Guide to Research and Innovation Strategies for Smart Specialisation

Being outward-oriented
Outward-orientation of a process is not just reflected in the international nature of the peer
review process. It is also about constantly comparing the position of a region with actual and
potential competitors in the country, in other EU countries and even beyond. This broader
perspective must be incorporated in the peer review, monitoring and assessment of a RIS3 and
its outcomes. This means, for instance, to verify that market opportunities and the
comparative advantage of the region with respect to other EU and non-EU regions have been
and are regularly assessed. It should also be ascertained if sufficient efforts are made to avoid
replicating, and to enhance synergies with, projects under way in other EU regions. Support
schemes should be subjected to international comparison and benchmarking. Finally, the
existence of relevant constraints to the free circulation of knowledge and related elements
should be inspected: international R&D and innovation partnerships should be able to operate
without administrative obstacles, and the cross-border mobility of research and innovation
personnel should be facilitated.
Being future-oriented
The future-orientation of a process does not involve trying to make a bet on the next 'hot'
technology. It is instead about incorporating in the strategy the fact that what seem to fixed
and well established in the short term might evolve quickly, sometimes in unexpected
directions. This implies considering scenarios on the possible evolution of the regional
competitive position with respect to other regions in the country, in other EU countries and
even beyond. This long-term perspective must be incorporated in the peer review, monitoring
and assessment of a RIS3 and its outcomes. This means, for instance, to verify that the
vulnerability and capacity of adaptation of the regional innovation system have been and are
regularly assessed. Mechanisms should be in place to detect activities facing increasing
competition and to devote special attention to them, by evaluating possibilities for the
'upgrading' and 're-tooling' of existing sectors. Finally, the existence of relevant constraints to
the redeployment of physical, human and intellectual capital should be inspected: the mobility
of resources from declining lines of business, firms and sectors to expanding ones should be
facilitated.
64