Publication info
Lehenkari, J., Kautonen, M., Lemola, T. & Viljamaa, K. 2009 - Innovaatiotoiminta muutoksessa: Uudet toimintatavat ja niitä tukevat politiikkatoimenpiteet alue- ja paikallistasolla (The Changing Activities for Innovation)
The Changing Activities for Innovation: New Approaches and Related Policy Measures at Regional and Local Levels
Ministry of Employment and the Economy Publications. Innovation 69/2009.
In 2009, Advansis was commissioned by the Ministry of Employment and the Economy in Finland to chart and classify new approaches to facilitating innovation activities in local innovation environments, including user-driven and practice-based approaches. The study also comprised policy development work on the assessment of existing policy tools and the need for new ones.
The empirical part of the study included a survey of key persons involved in the centre of expertise programme of Finland and ten case studies of pioneering projects, such as a regional weather service Helsinki Testbed, an educational open-source project EduCOSS, and an open innovation project Nokia Technopolis Innovation Mill.
The results of the study indicate that Finland has invested on a broad front in the implementation of new, often user-driven approaches to facilitating innovation activities. The number of projects is high, their resources are considerable and they have been implemented in several sectors and fields of expertise. On the basis of the success of pioneering projects, results can be expected.
Public support and actors have played a key role in the projects. The financing tools available have been applicable at the planning, launch and implementation stages of the projects. Pioneering projects feel the need for long-term financing tools acknowledging the nature of practice-based and user-driven projects as semi-public service projects. The following policy development options should be addressed in the near future: development of a process-based financing model for tried and tested practices; promotion of service procurement; requirement for exit and utilisation plans by practitioners; and creation of incentives in support of the autonomous activity. Both the centres of excellence and pioneering projects deem the public coordination of new approaches and their utilisation important. Coordination and steering are required in order to avoid overlapping activities and to promote best practices.
Download the report here (in Finnish).
