European regional policy making: A challenge for our collective intelligence

Smart specialization has emerged as a vital strategy for driving responsible research and innovation across Europe. Despite its growing importance, the integration of web-based platforms to support decision-making in policy contexts remains underexplored. This study addresses this gap by examining how such platforms can enhance stakeholder engagement and decision-making processes in regional innovation policies. Using structural equation modeling and survey data from 686 respondents across four European countries (United Kingdom/ Scotland, Greece, the Netherlands and Spain), we uncover that the presence of both experienced and novice stakeholders does facilitate innovation policy effectiveness. Our findings reveal that stakeholders who find web based applications valuable for smart specialization tend to have a more favorable view of the decision-making processes and express higher satisfaction with the consensus achieved. This research highlights that web-based platforms can effectively support stakeholder engagement regardless of policy expertise levels, offering significant benefits for regional policymaking. Based on our research, integrating web-based applications into smart specialization strategies will enhance decision-making, support diverse stakeholders and improve overall policy effectiveness.