Summary of conference contributions

1
Summary of conference contributions

• Patries Boekholt

2
Where we started off

• The arranged marriage suggests we take a good
  look at each other. The conference was a first
  flirtation.
• The innovation system approach asks for a good
  policy mix that addresses the bottlenecks in the
  system
• We cant rely on fixing the individual boxes in
  the system policy has to shift to bridging
  between the boxes
• End of pipe solutions are not sufficient to
  tackle todays problems
• While we usually look at input and output
  additionality in evaluations, the behavioural
  additionalities are as important
• We need to aim at changing capabilities and skills

3
Do innovation policy incentives make a difference?

• Yes,... No,..We dont know
• No private RD went up, while public RD
  incentives went down.
• Yes evaluations and studies show
• ST collaboration correlates positively with
  economic results and public funding of this
  collaboration has added value
• Publicly funded RD projects have a higher
  research component than privately sponsored RD
  projects
• Yes, but we need to look at the interplay
  between incentives in the innovation system

4
There is a lot we dont know

• The soft factors of innovation are crucial for
  economic success
• Thus behavioural additionality aspect of success
  of incentives should be taken on board
• Yet we are not capable of measuring these
• Additionality as a test leads to narrow
  definition of what works
• Fundamental methodological problems in measuring
  socio-economic impacts

5
What have we learnt from environmental policies?

• Environmental technology policies have similar
  additionality patterns
• Finding the right balance between
• Programmes that support incremental innovations
  the safe route
• Integrated approaches that push radical paradigm
  shifts the risky route
• Here the behavioural factor is even more
  important
• Who are the drivers for sustainable solutions?
• Wheres the money?
• There are good practices of environmental
  technology programmes
• No mainstreaming

6
The focus of the two spheres so far
Innovation policy

Environmental Policy
Firms
public demand
research
(consumer) demand
Changing mindsets
7
Open questions

• How do we create a sense of urgency with
  innovation policy makers regarding sustainability
  problems?
• The institutional barriers in the public sector
  are a major impediment innovation of policy
• We need strategic intelligence to understand how
  to change mindsets in businesses but what is
  this exactly?
• Will the marriage between the two enhance the
  market orientation of sustainability policies?
• The incremental approach of most environmental
  technology programmes is not sufficient to
  address the issues we need paradigm shifts

8
Points of discussion

• Stimulating the large block of firms to produce
  more sustainable is the real problem
• Institutional barriers
• Barriers within firms
• What can be learnt from strategic intelligence
  and related instruments (foresight, benchmarking,
  technology assessment, technology roadmapping)?
• Incremental or revolutionary what does it mean
  for policy implementation?
• Lessons from innovation system perspective?
• Experiences within the environmental scene ?