1

THE ROLE OF PUBLIC RESEARCH ORGANISATIONS IN THE INNOVATION SYSTEM

Wolfgang POLT Joanneum Research – Centre for Economic and

Innovation Research

Innovation Research and Policy – International Conference in Honour of Hariolf Grupp

Mannheim 3.3.2011

2

Main topics

Motivation and rationale of the

debate

Definition(s) of PROs/RTOs

Main trends and observations

Research questions and policy

challenges

3

Motivation and rationale

PROs/RTOs:

.. are important parts of the science / innovation

systems in many countries

..have seen their roles debated and contested

several times in the past decades

…and in many countries are in the centre of

technology and innovation policy debates again …restructuring of the science systems of post-communist countries

…changing missions and find new business models (e.g. to

achieve greater role in TT)

…adapting divisions of labour with in the science/innovation

systems (e.g. German debate about ‚plilarization‘)

Yet, we find sound knowledge about the sector

limited !

4

Background (I)

Recent studies on PROs/RTOs:

W. Polt et al. (2010): Das deutsche Forschungs- und

Innovationssystem. Studien zum deutschen

Innovationssystem Nr. 11-2010

Berlin/Wien/Mannheim

R.Hofer / W.Polt: European Research and Technology

Organisations: Models, Practices and Cases. In:

Fundacion Conocimiento y Desarollo (Ed.): La

Contribution de las Universidades Espanolas al

Desarollo. Barcelona 2010

E. Arnold / J. Clark / Z. Javorka: Impacts of European

RTOs. A Report to EARTO. Brighton 2010

5

Background (II)

M. Berger / R. Hofer: The Internationalisation of R&D: How

about RTOs? - Some Conceptual notions and qualitative

insights from European RTOS in China. Joanneum Research

– Working Paper. Vienna. June 2008

Hofer, R., Nones, B., Jantscher, E., Polt, W., Wiedenhofer,

H.: Europäischer Benchmark der Entwicklungstrends

außeruniversitärer Forschungsinstitutionen. Vienna 2007

Recent activities to better map the sector: Project in the context of the OECD RIHR (Research Institutions

and Human Resources) and NESTI (National Experts on Science

and Technology Indicators) Working Groups to (re)map the sector

– currently:

6

PROs / RTOs – an uncharted territory?

Lack of commonly approved definition – despite

the fact that we have statistical categories that

appaer in OECD / EU statistics !

E.g.: sector categorization differs from country to

country (public sector <-> enterprise sector)

New forms of PPPs (like ‚competence centers‘)

are hard to categorize

7

Definitions

EARTO definiton(s):

„Organisations which as their predominant activity

provide research and development, technology

and innovation services to enterprises,

governments and other clients“

Or more narrowly as institutions that are based on

the following model of activities:

„exploratory R&D to develop an area of capability or

technology, further work to refine and exploit that knowledge

in relatively unstandardised ways, often in collaborative

projects with industry and are involved in more routinized

exploitation of knowledge (e.g. measuring and

testing),including consulting.“

(adapted from Arnold et al 2010)

8

Main trends and observations (I)

PROs/RTOs: a seemingly declining sector?

PROs/RTOs: a sector with out a clear

mssion, serving too many masters, striving

for too many goals?

PROs/RTOs: locked-in geographically and

mired in institutional inertia?

9

PROs/RTOs: a seemingly declining sector?

10

Positioning PROs/RTOs in the Science/Innovation System (I):

Between ‚pillars‘ and ‚humps‘?

11

Positioning PROs/RTOs in the Science/Innovation System (II)

12

Portfolio of activities of PROs/RTOs

13

Portfolio of activities of PROs/RTOs (II)

14

PROs/RTOs co-opetition with other actors in the Science/Innovation System

15

Differentia Specifica of PROs / RTOs

16

Differentia specifica of PROs/RTOs‘ activities (I)

17

Differentia specifica of PROs/RTOs‘ activities (I)

Source: Arnold et al 2010

18

Geographical lock-in of PROs/RTOs‘ ? (I)

Source: Arnold et al 2010

19

Geographical lock-in of PROs/RTOs‘ ? (II)

20

Main observations on internationalisation

Growing share of funding accrued from

abroad

Having a pivotal role in the Eus Framework

programmes for RTD

…but still linked to predominantly

national/regional customer base

…not able to ‚follow‘ the internationalisation

of their clients?

21

Main observations on positioning in the science / innovation system

Increasing range of activities increasing

overlaps with ranges of activities of other

actors

…but (still) distinct attribution of roles and

competences to PROs/RTOs

need for a clear mission and role, good

division of labour AND smooth cooperation

22

Main observations on the size of the sector

Decreasing share might be a statistical

artefact statistical ambiguities, largely

ignorat of new institutional forms(PPPs)

23

Main observations on the size of the sector

Decreasing share might be a statistical

artefact statistical ambiguities, largely

ignorant of new institutional forms(PPPs)

OECD RIHR/NESTI activities regarding

‚Mapping PRIs‘

24

Research questions and policy challenges

First and foremost: to get a better statistical handle of

the sector necessary to amend / adapt the

FRASCATI manual ?

Better understand the different ‚knowledge markets‘,

their development and the potential market failures to

assess the ‚public purpose‘ of PROs/RTOs

Degree of Specialisation?

Amount of base funding / block grants?

Performance criteria for PROs/RTOs (Publications? Patents?)

New role for PROs/RTOS in ‚new mission oriented research‘?

(Re)define the division of labour between the actors

in the science / innovation system

Relation to Universities? Re-Integration? More institutionalised

forms of collaboration?

25

Thank you for your attention !