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Convergence in Innovation

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Book cover Changes in Innovation

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Abstract

In the literature of economics and innovation, the concept of convergence has been approached from a plurality of perspectives. Most commonly, convergence has been understood in technological terms or in the context of regional economic development within or between nations. In the past, the innovation concept, however, has not been linked explicitly to convergence. During the last decades, by contrast, innovation has emerged in the discussions related to national and sectoral systems of innovations, as well as in the growth and development policy of EU. Here, innovation has become very prominent as a means of convergence. Despite of the emerging role of innovation in these discussions, innovations and innovativeness has always been analyzed with help of some proxies (like patents, R&D investments, etc.). Characteristics of innovations and innovation processes have not been taken more systematically into account when new policies are planned and executed.

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Authors
  1. Jani Saarinen
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  2. Robert van der Have
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. PricewaterhouseCoopers, USA

    Jani Saarinen (innovation and technology policy manager) (innovation and technology policy manager)

  2. VTT, Finland

    Nina Rilla (research scientist) (research scientist)

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© 2009 Jani Saarinen and Robert van der Have

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Saarinen, J., van der Have, R. (2009). Convergence in Innovation. In: Saarinen, J., Rilla, N. (eds) Changes in Innovation. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230248625_8

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