Guide to Research and Innovation Strategies for Smart Specialisation

2. Identification of the stakeholder groups and their motivation: different target groups have
different needs and should be reached with different tools. Traditional SMEs, high-tech
companies, universities, transfer institutions, business intermediaries, local and regional
authorities, national bodies, medias, etc. have different understanding and expectations
from a RIS. The goal of the strategy should be to make sure that they all endorse and
contribute to the strategy from their perspective. To this end, appropriate communication
methods and expected results need to be spelled out for each target group;
3. Definition of traditional communication tools: the tools include the use of a logo which
builds and reinforces the regional identity and puts innovation at its core; attractive and
dynamic web pages, including parts in English for wider dissemination; newsletters and
leaflets to complete the information with traditional communication tools; specific
publications on certain aspects of the RIS (like key analyses, peer review reports, etc.);
conference and seminars, including participation in international conferences, which give
the opportunity to diffuse synthetic material on the RIS; press and TV campaigns. The
content of the communication should include strategic lines and priorities but also
communication and demonstration on flagship projects;
4. Definition of active communication tools: active tools mainly include pro-active activities
such as targeted visits to stakeholders or concerted workshops and seminars. Examples of
active tools are: visiting the sites, marketing of the participants to the project; press
conferences (various with different scenarios); round table discussions; meetings with local
and regional politicians; etc. Conferences and seminars are frequently used: launch
conferences ease the awareness and stimulate the participation of the actors to the exercise,
but it is not easy to decide on the content of the message to be passed on. Conferences in
the middle of the process stimulate the participation of regional actors to the construction
of the strategy and the validation of analyses. An end conference is necessary since all
stakeholders in the region are supposed to adhere to the strategy and implement it in its
own area.
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