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When theory meets practice in transformative innovation policy evaluation: experiences from Sweden

Haddad, Carolina R. ; Wise, Emily LU and Arnold, Erik LU (2024) In Research Evaluation 33.
Abstract
Government policies increasingly focus on transformative innovation policy (TIP), as programmes are being reoriented towards addressing societal challenges and contributing to sustainability transitions. Evaluation practices need modification to keep up with this change. While a small number of frameworks for TIP evaluation have been proposed, building upon different sustainability transition approaches, little is known regarding the extent to which TIP thinking has been integrated into policy evaluation practice. Hence, there is a need, first, to understand the implications of TIP for evaluation, based on the TIP literature and, second, to investigate the extent to which TIP thinking is used in innovation policy evaluation practice, and... (More)
Government policies increasingly focus on transformative innovation policy (TIP), as programmes are being reoriented towards addressing societal challenges and contributing to sustainability transitions. Evaluation practices need modification to keep up with this change. While a small number of frameworks for TIP evaluation have been proposed, building upon different sustainability transition approaches, little is known regarding the extent to which TIP thinking has been integrated into policy evaluation practice. Hence, there is a need, first, to understand the implications of TIP for evaluation, based on the TIP literature and, second, to investigate the extent to which TIP thinking is used in innovation policy evaluation practice, and the main challenges policymakers face in making evaluation more transformation oriented. To do this, we adapt Edler et al.’s (2012, The Practice of Evaluation in Innovation Policy in Europe’, Research Evaluation, 21: 167–82) innovation policy evaluation dimensions to create a framework within which to develop an archetypal TIP programme evaluation, based on the literature. We then investigate the take-up of TIP principles in evaluation in the specific case of Sweden. We use a cross-case comparison of three Swedish innovation programmes, namely the Vinnväxt programme for sustainable regional growth, Challenge Driven Innovation, and the Strategic Innovation Programmes, to analyse the extent to which innovation policy evaluation practice aligns with this archetypal framework. Finally, we identify three challenges policymakers face when trying to reorient evaluations towards being more aligned with this archetypal framework. (Less)
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Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Research Evaluation
volume
33
article number
rvae059
publisher
Oxford University Press
external identifiers
  • scopus:85212581631
ISSN
1471-5449
DOI
10.1093/reseval/rvae059
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
629f5b0a-f113-4752-952d-19255829b85c
date added to LUP
2024-12-06 16:28:45
date last changed
2025-04-04 14:04:51
@article{629f5b0a-f113-4752-952d-19255829b85c,
  abstract     = {{Government policies increasingly focus on transformative innovation policy (TIP), as programmes are being reoriented towards addressing societal challenges and contributing to sustainability transitions. Evaluation practices need modification to keep up with this change. While a small number of frameworks for TIP evaluation have been proposed, building upon different sustainability transition approaches, little is known regarding the extent to which TIP thinking has been integrated into policy evaluation practice. Hence, there is a need, first, to understand the implications of TIP for evaluation, based on the TIP literature and, second, to investigate the extent to which TIP thinking is used in innovation policy evaluation practice, and the main challenges policymakers face in making evaluation more transformation oriented. To do this, we adapt Edler et al.’s (2012, The Practice of Evaluation in Innovation Policy in Europe’, Research Evaluation, 21: 167–82) innovation policy evaluation dimensions to create a framework within which to develop an archetypal TIP programme evaluation, based on the literature. We then investigate the take-up of TIP principles in evaluation in the specific case of Sweden. We use a cross-case comparison of three Swedish innovation programmes, namely the Vinnväxt programme for sustainable regional growth, Challenge Driven Innovation, and the Strategic Innovation Programmes, to analyse the extent to which innovation policy evaluation practice aligns with this archetypal framework. Finally, we identify three challenges policymakers face when trying to reorient evaluations towards being more aligned with this archetypal framework.}},
  author       = {{Haddad, Carolina R. and Wise, Emily and Arnold, Erik}},
  issn         = {{1471-5449}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  publisher    = {{Oxford University Press}},
  series       = {{Research Evaluation}},
  title        = {{When theory meets practice in transformative innovation policy evaluation: experiences from Sweden}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/reseval/rvae059}},
  doi          = {{10.1093/reseval/rvae059}},
  volume       = {{33}},
  year         = {{2024}},
}