Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/329351 
Year of Publication: 
2025
Citation: 
[Journal:] Economies [ISSN:] 2227-7099 [Volume:] 13 [Issue:] 3 [Article No.:] 71 [Year:] 2025 [Pages:] 1-47
Publisher: 
MDPI, Basel
Abstract: 
This study evaluates the effectiveness of Aragón's Regional Innovation Strategy for Smart Specialization (RIS3) 2014-2020 by applying Social Network Analysis (SNA) to a comprehensive dataset of regional, national, and European competitive public projects involving Aragonese entities between 2014 and 2023. The analysis explores how collaborative structures - weighted by funding amounts - impact knowledge transfer, stakeholder participation, and strategic alignment within Aragón's innovation ecosystem. Findings reveal a significant concentration of funding in European projects (86% of total ecosystem investment), contrasted with varying degrees of local and national involvement. Cohesion metrics show the high connectivity and closure of the European network, whereas regional calls, though exhibiting tighter density, remain comparatively fragmented and reliant on public research centres and universities. Centrality measures identify key bridging institutions, which facilitate advanced knowledge diffusion but also expose potential over-dependence on a small subset of actors. The analysis results highlight the value of integrating SNA metrics into RIS3 evaluations to better capture how resources, governance mechanisms, and institutional pressures interact. By offering a data-driven methodology that can be monitored continuously and policy recommendations, it aims to guide Aragón and other regions in refining their regional innovation strategies towards more inclusive, resilient, and globally competitive ecosystems.
Subjects: 
regional innovation
smart specialization strategy
Aragon
competitive public projects
Social Network Analysis
innovation ecosystem
Persistent Identifier of the first edition: 
Creative Commons License: 
cc-by Logo
Document Type: 
Article

Files in This Item:
File
Size





Items in EconStor are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated.