Innovation performance of Czech regions

Abstract

Uneven regional development is a typical feature of current globalized world. In this regard, innovations belong to the most often cited causes of differences in economic performance of regions. Not surprisingly, stimulation of innovativeness, e.g. through smart specialization, is typically mentioned between development goals of regional policies. Our goal is to evaluate innovation performance of Czech regions in the context of smart specialization strategies. Thus, relations between innovation performance of Czech regions on one hand and determinants of innovation on the other are analyzed. Main findings point at several specifics of Czech regions if their innovation performance is considered. Because of these specifics, benefits from regionally determined smart specialization strategies are stressed.