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The Development of US Policies directed at stimulating Innovation and Entrepreneurship

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  • David Audretsch

    (Indiana University)

  • Taylor Aldridge

    (Indiana University)

Abstract

This report explores how U.S. federal institutions fund and influence innovation in the knowledge economy context and if any agencies or particular policies could be replicated in other countries. Three key U.S. agencies are identified as having significantly contributed to innovation and growth: (1) the Small Business Innovative Research program (SBIR), (2) the Advanced Technology Program (ATP) and (3) the Defense Advanced Research Program Agency (DARPA). How these agencies have advanced US innovation is explained in detail. The beginning of the report offers a lens for understanding why and how research and development does not necessarily lead to innovation. The report explores how ideas must pass through a knowledge filter in order to become successful innovations. This filter, which may impede potential innovations, means that transfers from ideas to innovations are not linear, nor are they always successful even though conditions may be suitable. Therefore, U.S. agencies are needed to help firms pass through the Valley of Death from ideas to successful commercial innovations. The report identifies US policies which could conceivably be replicated in other countries. Most notably, the authors argue that spurring innovation from European universities, with the help of an SBIR-like institution, may offer considerable help in transforming European ideas into innovations. The report concludes that the SBIR offered significant aid to innovative firms in the US and its replication by Horizon 2020 could also offer significant advantages for commercialization of inventions and ideas. The report also points out potential problems in a adopting an SBIR-like program in other countries.

Suggested Citation

  • David Audretsch & Taylor Aldridge, 2014. "The Development of US Policies directed at stimulating Innovation and Entrepreneurship," JRC Research Reports JRC87894, Joint Research Centre.
    • Handle: RePEc:ipt:iptwpa:jrc87894
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    File URL: https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC87894
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    2. Mendonça, Joana & Heitor, Manuel, 2016. "The changing patterns of industrial production: How does it play for the Iberian Peninsula?," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 113(PB), pages 293-307.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Innovation policies; SBIR; DARPA; ATP;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • L2 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior
    • L5 - Industrial Organization - - Regulation and Industrial Policy
    • O3 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights
    • O4 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity

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