerged as a pivotal challenge in China's sustainable development trajectory. Investigating 287 Chinese cities from 2010 to 2020, this study adopts the pilot initiative of National Innovation Demonstration Zones (NIDZs), a cornerstone of China's regional innovation strategy, as a quasi-natural experimental setup. Utilizing a double machine learning method, we probe into the implications of implementation National Innovation Demonstration Zones pilot policy on urban air quality, its underlying mechanisms, and the regional heterogeneity in policy outcomes. The empirical evidence underscores that implementation National Innovation Demonstration Zones pilot policy significantly bolster urban air quality, a result that persists endogenous controls and rigorous robustness checks. Mechanistically, setting up the National Innovation Demonstration Zone can significantly curb the deterioration of urban air quality by reducing the total energy consumption of the whole society, including the reduction of total electricity consumption, the use of manufactured gas and natural gas, and the consumption of liquefied petroleum gas. Regionally, the Southeast demonstrates enhanced efficacy in mitigating air quality degradation and PM2.5 concentration, whereas the Northwest sees pronounced reductions in urban carbon dioxide emissions following the implementation National Innovation Demonstration Zones pilot policy.

A New Model Trial in Turkish Agri-Food Sector

The study aims to develop an agri-food model for the agriculture sector which was prioritized in Ankara Regional Innovation Strategy. The model was designed by Ankara Development Agency and implemented at the pilot level. The model consisted of two components. One of them is technology absorption, which matches technology makers and farmers or companies in order to bring technology to this sector, and another one is an extension model that university, research stations, farmers, and food companies work together to spread innovation. This model will shed light on a different approach in developing countries thanks to technological improvement and the great interest of startups and public policies for the agro-food sector. The pilot model was based on ten matches in between farmers, food firms, and universities. The preliminary results showed that the program was welcomed by farmers and food companies as well as start-ups.

Responsible research and innovation (RRI) in regional innovation strategies (RIS) – related practices in the Polish innovation ecosystem

Responsible research and innovation (RRI) in regional innovation strategies (RIS) – related practices in the Polish innovation ecosystem

지자체-대학 협력기반 지역혁신 사업(RIS)의 네트워크 분석

The purpose of this study is to identify network changes in the performance of Regional Innovation Strategy(RIS) based on local government-university cooperation in each core field and to derive their characteristics. For this purpose, a network analysis (social network analysis) was conducted on the project contents using the 1st to 3rd year business performance reports of the C Region Biohealth Industry Regional Innovation Platform. The main results of the analysis are presented as follows. First, network density, degree centrality, and closeness centrality increased significantly in the third year compared to the first and second years, while betweenness centrality was lowest in the third year. Second, there was a large deviation in the centrality of the four core areas. Third, as a result of analysis by participating entity, among the five participating entities, the company ranked first in both degree centrality and betweenness centrality in the 1st to 3rd years. The university ranked 3rd, 2nd, and 2nd in degree centrality, and 4th, 2nd, and 2nd in betweenness centrality. Meanwhile, institutions and regions ranked 13th, 15th, 24th, and 31st in degree centrality and betweenness centrality, respectively, in the first year, while institutions ranked 4th in the third year and regions ranked 2nd. The ranking rose significantly to 5th place last year. Fourth, as a result of analysis of the promotion contents of human resources training, research, technology development, employment, and connection, it was found that the contents of business performance were evenly distributed rather than concentrated on specific entities.

SMART SPECIALIZATION OF THE REGION: FUNDAMENTALS OF FORMATION, DEVELOPMENT AND DISSEMINATION

The article is devoted to the development of theoretical foundations of the concept of smart specialization at the regional level, the search for "smart" strategies and the dissemination of relevant processes, as well as of prerequisites that contribute to the sustainable development of regions. It is determined that the theories of uneven development and regional imbalance serve as a basis and starting point for the formation of smart specialization processes in the regions. The main postulates of the development of smart specialization in terms of economic schools, which emphasize the importance of technological progress for the growth of the economy and the country's competitiveness, are systematized. The main stages of the development and dissemination of smart specialization in the market space are highlighted. It has been established that smart specialization is an innovative tool of the EU, which contributes to the progressive development of the regional economy due to strategic approaches to the regional environment. The European Commission considers the renewal of European industry and the economy in general through the development of smart specialization strategies. The main criteria of modern regional innovation strategies in terms of the formation of smart specialization have been identified. Possibilities of smart specialization in the development of the country's regions have been proven. 
 Thus, smart specialization contributes to the transformation of regions into world-class European regional clusters through strategic growth priorities, which is reflected in relevant theories and concepts of regional development. In view of wide prospects offered by smart specialization, as well as taking into account the need to deepen cooperation between our country and EU countries within the framework of the European Good Neighbor Policy, it is necessary to disseminate the innovative culture of regional development and cooperation in Ukraine. The experience accumulated by European countries, which have a successful experience of implementing smart specialization in the regional economy, should be adapted and implemented in the regions of Ukraine to ensure sustainable development and improve the welfare of the country. It is possible to achieve the desired level of the development of the country under the condition of forming a favorable innovation climate within each region and introducing a system of mutually beneficial cooperation of all participants within the framework of smart specialization.

The Role of University in the Smart Specialization Strategy: Exploring How University–Industry Interactions Change in Different Technological Domains

The smart specialization strategy (S3) introduces a new “policy-prioritization logic” according to which regional strategies should target interventions in those research and innovation domains in which the region has a competitive advantage. In other words, the adoption of an S3 strategy has shifted the regional innovation strategies’ focus from privileging exclusively high-tech sectors to including also those lower tech domains that are recognized as a source of regional competitive advantage. As a consequence, this shift calls for a rethinking of university–industry relationships for innovation, which have traditionally privileged high-tech sectors. In this light, this article aims to analyze how the introduction of the S3 has changed the role of universities by comparing patterns of academic engagement with local entrepreneurs in both low-tech and high-tech domains. To this purpose, we conduct an empirical study in the Region of Campania (South of Italy) to analyze differences in terms of university–industry channels and motivations in different S3 technological domains.

The institutional challenges of dynamic regional innovation strategies

ABSTRACT Smart Specialisation Strategies (S3) are widely used to guide place-based innovation policy. However, there is little analysis of the institutional frameworks necessary for implementing multi-actor entrepreneurial discovery processes. This paper explores the evolution of institutions in the Basque Country region over a four-year period. It conceptualizes two levels of institutions: the overall architecture established to pursue an S3; and the micro-processes that emerge to particularize and valorize priorities. The paper highlights lessons relating to the experimentalism of S3, monitoring and evaluation, the engagement of small and medium-sized enterprises and civil society actors, and mechanisms for amplifying the voice of regions.

Social Innovation Governance in Smart Specialisation Policies and Strategies Heading towards Sustainability: A Pathway to RIS4?

(1) Background: Regional Innovation Strategies on Smart Specialisation (RIS3) receive higher attention due to the start of the new European funding period 2021–2027. Compared to the previous period, RIS3 will focus more attention towards social needs and challenges in their design and implementation to commit themselves towards sustainable regional development and contribute to the European Green Deal and UN Sustainable Development Goals. Nevertheless, RIS3 as innovation policy has not yet incorporated social innovation concepts or socio-ecological demands on its pathway within the constant transition of Europe’s society to become more sustainable. (2) Methods: A systematic literature review has been conducted to identify key insights and gaps in existing literature. (3) Results: The review exposed clustering as a policy tool for sustainable development, a lack of integration of social capital and regional assets to RIS3 design to overcome societal challenges and missing political capabilities to utilize social innovation governances under RIS3 towards sustainability. (4) Conclusions: Future research should pick up these gaps to contribute to a better understanding of social innovators in designing RIS3, meeting social needs and forging the pathway towards sustainability.

European Policy towards Regional Innovation Strategy Illustrated with the Example of the Mazovia (Poland)

Globalization process has a gradually stronger influence on economic development. In this new reality the main indicator is innovation. Various regions of European Union formulate Regional Innovation Strategies (RIS). The goal of this document is to formulate essential elements of regional development strategy. This kind of strategy was created for the Mazovia region. In the document we can read that Mazovia is the most innovative region in Poland, however, it is still far behind regions in highly developed countries. The main strength of Mazovia is the fact that it is a capital region, which means a better access for enterprises to information, important contacts and promotion. Nevertheless, we still can experience many barriers, undermining regular regional development, such as insufficient grants for scientific research or inadequate engagement of public administration to help entrepreneurs.

ДИСКУРС РОЗВИТКУ АСИНХРОННОСТІ ІННОВАЦІЙНОЇ СИЛИ КРАЇН-ЧЛЕНІВ ЄС

The article examines the differentiation of economic indicators of European Union Member States' economic, scientific, and technological development in the context of the asynchrony of the European Union innovation force’s disposition. It determines the existing connections between the national scientific and technical policies/strategies of the European Union Member States in integration and economic cooperation. As a result, it was found out that today, the economic growth of European Union Member States is no longer determined by the sole factor of their better access to aspects of production. More critical are the cross-border technological chains that determine the dynamics of the centrifugal forces of the integration association, the mechanisms of economic convergence and the "repulsion" of the European Union. It is concluded that in current conditions, the objective feature of the interaction of economic integration and innovation of European Union Member States is that the higher the capacity of the internal market, the greater the amount of profits and the ability to write off costs associated with innovation and inventions in the increase in sales volumes. Companies operating in a more extensive integrated market with a global level of competition have a higher innovation motivation. In modern economic realities, innovation policy in the European Union is based on delegation of differentiated powers to the regions; development, evaluation, implementation and monitoring of regional innovation strategies, which determine the development priorities of each region based on its competitive advantages and compliance of the strengths of the innovation sphere with business needs; prompt response to European market trends, avoiding duplication of effort. Some regional innovation strategies, based on support for cluster initiatives and public-private partnerships, have been developed by the industrialised European Union Member States such as Austria, Belgium, Germany, Spain, Italy, and France.

Regional Differentiation of the Innovative Potential of Enterprises in the Czech Republic

This article presents the results of a survey of innovative activities of enterprises in the Czech Republic and a comparison of differences between regions. The goal is to analyse the approach of companies, examine how they evaluate their innovation activities and the implementation of R&D, and find out if there are inter-regional differences in the innovation activities of companies in chosen categories. The data were collected via a questionnaire survey of companies across regions in coordination with the Technology Agency of the Czech Republic. The research revealed that more enterprises were in a dependent position, providing partial functions within the concern, or as suppliers in their respective production chains. At the same time, companies are actively preparing for the constantly changing production and economic environment and some also have ambitions to become pioneers of innovative change. Even at regional level, some differences were found, given the different stage of development and competitiveness of the regions. Through the priorities of regional innovation strategies, public support should prepare suitable conditions for the development of new industrial and tertiary sectors in the region.

Facilitating the participation of civil society in regional planning: Implementing quadruple helix model in Finnish regions

The engagement of a wide range of stakeholders has become a key element in regional planning, particularly in the development of regional research and innovation strategies for smart specialization (RIS3) in Europe. The quadruple helix model from the literature on regional innovation systems has been raised on the forefront of RIS3. This comes in spite of the fact that the literature surrounding the quadruple helix model (i.e., the collaboration among the university, industry, government, and civil society) is still in its infancy compared to the well-established triple helix model. Our paper addresses this gap and explores how regional authorities can facilitate the participation of the fourth helix (civil society) and ensure democracy of the participatory policy process. We adopted a grounded theory approach and collected primary data through interviews with regional authorities in Finland. Based on 28 interviews from all 18 Finnish mainland regions, we identified three mechanisms for facilitating the participation of civil society: information exchange, feedback, and co-creation. For policy-makers, our paper provides recommendations on how to overcome impediments in the engagement of civil society in regional planning.

Searching through the Haystack:The Relatedness and Complexity of Priorities in Smart Specialization Strategies

abstract This article examines which economic domains regional policy makers aim to develop in regional innovation strategies, focusing in particular on the complexity of those economic domains and their relatedness to other economic domains in the region. We build on the economic geography literature that advises policy makers to target related and complex economic domains, and assess the extent to which regions actually do this. The article draws on data from the smart specialization strategies of 128 NUTS-2 regions across Europe. While regions are more likely to select complex economic domains related to their current economic domain portfolio, complexity and relatedness figure independently, rather than in combination, in choosing priorities. We also find that regions in the same country tend to select the same priorities, contrary to the idea of a division of labor across regions that smart specialization implies. Overall, these findings suggest that smart specialization may be considerably less place based in practice than it is in theory. There is a need to develop better tools to inform regions’ priority choices, given the importance of priority selection in smart specialization strategies and regional innovation policy more broadly.

Integration of Baltic Small and Medium-Sized Ports in Regional Innovation Strategies on Smart Specialisation (RIS3)

Small and medium-sized ports in the Baltic Sea Region find themselves in a dilemma to participate in the governance of innovation policies such as Smart Specialisation. The Smart Specialisation policy introduced by the European Commission supports regional economic and innovation development focusing on regional strength through selection of defined priorities, offering smaller ports an opportunity to overcome their dilemma. Currently, all European regions are monitoring and evaluating their performances alongside with the Smart Specialisation policy to make adjustments for the upcoming funding period. The Blue Growth concept entitles a large contribution to reach the emphasised goals and thus, ports can be an important actor and key driver for a sustainable and green future development. Hence, this paper analyses the current significance of smaller ports in Baltic Sea NUTS-2 regions reflected in the individual RIS3 maritime and/or logistic priorities as well as Blue Growth sub-sectors from the funding period 2014–2020 to contribute to the future design of RIS3. Yielded results will illustrate whether regional governances are aware of the potential small ports bring up to their economies with consideration to Smart Specialisation, Green Deal and Blue Growth Strategies and how RIS3 might effects small port performances.

Related Variety of Regional Smart Specialization Strategies

Purpose: The paper seeks to find the related variety of smart specialization strategies in European regions. Design/Methodology/Approach: We apply the product space methodology of Hidalgo et al. (2007) to identify the most frequent occurrences of specialization in industry, scientific or policy domains in regional innovation strategies and construct a matrix of their co-occurrences. Findings: Although to some extent regions utilize unrelated variety, i.e., homogeneous industry sections, scientific or policy domains, most regions benefit from cross-linkages between sections and domains (related variety). This latter variety may be grouped into two interconnected domains: (1) quality of life and well-being, including high-tech products that facilitate various spheres of social and economic life; (2) sustainable urban development with smart cities, green transportation, and energy conservation and effectiveness. Practical Implications: Tracing the related variety of smart specializations may facilitate an understanding of the localization and urbanization economies that benefit regions and the mechanisms behind entrepreneurial discovery processes. Moreover, the results can show the extent to which regions can differentiate themselves from others. Originality/Value: The product space methodology has not been applied to smart specializations to date. Based on this methodology and network analysis, the study provides the most common related varieties present in regional strategy documents, which can be analyzed in more detail in future research.

Entrepreneurial university: The relationship between smart specialization innovation strategies and university-region collaboration

Addressing the effect of regional innovation strategies for smart specialization is beneficial. This study investigates the correlation between smart specialization innovation strategies and university-region collaboration. The findings of this study will help researchers and decision makers understand and strategically plan for linking education with industry and thus help create entrepreneurial universities. This paper examines the regional innovation strategies for smart specialization. The data was collected at a Croatian university. The research aims to study the effect of the link of an educational institute with industry and how that makes universities become more entrepreneurial. In our model, smart specialization is measured as an assessment of the benefits of university-regional collaboration for universities to become entrepreneurial. The results highlight that smart specialization innovation strategies are enhancing university collaboration regionally. We learn that involvement of universities is an essential ingredient.

The role of universities in regional development strategies: A comparison across actors and policy stages

The emergence of collaborative approaches in innovation policy and regional governance has increased expectations for universities to engage in strategy making and assume broader roles and responsibilities. Nonetheless, complexities inherent to the policy process, regional context and universities’ own institutional and organisational capacity are often ignored or under-explained when framing universities’ roles. Although these roles are frequently introduced, they have been superficially conceptualised in the literature. This study develops a deeper theoretical and empirical understanding of universities’ contributions in the different stages of regional innovation strategy processes. Through a comparative case study of four European universities, it explores the variation of these roles by policy stage and university actors involved in the strategies. Findings suggest universities have expanded to perform new planning-related roles (e.g. consultation, mediation) and that diverse factors (e.g. the regional context, such as urban versus peripheral) determine their participation in regional strategies. However, strategic coordination within universities and with regional bodies is needed for the optimisation of their engagement in the regional governance process.JEL Codes: I23, I25, O20, O30, R58

Cross-Border Cooperation Concept in Multifunctional Agriculture under RIS3

Abstract Multifunctional agriculture holds several potentials for applying new technologies and innovative processes to reduce its environmental impact in line with the European Green Deal. Though, new cooperation concepts are a sufficient tool to enhance these potentials, using interdisciplinary and cross-border approaches. Hence, Regional Innovation Strategies on Smart Specialization (RIS3) can play a key role on political level to foster regional innovation development on agriculture in rural areas. By analysing Smart Specialization priority areas, potential crossovers between this innovation policy and actual implementation in practice can be deduced for cross-border cooperation approaches. Thus, the conducted research offers a comparison of priorities for German regions involved into the RUBIN program as use cases, supporting rural and less developed regions. Through these introduced use cases and strategy analysis, the inductive and deductive research offers a cross-border cooperation concept for legume food production, exploiting spillover effects to other priorities related to multifunctional agriculture. The core element of the concept is the introduction of knowledge hubs with an interdisciplinary view to enhance and apply innovation potentials in line with RIS3, which create positive effects on the environmental impact from the start with legume as raw materials until an improvement of its product portfolio for consumption at the end.

Regional innovation strategy for resilience and transformative industrial path development: Evolutionary theoretical perspectives on innovation policy

Many countries in the developed world are currently experiencing low rates of economic growth, which is furthermore regionally and socially unequal. This increasing inequality seems to have deepened during the Corona crisis. When economic policies are discussed in these demanding times, the strategic question remains whether the best strategy is to seek to bounce back to the 'old normal', or to use this critical time as a conjuncture to departure on a development path to a 'new normal' that is more innovative, sustainable, and inclusive. In light of this, the main aim of this paper is to look for new perspectives on theory and policy with important implications for promoting the most radical forms of industrial path development, viz. path diversification based on unrelated knowledge combinations and new path creation, securing the adaptability of an economy to become more resilient.

Research methods and techniques applied during preparation of regional innovation strategies of Polish regions

Purpose: Review of regional innovation strategies of Polish regions to assess the scope of research methods and techniques applied during their preparation. Design/methodology/approach: Analysis of regional innovation strategies applicable in all voivodeships with respect to the research methods and techniques used during their preparation. Findings: Polish regions apply diversified methods and techniques that allow them to determine the directions of innovation development, yet in the course of smart strategy identification they encountered limitations with respect to the availability of quantitative aggregated data on the voivodeship or lower levels; therefore, some of them reached to surveys and interviews, as well as the Delphi method which allowed for mitigating the impact of these deficiencies. The regions did not focus exclusively on fulfilling the ex ante condition, but they were intent on proper designation of the priority areas with respect to the aid, which is testified by, among others, reaching to results of foresight type projects and up-dates of the prepared strategies. Originality/value: A comprehensive review of regional innovation strategies applicable in the Polish regions until 2020 and a concise analysis of methods and techniques applied during their preparation as a starting point for the improvement of processes of preparation of subsequent innovation strategies in voivodeships.