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Transformative policies for sustainable innovation systems

Lundvall, Bengt-Åke LU (2022) In Lund Papers in Economic History
Abstract
In this paper, we criticize attempts to present narrow perspectives on innovation policy as reflecting the use of the concept innovation system as policy framing. While it is correct that innovation policy, at least until recently, has given priority to economic growth and low priority to global challenges such as climate change and income inequality this is in no way immanent in the innovation system concept. To illustrate, we introduce concepts and perspectives related to the innovation system approach which are particularly useful, when it comes to develop innovation policies aiming at system transformation. They include the uneven rhythm of respectively incremental innovation, radical innovation, and technological revolutions,... (More)
In this paper, we criticize attempts to present narrow perspectives on innovation policy as reflecting the use of the concept innovation system as policy framing. While it is correct that innovation policy, at least until recently, has given priority to economic growth and low priority to global challenges such as climate change and income inequality this is in no way immanent in the innovation system concept. To illustrate, we introduce concepts and perspectives related to the innovation system approach which are particularly useful, when it comes to develop innovation policies aiming at system transformation. They include the uneven rhythm of respectively incremental innovation, radical innovation, and technological revolutions, shifts in technological paradigms, system transformation at the organisational level and the distinction between policies aiming at path dependent innovation promotion and policies aiming at system change. We also point to the usefulness of the learning economy perspective that has been developed in close connection with the innovation system literature. We conclude that there is a need to combine different theoretical framings as inspiration for transformative innovation policy. In addition, we argue, first, that all these framings need to have a double focus on climate change and global income inequality and, second, that they all need to go beyond national perspectives and consider policies aiming at system
transformation at the global level.
(Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
organization
publishing date
type
Working paper/Preprint
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Innovation system, Transformative innovation policy, Learning economy, Global governance, Climate change, Income inequality, N70, O30
in
Lund Papers in Economic History
issue
2022:239
pages
24 pages
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
d95dafbf-aabb-4411-90d8-9b4c108cbf86
date added to LUP
2022-07-01 11:32:39
date last changed
2022-07-01 13:11:41
@misc{d95dafbf-aabb-4411-90d8-9b4c108cbf86,
  abstract     = {{In this paper, we criticize attempts to present narrow perspectives on innovation policy as  reflecting the use of the concept innovation system as policy framing. While it is correct that  innovation policy, at least until recently, has given priority to economic growth and low  priority to global challenges such as climate change and income inequality this is in no way  immanent in the innovation system concept. To illustrate, we introduce concepts and  perspectives related to the innovation system approach which are particularly useful, when it  comes to develop innovation policies aiming at system transformation. They include the  uneven rhythm of respectively incremental innovation, radical innovation, and technological  revolutions, shifts in technological paradigms, system transformation at the organisational  level and the distinction between policies aiming at path dependent innovation promotion and  policies aiming at system change. We also point to the usefulness of the learning economy  perspective that has been developed in close connection with the innovation system literature.  We conclude that there is a need to combine different theoretical framings as inspiration for  transformative innovation policy. In addition, we argue, first, that all these framings need to  have a double focus on climate change and global income inequality and, second, that they all  need to go beyond national perspectives and consider policies aiming at system  <br/>transformation at the global level.  <br/>}},
  author       = {{Lundvall, Bengt-Åke}},
  keywords     = {{Innovation system; Transformative innovation policy; Learning economy; Global  governance; Climate change; Income inequality; N70; O30}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Working Paper}},
  number       = {{2022:239}},
  series       = {{Lund Papers in Economic History}},
  title        = {{Transformative policies for sustainable innovation systems}},
  url          = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/120900491/LUPEH_239.pdf}},
  year         = {{2022}},
}