As novas Fronteiras da Política Regional – O Caso das Zonas Portuguesas Desfavorecidas

Abstract

The work presents the recent forms of entrepreneurial interaction bases for innovation. It sustains that such forms must be considered in the preparation of policies to support the development of less favoured regions, stressing the importance of decentralisation of decision and learning in that process. We refer the need to integrate the innovation concept in the one of regional policy and point out the fundamental tools to give place either to the coordination of strategies and the interface with the different learning organisations. Based on a study on what has been the regional policy in Portugal, we evaluate the recent effects of the national and regional innovation policies in the country, crossing statistical data along the five Portuguese regions, as from 1988. Finally, we present an appreciation of the investment effort made by the regions for their development and indicate some factors that are inherent to the modern innovation dynamics. Those factors are necessary for a better efficacy as regards the present regional policy.