1. SWOT

2. FROM PEST – SWOT to needs (1) Strengths + Threats Needs (Obstacles) R&D performance is better than in other areas (high median value and presence of excellences) Outsourcing of R&D to low cost countries Risk of brain-drain and of shortage of technical educated personnel Internal competition in common areas of specialisation Critical mass in R&D themes High tech employmentDemographic change / Risk of brain drain High-skilled human resources scarcity to strengthen development Dynamic entrepreneurship (early stage and start-up in particular) Economic crisis as a difficulty for start-ups and financing investments and innovation Difficulties of emerging new ideas due to brain drain and lack of public support ICT endowments (in some areas ICT is a smart specialisation sector) Online shipping could have negative spatial and social effects ICT services volatility

3. FROM PEST – SWOT to needs (2) Opportunities + Weaknesses Needs (Potentials) Smart specialisation strategy Low performance of SMEs in R&D Territorial polarisation Innovative potential of clusters around the borders for smart specialisation and innovation Programmes Low performance of SMEs in R&D Territorial polarisation Involvement of SMEs in international networks for research World bank policy Reduction of available resources for welfare Social innovation for a more effective welfare especially regarding ageing European and regional policy (eco- innovation) Low performance of SMEs in R&DEco-innovation as a driver of competitiveness

4. FROM PEST – SWOT to needs Needs Pertinence (governance level) Potential added value (policy attention) Critical mass in R&D themesRegional, local + Obstacles High-skilled human resources scarcity to strengthen developmentNational, regional, local + Difficulties of emerging of new ideas due to brain drain and lack of public support National, regional, local + ICT services volatilityRegional, local + Innovative potential of clusters around the borders for smart specialisation and innovation Regional, local + Potentials Involvement of SMEs in international networks for researchNational, regional + Social innovation for a more effective welfare especially regarding ageingNational, regional, local + Eco-innovation as a driver of competitivenessNational, regional, local +

5. TOOL : FOCUS GROUP

6. Focus group Definiton A focus group is a form of qualitative research in which a group of people are asked about their perceptions, opinions, beliefs, and attitudes towards a product, service, concept, advertisement, idea, or packaging. Questions are asked in an interactive group setting where participants are free to talk with other group members.qualitative research Facilitation tools Concept mapping Metaplan ® Dual Group Moderator

7. Performing a Focus group Cabaret setting Presentation Brain storming / break question Structured discussion Wrap up

8. FROM PEST – SWOT to needs (3) PExistence of National Strategy for Innovation and Research EGlobal crisis has reduced the investments in risky sectors SGlobal crisis has increased the disparity among the regions TOld technologies tend to be obsolete Possible shortage of high skilled workers (risk of brain drain) Needs (obstacles) for Smart Growth Critical mass in R&D themes High-skilled human resources scarcity to strengthen development Difficulties of emerging of new ideas due to brain drain and lack of public support ICT services volatility Needs (potentials) for Smart Growth Innovative potential of clusters around the borders for smart specialisation and innovation Involvement of SMEs in international networks for research Social innovation for a more effective welfare especially regarding ageing Eco-innovation as a driver of competitiveness

9. Role play: Focus group Project assessment unit 1- Relevance 2 – Expected impact 3 – Effectiveness / efficiency Stakeholder n.1 n.2 Evaluation experts Lessons learned from evaluation

10. Project assessment (ex-ante) Project n.1 «The project aims to increase the competition in R&D in the programme area» Expected impact: More competition 2 jobs and 100 dollars investments Project n.2 «The project aims to increase the labour mobility out and within the programme area» Expected impact: More labour mobility 1 jobs and 200 dollars investments Project n.3 «The project aims to promote the development and adoption of new technologies» Expected impact: Adoption of high techologies in the area 1 jobs and 200 dollars investments Relevance P 1 P 2 P 3 Project assessment unit 1

11. Project assessment (ex-ante) Project n.1 «The project aims to increase the competition in R&D in the programme area» Expected impact: More competition 2 jobs and 100 dollars investments Project n.2 «The project aims to increase the labour mobility out and within the programme area» Expected impact: More labour mobility 1 jobs and 200 dollars investments Project n.3 «The project aims to promote the development and adoption of new technologies» Expected impact: Adoption of high techologies in the area 1 jobs and 200 dollars investments Expected impact P 1 P 2 P 3 Project assessment unit 2

12. Project assessment (ex-ante) Project n.1 «The project aims to increase the competition in R&D in the programme area» Expected impact: More competition 2 jobs and 100 dollars investments Project n.2 «The project aims to increase the labour mobility out and within the programme area» Expected impact: More labour mobility 1 jobs and 200 dollars investments Project n.3 «The project aims to promote the development and adoption of new technologies» Expected impact: Adoption of high techologies in the area 1 jobs and 200 dollars investments Efficiency / effectiveness P 1 P 2 P 3 Project assessment unit 3

13. Stakeholders’ perspective Stakeholder n.1: We want project increasing the competitiveness, We want to finance the adoption of new technologies We need job creation Stakeholder n.2: We need job creation We want to finance the adoption of new technologies We prefer to finance green technologies Donor n.1 sitting in the Monitoring Committee Donor n.2 sitting in the Monitoring Committee

14. Evaluation lessons learned CBA: Projects are in general not sustainable (in terms of producing the effects over time) External coherence: Other programmes contradict the interventions What if (counterfactual): The added value of this type of intervention seems very limited Implementation procedures: Projects in general meet their targets in terms of input, procedural and output indicators, however in some sectors there are some problems External experts

15. Key questions What is the relevance of the projects? To what extent are projects expected to produce impact? What is the effectiveness / efficiency of the projects? What do you think about the projects in terms of policy filter? What can we learn from the past? How can we «control» over time the quality and the performance of the projects? How can we reach an agreement?

16. RISK AND CHALLENGES ONE PREDOMINANT VOICE POLARIZATION AND AMBIVALENCE BIZARRE TOOLS AND OBVIOUS OUTCOME