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Small Country Innovation Systems

Small Country Innovation Systems

Globalization, Change and Policy in Asia and Europe
Edited by Charles Edquist, Professor, CIRCLE, Lund University, Sweden and the late Leif Hommen, formerly in CIRCLE, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
This major book presents case studies of ten small country national systems of innovation (NSIs) in Europe and Asia, namely, Denmark, Finland, Hong Kong, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway, Singapore, South Korea, Sweden and Taiwan. These cases have been carefully selected as examples of success within the context of globalization and as ‘new economies’ where competition is increasingly based on innovation.

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Extent: 560 pp
Hardback Price: $243.00 Web: $218.70
Publication Date: 2008
ISBN: 978 1 84542 584 5
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Paperback Price: $56.00 Web: $44.80
Publication Date: 2009
ISBN: 978 1 84542 592 0
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This major book presents case studies of ten small country national systems of innovation (NSIs) in Europe and Asia, namely, Denmark, Finland, Hong Kong, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway, Singapore, South Korea, Sweden and Taiwan. These cases have been carefully selected as examples of success within the context of globalization and as ‘new economies’ where competition is increasingly based on innovation.

To facilitate comparative analysis the ten studies follow a common structure, informed by an activities-based approach to describing and analysing NSIs, which addresses the critical issues of globalization and the consequences of innovation for economic performance. The final chapter compares ‘fast growth’ and ‘slow growth’ countries, concentrating on issues of innovation policy. The results illustrate the usefulness of an activities-based approach to studying NSIs, point to distinctive national roles within an increasingly differentiated international division of labour and address the key themes of ‘selectivity’ and ‘coordination’ in innovation policy.

This valuable book presents one of the most significant, comprehensive and comparative country studies of NSIs in the last decade. It will have great import and should be widely read by every serious student and scholar of innovation studies.

Critical Acclaim

‘What are the challenges that small countries face concerning innovation and what are the effects of globalization on their innovation systems? In this very interesting, rich and timely book, Edquist and Hommen compare ten different small national innovation systems from the Asia Pacific and Northern Europe that are rather advanced in their development. The answers that the authors give are convincing and relate not only to the unique characteristics of each national system that shapes innovative activity, but also to some commonalities that exist across these countries.’
– Franco Malerba, Bocconi University, Italy

Contributors

Contributors: E. Baark, A. Balaguer, P. Bitard, Y.-Y. Chu, C. Edquist, B. Gregersen, T. Grønning, N. Hewitt-Dundas, L. Hommen, M.-Y. Hsu, S.-C. Hung, B. Johnson, V. Kaitila, M. Kotilainen, C. Lim, J. Lindgaard Christensen, B.-Å. Lundvall, Y.-L Luo, S.E. Moen, J. Novikova, D.S. Olsen, E. O’Malley, A. Rickne, S. Roper, N. Sharif, A. Singh, M. Tomlinson, M.-H. Tsai, B. Verspagen, K. Wang, P.K. Wong, F.-S. Wu

Contents

Contents:

Preface

1. Comparing National Systems of Innovation in Asia and Europe: Theory and Comparative Framework
Charles Edquist and Leif Hommen

PART I: FAST GROWTH COUNTRIES
2. The Rise and Growth of a Policy-driven Economy: Taiwan
Antonio Balaguer, Yu-Ling Luo, Min-Hua Tsai, Shih-Chang Hung, Yee-Yeen Chu, Feng-Shang Wu, Mu-Yen Hsu and Kung Wang

3. From Technology Adopter to Innovator: Singapore
Poh Kam Wong and Annette Singh

4. Towards Knowledge Generation with Bipolarization NSI: Korea
Chaisung Lim

5. High Growth and Innovation with Low R&D: Ireland
Eoin O’Malley, Nola Hewitt-Dundas and Stephen Roper

6. From Trade Hub to Innovation Hub: Hong Kong
Naubahar Sharif and Erik Baark

PART II: SLOW GROWTH COUNTRIES
7. Reconsidering the Paradox of High R&D Input and Low Innovation: Sweden
Pierre Bitard, Charles Edquist, Leif Hommen and Annika Rickne

8. Low Innovation Intensity, High Growth and Specialized Trajectories: Norway
Terje Grønning, Svein Erik Moen and Dorothy Sutherland Olsen

9. Challenged Leadership or Renewed Vitality? The Netherlands
Bart Verspagen

10. Not Just Nokia: Finland
Ville Kaitila and Markku Kotilainen

11. An NSI in Transition? Denmark
Jesper Lindgaard Christensen, Birgitte Gregersen, Björn Johnson, Bengt-Åke Lundvall and Mark Tomlinson

12. Globalization and Innovation Policy
Leif Hommen and Charles Edquist

Appendix: Statistical Bases of Comparison for Ten ‘Small Country’ NSI
Pierre Bitard, Leif Hommen and Jekaterina Novikova

Index