Can Research, Development, and Innovation Policies Cross Borders? The Case of Nordic-Baltic Region

Research, development and innovation (RDI) collaboration across countries has become a widely-discussed topic. At the same time, the RDI policy convergence mechanisms are neither explicitly outlined nor systematically discussed. The article tries to fill the gap by using advances from regional innovation systems literature, economic geography, and policy convergence discussions. Based on the developed analytical framework, current trends in RDI policy making in Europe are discussed and the case of Nordic-Baltic region is highlighted. The empirical analysis of the region is based on the meta-analysis of evaluations of Nordic policy cooperation, data of supra-regional program participation, and seventeen semi-structured interviews with RDI agency executives from the region. The article finds that RDI policies can indeed cross border, but under very specific conditions.