New insights into open innovation policy in Europe

Brussels, 8 September 2011- Today, the study Open Innovation in Europe: effects, determinants and policy has been made public.  The study provides novel insights into open innovation and tackles the concept as a multi-dimensional phenomenon rather than a singular best practice. On 19 May 2011, the study was presented and validated during a one day workshop which was attended by over 60 participants including a body of innovation experts. 

The study findings are presented through two research questions, which identify various dimensions of firm level open innovation practices and strategies; the first investigates the effects of open innovation practices on the innovation performance of firms, and the second analyses the determinants of a firms' use of open innovation practices.

The empirical analysis carried out within the study has yielded a plethora of findings regarding firm level innovation.  It was found that open innovation practices have a positives effect on innovation performance though impact differed between small and larger countries, high-tech and low-tech companies and SMEs and established firms.  The study sheds light on the effects of increased collaboration between firms and how knowledge purchase affects their innovative performance.

Finally, the authors discuss the effects of their findings on future policy amendment in light of existing policies.  It was found for instance, that while EU funding strengthens university-industry linkages, it weakens the perceptiveness of firms toward industrial sources of knowledge.  The study concludes that policy and funding activity should stimulate the uptake of platforms for industrial research and knowledge diffusion within the EU's Common Strategic Framework.  In contrast however, national policy should tackle the challenge of creating industry-science linkages which increase specialisation across internationalised firms within the domains of its economy.

The Innovation Intelligence Study, which was developed within the PRO-INNO framework; INNO-GRIPS II, is part of a series of six studies tackling various aspects of innovation in light of European policy challenges. It is prepared by the Nordic Institute for Studies in Innovation, Research and Education (NIFU-STEP), Management Center Innsbruck (MCI) and The Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research ISI (Fraunhofer ISI).  The authors include Bernd Ebersberger (MCI), Sverre J. Herstad, Eric Iversen (NIFU-STEP), Oliver Som and Eva Kirner (Fraunhofer ISI).

The next INNO-GRIPS II workshop "Social attitudes toward fostering entrepreneurship and innovation demand" will be held on 16 November 2011 in Brussels. 

For more information and registration please contact:

Greenovate! sprl

Tel.: +32-2-400 1008
Rossella.Riggio@greenovate.eu

Contact: 

For more information regarding the workshop, please contact Titus van der Spek at: assistant@greenovate.eu

For more information about INNO GRIPS II click here