Igniting Innovation: Rethinking the Role of Government in Emerging Europe and Central Asia (Europe and Central Asia Reports)

Goldberg, Itzhak

ISBN 10: 0821387405 / ISBN 13: 9780821387405

Published by World Bank Publications, 2011

About this Item

Your purchase helps support Sri Lankan Children's Charity 'The Rainbow Centre'. Ex-library, so some stamps and wear, but in good overall condition. Our donations to The Rainbow Centre have helped provide an education and a safe haven to hundreds of children who live in appalling conditions.

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Bibliographic Details

• Title: Igniting Innovation: Rethinking the Role of Government in Emerging Europe and Central Asia (Europe and Central Asia Reports)
• Publisher: World Bank Publications
• Publication Date: 2011
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0821387405
• ISBN 13: 9780821387405
• Binding: Soft cover
• Condition: Good

About this title

Synopsis

Innovation and technology absorption are now firmly recognized as one of the main sources of economic growth for emerging and advanced economies alike. That is why innovation is seen as a possible catalyst for revitalizing post-transition economies hit hard by the recent financial and economic crisis. Is government intervention needed to foster innovation in post-transition economies? This is the central question to which this book responds. The answer is yes, but a qualified yes. Innovation activities are rife with market failures that tend to hold back private investment. And badly designed or badly implemented interventions can further hamper the development of an innovative and entrepreneurial culture among businesses and research communities. This book builds on the lessons from public institutions and programs to support innovation, both successful and failed, from Eastern Europe and Central Asia as well as China, Finland, Israel, and the United States. The lessons highlight the pitfalls of imitating models of government interventions from 'innovative' countries without having adequate systemic governance and institutional reforms. They underscore the need for intensified international R and D collaboration and foreign R and D investment to better integrate post-transition economies in the global R and D community. They spotlight further opening to FDI to encourage knowledge absorption. And they point to the importance of overhauling government support programs--especially financial ones--to address key pressures points along the innovation and commercialization continuum. We hope that the results and recommendations offered by this book will contribute to the discussion about how to relaunch innovation and technology adoption as a central part of the development and growth strategies of post-transition countries.