It takes four to tango: quadruple helix and regional development in Slovakia

The paper explores the application of the quadruple helix (QH) model in the creation and implementation of strategic documents of Slovak self-governing regions (NUTS III). Using the Programs of Economic Development and Social Development (PEDSD) as the main source, the study compares the involvement of the four helices - public sector, private sector, academia, and civil society - across all eight regions. To achieve this, a qualitative research design based on directed content analysis was employed, allowing the systematic identification of QH actor roles within the documents. The evaluation draws on a four-dimensional analytical scale capturing institutional involvement, level of participation, document emphasis, and impact on strategic content. The analysis reveals that the public sector remains the dominant actor, coordinating the planning process and ensuring alignment with national policies. The private sector is actively engaged in economically advanced regions, where industrial clusters and SMEs contribute to competitiveness and innovation, but less so in structurally disadvantaged areas. The academic sphere plays a fundamental role in shaping innovation and knowledge-oriented priorities, particularly in regions where universities directly coordinated or authored PEDSDs. By contrast, civil society exhibits the highest degree of variation: from active and institutionalized involvement in Bratislava, Nitra, Žilina, Banská Bystrica, Prešov, and Košice SGRs to largely symbolic or declarative engagement in Trnava and Trenčín SGRs. The findings suggest that while the QH framework is formally recognized across all regions, its practical application remains unbalanced. Stronger institutionalization of civic participation and more effective facilitation by regional authorities are needed to reduce asymmetries among helices and to realize the full potential of the model.