Promoting entrepreneurship socio-ecosystems
The confluence of STI, IRS3 and culture in regional development
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 22126014 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Hassan Jafariani (0009-0004-7796-7188, University of Bojnord), Sina Ataee (0000-0003-3608-2506, University of Aveiro, corresponding author), Mohammad Vahidi Borji (0009-0002-7451-9799, Accelerated Medical Diagnostics (United States)) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Pages | 1-25 |
| Publication date | 2026-07-07 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Area Development and Policy (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2379-2949 • E-ISSN: 2379-2957 |
| Publisher | Informa UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/23792949.2026.2690579 |
| OpenAlex | W7167631563 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 34 |
The global pursuit of scientific excellence often steers science, technology and innovation (STI) policies towards high-tech domains, creating disconnects with the developmental needs of lagging regions. Using an in-depth case study of North Khorasan Province, Iran, this research explores the misalignment between global STI policies and local needs. It contends that such regions should prioritise place-based innovation rooted in local assets and cultures over chasing high-tech domains. The study applies the IRS3 model (innovation, research, synergy, society, service), which fosters synergy among universities, government, industry and civil society (quadruple helix) via smart specialisation. This governance framework enabled ‘appropriate integration’, leveraging STI to modernise and add value to traditional sectors like agriculture and handicrafts while preserving cultural heritage. Evidence from ten successful initiatives, including drought-resistant seeds and global branding for artisan carpets, demonstrates tangible outcomes: new value chains, higher productivity, reduced out-migration and preserved indigenous knowledge. The key conclusion is that lagging regions should not replicate Silicon Valley but develop a context-sensitive entrepreneurial ecosystem, investing in robust innovation governance for sustainable, endogenous modernisation that is both economically and culturally resilient
Corporate governance · Entrepreneurship · Excellence · Indigenous · Innovation system · Lagging · Modernization theory · Silicon valley · Entrepreneurship Studies and Influences · Innovation and Socioeconomic Development · University-Industry-Government Innovation Models
The University and the City
The Case for Regional Development Intervention
Legitimizing research, technology and innovation policies for transformative change
What is evolutionary about ‘regional systems of innovation’? Implications for regional policy
Regional value chains as new pathways to development
High-speed rail heading for innovation
The exaggerated death of geography
Facilitating the participation of civil society in regional planning
Risk governance in urban planning
The impact of cluster policy on academic knowledge creation and regional innovation
Missions, conditions and the policy transfer of Smart Specialisation in the European Union
The case for place-based policy
The Learning Region
Smart Specialisation Strategies and regional knowledge spaces
Endogenous Technological Change
Regional innovation systems
Responsible research and innovation
The Geography of Innovation
| Highly cited | No |
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