The complexity of contemporary innovation policy and its governance in Finland

Figures & data

Figure 1. Framework for analysis of innovation policy.

Figure 2. (a) The development of government R&D funding in Finland from 2000 to 2016 (overall funding).

Source: Official Statistics of Finland (OSF), Government R&D funding in the state budget 2017. (b) The development of government R&D funding in Finland from 2000 to 2016 (by funding organisations on the right). Source: Official Statistics of Finland (OSF), Government R&D funding in the state budget 2017.

Figure 3. The development of total R&D expenditures of the private and public sector in Finland from 2000 to 2016.

Source: Official Statistics of Finland (OSF), Research and development 2017.

Table 1. Summary of the approaches to innovation policy implementation.

Approaches to innovation policy	Framework approach	Entrepreneurial approach	Mission-oriented appraoch	Facilitative, ecosystem approach
Main aim	Conditions for economic renewal	Creation of variety and knowledge exploitation	Systemic change	Ecosystem development
Characteristics	General functioning of markets and structures	Grass-root level mechanisms to support innovative and entrepreneurial activity	Customisation of innovation policy to serve specific markets, sectors and policy goals with large scale interventions	Customised interventions close to actors of specific economic sectors and ecosystems
Emergent directions that structure the ‘new innovation policy’ implementation	• The public sector as an enabler of innovation	• (Local) support, services and culture for innovation and entrepreneur-ship	• Visioning and directing resources to tackle societal challenges	• Innovation ecosystem development
	• System efficiency and system-level coordination	• Activation to innovate	• Continuous identification and evaluation of key economic sectors and enabling technologies	• Platform-based development of ecosystems
	• System adaptation (resilience)			• (Emerging) business development of ecosystems
Actors emphasised by the ‘new innovation policy’ implementation	Central government as enabler and Prime Minister’s Office as coordinator; Transnational organisations provide general frameworks (e.g. EU competition policy and subsidies)	Central and local government as enablers; HEIs, business incubators and public agencies provide innovation services/funding and activate communities; Vital role of start-ups as drivers of economic renewal	Vertical and horizontal coordination between central government, national R&D funding agencies and institutions and cities; Transnational organisations provide supporting policy agendas and resources (e.g. EU)	Central government supports public private partnerships; Cities as platforms; Regional (/local) development agencies facilitate collaboration; Businesses as ecosystem leaders