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What are the different factors that make a territory marginal? Are contextual features related to spatial, socioeconomic, institutional, or cultural elements differently influencing marginality in different countries? These are the questions at the origin of this Special Issue. Marginal areas are traditionally defined as those far from the main urban centres, based on a core-periphery model (Cullen & Pretes, 2000; Gatzweiler & Baumüller, 2014; Herrschel, 2012; Ferrau & Lopes, 2004; Bock, 2016). From this perspective, marginality is an intrinsic spatial condition rather than a transient feature. However, the geographic distance from the poles is only one among the many conditions that can help to define marginality, which could be better defined as a process deeply influenced by socioeconomic changes (Máliková, Farrell, McDonagh, 2016). Marginal regions can be peripheral in geographical location but advanced regarding their socioeconomic situation. On the other hand, not every marginal Region is necessarily peripheral: on the contrary, several studies suggest an interpretation of marginality as a lack of socioeconomic and political connection (Leimgruber, 2004; Pelc, 2006; Bock, 2016). Moreover, in European countries such as Germany, France and Italy, the concept of marginality has often been associated with rural or mountainous areas. Still, different contributions to this Special Issue show that marginal territories may have very diverse geographical and orographic conditions. In addition, the scale at which a region can be defined as marginal and the administrative borders may also significantly influence the definition of marginality itself. The lack of a broad, shared definition of marginality affects the identification of marginal territories and the possibility of developing adequate territorial policies to rebalance their marginal condition. Europe shows different attempts at defining marginal territories before proposing devoted policies. For example, Italy refers to the concept of "inner areas" (Materiali Uval, 2014), while the Espon (2017) project PROFECY refers to "inner peripheries". The different names given to marginal territories and the different definitions of marginality require exploring the meaning of considering the other features that may make a territory marginal. As a result, marginality should move from the core-periphery model that considers accessibility to services and goods and distance from central places, considering how a combination of physical, social, economic, institutional and cultural aspects defines marginal territories.

This paper reviews the literature on Smart Specialization implementation in less developed regions of the European Union (EU). Using a systematic literature review research protocol, I critically explore the content of selected relevant papers, examine the challenges in the Smart Specialization implementation in less developed regions of the EU, and raise critical factors that could potentially enhance the success of its implementation. The first finding of this study shows that research on related topics published in leading journals has increased significantly in recent years. Furthermore, as an essential contribution, I categorize the selected papers according to diversity in research design and methodology. Finally, I summarise three key issues of Smart Specialization implementation in less developed regions of the EU: RIS capacity and governance, local and extra-regional collaboration, and regional administrative and financial governance.

The ongoing forced reflection on the leading urbanization models' crisis has led to greater attention to marginal areas. In Italy, the scientific and media debate has focused on inner areas that, since 2014, have represented the target of an innovative national cohesion policy aimed at tackling their shrinking dynamics: the National Strategy for Inner Areas (SNAI). Indeed, Italian inner areas are endowed with extraordinary natural capital and settlement models far from urban density. Thus, they seem to respond perfectly to the new raised living needs. However, leaving aside the optimistic rhetoric, strong political and administrative choices are necessary to trigger a `return process' based on this broader attention toward inner areas, thus countering humankind's natural tendency to concentrate on urban realities. In this light, the paper proposes a tool to support SNAI in designing and implementing heritage-based local development strategies to address inner areas' real needs. After a critical reading of the new challenges for planning posed by the pandemic and SNAI's role within them, the contribution moves to frame the THEMA (Tool for Heritage-based Enhancement of Marginal Areas) tool, focusing on specificities of the inner areas as cultural heritage. Finally, the tool's application to a case study, an inner area in Campania Region, allows to outline and discuss its possible benefits for SNAI implementation and its limits.

The role of regional policy mechanisms towards increased regional resilience is widely recognised, but limited consideration is given to the impact of these mechanisms in, specifically, the peripheral region. In reaction hereto, this article explores the role of three key mechanisms, i.e. economic sectoral composition, innovation and knowledge networks, as well as government institutions as policy tools towards increased regional resilience in a peripheral region in South Africa. The role of each of these mechanisms is quantified and measured by specified indices such as the GVA, the Tress Index and the ICT Access Index, and government indicators such as audit outcomes and service delivery data in five planning regions of the Northern Cape province. This article highlights that a state of dynamic stability and resilience is more feasible through policy intervention focused on these three mechanisms, coupled with detailed regional socio-economic analysis. It also emphasises that a knowledge-rich region will be less dependent on single sector development, pushing itself into a new development stage of secondary and tertiary sector focus through economic diversification, lessening its vulnerability to external shocks and disturbances, and impeding regional lock-in. In support hereto, collective institutional action by a responsive and accountable local and regional government, operating beyond their functional limits, will reinforce and amplify development in the peripheral region. Die rol van streeksbeleidsmeganismes vir verhoogde streeksveerkragtigheid word wyd erken, maar beperkte oorweging word gewy aan die impak van hierdie mega-nismes in spesifiek die periferiese streek. In reaksie hierop ondersoek hierdie artikel die rol van drie sleutelmeganismes, naamlik ekonomiese sektorale samestelling, innovasie- en kennisnetwerke, sowel as regeringsinstellings as beleidsinstrumente vir verhoogde streeksweerstand in 'n periferiese streek in Suid-Afrika. Die rol van elk van hierdie meganismes word gekwantifiseer en gemeet teen gespesifiseerde indekse soos die GVA, die Tress-indeks en die ICT-toegangsindeks, en regeringsaanwysers soos oudituitkomste en diensleweringsdata in vyf beplan-ningsstreke van die Noord-Kaap provinsie. Hierdie artikel beklemtoon dat 'n toestand van dinamiese stabiliteit en veerkragtigheid meer haalbaar is deur beleidsinmenging gefokus op hierdie drie meganismes, tesame met gedetaill eerde streeksanalise. Die artikel beklemtoon ook dat 'n kennisryke streek minder afhanklik sal wees van 'n enkele sektor deur 'n fokus op ekonomiese diversifikasie. Hierdeur kan 'n streek in 'n nuwe ontwikkelingsfase van sekondêre en tersiêre sektorfokus inbeweeg. Die kwesbaarheid van die streek vir eksterne skokke en versteurings sal verminder en streekuitsluiting word voorkom. Ter ondersteuning hiertoe, sal institu-sionele kollektiewe optrede deur 'n reaktiewe en verantwoordbare plaaslike en streeksregering wat buite hul funk-sionele perke werk, die ontwikkeling van die periferiese streek versterk en kwesbaarheid vir eksterne skokke verminder. Boikaraelo ba maano a tikoloho mabapi le kholo ea botsitso ba tikoloho bo ananeloa hohle, empa boinahano holima tsusumetso ea maano ena, haholo-holo, tikolohong e meeling ea naha, e ea fokola. E le ho arabela hona, sengoloa sena se hlahloba mekhoa e meraro ea mantlha, eleng sebopeho sa lekala la moruo, boqapi le marang-rang a tsebo, hammoho le litsi tsa mmuso e le lisebelisoa tsa maano bakeng sa ho eketsa botsitso ba tikoloho meeling ea naha ea Afrika Boroa. Karolo e 'ngoe le e' ngoe ea mekhoa ena e lekantsoe le ho lekanyetsoa ka lits'oants'o tse boletsoeng joalo ka GVA, Tress Index le ICT Access Index, le lits'oants'o tsa mmuso tse kang liphetho tsa tlhahlobo ea libuka le tlhaiso-leseling ea phano ea litsebeletso libakeng tse hlano tsa meralo ea profinse ea Kapa Leboea. Sengoliloeng sena se totobatsa hore ho matlafatsa boemo ba botsitso ba tikoloho ho ka khonahala ka ho sebelisa maano a tsepamisitseng maikutlo mekhoeng ena e meraro, hammoho le tlhaiso-leseling ea moruo oa tikoloho. Se boetse se totobatsa hore sebaka se ruileng tsebo ha sea itsetleha nts'etsopeleng ea lekala le le leng la moruo, empa se ikitlaetsa nts'etsopeleng ea moruo ka makala a 'maloa, mekhahlelong e fapaneng, ele ho fokotsa litsisinyeho le litsitiso tse tsoang kantle. Ho ts'ehetsa sena, khato e nkiloeng ka kopanelo ke mmuso mmoho le mafapha a mang ele ho hatiselletsa boikarabello le ts'ebetso ea puso ea libaka le lebatooa, o tla matlafatsa le ho holisa nts'etsopele tikolohong e mathokong a naha.

This paper identifies and explains the trends in the economic transformations in the Russian Northwest (NWFD). It studies the changes in the structure of the gross regional product (GRP) and economic specialization of the NWFD regions. The authors suggest approaches to managing structural changes in the economies of the NWFD regions. The authors propose a new method for the identification of the regional economic specialization on the basis of the reginal economy sectoral development rate. The article describes a methodology for identifying the development of the regional economic sectors using the "gross value added index" calculated per capita and per sector against the national average. The article presents the analysis of the structural changes in the NWFD gross regional product. The proposed gross value added index helps to identify the upward and downward trends in each sector compared to the national average. Based on this analysis, the authors describe the nature of changes in the NWFD sectoral specialisation, which correlated with the distance to large economic centres - Moscow and St. Petersburg. The authors prove that the economic development of the Northwest macroregion follows the "core-periphery" pattern. The regional economy structure depends on the position of a given region in relation to the core. Concrete approaches to managing structural changes in the economies of periphery regions are proposed.

The potential role of innovation and knowledge networks in regional growth and development is well recognized. However, there has been scant reflection on its role as a policy mechanism, specifically for peripheral regions. In response, this paper investigates the role of innovation and knowledge networks as a policy mechanism towards more resilient peripheral regions. Through a multiple country policy analysis, the paper determines to what extent innovation and knowledge networks are reflected in regional development policies of 17 OECD countries with predominantly rural characteristics. Moreover, the role of innovation and knowledge networks towards more resilient regions is quantified and measured for a specific peripheral region case in South Africa as developing country. The research ultimately concludes that the innovation and knowledge network mechanism of resilience, is dependent both on the extent and the quality of the innovation network within a region. It has been established that the mere presence of infrastructure (passive information communication technology - ICT) cannot specifically be associated with high levels of innovation and technological advantage, but rather a mind-set of change, being open to possibilities and ready for innovation injections (readiness ICT). In establishing a knowledge-rich region informed by both active and passive ICT, but with a pertinent focus on readiness ICT, a region with higher adaptability is established. This results in a peripheral region receptive to change, new technology and innovation. Primary policy actions such as the creation of Special Economic Zones (SEZs), skills training initiatives, centres of expertise, business development, and venture capital will promote innovation and knowledge networks as key actions towards more resilient peripheral regions.

Strengthening innovation capacity of European small and medium enterprises (SMEs) by means of their participation in the Sixth (FP6-SME) and Seventh (FP7-SME) Framework Programmes was an important objective of the European Union policies. Since SMEs form the backbone of the Italian economy, their strong presence in an international network such as the one fostered by the European Union represent a great opportunity, particularly for firms located in southern Italy – the marginal macro-area of the country in terms of innovation – to increase their competitiveness. Based on the major literature on topics such as knowledge exchange, innovation networks and disparities, and on descriptive statistics and a cluster analysis in a dynamic perspective, our study aimed to assess the actual intra-regional, extra-regional and transnational links established by the Italian SMEs and public research establishments (PREs). In a next step we aim at assessing if knowledge flows fostered by the FP6-SME and FP7-SME were mainly concentrated in the traditionally winning macro-regional areas (North and Centre) or led to more widespread benefits in favour of SMEs located in the marginal South. The findings of our study revealed a very limited number of connections - with a related weak knowledge exchange - involving the southern regions, implying a reinforcement of innovation activities in the traditionally most dynamic industrial areas of the country.