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The third sector of R&D : literature review, basic analysis, and research agenda

Hallonsten, Olof LU (2017) In Prometheus 35(1). p.21-35
Abstract

The third sector of national innovation systems comprises non-academic, publicly owned R&D organizations that complement universities and private-sector firms and are normally called ‘research institutes’. Scholarly attention to these organizations has been scarce, partly a consequence of the theoretical imbalance in favor of conceptualizations of innovation processes as requiring mainly universities, private-sector firms, and governmental authorities to occur and succeed. Similarly, while this third sector often makes up a significant share of national innovation systems, it receives less attention in national research and innovation policy than do, say, universities. This paper argues that the role(s) and function(s) of third... (More)

The third sector of national innovation systems comprises non-academic, publicly owned R&D organizations that complement universities and private-sector firms and are normally called ‘research institutes’. Scholarly attention to these organizations has been scarce, partly a consequence of the theoretical imbalance in favor of conceptualizations of innovation processes as requiring mainly universities, private-sector firms, and governmental authorities to occur and succeed. Similarly, while this third sector often makes up a significant share of national innovation systems, it receives less attention in national research and innovation policy than do, say, universities. This paper argues that the role(s) and function(s) of third sector research institutes deserve to be mapped and analyzed in greater detail in order to understand how various organizational actors interact to produce innovation. From a comprehensive literature review and basic analysis of three institute groups in three Nordic countries, the paper makes a first preliminary analysis of the topic. While this analysis yields some interesting conclusions, its main function is to point the way for future studies. In these, other actors in the system should be investigated in thorough empirical studies, armed with tools from classic sociological systems theory that enhance the conceptual strength of the innovation systems framework and enable the acknowledgement of the role(s) and function(s) of several important organizational actors, not least research institutes.

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author
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Prometheus
volume
35
issue
1
pages
15 pages
publisher
Taylor & Francis
external identifiers
  • scopus:85027361105
  • wos:000418325200003
ISSN
0810-9028
DOI
10.1080/08109028.2017.1362830
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
bfc5ff9e-8874-42ba-a383-dd75af7abfc2
date added to LUP
2017-08-29 13:01:59
date last changed
2024-04-14 16:32:49
@article{bfc5ff9e-8874-42ba-a383-dd75af7abfc2,
  abstract     = {{<p>The third sector of national innovation systems comprises non-academic, publicly owned R&amp;D organizations that complement universities and private-sector firms and are normally called ‘research institutes’. Scholarly attention to these organizations has been scarce, partly a consequence of the theoretical imbalance in favor of conceptualizations of innovation processes as requiring mainly universities, private-sector firms, and governmental authorities to occur and succeed. Similarly, while this third sector often makes up a significant share of national innovation systems, it receives less attention in national research and innovation policy than do, say, universities. This paper argues that the role(s) and function(s) of third sector research institutes deserve to be mapped and analyzed in greater detail in order to understand how various organizational actors interact to produce innovation. From a comprehensive literature review and basic analysis of three institute groups in three Nordic countries, the paper makes a first preliminary analysis of the topic. While this analysis yields some interesting conclusions, its main function is to point the way for future studies. In these, other actors in the system should be investigated in thorough empirical studies, armed with tools from classic sociological systems theory that enhance the conceptual strength of the innovation systems framework and enable the acknowledgement of the role(s) and function(s) of several important organizational actors, not least research institutes.</p>}},
  author       = {{Hallonsten, Olof}},
  issn         = {{0810-9028}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{08}},
  number       = {{1}},
  pages        = {{21--35}},
  publisher    = {{Taylor & Francis}},
  series       = {{Prometheus}},
  title        = {{The third sector of R&D : literature review, basic analysis, and research agenda}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/08109028.2017.1362830}},
  doi          = {{10.1080/08109028.2017.1362830}},
  volume       = {{35}},
  year         = {{2017}},
}