Innovation is the main engine driving total factor productivity growth and, consequently, for the improvement of national living standards. Although cumulative R&D effort by the private sector is crucial for the promotion of innovation, universities and public research institutes also contribute to the promotion of industrial innovations by expanding the source of knowledge for firms. Furthermore, recent studies have shown that spillovers from research conducted at universities tend to be localized.
In this context, this special issue focuses on regional innovation policy aimed at promoting the transfer of public knowledge to the private sector in transitional economies. In addition to the medium of scientific journal publications, public knowledge can diffuse into private R&D via various channels such as spin-offs (new firm creation), patent licensing, labour mobility, consultation, and joint research. The local authorities in developed countries have implemented innovation policies to develop these spillover channels (chiefly for startups and small firms) by establishing science parks, business incubation centers, and other public technology transfer organizations. A number of studies have been conducted in developed countries to examine whether these regional innovation policies have contributed to the promotion of knowledge transfer and industrial innovations. However, little is known about how these policy instruments work (or are considered to work) in transitional economies.
One of the aims of this special issue is to review the theoretical grounds for the need for regional innovation policies to promote technology transfer in transitional economies. Theoretically, innovation policies to exploit university knowledge are important in science-based sectors such as biotechnology and information and communication technology, where industrial innovations are directly bolstered by the advancement of scientific knowledge. In these sectors, developed countries with world-leading research universities and institutes have greater advantages. However, factors inherent to transitional economies may exist that make regional innovation policies promoting technology transfer more important for economic growth.
A further aim of this special issue is to share knowledge on the practical aspects of these policies in transitional economies. Understanding the uniqueness and similarity of the policies implemented in transitional economies will help readers worldwide to identify what can be (and cannot be) learned from cases of economies in different developmental phases.
Accordingly, this special issue will survey both theoretical and empirical (both qualitative and quantitative) studies. Extensive review of the previous literature on regional innovation policy for technology transfer is also welcome. Potential readers of the issue are not only academics but policymakers and practitioners across the globe.
Although submitted manuscripts may focus on theory development, empirical testing, or case analysis, each contributor is expected to clearly show the general implications of theoretical consequence or empirical findings for a global readership.
Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Theoretical development on regional innovation policy to promote technology transfer
- Literature review and theoretical perspective
- Models to evaluate regional innovation policy
- Empirical analyses that evaluate following practices in transitional economies
- Business incubators and new firm creation leveraging university inventions
- Science parks and various types of university-industry collaborations
- Other public technology transfer organizations
- Human resources to promote technology transfer
- Intellectual property and licensing
- Role of anchor tenants in regional innovation systems
- Diffusion of regional innovation policy
- Definition of success in regional innovation policy
Paper Submission Deadline: 31 August, 2011
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