Smart Specialisation or smart following? A study of policy mimicry in priority domain selection

Korneliusz Pylak, Jason Deegan and Tom Broekel ()

Regional Studies, 2025, vol. 59, issue 1, 2429626

Abstract: This paper explores the phenomenon of mimicry in the selection of economic domains for Smart Specialisation Strategies (S3) and discusses the regional policy implications of strategic mimicry. By analysing S3 documents from European regions, we identify and distinguish between two general types of mimicry: ‘follow the peers’ and ‘follow the role models’, against the more desirable ‘follow the indicators’ priority selection strategy. Our findings reveal that although regions rely on their strengths by following the crucial indicators, thus exhibiting non-mimetic behaviour, there is a stronger tendency for regions to mimic popular domain portfolios, particularly those chosen by neighbouring regions and national strategies. Understanding these patterns in the selection of priority domains helps decision-makers balance mimicry and diversification, promoting specialisation, new economic activities, and regional uniqueness.

Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1080/00343404.2024.2429626

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