Slavo Radosevic

Transformation of science and technology systems into systems of innovation in central and eastern Europe: the emerging patterns and determinants

This paper explores patterns of transformation of socialist Science and Technology (S&T) systems into post-socialist systems of innovation and their determinants. First, we reinterpret the socialist period from a system of innovation perspective by revisiting the socialist S&T system, and by pointing to its general features as well as to its national and sectoral variations. Second, we develop a conceptual model to help to understand the factors that are determining the emergence of systems of innovation. Systems of innovation in central and eastern Europe (CEE) are being shaped through the interaction of micro-specific, sectoral, national and regional determinants. At present, sectoral differences and micro-specific determinants seem to be the strongest in this process. The process of development and selection of network organisers is at the core of the emergence of systems of innovation in CEE. The most active network organisers are foreign firms. New production and innovation networks, especially in central Europe, are most often foreign-led.

Regional Innovation Systems in Central and Eastern Europe: Determinants, Organizers and Alignments

While proximity was an asset in socialism, during the post-socialist period the development of the region as a locus of innovation is essential for restructuring and sustainable growth of economies of Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). The paper analyzes the factors that determine the emergence of regional innovation systems in CEE. Based on a conceptual model of regional innovation system we explore four determinants: national, sectoral, micro and regional. These determinants operate as conditional advantages or disadvantages that require network organizers and network alignment in order to be turned into real advantages. The paper points to the important role of network organizers for enhancing regional innovation in the post-socialist economies. Policy implications of the model suggest that the emphasis should be on functions and programs rather than on new organizations.

Patterns of preservation, restructuring and survival: science and technology policy in Russia in post-Soviet era

This paper analyses the role of S&T policy in the adjustment and restructuring of the Russian S&T system in the post-Soviet period. The principal argument is that the adjustment of the S&T system in Russia has been evolving between the ‘preservation of S&T potential’, its restructuring, and survival strategies developed by researchers and R&D organisations. The interaction of these factors explains much of the pace and patterns of restructuring of Russian S&T system observed in the post-Soviet period. The model that emerged is the post-Soviet R&D model, which is relevant for Russia as well as for other CIS. The paper analyses strategic options available to Russian policy makers

The Value of Diversity: Foreign Direct Investment and Employment in Central Europe During Economic Recovery

We examine the role of FDI in job creation and job preservation as well as their role in changing the structure of employment. Our analysis refers to Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia and Estonia. We present descriptive stage model of FDI progression into transition economy. Employment aspects of the model are next analysed. We conclude that the role of FDI in employment creation/preservation has been most successful in Hungary and than in Estonia. Yet, FDI can operate as complement rather than as substitute in employment generation/preservation. The paper shows that the increasing differences in sectoral distribution of FDI employment across countries are closely related to FDI inflows per capita. The bigger diversity of types of FDI is more favourable for the host economy. There is higher likelihood that it will lead to more diverse types of spillovers and skill transfers. If policy is unable to maximise the scale of FDI inflows than policy makers should focus much more on attracting diverse types of FDI.

Are there global shifts in the world science base? Analysing the catching up and falling behind of world regions

This paper explores the changing role of world regions (North America, EU15, South EU, Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), Former-USSR, Latin America, Asia Pacific and the Middle East) in science from 1981 to 2011. We use bibliometric data extracted from Thomson Reuter’s National Science Indicators (2011) for 21 broad disciplines, and aggregated the data into the four major science areas: life, fundamental, applied and social sciences. Comparing three sub-periods (1981–1989, 1990–2000 and 2001–2011), we investigate (i) over time changes in descriptive indicators such as publications, citations, and relative impact; (ii) static specialization measured by revealed comparative advantage (RCA) in citations and papers; and (iii) dynamic specialization measured by absolute growth in papers. Descriptive results show a global shift in science largely in quantity (papers) and much less in impact (citations). We argue this should be interpreted as a shift in science’s absorptive capacity but not necessarily a shift of knowledge generation at the world science frontier, which reflects the nature of science systems operating with high inertia and path dependency in areas of their historically inherited advantages and disadvantages. In view of their common historical legacy in science we are particularly interested in the process of convergence/divergence of the catching-up/transition regions with the world frontier regions. We implement an interpretative framework to compare regions in terms of their static and dynamic specialization from 1981–1989 to 2001–2011. Again, our analysis shows that while science systems are mostly characterised by strong inertia and historically inherited (dis)advantages, Asia Pacific, Latin America and CEE show strong catching-up characteristics but largely in the absorptive capacity of science.

Science-industry links in Central and Eastern Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States: conventional policy wisdom facing reality

This paper analyses the factors behind widespread policy failure to support science-industry linkages in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) and Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries. We explain this failure as being due largely to uncritical application of conventional policy wisdoms in the context of ‘catching up’ and ‘laggard’ economies. Our argument is based on evidence on knowledge-intensive enterprises in CEE and CIS countries and analysis of the innovation policies of these regions. Our conclusion is that support for science-industry linkages in CEE/CIS should be balanced by efforts to strengthen the ‘actors’ involved (existing large and small firms, universities and public research organizations) and reinforce other linkages in the respective national innovation systems, and especially knowledge links between domestic and foreign firms. Copyright , Beech Tree Publishing.

Defining systems of innovation: a methodological discussion

Current definitions of systems of innovation (SI) which define SI in institutional terms only, do not resolve difficulties encountered when conceptualizing this notion. This paper develops a conceptual framework for a more structured understanding of SI based on four building blocks: technological regime, institutional set-up, market, and pre-market selection environments. SI can then be defined as the co-evolution of technological regimes and institutional set-up molded by the mechanisms of market and pre-market selection

History matters : The inherited disciplinary structure of the post-communist science in countries of Central and Eastern Europe and its restructuring

The inherited disciplinary structure of the science of post-communist countries of CEE carries a strong common features of its past. The communist heritage is present in: a) a relatively homogeneous research profile among post-communist countries; b) the similar structure of disciplinary comparative advantages of post-communist countries; c) the unbalanced and concentrated disciplinary structure of comparative advantages. The analysis is based on ISI databases and uses statistics on papers and citations for the 1992–1997 period for all central and eastern European countries as well as for other world regions. In the conclusions we discuss the relevance of the results for the restructuring of science in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe.

The development of wind power in China, Europe and the USA: how have policies and innovation system activities co-evolved?

This paper takes an innovation system approach to analysing the development of wind energy in three jurisdictions: the EU, USA and China. The paper builds on and extends previous innovation system studies on wind in two ways. First, it focuses on the interactions over time between policy and innovation system dynamics, in order to highlight lessons for low-carbon policymaking. Second, it extends the analysis from the formative and growth phases of the innovation system to the globalisation and transfer phase, in which mature technologies are transferred to new markets. The conclusions are: first, policies should go beyond ‘market pull’ and ‘technology push’ and should take into account the institutional frameworks through which they are delivered; second, policies have been more successful where they prioritised long-term learning-oriented deployment rather than short-term efficiency; third, system failures exist at the transfer stage of development as well as during formative and growth phases.

Innovation and structural change in post-socialist countries : a quantitative approach

Book description: The book uses a range of S&T and structural indicators to analyse the transformation process, in particular the transformation of science, technology and industry, in the former communist countries. In-depth assessment of restructuring patterns in the region provides a good basis for an understanding of how restructuring in S&T is linked to industrial restructuring, and to general economic and social transformation. The book contains 22 contributions, organised into six sections addressing the issues of transformation of science, technology and industry, using structural analysis, bibliometrics, R&D data, innovation surveys, trade data, IT statistics and human resources data. The papers share a common framework in terms of use of indicators, being primarily analytical, focusing on policy-relevant issues and patterns of change. The book - the first to cover processes of post-socialist change from this methodological viewpoint - is a unique contribution to our understanding of transformation in science, technology, and industry, and growth in these countries.