DRIVERS AND EFFECTIVENESS OF REGIONALINNOVATION PARTNERSHIPS IN MEDITERRANEANLESS DEVELOPED REGIONS

This work is based on the analysis of regional innovation policies and partnerships forinnovation in EU 2000-2006 Objective 1 regions. The focus on the wide concept ofinnovation at European level and the international competitive challenges are pushingEuropean regions to increase the effectiveness of local innovation policies, developingand strengthening their regional innovation systems in partnership with local actors. Theresearch has the main aim to evaluate the contribution of regional innovation policies toregional development, identify levers and obstacles, analyse the structures of RegionalInnovation Systems including processes of cooperation, assess the effectiveness ofregional policy mix and finally evaluate the effectiveness of regional partnerships.The methodology of the research is based on a multiple case-study approach and onmixed methods. Four case studies have been selected: Puglia, Sardegna, ComunidadValenciana and Region de Murcia. Overall, 104 semi-structured interviews have beencarried out in the four regions, with regional administrators, innovation agencymanagers, entrepreneurs, technology centres managers and academics (involved in spinoffsor managers of collaborative/industrial research projects). The field work activitieshave been focused on documentation review, unstructured interviews and datacollection. A database of policy interventions was created to analyse targets,beneficiaries and areas of intervention. An analysis of regional performance has beenconducted to examine the socio-economical structure and regional innovation indicators.The findings show common patterns and issues in policy implementation and dilemmasin strategic choices. All case studies featured wide and multi-purpose strategies aimed atthe quantitative growth of regional innovation systems and a higher degree of internalcollaborations through the support to intermediate bodies. Innovation systems are takingshape: regional administrations made a significant effort but struggled to overcomestructural limitations and external constraints affecting the innovation structure.