Biannual international review published since 1985 by the Basque Government for economic analysis and debate, with special attention to themes which affect the Basque Economy. ISSN-0213-3865 / / E-ISSN 2340-4051
It is widely agreed that territories, like businesses, need to draw up and implement strategies to guide their economic development. In Europe, the proliferation of territory-based strategies can be observed particularly in the adoption at regional level of so-called Smart Specialisation Strategies (S3) tailored to the specific characteristics and capacities of each territory. The consolidation of these strategies in the past ten years has been a major step towards more strategic management of regional policy, but it has sparked discussion and criticism for the lack of an approach focused on the social challenges associated with the environmental, digital and social/demographic transitions. Acknowledgement of that lack has resulted in proposals for a new generation of regional strategies, such as the so-called Sustainable Smart Specialisation Strategies (S4) and Partnerships for Regional Innovation (PRI).
This special issue explores some of the characteristics of that new generation of regional strategies and reflects on some of the obstacles that they must overcome if they are to be successful. It brings together experiences from different European and non-European settings and centres on various aspects of territorial strategies that are needed to tackle the challenges of a rapidly changing political scenario.
Other Collaborations section completes the number with a paper on the degree of implementation of the Social and Solidarity Economy in the regional development strategies of the Basque Country.
