IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/hhs/lucirc/2008_014.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

The paradox of high R&D input and low innovation output: Sweden

Author

Listed:
  • Bitard, Pierre

    (LTH, Lund University)

  • Edquist, Charles

    (CIRCLE, Lund University)

  • Hommen, Leif

    (CIRCLE, Lund University)

  • Rickne, Annika

    (CIRCLE, Lund University and Dahmen institutet)

Abstract

This chapter takes its point of departure in the so-called Swedish paradox, according to which the Swedish NSI is plagued by low pay-off in relation to very high investments in R&D and innovation efforts. Using new data, we show that this paradox is still in operation, i.e. the productivity or efficiency of the Swedish NSI remains low. We also specify the paradox in several respects. By focussing upon nine activities in the NSI, we attempt to explain why and how the paradox operates. The paradox is also related to the moderate growth of labour productivity in Sweden. Further, we show that the paradox is linked to globalization: internationalization of production by Swedish firms has proceeded further than the internationalization of R&D. On the basis of this analysis, we identify strengths and weaknesses of the Swedish NSI – many of which are related to the Swedish paradox. We take account of the history of innovation policy in Sweden and – on the basis of the analysis as a whole -- we identify future policy initiatives that might help to mitigate the Swedish paradox.

Suggested Citation

  • Bitard, Pierre & Edquist, Charles & Hommen, Leif & Rickne, Annika, 2008. "The paradox of high R&D input and low innovation output: Sweden," Papers in Innovation Studies 2008/14, Lund University, CIRCLE - Centre for Innovation Research.
    • Handle: RePEc:hhs:lucirc:2008_014
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://wp.circle.lu.se/upload/CIRCLE/workingpapers/200814_Bitard_et_al.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Svein Olav Nås & Tore Sandven & et al., "undated". "High-Tech Spin-Offs in the Nordic Countries - Main report," STEP Report series 200323, The STEP Group, Studies in technology, innovation and economic policy.
    2. Svein Olav Nås & Tore Sandven & et al., "undated". "High-Tech Spin-Offs in the Nordic Countries - Summary report," STEP Report series 200322, The STEP Group, Studies in technology, innovation and economic policy.
    3. Dilek Cetindamar Karaomerlioglu & Staffan Jacobsson, 2000. "The Swedish venture capital industry: An infant, adolescent or grown-up?," Venture Capital, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 2(1), pages 61-88, January.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Rouchy, Philippe, 2011. "Swedish embedded software and vertically integrated industries: an appraisal," MPRA Paper 50504, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    2. Sam Tavassoli, 2011. "A Comparative Investigation of Firms' Innovative behaviors During Different Stages of the Cluster Life-Cycle (Cover study for PhD dissertation)," ERSA conference papers ersa10p1045, European Regional Science Association.
    3. Olof Ejermo, 2011. "Locked into the ivory tower? Mobility and entrepreneurship among Swedish academics," ERSA conference papers ersa10p1413, European Regional Science Association.
    4. Arne Isaksen & Magnus Nilsson, 2013. "Combined Innovation Policy: Linking Scientific and Practical Knowledge in Innovation Systems," European Planning Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 21(12), pages 1919-1936, December.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Bernd Ebersberger, 2011. "Public funding for innovation and the exit of firms," Journal of Evolutionary Economics, Springer, vol. 21(3), pages 519-543, August.
    2. Eriksson, Tor & Moritz Kuhn, Johan, 2006. "Firm spin-offs in Denmark 1981-2000 -- patterns of entry and exit," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 24(5), pages 1021-1040, September.
    3. Pontus Braunerhjelm, 2007. "Academic entrepreneurship: Social norms, university culture and policies," Science and Public Policy, Oxford University Press, vol. 34(9), pages 619-631, November.
    4. Josh Lerner & Joacim Tåg, 2013. "Institutions and venture capital," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press and the Associazione ICC, vol. 22(1), pages 153-182, February.
    5. Iman Seoudi, 2015. "Public Policy For Venture Capital: An Integrated Framework," Global Journal of Business Research, The Institute for Business and Finance Research, vol. 9(4), pages 31-51.
    6. Henrekson, Magnus & Rosenberg, Nathan, 2001. "Designing Efficient Institutions for Science-Based Entrepreneurship: Lessons from the US and Sweden," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 26(3), pages 207-231, June.
    7. Parhankangas, Annaleena & Landstrom, Hans, 2006. "How venture capitalists respond to unmet expectations: The role of social environment," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 21(6), pages 773-801, November.
    8. Motavaseli Mahmood & Shojaei Saeed & Bitaab Ali & Hasti Chitsazan & Ghanbar Mohammadi Elyasi, 2018. "Institutional Barriers to Financing Technology-based Small Firms through Venture Capital Mechanism: A Study to Explore the Incentives for Investment in Iran," International Journal of Economics and Financial Issues, Econjournals, vol. 8(1), pages 184-195.
    9. Hyytinen, Ari & Pajarinen, Mika, 2001. "Financial Systems and Venture Capital in Nordic Countries: A comparative Study," Discussion Papers 774, The Research Institute of the Finnish Economy.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Innovation; innovation system; Swedish national system of innovation; Swedish paradox;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O30 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - General

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:hhs:lucirc:2008_014. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Torben Schubert (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/circlse.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.