Innovation culture: Creating a favourable innovation climate in Europe

Submitted by Administrator on 9 February, 2010 - 10:35

Dec 13 2007

Event Date:

13 December, 2007 - 01:00 - 14 December, 2007 - 01:00

Venue:

Eindhoven

From 13 to 14 December 2007 the INNO-Views Workshop on “Innovation Culture - Creating a favourable innovation climate in Europe” was held in Eindhoven, The Netherlands, with about 40 participants, ranging from policy-makers over experts from universities and research to representatives from international institutions.

The workshop

The widened debate on innovation has put the spotlight on the fact that innovation stems not only from new ideas and creativity, but also from an environment supportive to innovation, creativity and entrepreneurship. For new ideas to be fully taken advantage of, a market receptive to new products and services is also needed. The image and status of scientists, engineers and entrepreneurs, openness and attitudes vis-à-vis risk taking, collaboration and change, are all factors thought to influence national or regional innovation performance. These factors are expressions of culture, defined as the common values, beliefs, attitudes and behaviours of a nation, region, organisation or other social community.

This raises the question of what constitutes an innovation-friendly culture and environment. What relationships exist between national, regional or organisational culture and innovation performance? How can these relationships be measured? What does existing evidence say about the role of e.g. basic education, public governance, institutions, role models and other symbols? What incentives attract and retain the talented persons necessary to improve European innovation performance, and how can these incentives be created and reinforced? How can we leverage the talent of individuals not currently involved in the innovation process? In short, how can the long-term and dynamic process of creating a culture of innovation be supported, and what is the role of public policy? What can be done at a European level? These questions have been addressed in the workshop.

Objectives and structure

The purpose of the workshop was two-fold. Firstly, it aimed at contributing to a deeper understanding among workshop participants of factors influencing the innovation culture in an organisation, region or society at large. Secondly, and more concretely, it aimed at generating ideas for the 2009 European Year of Creativity and Innovation - which ultimately aims at improving European innovation culture. In addition to topics that are new to the European innovation policy debate, new ideas were also expected to emerge from an analysis of past and ongoing PRO INNO Europe projects from a new perspective – that of innovation culture. To achieve these objectives, the workshop was organised in five sessions: one scene setter, one concluding session and – in between – three sessions on how to foster innovation culture in a) enterprises, b) cities and regions and c) among citizens, respectively. Participants actively participated and shared freely of their own experience.

The workshop has been concluded with a brain storming on how – concretely – initiatives and projects that have been discussed in the workshop can contribute to the 2009 European Year of Creativity and Innovation.