ارزیابی صلاحیت دیجیتالی منطقه ای: آینده دیجیتال و پیامدهای برنامه ریزی استراتژیک Assessing regional digital competence: Digital futures and strategic planning implications

1. Introduction Much of the innovation-led development literature favours a ‘techno-optimist’ approach to regional competitiveness and advancement, but technological readiness and adoption in regional areas often is still lagging (Alam and Shahiduzzaman, 2014). As a result, scholars are showing increasing interest in understanding strategic planning approaches that solve regional development concerns (Bentley and Pugalis, 2014; Rickman and Rickman, 2011), particularly those that are technology-related (Erdiaw-Kwasie and Alam, 2016). For example, scholars have applied strategic planning techniques to business analysis (Erdiaw-Kwasie, 2016; Kalkan and Bozkurt, 2013), land use and urban development (Cobbinah, 2017; McFarland, 2015), environmental and ecological analysis (Balsiger and Debarbieux, 2011; Tedsen and Andreas, 2013), spatial data analysis (Acheampong et al., 2017; Amoateng et al., 2018) and policy analysis (Erdiaw-Kwasie et al., 2016; Hovik and Hanssen, 2015). However, even though strategic planning has been used extensively in other fields of study, both at micro and macro scales (Dyson, 2004; Roberts and Stimson, 1998), not much is known about regional digital strategies towards proactive responses to rapid technological changes. According to Řehoř (2015), the primary aim of strategic planning is to bring an organization into balance with the external environment and to maintain that balance over time. This balance often is realised by evaluating new programs and services with the intent of maximizing performance. The strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) analysis is a precursor to strategic planning and ensures that an assessment is made with a critical perspective (Guirado et al., 2017; Carpenter, 2006). Elsewhere the SWOT analysis is perceived as a preliminary decision-making tool that sets the stage for adjustments to maintain optimal function (Gibis et al., 2001). Given the speed of rapid technological developments and the demand for ubiquitous and more responsive digital ecosystems, there is an increasing need for effective strategic decisions to guide digital futures strategies (Alam and Imran, 2015; Malecki, 2010). Among the challenges faced by a regional digital competence strategy is the rising uncertainty surrounding its overall environment, including economic, political, social, technological and environmental factors. According to Schwenker and Wulf (2013), underestimating this uncertainty can be hazardous. To these authors, at worst it may lead to strategies that are unable to protect against threats, and at best it may lead to strategies that ignore the potential opportunities inherent in uncertainty. This implies that, traditional policies are not enough in themselves to win in the digital age. New regional strategic planning approaches that pay significant attention to both the internal and external contexts are necessary, particularly the way of life of its users (Erdiaw-Kwasie and Alam, 2016; Murthy, 2008). It is in this context that strategic planning is suggested as an extended tool for regional development in this digital age.