Non-technological Innovation for Growth and Jobs

Summary & Recommendations

By Viljenka Godina, CCI - CBSLjubljana, CCI, 30 September 2014

Zbornica poslovno storitvenih dejavnosti

Non-technological Innovation for Growth and JobsZPSD

To highlight the context of knowledge society, which has become a strategic target and preferred policy orientation in most of successful societies

And to discuss – in this context – the scene in Slovenia

To speak about non-technological and social innovation, which are not fully understood and acknowledged in Slovenia

To get familiar with some Slovenian achievements and examples of good practice in this area

To discuss the barriers still hindering Slovenia in its efforts to overcome the stagnation and return to the company of successful countries

The aim

Non-technological Innovation for Growth and JobsZPSD

Knowledge based services

Frequently accompany / are combined with technological innovations

Focused on organisation, business models and processes, marketing, design, ...,

Both in business sector and public services

What are non-technological innovations

Non-technological Innovation for Growth and JobsZPSD

They help technological innovation to enter/succeed on the market

More successfully than technological innovations alone – provide respond to challenges in the society, by creating solutions that meet people's needs at local and global levels

They are fully present, but maybe not sufficiently visible and acknowledged, also due to policy support mostly oriented to technological innovations

Countries that are recognised as innovation leaders have the largest share of companies combining different types of innovation

EU focus in forthcoming years will be on innovations that respond to the needs of a broader society

The role of non-technological innovations in the society

Non-technological Innovation for Growth and JobsZPSD

Communities compete in building supportive economic and institutional environment to encourage innovations

In order to support sustainable solutions to meet the needs of people and respond to global societal challenges (ageing, climate, water, environment), policies strive to support combined innovation and involve various actors in networks that encourage and support the development of human and social capital

Necessary conditions enabling non-technological innovations to develop full potential

Non-technological Innovation for Growth and JobsZPSD

Several examples of good practice show that Slovenian organisations/ individuals have developed innovative non-technological (and

combined) solutions with global market potential

Obviously, Slovenian people have talent, knowledge and right attitudes

Many successful innovative entrepreneurs move their companies abroad because Slovenian business environment and political / administrative context does not support entrepreneurship and innovation

What should be done to enable them to utilise their full potential in Slovenia?

Where is Slovenia?

Non-technological Innovation for Growth and JobsZPSD

Non-technological and combined innovations are not yet recognised as a „drive“ and not yet supported as such in Slovenia

According to participants at the event, it might be the prevailing „mindset“ of population in general, and the „mindset“ in policy designers, in particular

What is the reason?

Non-technological Innovation for Growth and JobsZPSD

Policy makers and other actors, even general public should become more aware of non-technological and social innovation. They are intangible, maybe difficult to measure, but their results are visible

Usually innovation is associated with something highly scientific, very technical, ...

They should be released from such attributes, made more understandable, maybe defined differently, and brought closer to people

They should be discussed separately and not amalgamated with technological innovations

What to do?

Non-technological Innovation for Growth and JobsZPSD

Cross-sector (horizontal) policies in the government, collaboration and understanding the complexity of links for joint performance

Smart and stable support environment should be created that will:

Involve government, funding agencies, universities, NGOs, support institutions and knowledge based business services (creators of business models!), and companies

Enable concentration and efficient utilisation of R&D, funds and human capital and

Will not (significantly) change with each and every (frequent) change in the government and public administration

What to do? (2)

Non-technological Innovation for Growth and JobsZPSD

Policy measures have to be put in place to support social innovation, including measures to encourage networking and cooperation between universities, companies, NGOs and public authorities (using PPP and other forms of cooperation) in discovering and defining societal challenges and developing appropriate solutions

A package of support measures have to be designed to support any combination of different types of innovations that properly address the needs of businesses and the society.

What to do? (3)

Non-technological Innovation for Growth and JobsZPSD

Thank you!