Designing foresight for smart specialisation in the blue economy

Abstract

Smart specialisation has led to the selection of priority areas in which European Member States are channeling research and innovation resources with the aim of building comparative advantage. The blue economy is one of these areas that promises to have significant innovation potential. However, implementing actionable business opportunities is a challenge for regions with different R&I capacities and resources. We integrate the use of foresight with the smart specialisation process to assist regions with the implementation of their strategies. Based on an analysis of the literature, we develop a framework that outlines the stages in a foresight exercise, from diagnosis and exploration of future innovation opportunities to implementation, that run parallel to the implementation of the smart specialisation process. In a future step, the foresight framework will be tested in six maritime regions in Europe in order to develop future scenarios for the sustainable development of the blue economy.