Do anchor infrastructures matter for regional Smart Specialisation Strategy? The case of Alentejo

Do anchor infrastructures matter for regional Smart Specialisation Strategy (RIS3)? This paper investigates the potential of anchor infrastructures to leverage RIS3. An exploratory case study approach is employed. The data are derived from a huge infrastructure project in the Portuguese region of the Alentejo. The study reveals the effectiveness of investment in anchor infrastructure and its contribution to leveraging RIS3. The findings provide insights into the contribution of large public investments in RIS3, identifying key impacts along several important dimensions, shedding a light on one important dimension in Smart Specialisation studies hitherto ignored.