The aim of this thesis is to investigate how cooperation between different actors should be amended and improved through the new strategy of innovation support system in Värmland. I am able to answer how the new strategy of the innovation support system are going to improve cooperation between actors through an analyse of policy network theory.  

The study asks an overall question “How shall cooperation between several different actors be improved through the new strategy in the innovation support system?”. Following by three more concentrated questions: What are the motives to participation in the innovation support system in 2012 and 2017? How does the organisation of cooperation appear in the innovation support system in 2012 and 2017? What is the strategy for managing collaborations in the innovation support system in 2012 and 2017?

The study has been fulfilled through document studies and interviews with representatives from the innovation support system. Analyses of the innovation support system in Värmland through policy network theory dividing the innovation support system into three categories: an actor level, an interaction level and a policy level. 

The five priorities, called “smart specialisation”, are the characteristic areas in the VRIS3 strategy. Results are showing that “responsibility explanations” and Innovation Park are both new in VRIS3. The conclusions through policy network theory is that actors’ self-interests are the main motives to participate in the innovation support system. Knowledge, time and financial resources are the mainly resources. The VRIS3 is still in process but the common answer to question two and three is that Region Värmland have a leading role in the innovation support system. The purpose of the “responsibility explanations” is to clarify the roles of the actors, and Innovation Park have a central role in the innovation support system as a coordinator and is working as a unified meeting place.