Abstract:

Intelligent specialization strategies (AUS), which are three main dimensions (defining potential economic activities, entrepreneurial exploration and innovative networks), are a set of policies aimed at the growth and development of the regions, taking advantage of their own dynamics and technology and innovation, and adopted by the European Union in 2013. In Turkey, smart specialization strategies have begun to be adopted as a guide for implementing institutions. Since March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic has affected and continued to be affected in different ways. Intelligent specialization strategies can enable the regions to use their own potential to create solutions to the problems they face due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of this research is to examine the activities of the 10 Development Agency in Turkey under the AUS and to present policy recommendations during the COVID-19 pandemic process. The results show that although selected development agencies have prepared the Regional Innovation Strategy Plan within the framework of the AUS, the activities they carry out during the pandemic process are not sufficient in terms of the AUS and need to be increased.

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