Smita Kuriakose

Igniting innovation : rethinking the role of government in emerging Europe and Central Asia

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 economists 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.

Fostering entrepreneurship in Georgia

Job creation and productivity growth are at the forefront of todays global development agenda. The 2013 world development report on jobs identified entrepreneurship as an important tool in addressing these dual goals. This study uses the entrepreneurship model put forth in the organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)-Eurostat Entrepreneurship Indicator Program (2009), with minor modifications. The model comprises various determinants that policy can affect and that in turn influence entrepreneurial performance, or the amount and type of entrepreneurship that take place. The model then refers to the impact of entrepreneurship on higher-level goals such as economic growth, job creation, and poverty reduction. This study focuses on determining the level of entrepreneurship in Georgia and analyzes the role of each determinant in both fostering and constraining entrepreneurial activity. Entrepreneurs view opportunities in the economy by measuring their profit-making potential; that is their first motivation. Entrepreneurs will not pursue a societal need unless they can successfully make a profit. Entrepreneurship also depends on various social and individual characteristics of gender and culture. It involves taking risks, and potential entrepreneurs cannot be risk-averse. A fundamental question stemming from analyzing these determinants of entrepreneurship is how to design effective public policy that promotes innovative firm creation and enables existing firms to catch up, improve productivity, and grow. Experiences from Asian countries and developed economies have shown that innovative Small Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and knowledge-based firm creation have played a major role in the development of new national economic advantages. In this context public policy is pivotal in creating an enabling environment that helps alleviate the market failures that inhibit firm growth. Emerging markets have other environmental conditions that are not present (or are less prevalent) in developed markets, and investors considering investing in emerging markets will face added risk as a result.

Fostering entrepreneurship in Azerbaijan

A dynamic and vibrant private sector is crucial to economic growth, with firms making new investments, creating jobs, improving productivity, and promoting growth. Entrepreneurial activity is pivotal to the continued dynamism of the private sector, as the generation of new businesses fosters competition and economic growth. This is particularly relevant for Azerbaijan, whose government faces a central challenge to create conditions that will facilitate growth in nonoil tradable sectors. The core objectives of Azerbaijans development strategy are to diversify the economy away from the oil sector and sustain high employment and growth. Encouraging high-growth entrepreneurship can help Azerbaijan achieve these goals as it moves toward new opportunities in value added and tradable sectors. This study shows that high-growth entrepreneurialism is low in Azerbaijan and that innovative activity among firms is very low. Several factors hinder business growth and entrepreneurship: lack of competition, especially among smaller firms; financial systems that are not conducive to business development. Companies cite high interest rates and risk-averse lending policies as substantial hindrances to expansion. In addition, risk capital is in short supply; and lack of industry-relevant skills. The government could play an important role by removing bottlenecks that impede entrepreneurialism in the general business environment as well as by designing new financial policy instruments that foster entrepreneurship and innovation. In doing so, the government needs to exercise care that the design and management of these instruments prevent capture or corruption and promote efficiency. Lack of competition is an issue in Azerbaijan, particularly for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), which face uneven treatment within the enterprise sector.