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. • "Smart specialization drives responsible innovation strategies. • "Web-based tools enhance consensus in policy-making. • "Diverse stakeholders benefit from web apps. • "Inexperienced stakeholders contribute to innovation policy. • "Empowering engagement for better policy outcomes.