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More flexibility in innovation governance needed, study suggests

A new study conducted in the framework of the EU-funded Vision ERA-NET has identified future innovation governance challenges. Comparing recent developments in nine partner countries, the study finds that the broadening of the content of science, technology and innovation (STI...

A new study conducted in the framework of the EU-funded Vision ERA-NET has identified future innovation governance challenges. Comparing recent developments in nine partner countries, the study finds that the broadening of the content of science, technology and innovation (STI) policies is such challenge. 'The content of the notion of 'innovation' has broadened from technology to cover wider social, systemic, organisational and service innovations,' the researchers say, adding that subsequently there are more stakeholders, issues and problems to be solved. While all the countries under review, Austria, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, the Belgian region of Flanders, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden, are at different stages in the implementation of new structures and processes, they are all still under the same pressure to renew their innovation policy, suggests the study. Generally speaking, the study suggests that while innovation is considered to be key to economic competitiveness and social well-being, management structures in the field of STI policies are very static and unlikely to change much. However, as the content of the policies changes and old structures remain the same, new administrative structures tend to be added, which increases the complexity of administration and the need for coordination. According to the researchers, this is not the appropriate strategy. 'If countries wish to significantly renew their innovation policies, they should also have the courage to abandon outdated activities and operational models,' says Mari Heijlt of the Finnish company Gaia Consulting Oy, the research director in charge of the survey. The results of the study have been published in a report entitled 'Major challenges for the governance of national research and innovation policies in small European countries'. It is based on over 60 in-depths interviews, a questionnaire and country-specific workshops conducted as part of Vision ERA-NET. The collaborative network Vision ERA-NET brought together 12 partners from a total of ten European countries and regions. Vision ERA-NET ran from May 2005 to April 2008 and received €2 million under the EU's Sixth Framework Programme (FP6).