The Empirical and Institutional Dimensions of Smart Specialisation / Edition 1

by Philip McCann, Frank van Oort, John Goddard

Overview

Smart specialisation is the new policy approach to the development of regional innovation systems across Europe and it involves fostering innovative and entrepreneurial initiatives which are well tailored to the local context. The different technologies, skills profiles, business activities, institutions and sectors which reflect a region’s economic strengths and potential are to be fostered and encouraged to diversify in ways which also exploit the region’s linkages with broader global value-chains.

Yet, the ideas contained in the smart specialisation agenda have until now been primarily conceptual in nature. The Empirical and Institutional Dimensions of Smart Specialisation draws together some of the leading regional economists and scientists in Europe to analyse how smart specialisation is working in practice. This book investigates different dimensions of the agenda as it is developing across parts of Europe from both quantitative and qualitative perspectives. The quantitative analysis examines the nature of the diversification processes undertaken by regions and the interplay between the chosen local regional development priorities and the wider global value-chain impacts of these choices. Meanwhile, the qualitative analysis examines the institutional opportunities and challenges facing policy makers and the key elements most likely to provide the underpinnings of a workable set of policy settings.

The book is aimed both at academic researchers interested in the interface between economic geography and regional innovation systems as well as at policy makers making public policy decisions related to regional development at the local, city, regional or national levels.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780367878719
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	12/12/2019
Series:	Regions and Cities
Pages:	234
Product dimensions:	6.12(w) x 9.19(h) x (d)

About the Author

Philip McCann holds the University of Groningen Endowed Chair of Economic Geography at the University of Groningen and is also the Tagliaferri Research Fellow in the Department of Land Economy, University of Cambridge.

Frank van Oort is Professor of Urban and Regional Economics at Erasmus University Rotterdam and at Utrecht University.

John Goddard is Emeritus Professor in the Centre for Urban and Regional Development Studies (CURDS) at Newcastle University.

Table of Contents

List of Figures xv

List of Tables xvii

About the Authors xviii

Foreword xxi

1 Introduction to the Empirical and Institutional Dimensions of Smart Specialisation Philip McCann Frank Van Oort John Goddard 1

2 The Intellectual and Practical Bases of the Application of RIS3 within EU Cohesion Policy Philip McCann Raquel Ortega-Argilés 8

3 Regional Diversification and Smart Specialization Policy Ron Boschma 23

4 Local Industry Structure as a Resource-Base for Entrepreneur ship: Implications for Smart Specialization Strategies Martin Andersson Sierdjan Koster 39

5 Regional Innovation and the Network Structure of University-Industry Links Robert Huggins Daniel Prokop 57

6 Good Growth, Bad Growth: A Wake-up Call of Smart Specialisation Mark Thissen Frank Van Oort Olga Ivanova 81

7 New Measures of Regional Competitiveness in a Globalizing World Bart Los Maureen Lankhuizen Mark Thissen 105

8 The Co-Evolution of Regional Innovation Domains and Institutional Arrangements: Smart Specialisation Through Quadruple Helix Relations? Paul Vallance 127

9 Smart Specialisation and Local Economic Development in Eastern Europe Teodora Dogaru Frank Van oort Nicola Cortinovis 145

10 From Plan to Process: Exploring the Human Element in Smart Specialisation Governance Mari Jose Aranguren Mikel Navarro James R. Wilson 165

11 Entrepreneurship, Networks and Recombinant Open Innovation: Lessons for Regional Policy Robert Muggins 192

Index 208

Editorial Reviews

‘A timely and highly valuable addition to the discourse around smart specialisation and regional development’ — Louis Brennan, Professor in Business Studies, Business & Administrative Studies , Trinity College Dublin, Ireland

From the Publisher