Regional competitiveness policy for grand societal challenges
Orkestra – Basque Institute of Competitiveness is a centre for analysis and debate on territorial competitiveness. Orkestra was created in 2006 within the Deusto Foundation at the University of Deusto. The Institute is the result of the different strategic, private and public initiatives which converge with the aim of building competitive societies and enterprises as a key condition for prosperity and welfare.
Orkestra’s research aims to be transformative.This type of research is defined by analysis, reflection, evaluation and the proposal of actions, in a permanent form, aimed at providing innovative answers for the resolution of the challenges considered, while research knowledge is acquired.
http://www.orkestra.deusto.es
Background and advanced knowledge in economic geography, public policies, innovation studies or other social sciences.
Experience in and the capacity to coordinate research projects.
Proficiency in English, good command in Spanish will also be highly valued.
The candidate should also have skills for conducting quantitative and qualitative research, including the ability to engage with stakeholders and to write research reports with a policy-oriented view. Evidence of the capacity to publish in journals of academic impact will be positively valued.
The candidate has also to demonstrate the willingness to work in collaboration with others and in an open manner. Other relevant skills include the ability to communicate,capacity for teamwork and motivation for researching and innovation.
- Social Sciences and Humanities (SOC)
The area of competitiveness policies and more specifically innovation policies, has shifted in the recent times from a horizontal approach to a directional one. On the one hand, in the area of regional policies, it is widely acknowledged that regions should focus or specialise in those activities in which they have capabilities, in order to be competitive. This idea has been included in the Smart Specialisation Strategies promoted by the European Commission. On the other hand, innovation policies should be addressed towards grand societal challenges, following the latest approaches (transformative innovation policy, mission-oriented innovation policy). However, little research has been conducted to explore the role of regions for addressing grand societal challenge and how regional competitiveness policies should evolve for that. This position offers the possibility of exploring this link by experimenting in regional research projects in the area of competitiveness policy-making and contributing to European projects and proposals in this field.
EXCELLENCE OF THE HOST RESEARCH UNIT
Aranguren, M.J., Magro, E., Navarro, M and Wilson, J. (2019) Governance of the RIS3
entrepreneurial discovery process: Looking under the bonnet of RIS3. Regional Studies 53 (4), pp.
451-461.
Magro, E., Wilson, J.R. (2018). Policy-mix evaluation: Governance challenges from new placebased
innovation policies. Research Policy. DOI: /doi.org/10.1016/j.respol.2018.06.010
Uyarra, E., Flanagan, K., Magro, E., Wilson, J.R. and Sotarauta, M. (2017). Understanding regional
innovation policy dynamics: Actors, agency and learning. Environment and Planning C: Politics
and Space 35 (4), pp.559-568.
Magro, E., Navarro, M. & Zabala-Iturriagagoitia, J.M. (2014). Coordination-Mix: The Hidden Face of
STI Policy. Review of Policy Research 31 (5): 367–389. DOI: 10.1111/ropr.12090
Magro, E. and Wilson J.R. (2013). Complex Innovation Policy Systems: Towards an Evaluation
Mix. Research Policy, 42: 1647-1656.
The host research unit combines regional research projects in collaboration with regional stakeholders with international (mainly European supported) research projects in other to bring together local and global knowledge to tackle regional competitiveness challenges. As a brief overview of on-going and possible future projects in the regional competitiveness policy area the following can be highlighted:
– Impact of internationalisation strategies of Basque firms in the SDGs of host countries. (on-going) . Basque Government.
– Evaluation of internationalisation collaborative policies (on-going). Participants: Basque Government, Provincial Council of Bizkaia, Provincial Council of Araba, Provincial Council of Gipuzkoa, Orkestra.
– MANUMIX: Innovation policy-mix learning for advanced manufacturing in European regions. (on-going) European Commission (INTERREG Programme). Participants: Innobasque, Basque Government, Orkestra, Mosta, Government of Wales, Piadmond.
– Territorial Responsible Research and Innovation for Sustainability (proposal submitted to H2020, under evaluation) INTERDISCIPLINARY COLLABORATION
The research area of regional competitiveness policy for societal challenges brings together different knowledge disciplines and therefore interdisciplinarity is at the core of the offer. The offer aims to integrate knowledge from regional sciences, economic geography, political science, innovation studies and social issues.
The team members of the hosting organisation are experienced in the described knowledge fields so together the projects and activities of the organisation are interdisciplinary by nature. In addition, the transformative research approach taken by the organisation requires interdisciplinary in the projects’ development. As proof of this interdisciplinary the academic publications of the host organisation’s researchers include a wide range of journals. The same approach is applied to research networks. INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATION
The knowledge fields in which the offer is embedded links with two main European approaches to innovation policy: the regional approach to smart specialisation strategies and the FP9 approach towards mission-oriented policies. These also can be linked to the concept of Responsible Research and Innovation included in the H2020 Science with and for Society Work Programme and more generally to how regional policy can address SDGs. INTERSECTORAL COLLABORATION
The transformative research approach of the host organisation involves a continuous engagement with regional stakeholders (mainly policy-makers, research organisations and companies), all of them embedded in the regional smart specialisation strategy. In addition, the on-going projects are intrinsically linked with the regional S3 priorities (i.e. Advanced Manufacturing). Finally, the organisation collaborates with wider international stakeholders (mainly from academic organisations, but also policy-makers from other European countries/regions). IMPACT
As explained above, the transformative research approach of the host organisation, which involves continuous engagement with stakeholders for action, guarantees the dissemination and impact of the research results. In addition, the organisational position in international networks guarantees diffusion of the results in a wider, European and international framework. INNOVATION
There is a wide consensus in both theory and practice that competitiveness policies, especially innovation policies, need to address societal challenges, including SDGs. However, there is little reflection about the role of regions and regional policy to that respect. This gives room for experimenting in some regions with new approaches of regional competitiveness policies for sustainability as well to contribute to the state of the art. The offer will facilitate the experimentation in practice with transformative aims and a platform for academic publications. INCLUSION
The research area itself introduces societal challenges into regional competitiveness policies with a perspective of inclusion of social groups following a holistic approach. That means that how to guarantee inclusion, not only in terms of defining societal challenges but also with regards the inclusion of all types of societal groups in regional policy making will be considered as a research topic.
Aranguren, M.J., Magro, E., Navarro, M and Wilson, J. (2019) Governance of the RIS3
entrepreneurial discovery process: Looking under the bonnet of RIS3. Regional Studies 53 (4), pp.
451-461.
Magro, E., Wilson, J.R. (2018). Policy-mix evaluation: Governance challenges from new placebased
innovation policies. Research Policy. DOI: /doi.org/10.1016/j.respol.2018.06.010
Uyarra, E., Flanagan, K., Magro, E., Wilson, J.R. and Sotarauta, M. (2017). Understanding regional
innovation policy dynamics: Actors, agency and learning. Environment and Planning C: Politics
and Space 35 (4), pp.559-568.
Magro, E., Navarro, M. & Zabala-Iturriagagoitia, J.M. (2014). Coordination-Mix: The Hidden Face of
STI Policy. Review of Policy Research 31 (5): 367–389. DOI: 10.1111/ropr.12090
Magro, E. and Wilson J.R. (2013). Complex Innovation Policy Systems: Towards an Evaluation
Mix. Research Policy, 42: 1647-1656.
The host research unit combines regional research projects in collaboration with regional stakeholders with international (mainly European supported) research projects in other to bring together local and global knowledge to tackle regional competitiveness challenges. As a brief overview of on-going and possible future projects in the regional competitiveness policy area the following can be highlighted:
– Impact of internationalisation strategies of Basque firms in the SDGs of host countries. (on-going) . Basque Government.
– Evaluation of internationalisation collaborative policies (on-going). Participants: Basque Government, Provincial Council of Bizkaia, Provincial Council of Araba, Provincial Council of Gipuzkoa, Orkestra.
– MANUMIX: Innovation policy-mix learning for advanced manufacturing in European regions. (on-going) European Commission (INTERREG Programme). Participants: Innobasque, Basque Government, Orkestra, Mosta, Government of Wales, Piadmond.
– Territorial Responsible Research and Innovation for Sustainability (proposal submitted to H2020, under evaluation)
The research area of regional competitiveness policy for societal challenges brings together different knowledge disciplines and therefore interdisciplinarity is at the core of the offer. The offer aims to integrate knowledge from regional sciences, economic geography, political science, innovation studies and social issues.
The team members of the hosting organisation are experienced in the described knowledge fields so together the projects and activities of the organisation are interdisciplinary by nature. In addition, the transformative research approach taken by the organisation requires interdisciplinary in the projects’ development. As proof of this interdisciplinary the academic publications of the host organisation’s researchers include a wide range of journals. The same approach is applied to research networks.
INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATION
The knowledge fields in which the offer is embedded links with two main European approaches to innovation policy: the regional approach to smart specialisation strategies and the FP9 approach towards mission-oriented policies. These also can be linked to the concept of Responsible Research and Innovation included in the H2020 Science with and for Society Work Programme and more generally to how regional policy can address SDGs. INTERSECTORAL COLLABORATION
The transformative research approach of the host organisation involves a continuous engagement with regional stakeholders (mainly policy-makers, research organisations and companies), all of them embedded in the regional smart specialisation strategy. In addition, the on-going projects are intrinsically linked with the regional S3 priorities (i.e. Advanced Manufacturing). Finally, the organisation collaborates with wider international stakeholders (mainly from academic organisations, but also policy-makers from other European countries/regions). IMPACT
As explained above, the transformative research approach of the host organisation, which involves continuous engagement with stakeholders for action, guarantees the dissemination and impact of the research results. In addition, the organisational position in international networks guarantees diffusion of the results in a wider, European and international framework. INNOVATION
There is a wide consensus in both theory and practice that competitiveness policies, especially innovation policies, need to address societal challenges, including SDGs. However, there is little reflection about the role of regions and regional policy to that respect. This gives room for experimenting in some regions with new approaches of regional competitiveness policies for sustainability as well to contribute to the state of the art. The offer will facilitate the experimentation in practice with transformative aims and a platform for academic publications. INCLUSION
The research area itself introduces societal challenges into regional competitiveness policies with a perspective of inclusion of social groups following a holistic approach. That means that how to guarantee inclusion, not only in terms of defining societal challenges but also with regards the inclusion of all types of societal groups in regional policy making will be considered as a research topic.
The knowledge fields in which the offer is embedded links with two main European approaches to innovation policy: the regional approach to smart specialisation strategies and the FP9 approach towards mission-oriented policies. These also can be linked to the concept of Responsible Research and Innovation included in the H2020 Science with and for Society Work Programme and more generally to how regional policy can address SDGs.
The transformative research approach of the host organisation involves a continuous engagement with regional stakeholders (mainly policy-makers, research organisations and companies), all of them embedded in the regional smart specialisation strategy. In addition, the on-going projects are intrinsically linked with the regional S3 priorities (i.e. Advanced Manufacturing). Finally, the organisation collaborates with wider international stakeholders (mainly from academic organisations, but also policy-makers from other European countries/regions).
IMPACT
As explained above, the transformative research approach of the host organisation, which involves continuous engagement with stakeholders for action, guarantees the dissemination and impact of the research results. In addition, the organisational position in international networks guarantees diffusion of the results in a wider, European and international framework. INNOVATION
There is a wide consensus in both theory and practice that competitiveness policies, especially innovation policies, need to address societal challenges, including SDGs. However, there is little reflection about the role of regions and regional policy to that respect. This gives room for experimenting in some regions with new approaches of regional competitiveness policies for sustainability as well to contribute to the state of the art. The offer will facilitate the experimentation in practice with transformative aims and a platform for academic publications. INCLUSION
The research area itself introduces societal challenges into regional competitiveness policies with a perspective of inclusion of social groups following a holistic approach. That means that how to guarantee inclusion, not only in terms of defining societal challenges but also with regards the inclusion of all types of societal groups in regional policy making will be considered as a research topic.
As explained above, the transformative research approach of the host organisation, which involves continuous engagement with stakeholders for action, guarantees the dissemination and impact of the research results. In addition, the organisational position in international networks guarantees diffusion of the results in a wider, European and international framework.
There is a wide consensus in both theory and practice that competitiveness policies, especially innovation policies, need to address societal challenges, including SDGs. However, there is little reflection about the role of regions and regional policy to that respect. This gives room for experimenting in some regions with new approaches of regional competitiveness policies for sustainability as well to contribute to the state of the art. The offer will facilitate the experimentation in practice with transformative aims and a platform for academic publications.
INCLUSION
The research area itself introduces societal challenges into regional competitiveness policies with a perspective of inclusion of social groups following a holistic approach. That means that how to guarantee inclusion, not only in terms of defining societal challenges but also with regards the inclusion of all types of societal groups in regional policy making will be considered as a research topic.
The research area itself introduces societal challenges into regional competitiveness policies with a perspective of inclusion of social groups following a holistic approach. That means that how to guarantee inclusion, not only in terms of defining societal challenges but also with regards the inclusion of all types of societal groups in regional policy making will be considered as a research topic.