Evaluation of RTD in regional systems of innovation

This paper focuses on the evaluation of research and technical development (RTD) in regional systems of innovation (RSIs). It is argued that regional systems of innovation are distinctly different from national systems of innovation, and, thus, different approaches are called for in the evaluation of RSIs. The most relevant aspects of RSIs, from the evaluation perspective, relate to their largely tacit and context‐specific character. In this paper, the concept and characteristics of RSIs are reviewed, and the implications of these for evaluation practice are discussed. Pointers for good practice in the evaluation of RTD in RSIs are listed.