Exploring the governance challenge of regional transformative innovation policies: a metagovernance perspective

Ainhoa Arrona and Edurne Magro

Chapter 4 in Research Handbook on Regions and Transformative Innovation Policy, 2026, pp 52-67 from Edward Elgar Publishing

Abstract: This chapter explores how regional transformative innovation policies require a new form of governance – transformative governance – that is inclusive, reflexive and adaptive. Regional governments play a key role in coordinating diverse actors to address local and systemic challenges. The concept of metagovernance is proposed as a lens to understand and guide this transformation, emphasising the need for a systemic and context-specific strategy that includes institutional design, goal-setting and participatory processes. Metagovernance combines traditional tools (e.g., regulation, funding) with experimental approaches (e.g., agenda-building, capacity-building). While any capable actor can apply these strategies, local and regional governments are especially suited due to the contextual nature of challenges. However, shifting from top-down governance to multi-level, capacity-driven approaches is a long-term challenge that requires further research and institutional change across all government levels.

Keywords: Regional transformative innovation policies; Transformative governance; Metagovernance; Institutional capacities (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
ISBN: 9781035309924
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.elgaronline.com/doi/10.4337/9781035309931.00012 (application/pdf)
Our link check indicates that this URL is bad, the error code is: 403 Forbidden

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:elg:eechap:22217_4

Ordering information: This item can be ordered from
http://www.e-elgar.com

Access Statistics for this chapter

More chapters in Chapters from Edward Elgar Publishing
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Jack Sweeney ().