Multilevel governance and Smart Specialization in EU regions: an evidence-based critical review

Abstract

This paper critically reviews the literature on multilevel governance issues in support of implementing Smart Specialization policies in EU regions. Using an evidence-based critical review approach, key literature that draws on three critical concepts is explored: multilevel governance, regional innovation policy, and Smart Specialization in various governance conditions and diverse regional resources. The evidence reviewed points to the critical role of multilevel governance in implementing Smart Specialization. Effective coordination mechanisms are essential building blocks to encounter the challenges of multilevel governance for Smart Specialization. More consequential, however, are substantial synergies that are solid, harmonious, and balanced among multi-stakeholders within institutions and across levels of government. This paper contributes to the limited literature on multilevel governance in support of the Smart Specialization policy. Further studies considering different types of regions are recommended to enrich future literature.

Development of the potential of the digital economy of Russian regions through artificial intelligence humanisation

“…Smart region as a socio-economic environment for humanisation of AI: literature gap, research question and research hypothesis. Many published works of modern authors are devoted to the topic of the smart region, which is treated as an economic system that is based on AI technologies (Antonelli et al 2022;Kryshtanovych et al 2022;Popkova et al 2020;Sergi et al 2019;Wibisono, 2022). It is at the meso level-in a region-that the telecommunication structure of the applied direction is created and developed, and specific smart technologies are implemented.…”