Global Forum on Development 2014 : Innovating for Development

Session 3: Innovation Policies For Inclusive Development

Paris, France

2 July 2014

 Summary Record (PDF) | Speakers | Related Pages

• How can innovation policies support developing countries’ quest for competitiveness without compromising industrial, social and territorial inclusiveness?

 

• How can inclusive innovation initiatives be expanded to improve welfare and facilitate the democratisation of innovation? What policies can help the knowledge and benefits generated by “islands of excellence” trickle down to the rest of society?

 

• What are some concrete policy solutions to support countries in reconciling their innovation and inclusive development agendas? What are the major trade-offs that may be encountered and what tools can help policymakers find the best solution for their particular context? What are some examples of successful institutional arrangements that can make this “win-win” approach happen?

 

Speakers Biographies (PDF)

Moderator: Dirk Pilat, Deputy Director for Science, Technology and Industry, OECD

Speakers:

• Ramesh Mashelkar, Chairman of the National Innovation Foundation of India, President of the Global Research Alliance, India
• Subathirai Sivakumaran, Team Lead for Impact Measurement, Knowledge and Capacity Building, Business Call to Action, UNDP
• Yu Shi, Senior Economist and Deputy Coordinator, Ministry of Science and Technology, China
• Carl Dahlman, Head of Global Development Research, Development Centre, OECD (presentation)

The session was organised as part of the OECD Innovation for Inclusive Growth Project.

There is a growing awareness that the benefits of growth do not automatically trickle down and the question of how policies – including innovation policies – can support inclusive development has become more pressing.

Innovation – which fosters competitiveness, productivity, and job creation – is central to boosting economic growth and addressing social challenges. But more needs to be done to better understand how innovation can contribute to inclusive development.  So far, innovation policies have been analysed essentially with regards to their impact on the growth of aggregate income. However, their impacts are unlikely to be “neutral” as they may affect individuals and groups in society to different extents (“social inclusiveness”). All businesses are not on an equal footing regarding innovation capacities and access to the corresponding benefits (“industrial inclusiveness”). Moreover, policies aimed at promoting innovation affect the geographic dimensions of industrial and social inequalities and underpin inequalities between urban and rural (“territorial inclusiveness”). As a result, it is important to consider the social, industrial and territorial implications of innovation policies as well.  Inclusiveness also relates to the democratisation of innovation, i.e. the expansion of the circle of individuals and firms that successfully engage in innovation.

 

 

Project page:

Innovation for Inclusive Growth

Related events:

Advisory group Meeting, Paris, 3 July 2014

Global Forum on Development Innovation for Inclusive Development, Paris, 2 July 2014

Symposium on Innovation and Inclusive Growth, Paris, 20-21 March 2014