smart specialisation 2.0: driving public funds towards platforms and ecosystems

Abstract

The paper negotiates two main questions of the methodology of EDP in Smart Specialisation. First is the granularity level of detail in the analysis and the assessment of dynamism of economic activities. We argue that NACE three-digit codes offer the best combination of homogeneity of statistics and sectoral studies. Still, all NACE three-digit codes are not cadets for discovering business opportunities and new innovation activities and therefore, further research for the selection of priority fields is necessary. Second question is about the collective nature of interventions and investments developed through EDP. We argue that business ecosystems that unite large number of enterprises may exceed the risk of priority investments for specific businesses and groups. The demarcation of investments in relation to platform-based ecosystems as well as of ecosystems which are developed on top of value chains is of particular importance. Both methodological principles which are proposed in the paper (selection of three-digit NACE code ecosystems and platforms based on functions/needs of such ecosystems) can complement the theoretical weaknesses that reasonably exist in terms of discovery and innovation.