Applying of Regional Benchmarking in the Smart Prioritization Process

The article is devoted to the scientific and methodological aspects of regional benchmarking in the entrepreneurial discovery process as part of the development of regional smart specialization strategy. We present the results of using the author's methodology on the example of one of the sectoral priority areas of smart specialization in European regions. The relevance of the implementation of regional benchmarking and the place of its incorporation into the process of smart prioritization, taking into account the existing methodological support for the development of regional smart specialization strategies have been substantiated. The methodology for regional benchmarking proposed by the authors includes the following main stages: (1) mapping and defining smart priorities for focal econo¬mic activities; (2) analysis of regional priorities according to European policy objectives of smart specialization and study of their structure taking into account the innovative activity of the regions; (3) analysis of the content and goals of regional smart projects with the identification of intersectoral links; (4) analysis of attracting clusters to regional smart specialization and study their localization and selected priority areas; (5) analysis of interregional cooperation in selected thematic area of smart specialization; (6) processing and formalization of the obtained research results. The results of approbation of the proposed methodology are presented on the example of involving the chemical sector in the formation of smart projects. Using data from European internet platforms, we examined 90 smart priorities selected in 69 European regions. It was determined that the dominant goals of the smart specialization policy based on chemical production are Key enabling technologies, Sustainable innovation and Digital transformation. We found that these goals were chosen mainly by the innovation-active regions, while regions with a low level of innovation development, in addition to Sustainable innovation and Key enabling technologies, also focus on projects in the field of health and safety. It is concluded that the combination of knowledge and assets in the smart specialization process in Europe is the result of increased intersectoral and interregional cooperation, including using cluster technologies. Сross-sectoral linkages in smart projects are formed mostly within the existing value chains. At the same time, recently, new intersectoral partnerships, which are focused mainly on digitalization, diffusion of innovative biotechnologies and technologies for sustainable development, have emerged and are actively developing.