Innovation and Economic Growth

Description

This course focused on the importance of innovation to long-term economic development and how government policies can be used to cultivate an environment conducive for innovation and technological adoption to take place.

First, the course introduced a conceptual framework that focused on the various ways to conceive national innovation strategies that depend on the countries' technical and institutional capabilities.  It presented policy instruments that are required to support efficient innovative projects, taking into account the differentiated capabilities of enterprises, including those with very low technical and managerial capabilities.  A key idea is to embed the promotion of innovation into an overall process of enterprise upgrading.  Issues related globalization, foreign direct investment, research concentration in the North, patent asymmetry and brain drain were also discussed, along with possible policy responses by developing countries.

The second part of the course was a synthesis presentation of the important policy lessons emerging from the recently completed study on "The 'How To' of Technological Change for Faster Economic Growth".  This study examined 10 successful experiences from various sectors and across countries to understand exactly how and why the sector grew so rapidly.  In each case, technology played a key role and productive public-private partnerships were usually the drivers in facilitating of public policies shaping private sector development in ways that led to the adaptation/adoption of superior technologies of production.  These technologies in turn, raised productivity and attracted investment for faster growth and exports.  A strategy of export orientation was employed by governments to reign in the discipline of the marketplace by motivating firms to continually upgrade their global competitiveness to maintain the ability to export.  All the 10 sectors studied experienced rapid but sustained economic growth, and frequently achieved a visible share of the global export market.

Agenda (Click here for a detailed agenda - PDF, 124Kb)

• Opening Remarks
  Jean-Eric Aubert, Lead Specialist and Acting Manager (WBIKD)
  
  
• Promoting Innovation in Developing Countries: A Conceptual Framework
  Jean-Eric Aubert, Lead Specialist (WBIKD)
  Aisling Quirke, Research Analyst (WBIKD)
  • Presentation (PDF, 108Kb)
  • Paper (PDF, 357Kb)
    

• Catch-up in Technological Adaptation - lessons from 10 successful cases
  Vandana Chandra, Senior Economist (PRMED)
  • Presentation (PDF, 153Kb)
  • PREM Website for Workshop on the "How to" of Technological Change and Adaptation for Faster Growth
    

• Concluding Discussion and Remarks 
  Jean-Eric Aubert, Lead Specialist (WBIKD)