Guide to Research and Innovation Strategies for Smart Specialisation

Table 4 - Innovation strategies for different types of regions – according to internal and
external connectivity
Connecting
Globally
Types of regions Peripheral regions
lacking strong
research strengths
and international
connections
Key challenge Building a global
pipeline
Main policy
option
Example of
regions
Helping regional
actors take first steps
in international
cooperation
Madeira, Tallinn,
Tartu, Attica,
Sardinia
Sustaining
momentum
Regions with strong
local cluster
organisations well
networked with
policy actors
Building up new
regional hinges
connected to
regional firms –
building critical
mass
Bringing outside
actors in, and
helping to
collectively shape
future trends
Ile-de-France,
Baden-Württemberg,
Flanders, Toronto
Cluster building Deepening
pipelines
Small groupings of Regions dependent
competitive on limited number of
businesses with global production
limited local networks/ value
connectivity chains
Improving local Extending
networking
connectivity and
connecting more
local actors to
growing regional
network
networks around hub
Channelling
innovation support
to stimulate growth
through regional
clusters
Skane, Navarra,
Auckland, Nord-
Pas-de-Calais
Source: Regional Innovation Monitor 32 , based on Benneworth and Dassen 2011 33
Helping second-tier
innovators become
market leading and
shaping
Piemonte,
Eindhoven, Seattle,
North East of
England
An element closely intertwined to formulating an effective vision is RIS3 communication. Good
communication of the RIS3 is essential to ensure its endorsement by all stakeholders of the
region, and beyond. Communication is needed all along the process, adapting the content to the
stage reached (adoption of a vision, of policy priorities, endorsement of an action plan,
implementation of key projects, etc.). The implementation of RIS across Europe has delivered
the following lessons regarding the crucial components of a communication strategy, which are
also valid in the RIS3 context (Innovating Regions in Europe Network 2005) 34 :
1. Definition of goals: the main goal should be to position the RIS project in a national and
European context, to inform and create an attractive image for the identified target group of
the project. But it can also pursue the goal of identifying and extending this target group by
embarking stakeholders that are not yet part of the process. And it may serve the wider
purpose of informing the public opinion about the necessity to support the development of
knowledge based business in the region;
32 www.rim-europa.eu.
33 Benneworth, P. and A. Dassen (2011), Strengthening global-regional connectivity in regional innovation
strategies, report for the OECD.
34 Innovative Regions in Europe Network (2005), RIS Methodological Guide, Stage 0.
50