Publication: Igniting Innovation : Rethinking the
Role of Government in Emerging Europe and Central Asia
Loading...
Published
2011-09-22
ISSN
Date
2012-03-19
Author(s)
Editor(s)
Abstract
This book builds on the lessons from public institutions and programs to support innovation, both successful and failed, from Europe and Central Asia (ECA) as well as China, Finland, Israel, and the United States. Field visits to these countries were hosted by the innovation and scientific agencies of the respective governments, strengthening the international experiences presented here. This book is a culmination of ten years of analytic and operational work led by the private and financial sector development department and the chief economist's office of the ECA region of the World Bank. Several regional reports and country policy notes exploring these issues have been published over the years. The book also reflects the lively discussion in the ongoing series of flagship events to promote knowledge based economies in the region. The most recent knowledge economy forum was held in Berlin in 2010, hosted by the fraunhofer center for Central and Eastern Europe. The book identifies policies that have an adverse affect on innovation. It also identifies policy gaps that, if filled, could have a catalytic effect on private sector innovation.
Link to Data Set
Citation
“Goddard, John Gabriel; Goldberg, Itzhak; Kuriakose, Smita; Racine, Jean-Louis. 2011. Igniting Innovation : Rethinking the
Role of Government in Emerging Europe and Central Asia. © World Bank. http://hdl.handle.net/10986/2358 License: CC BY 3.0 IGO.”
Associated URLs
Associated content
Other publications in this report series
Journal
Journal Volume
Journal Issue
Collections
Related items
Showing items related by metadata.
Publication Globalization and Ttechnology Absorption in Europe and Central Asia : The Role of Trade, FDI, and Cross-Border Knowledge Flows(Washington, DC : World Bank, 2008)This study analyzes the extent of knowledge and technology absorption for firms in Europe and Central Asia (ECA), as well as the factors that influence absorption, using statistical analyses of various data sources, including the World Bank enterprise surveys, patent databases maintained by the United States (U.S.) and European patent offices, and case studies. The study addresses the following issues: (i) what can we learn from patents and patent citations about international knowledge flows and cross-national technological cooperation in ECA? (ii) How does openness to trade, participation in global supply networks, and investment in human capital, via on-the-job training, enhance knowledge and technology absorption in ECA-region manufacturing firms? How does foreign direct investment (FDI) stimulate acquisition of managerial and technical skills, new machinery and equipment, and market development?Publication Globalization and Technology Absorption : Role of Trade, FDI and Cross-Border Knowledge Flows(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2010-05)Improving the ability of Europe and Central Asia (ECA) countries to tap into the global technology pool is an important mechanism for accelerating their industrial development, worker productivity and economic growth. Trade flows, foreign direct investment (FDI), research and development (R&D), and labor mobility and training, are widely accepted as key mechanisms for knowledge absorption. Absorption requires tough decisions and large investments, as firms need to spend resources on modifying imported equipment and technologies, and reorganizing production lines and organizational structures. Case studies of privatized enterprises in Serbia highlight the important role of foreign investors in knowledge absorption, whether acquired through capital goods imports, exporting, hiring consultants and other knowledge brokers, or from licensing technology. The Serbian case studies targeted FDI based on acquisition of existing assets from the government (privatization), or from private owners, rather than 'greenfield' FDI. The analyses suggested, in general, that companies sold to domestic investors were not able to increase exports in a significant way, while comparable firms receiving FDI did much better. In addition, more significant changes in product mix and manufacturing occurred in companies bought by foreign investors. New directors were brought in from the multinational enterprises (MNE), the domestic investors' holdings, from rival companies, or promoted from within. In companies acquired by foreign investors, the comparative advantage for R&D was in the adaptation of products and machinery to local conditions, rather than in innovation.Publication Innovation for Development and the Role of Government : A Perspective from the East Asia and Pacific Region(Washington, DC : World Bank, 2009)This book is the result of a joint forum on 'innovation for development' held by the World Bank and the China-based Asia-Pacific Finance and Development Center (AFDC) in Shanghai in September 2006. The book examines the relationship between innovation, competitiveness, and economic growth; the role of innovation in financial sector development; and specific government policies for innovation in China. Development is one of the major themes of today's world. In the context of global economic development practices, the development patterns of various countries fall primarily into three categories. The first is the resources-based pattern, which is supported by natural resource endowments. The second category is the dependency pattern, which is determined by a country's adjacency to economically developed countries with which it has close economic ties. The third is the innovation-based pattern, which is driven by innovation. Measured by levels of economic development, the current top 20 most developed countries in the world have opted primarily for an innovation-driven pattern. In addition, from three perspectives, namely, the creation of an innovation regime, innovation-oriented fiscal and financial policies, and regional cooperation on innovation, and in two dimensions, namely, theory and practice, the book discusses and explores problems facing us all now and challenges in the future. The viewpoints in this book both reflect the research on the issues of innovation by its authors and, to a certain extent, mirror the views expressed by nonspeaker experts in the course of discussions at the 2006 forum. Economic globalization is an inevitable trend. It is extremely necessary and valuable to conduct research on, and exchange views about, innovation and development against the backdrop of constantly deepening economic globalization. First and foremost, this helps us to see through the vast and complex economic surface to examine and discover the laws that drive sustainable economic development. Second, through sharing experiences of innovation among different countries, it can help us to establish a cooperative mechanism for innovation that can transcend social systems and cultural differences and promote the harmonious economic development for the region.Publication Catching Up to the Technological Frontier?(World Bank Group, Washington, DC, 2015-03-06)Kenya s economy has undergone a significant process of structural transformation over the last decade. Since 2002, the economy has shown an accelerating trend with GDP growth increasing steadily from below 1 percent in 2002 to 7 percent in 2007. After a slowdown in GDP growth to 1.5 percent and 2.7 percent in 2008 and 2009 respectively, economic growth started to rebound in 2010. Amidst this positive growth context, in October 2013, the Kenyan Government launched the Second Medium-Term Plan (MTP-2) of the Vision 2030. The aim of Kenya s Vision 2030 is to create a globally competitive and prosperous country with a high quality of life by 2030 and to shift the country s status to upper-middle income level.Publication Technological Learning and Innovation : Climbing a Tall Ladder(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2010-07)As the global stock of ideas expands and diffuses across and within countries, technological learning is poised to become an even more important determinant of growth through its impact on innovation. This note reviews global trends that make a policy focus on technological learning and innovation more important than ever for developing countries. The note explores how the recent global financial crisis may affect these trends and outlines several implications of these trends for innovation policy moving forward. Developing countries will benefit from an increased policy emphasis on technological learning and the adoption of more efficient existing technologies to generate more and better jobs and higher standards of living.
Users also downloaded
Showing related downloaded files
Publication Morocco Economic Update, Winter 2025(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2025-04-03)Despite the drought causing a modest deceleration of overall GDP growth to 3.2 percent, the Moroccan economy has exhibited some encouraging trends in 2024. Non-agricultural growth has accelerated to an estimated 3.8 percent, driven by a revitalized industrial sector and a rebound in gross capital formation. Inflation has dropped below 1 percent, allowing Bank al-Maghrib to begin easing its monetary policy. While rural labor markets remain depressed, the economy has added close to 162,000 jobs in urban areas. Morocco’s external position remains strong overall, with a moderate current account deficit largely financed by growing foreign direct investment inflows, underpinned by solid investor confidence indicators. Despite significant spending pressures, the debt-to-GDP ratio is slowly declining.Publication World Development Report 2006(Washington, DC, 2005)This year’s Word Development Report (WDR), the twenty-eighth, looks at the role of equity in the development process. It defines equity in terms of two basic principles. The first is equal opportunities: that a person’s chances in life should be determined by his or her talents and efforts, rather than by pre-determined circumstances such as race, gender, social or family background. The second principle is the avoidance of extreme deprivation in outcomes, particularly in health, education and consumption levels. This principle thus includes the objective of poverty reduction. The report’s main message is that, in the long run, the pursuit of equity and the pursuit of economic prosperity are complementary. In addition to detailed chapters exploring these and related issues, the Report contains selected data from the World Development Indicators 2005‹an appendix of economic and social data for over 200 countries. This Report offers practical insights for policymakers, executives, scholars, and all those with an interest in economic development.Publication Classroom Assessment to Support Foundational Literacy(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2025-03-21)This document focuses primarily on how classroom assessment activities can measure students’ literacy skills as they progress along a learning trajectory towards reading fluently and with comprehension by the end of primary school grades. The document addresses considerations regarding the design and implementation of early grade reading classroom assessment, provides examples of assessment activities from a variety of countries and contexts, and discusses the importance of incorporating classroom assessment practices into teacher training and professional development opportunities for teachers. The structure of the document is as follows. The first section presents definitions and addresses basic questions on classroom assessment. Section 2 covers the intersection between assessment and early grade reading by discussing how learning assessment can measure early grade reading skills following the reading learning trajectory. Section 3 compares some of the most common early grade literacy assessment tools with respect to the early grade reading skills and developmental phases. Section 4 of the document addresses teacher training considerations in developing, scoring, and using early grade reading assessment. Additional issues in assessing reading skills in the classroom and using assessment results to improve teaching and learning are reviewed in section 5. Throughout the document, country cases are presented to demonstrate how assessment activities can be implemented in the classroom in different contexts.Publication Europe and Central Asia Economic Update, Spring 2025: Accelerating Growth through Entrepreneurship, Technology Adoption, and Innovation(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2025-04-23)Business dynamism and economic growth in Europe and Central Asia have weakened since the late 2000s, with productivity growth driven largely by resource reallocation between firms and sectors rather than innovation. To move up the value chain, countries need to facilitate technology adoption, stronger domestic competition, and firm-level innovation to build a more dynamic private sector. Governments should move beyond broad support for small- and medium-sized enterprises and focus on enabling the most productive firms to expand and compete globally. Strengthening competition policies, reducing the presence of state-owned enterprises, and ensuring fair market access are crucial. Limited availability of long-term financing and risk capital hinders firm growth and innovation. Economic disruptions are a shock in the short term, but they provide an opportunity for implementing enterprise and structural reforms, all of which are essential for creating better-paying jobs and helping countries in the region to achieve high-income status.Publication Argentina Country Climate and Development Report(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2022-11)The Argentina Country Climate and Development Report (CCDR) explores opportunities and identifies trade-offs for aligning Argentina’s growth and poverty reduction policies with its commitments on, and its ability to withstand, climate change. It assesses how the country can: reduce its vulnerability to climate shocks through targeted public and private investments and adequation of social protection. The report also shows how Argentina can seize the benefits of a global decarbonization path to sustain a more robust economic growth through further development of Argentina’s potential for renewable energy, energy efficiency actions, the lithium value chain, as well as climate-smart agriculture (and land use) options. Given Argentina’s context, this CCDR focuses on win-win policies and investments, which have large co-benefits or can contribute to raising the country’s growth while helping to adapt the economy, also considering how human capital actions can accompany a just transition.