The themes examined in the study include:

• Key trends in business innovation policies.
• Policies to encourage business spending on research and development, and the respective merits and demerits of direct and indirect support measures, such as grants and tax credits.
• The rationales for – and good design features of – a range of additional policies to encourage and facilitate innovation in business. These policies include: financial support for innovative start-ups; innovation hubs and centres of excellence; technology-related networks; and technology incubators.
• A review and assessment of policies to stimulate demand for innovation and facilitate commercialisation of innovative ideas, whether through innovation-oriented regulations, standards or public procurement.
• Methodological approaches and metrics to evaluate policies to foster innovation in business.

The study also makes observations on policy mix issues. In this and a number of other sections, there is a particular focus on Canada.

Table of contents

Executive summary

Chapter 1. Business innovation policies: Findings and policy conclusions

Chapter 2. Public support for business R&D

Chapter 3. Non R&D-based public support for business innovation

Chapter 4. Demand-side policies to support innovation: Trends and challenges

Chapter 5. Evaluating public support for innovation in business: Methodologies and metrics

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