Germany’s Technological Performance: A Study on Behalf of the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research: 8 (ZEW Economic Studies, 8) - Softcover

Legler, H.; Licht, G.; Spielkamp, A.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 3790812811 ISBN 13: 9783790812817

Publisher: Physica, 2000

Synopsis

Maintaining the innovation capabilities of firms, employees and institutions is a key component for the generation of sustainable growth, employment, and high income in industrial societies. Gaining insights into the German innovation system and the institutional framework is as important to policy making as is data on the endowment of the German economy with factors fostering innovation and their recent development. Germany's Federal Ministry of Education and Research has repeatedly commissioned reports on the competitive strength of the German innovation system since the mid-eighties. The considerable attention that the public and the political, administrative and economic actors have paid to these reports in the past few years proves the strong interest in the assessment of and indicators for the dynamics behind innovation activities. The present study closely follows the pattern of those carried out before. It has been extended, however, to include an extensive discussion on indicators for technological performance and an outline of the key features of the German innovation system.

About this title

From the Back Cover

The research results presented in this book are part of the continuous reporting on the technological performance of the German economy. The indicators of technological performance show a high efficiency of the German innovation system in the short term. New knowledge is rapidly transferred into patents, innovative activities are growing independently of the business cycle, and German enterprises are well established on international markets. With respect to the medium and longer term, however, the expansion of the R&D-intensive sectors, R&D activities in general and start-ups do not seem to be strong enough, and the service sector lacks prominent features in international comparison. While there are potentials, they are not sufficiently being mobilised. The strength of the German innovation system lies in advanced technologies. But Germany is also the technological leader in some areas. Being a "fast follower" by quickly integrating new technologies in innovative products and processes should prove a successful strategy. Innovation policy should promote solutions in all parts of the economy and society.

Edition details

• Publisher: Physica
• Publication date: 2000
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 3790812811
• ISBN 13: 9783790812817
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 200