OECD research and analysis show that innovation has become a key driver of growth performance
The search for new sources of growth comes as a growing number of countries are faced with stagnating or declining populations, and therefore labour inputs, and investments in physical capital face diminishing returns. These economic problems coincide with increasing political need to make progress against a number of social challenges, many of which are global in nature (such as climate change) or require global action (global health, food security and the growing scarcity of clean water).
Future growth depends on innovation-induced productivity growth. Innovation in goods, services, processes and practices can help accelerate the recovery and put countries back on a path to sustainable – and greener – growth.
In 2007, Ministers acknowledged the need for a cross-government policy to harness innovation as a major driver major driver of productivity that can strengthen economic growth and development. Stronger innovation, combined with new international partnerships, can also help address pressing global issues such as climate change, health, food security and poverty.
The OECD Innovation Strategy provides a broad-based approach to promoting innovation
The Innovation Strategy will be delivered in May 2010. It will provide a comprehensive and cross-cutting policy guidance package for policy makers, including:
Analytical literature presenting the most recent available data, including an in-depth OECD analytical report on policies for innovation.
The development of new measures of innovation, which are critical for evidence-based policies; and
A series of thematic reports on specific issues in the innovation policy mix.
The Innovation Strategy draws on significant work carried out by more than 15 Committees and their Working Parties across 10 OECD Directorates, as well as numerous workshops, conferences, a series of country roundtables with policymakers and extensive stakeholder consultation and analytical projects. A specialist, high-level Expert Advisory Group has provided guidance throughout the development of the Strategy.
Five interrelated priorities for government action
The OECD Innovation Strategy is built around five priorities for government action, which together can underpin a strategic approach to promoting innovation:
Empowering people to innovate
Unleashing innovation in firms
Creating and applying knowledge
Applying innovation to address global and social challenges
Improving the governance of policies for innovation
The Innovation Strategy in a nutshell
Policies for innovation should reflect innovation today and meet the needs of society
A high level policy strategy setting out the priorities for structural reforms that can accelerate innovation-led growth.
Detailed analysis and thematic reports to underpin the development of effective, whole-of-government policies for sustainable innovation.
A compendium of indicators to help position economies in the context of a broad notion of innovation, track developments in innovation processes, and monitor the implementation of the strategy.
The next step will be to develop a handbook to provide concrete options for implementation of the policy priorities in the national context.
Today, innovation goes far beyond R&D – it also includes product, process, marketing, design and organisational innovation.
Innovation also goes far beyond the confines of research labs to users, suppliers and consumers everywhere – in government, business and non-profit organisations, across borders,
across sectors,
across institutions.
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Further information
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Events
Background reading
Speeches and presentations
OECD publications
OECD links
External links
OECD videos on Innovation
The key to restoring long-term growth is our ability to innovate. By investing smart, governments can buffer the downturn, accelerate recovery and lay the foundation for strong and sustainable growth.
Towards an Innovation Strategy for the 21st Century, presentation by D. Pilat and A. Wyckoff of the OECD Directorate for Science, Technology and Industry at the 16 June 2009 Lisbon Council meeting in Brussels
The key to restoring long-term growth is our ability to innovate. By investing smart, governments can buffer the downturn, accelerate recovery and lay the foundation for strong and sustainable growth.
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