Innovation Policies in Europe and the US by Susana Borrás Peter S. Biegelbauer

Author:Susana Borrás, Peter S. Biegelbauer [Susana Borrás, Peter S. Biegelbauer]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781138717893
Barnesnoble:
Publisher: Taylor & Francis
Published: 2017-11-30T00:00:00+00:00

To what extent has the intensive work in the area of science and technology policy consulting been reflected in the actual technology policy concepts? To address this issue we will briefly discuss the Technology Policy Concept of 1996, the Hochleitner/Schmidt concept of 1997, and the Green Book for Austrian Research Policy in 1999 (see box 4 below). The first concept was supposed to ‘give a consistent idea of a new Technology Policy’ (BMWV, 1996 p.1) and to be a first step in a consensus-oriented process for a following development of institutional reorganization and policy measures. Taking up the 1996 Technology Policy Concept, the Hochleitner/Schmidt paper proposed an institutional reorganization at the level of funds and instruments. The Green Book for Austrian Research Policy aimed at a coordination and strategic reorientation of a variety of traditional sectoral concepts in the area of science and research. All three documents point out that not only the realm of research-based policy consulting, but also the realm of technology policy concepts of the Federal government extensively exhibit the increasing influence of the innovation paradigm throughout the 1990s. We can observe a far-reaching interaction-based transfer from the area of economic and social research to the area of policy concepts. Now we need to find out to what extent these innovative efforts at the research and conceptual level are actually reflected in implemented policies.

Box 4: Science and technology policy concepts inspired by the innovation paradigm

The technology policy concept of 1996

In spring 1994, the Austrian government entrusted three major research institutes (two of them involved in the above mentioned ‘tip’ program) to rework the 1989 Technology Policy Concept and to include representatives of the respective ministries, of the major research funds, of the social partners, and of other actors and experts of the field in this process of redesigning. After an intensive discussion process the Technology Policy Concept was issued in 1996. Since the major actors of the ‘tip’ program have also been the major actors in the design of the 1996 Technology Policy Concept the innovation paradigm was extensively expressed in the program. As a consequence, the NSI (National Systems of Innovations) approach, which focuses on knowledge flows, learning activities, and on the connectivity and interaction between the different actors in the innovation system, is explicitly mentioned as a framework of the concept. In addition to economic intentions, the concept also follows ecological and social goals (BMWV, 1996).

The concept is divided into 5 key strategies20 which reflect the main pillars of the innovation paradigm. Especially the promotion of a diffusion orientation – in contrast to the formerly preferred mission orientation – was a major step towards leaving the old linear model.

The Hochleitner/Schmidt concept (1997)

In February 1997 the new Federal Chancellor Klima appointed the CEO of Siemens Austria, Albert Hochleitner, and the President of the Austrian Science Fund, Arnold Schmidt, as government representatives in charge of developing a concept for the institutional reorganization of funds and instruments on the basis of the principal orientation of the 1996 Technology Policy Concept.

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