Ricerca, Innovazione e Industria 4.0: Stato dell'Arte e Politiche di sviluppo in Germania e Austria.

In the current debate on post 2014-20 period of regional development funding, part of EU Cohesion Policy and Europe 2020 strategy, RIS3 approach stands out for having strongly shaped the design and implementation of regional strategies. Supported by the European Regional Development Fund and national co-financing, about 120 S3s have been developed in this timeframe by member states and regions, setting priorities for research and innovation investments. This large-scale European experience has provided a unique case study of a new type of industrial policy, particularly oriented towards the modernisation of industrial sectors. Nowadays, it is not the computer the core technology, but rather the Internet, with digitization processes at the centre of the new current industrial revolution, also named Industry 4.0. New technologies such as the Internet of Things, machine-to-machine communication and increasingly smart and connected manufacturing equipment offer important new opportunities and at the same time disrupt old ways of production and of working, calling for a “socio-technical evolution of the human role” and adequate strategic development policies, capable of supporting and guiding innovation and an inclusive and sustainable digital transformation. In this context, Germany and Austria are taken into consideration and relative Industry 4.0 Development Policies are examined, to gain insights on national and regional strategies towards a cohesive European Union. Two Sectoral Case studies, respectively on Digital Startups and Clusters and the Automotive Industry are also presented.