Smart specialisation strategies and cross-border integration of regional innovation systems: Policy dynamics and challenges for the Upper Rhine

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to provide insights into the implications of the European Commission’s smart specialisation agenda in a specific, cross-border context. The paper critically reflects on some of the RIS3 (research and innovation strategies for smart specialisation) agenda’s premises by illustrating its practical implementation in the Upper Rhine area (i.e. Alsace in France and Baden-Württemberg in Germany). The first section revisits not only the smart specialisation concept in itself but also discusses it vis-à-vis the thematic of cross-border regional innovation systems and outlines some implications that it may have for the choice of innovation policy instruments. The second section introduces the specific framework of the Upper Rhine area and outlines possible options for the co-ordination of innovation policies on the basis of a yet to be developed, theoretically possible joint RIS3 strategy. The last section brings together these conceptual and applied perspectives on smart specialisation and outlines suggestions for progressive cross-border integration via regional innovation policies

Cross‐Border Regional Innovation System Integration: An Analytical Framework

“…Additionally, reflecting the current ethos of the European Union in promoting ‘smart specialisation’, the CBRIS concept could be discussed under ‘joint‐specialisation’ (Muller et al . ). Knowledge producers on one side of the border could be linked to knowledge users and applicants on the other side.…”

Economic drivers in cross-border regional innovation systems

“…Although their study provides examples of CBRs to depict each stage, several scholars questioned the model. Major criticisms focus on the scope of the analysis (van den Broek & Smulders, 2015) and the nature of the knowledge flows (Muller et al, 2017).…”

“…Nonetheless, geographical proximity does not necessarily lead to other forms of proximity (Lundquist & Trippl, 2013), including the cognitive proximity. In this regard, similar knowledge bases across the border favour the knowledge flows to be exploited in the CBRs (Muller et al, 2017).…”

Smart Government: Was macht eine smarte Verwaltung aus? Eine Literaturanalyse

“…Hierbei wird das smarte Vorgehen in der Verflechtung von Verwaltungs-, Wirtschafts-und Bildungsakteuren hervorgehoben (Morgan, 2017). Besonders innerhalb der EU kann diese Planung auch grenzübergreifend erfolgen und basiert auf der Auswahl bestimmter Policy-Instrumente zur Generierung von Innovationsräumen (Muller et al, 2017). Zudem können politische Akteure bestimmte Wirtschaftszweige mithilfe von ICT-Unterstützung stärker fördern, indem man ihnen bspw.…”