A Proposal for a Standard With Innovation Management System

Anca Dodescu
establishing an efficient regional innovation system for collective learning and spreading of knowledge
(European Commission 2002:8). Their contribution to changes in relationship between growth and
regional development policy - SMEs sector and innovative process is emphasized by results like:
general increasing awareness of entrepreneurs about innovation (through radiobroadcast
programmes in Canary Islands, press campaign in Aragon, for example), general Iintroducing
innovation into the economic development strategies and actions plan (Niederösterreich, Canarias
and Algarve/ Huelva are planning the creation of regional agencies for innovation; Niederösterreich,
Limburg, Strathclyde or Overijsel established deadlines in order to become one of the “most
innovative regions” in Europe; Central Macedonia, Wales and the West Midlands are establishing
regional innovation observatories; Shannon or West Midlands established the key objective to double
the level of innovation, respectively to increase with 50% the proportion of innovating firms, Castilla y
León had the complementary objectives to reach 1% of regional GDP etc.), majority of regions
introduce in actions plan supporting measures for: creation of new technology based firms, start-ups
or spin-offs from universities, incubator-type activities, and especially, clusters and business networks
(Wallonia is a good example for pilot clusters with research centres, Tuscany for cultural heritage
cluster, Halle-Leipzig-Dessau for establishing of a network of firms in the plastic sector in order to
establish the Technological institute for polymers, Castilla y Leon for network of regional innovation
support organization etc. (European Commission 2002).
Strategic guidelines for the current programming period – 2007-2013, strengthen the role of EU,
through Cohesion Policy, in supporting regions to implement regional innovation strategies and action
plans (Council of the European Union 2006). A study launched by European Commission that
covering 14 regions throughout the European Union (Piedmont, Western Sweden, Pays de la Loire,
Pomorskie, Lithuania, Prague, Steiemark, South Netherlands, Lowlands & Uplands Scotland, Saxony,
Central Tansdanubia, Denmark, Slovenia, and East of England) provides an overview of different
regional approaches towards the governance of innovation and the contribution of the European
Regional Development Fund (ERDF) programmes (Riche 2010). The main findings of this study lead
to the conclusion that “the role of the regions as stimulator and co-coordinator of regional innovation
systems is crucial, while a good co-ordination between national and regional policies is necessary”
(Riche 2010:5). Although analyzed regions have different understandings and governance of
innovation, resulting from different degrees of decentralization or forms of regionalization, the study
argues for a common innovation policy design framework through increasing the role of partnership
and the involvement of research and private sector at regional level. Also, the study makes convincing
arguments for the role of the Operational Programmes as contributors to national or regional
innovation strategies, and for the role of partnership in projects designing, selection, implementation,
and evaluation. In this context, the study notes as examples of good practice - regions such as
Western Sweden (Sweden) or Steiermark (Austria) for a “systemic vision of innovation”, Lowlands &
Uplands Scotland (UK) for shifting its innovation policy to networking, Pomorskie region (Poland) for
increasing the role of the regional authorities and partnership, Pays de la Loire (France) for endowing
the Regional Council with management of innovation interventions, Denmark for Growth Forum as
institutionalized partnership at regional level between business community, social partners, academic
and education institutions and the municipalities, South Netherlands for the “Syntens Innovation
Network for Entrepreneurs”, Lithuania for the role of SMEs for innovation support, Piedmont Region
for its regional ‘think tank’ for innovation and research, East of England for the key role of the East of
England Development Agency in providing expert support and advice to develop projects through
thematic facilitators, also for the Local Strategic Partnerships and the East of England Business
Group involvement, Slovenia for the mechanism of selection for projects of strategic importance,
Saxony for bilateral contacts with its peers in other East German Länder in designing and
implementing innovation programmes etc. (Riche 2010).
Above conclusions about crucial role of regions in innovation policy, even the regional institutional
frameworks and governance systems are extremely varied across the Europe, and the “systemic
vision of innovation” characterizes only few regions, especially those economically successful, are
found also in the Europe 2020 related reports and strategic documents. The most common innovation
policy model in Europe is linear and focussed on R&D not on supporting the overall innovation
system. “The urban and regional dimension of Europe 2020. Seventh progress report on economic,
social and territorial cohesion” demonstrates that the innovation policy must to focus not only of R&D
or science and technology, concentrated almost exclusively in few regions across Europe, especially
capital regions, but “looking forward” for appropriate policy mix for innovation that cover all dimensions
of innovation including those related with organisational process, creativity, design etc. and all regions
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