ABSTRACT
This chapter summarises the goals of smart specialisation strategies and then question the pertinence of these objectives according to the development levels of the regions, as well as with regard to questions of interregional coordination within a 'superior' entity. Smart specialisation as a regional strategy conveys the message quite strongly that the best future for many regions is not necessarily to be found within the high-tech industry. Of course, high-tech Research and Development (R&D) and innovation can be present everywhere, but in many cases more as a way to modernise or diversify old traditional industries than as a production objective per se. R&D and innovation-related activities are relevant and important in any sector of the economy. The production of knowledge and technological solutions in user sectors is crucial to ensure the effective diffusion of the General Purpose Technologies and Tools (GPT).
