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This paper reports on the impact of smart specialization policies in an economically already well-developed and politically experienced environment. Arguably, German regions were quite experienced with strategic innovation policy long before the ex-ante conditionality was imposed and their first reaction to it was accordingly reserved. Nonetheless, our case studies illustrate that the process related to the development of regional innovation strategies has in many German regions led to advances in methodology as well as improved communication and coordination in polities where information failures constitute a relevant challenge. Accordingly, a number of key challenges remain, in part related to many German regionsâ understanding of their own mandate within the country's multi-level governance system

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ISBN 978 1 78471 927 2 (cased) ISBN 978 1 78471 928 9 (eBook)

Due to the shorter life cycles of products and services, industrial research and development (R&D) has been carried out since the 1990s under the criterion of short-term utilisation. Since a few years, however, it can be observed that large enterprises in particular are trying to establish long-term oriented strategic R&D capacities in cooperation with universities. Based on role models like the university-industry research centres in the USA, centres of excellence or competence research centres, this paper focuses on recent developments in Germany in the field of new 0rganisational modes of industrial-university research. It will analyse new public-private research partnerships between industry and universities in Germany and will address the question whether the new mode of collaboration between industry and universities will develop as a new element in the German research system

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In Germany, R&D services as a subgroup of knowledge-intensive business services are considered to be increasingly crucial for the technological competitiveness of mature as well as high-tech industries. R&D services are provided by firms and other organisations, which are able to transform heterogeneous knowledge stocks into high-value-added problem-solving activities. Within this context, new modes of collaboration between industry and public research organisations in the form of public-private partnerships will develop as an organisational alternative of R&D services in the German innovation system. The article presents several case studies as specific forms of such partnerships, which bring competences from industry and research organisations together. This allows sufficient flexibility on both sides, but creates a framework in which knowledge flows are triggered, personnel mobility supported and transfer bridges being installed

Standard-Nutzungsbedingungen:Die Dokumente auf EconStor dürfen zu eigenen wissenschaftlichen Zwecken und zum Privatgebrauch gespeichert und kopiert werden.Sie dürfen die Dokumente nicht für öffentliche oder kommerzielle Zwecke vervielfältigen, öffentlich ausstellen, öffentlich zugänglich machen, vertreiben oder anderweitig nutzen.Sofern die Verfasser die Dokumente unter Open-Content-Lizenzen (insbesondere CC-Lizenzen) zur Verfügung gestellt haben sollten, gelten abweichend von diesen Nutzungsbedingungen die in der dort genannten Lizenz gewährten Nutzungsrechte. summary: Agricultural innovations are meant to master global challenges such as climate change. However, they are often subject to highly controversial societal debates, such as in the case of genetic engineering or certain forms of animal production. This paper provides insight in the extent to which these conflicts are rooted in the conditions and processes of agricultural innovation. We analyze the German agricultural innovation system from an adapted systems perspective and present three case studies. These case studies potentially contribute to solving current challenges and are influenced in their development process by different factors: different technologies, actors, links to other branches, overlapping frame conditions and current challenges as well as societal debates. The innovation system concept applied to different system levels provides insight into interrelationships and hence allows us to identify starting points for improvement. The explanation and potential solution in mastering the high expectations on agricultural innovation and societal debates the authors point to two aspects: 1) As it is in many other areas trust is an important basis for innovative collaboration in small networks. (2) At the same time innovation success depends on the incorporation of societal trends in innovation processes, e. g. via a greater involvement of consumers and retailers at an early stage. Overall, besides the balancing of continuity and openness of agricultural innovation networks, our results raise questions for the (self-)concept and design of the agricultural innovation system, for incentives and shaping of interdisciplinary collaboration as well as for the (self-)role model of the involved actors. Terms of use: Documents in EconStor may