SMART SPECIALIZATION: ORIGIN AND STATE OF THE ART
Keywords:
regional development, innovative development, economic geography, concept, regions, innovation, “Smart specialization”Abstract
Purpose: is to identify state of the art, key aspects and distinctive characteristics of the smart specialization concept based on a study of the current state and the initial prerequisites for its formation, including linkages with other theoretical approaches.
Methods: theoretical provisions of regional and spatial economics, innovative development, Results: it was found, that despite the fact that the concept of the smart specialization was based on many previous theoretical approaches, it made a significant contribution to the new political vision of regional development. It is shown how the initially sectoral approach, through the use of the postulates of economic geography, was transformed into the territorial concept.
Conclusions and Relevance: the importance of smart specialization consists of the following aspects. Firstly, substantiating the need for differentiated regional policy for various types of regional innovation systems. Secondly, scientific and practical substantiating the importance of the related diversification approach to regional development to stimulate structural changes that are significant for economic dynamics. Thirdly, focusing on interregional interaction to ensure complementarity of scientific and technological regional development.
