This paper is designed to examine the Regional Innovation Policy , consisting of existing schemes of systematic exploitation of innovation, so-called Regional Innovation Systems, and entailing public procurement for innovation and cluster-policies in combination with a mapping of the actors in the Regional Innovation System in the Baltic Sea Region, all in regard to Small Medium Enterprises due its pre-dominance in the fields of research and practical implementation of economic innovation. While the scope of this paper includes the effectiveness and efficiency of the "European Union Baltic Sea Region Programme" (EU BSRP) in reference to one of its priorities, "fostering innovation‟ for economical growth in the Baltic Sea Region, the programme's relative novelty in design and strategic relevance, given by the fact of promulgation of a "European Union Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region" (EU STRAT BSR) parallel to implementation of EU BSRP, point out to a demand for further investigation on the fact that the EU BSRP is an innovation by itself concerning regional policy as "macro-regional cooperation" within the framework of the EU. This paper will address firstly the EU STRAT BSR and its potential effects on the strategic environment in the Baltic Sea Region in particular and on European level in general by scrutinizing the second programmatic "pillar", making "[…] [t]he Baltic Sea A Prosperous Place", due to its reference character for the economic yield of the strategy. This short description and analysis of EU STRAT BSR is followed by an outline of the EU BSRP by providing an account of innovation policies in the Baltic Sea Region.Two research questions will serve as a guideline along the descriptive part and as reference to the analysis: Is political innovation in terms of transnational macro-regional cooperation also innovative and rewarding from the perspective of current economic research on innovation and according policies, meaning: Does it foster growth? And secondly, for the sake of the scope of European Studies, are EU STRAT BSR and EU BSRP able to perform even up to their political Level of Ambition?
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Introduction
- Outline of the EU STRAT BSR
- Political Approach
- Structure
- Challenges
- Outline of the EU BSRP
- Political Approach
- Structure
- Challenges
- Regional Innovation Policy
- Public Procurement and Innovation
- Clusters
- Dilemmas
- Conclusions
- References
- Bibliography
- Online Sources
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This paper investigates the macro-regional cooperation of the EU Baltic Sea Strategy (EU STRAT BSR) and the Baltic Sea Region Programme (EU BSRP) as a Regional Innovation System (RIS), focusing on innovation policies for economic growth. The main objective is to evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of these programs in relation to Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in the Baltic Sea Region. The paper explores key themes such as:- The role of regional innovation policies in fostering economic growth
- The impact of macro-regional cooperation on the development of the Baltic Sea Region
- The effectiveness of public procurement and cluster policies in promoting innovation
- The challenges and opportunities faced by SMEs in the Baltic Sea Region
- The potential of the Baltic Sea Region to become a model for regional innovation and cooperation
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
- Introduction: This chapter provides an overview of the paper's objectives and research questions, highlighting the significance of the EU Baltic Sea Strategy and the EU Baltic Sea Region Programme. The chapter outlines the key themes of the paper and introduces the context of regional innovation policies in the Baltic Sea Region.
- Outline of the EU STRAT BSR: This chapter delves into the EU Baltic Sea Strategy, focusing on its political approach, structure, and challenges. It examines the strategy's goals, priority areas, and coordinating countries, providing a comprehensive overview of the strategic framework.
- Political Approach: This section discusses the geopolitical features of the Baltic Sea Region, highlighting the challenges and opportunities of transnational cooperation. It examines the role of the EU and other regional organizations in fostering regional development.
- Structure: This section outlines the structure of the EU Baltic Sea Strategy, highlighting the key documents and stakeholders involved. It examines the strategy's pillars and priority areas, providing a detailed analysis of the strategy's implementation framework.
- Challenges: This section discusses the challenges that the EU Baltic Sea Strategy aims to address, focusing on issues such as environmental sustainability, economic development, and infrastructure. It examines the potential impact of the strategy on the region and its contribution to regional innovation.
- Outline of the EU BSRP: This chapter focuses on the EU Baltic Sea Region Programme, examining its political approach, structure, and challenges. It explores the programme's role in fostering innovation and economic growth in the region, focusing on key areas such as regional innovation policies, public procurement, clusters, and dilemmas faced by SMEs.
- Political Approach: This section discusses the political objectives and rationale behind the EU Baltic Sea Region Programme, highlighting its contribution to the EU's overall regional policy strategy.
- Structure: This section outlines the structure of the EU Baltic Sea Region Programme, examining its funding mechanisms, implementation framework, and stakeholder involvement.
- Challenges: This section explores the challenges faced by the EU Baltic Sea Region Programme in its implementation, focusing on key areas such as regional innovation policies, public procurement, clusters, and the needs of SMEs.
- Regional Innovation Policy: This subsection discusses the role of regional innovation policies in fostering economic growth in the Baltic Sea Region, examining the challenges and opportunities faced by SMEs in accessing and implementing these policies.
- Public Procurement and Innovation: This subsection examines the use of public procurement as a tool for promoting innovation in the Baltic Sea Region, highlighting its potential benefits and challenges.
- Clusters: This subsection discusses the role of clusters in promoting innovation and competitiveness in the Baltic Sea Region, exploring the challenges and opportunities of fostering cluster development.
- Dilemmas: This subsection explores the dilemmas faced by SMEs in the Baltic Sea Region in relation to innovation policies, public procurement, and cluster development.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
The main keywords and focus topics of this paper include: Baltic Sea Region, EU Baltic Sea Strategy (EU STRAT BSR), EU Baltic Sea Region Programme (EU BSRP), Regional Innovation System (RIS), macro-regional cooperation, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), public procurement, clusters, innovation, economic growth, and regional development.- Arbeit zitieren
- Johannes Wiedemann (Autor:in), 2010, The European Union Baltic Sea Strategy and Baltic Sea Region Programme, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/162306
