2012年-世界发展银行全球_iMENA_-_Learning_from_the_Innovation_Policy_Experience_in_Eastern_Europe_Korea_and_Turkey_4页_848kb

MENA Knowledge and Learning: Innovation Policy Lessons from Eastern Europe, Korea & Turkey

Core Content

This document outlines the World Bank's initiative to analyze and learn from the innovation policy experiences of Eastern Europe, Korea, and Turkey to inform the development of innovation strategies in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. The goal is to address the region's significant employment challenges and promote innovation-driven growth.

Main Objectives

• To identify and learn from successful innovation policies in other regions.
• To understand the role of innovation in job creation, entrepreneurship, and technology commercialization.
• To promote the development of a more dynamic and inclusive innovation ecosystem in the MENA region.

Key Points

Innovation and Employment in MENA

• The MENA region needs to create 40 million jobs over 10 years to reduce unemployment from 12% (1999–2008) to 4%–6%.
• Innovation is crucial for productivity and long-term growth, and can also address social challenges like healthcare and environmental sustainability.

Innovation Policy in MENA

• Innovation policy in MENA is in its early stages and requires significant reform.
• The document emphasizes the need for customized policies tailored to the local context, rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.
• Governance, innovation finance, and R&D investment are key elements of a holistic innovation policy.

Lessons from Other Regions

• Eastern Europe: Post-transition economies have made progress through innovation policies, but institutional change is slow.
• Korea: Emphasizes strong R&D investment and technology commercialization.
• University-industry linkages: Successful examples include:
  • Turkey introducing new academic promotion systems and technology transfer offices.
  • Czech Republic and Bulgaria seeing increased collaboration between foreign firms and local universities.
  • VM Ware promoting university-industry linkages through internships, R&D projects, and teaching.

Measuring Innovation Returns

• Measuring the returns of public investment in R&D is complex due to the intangible nature of many outcomes.
• Short-term results can be measured, but long-term impacts like job creation and new firm formation are more difficult to track.
• Indicators should be aligned with specific innovation strategies and reflect both knowledge generation and economic and social outcomes.

Innovation and Jobs

• Innovation can lead to job creation through economic diversification.
• In MENA, high-quality jobs are more likely to come from the services sector due to its low investment intensity and fast knowledge-to-product transformation.
• Empirical evidence suggests that young firms are significant contributors to job creation in developed economies.

Education and Skills

• Improving education and skills is essential for fostering innovation and collaboration between universities and the private sector.
• Policy makers should focus on aligning curricula with market needs and promoting joint projects and infrastructure.
• Universities are transitioning from research-focused institutions to entrepreneurial universities, but incentive structures between academia and industry remain a challenge.

Country Innovation Strategy Priorities in MENA

• Morocco and Lebanon emphasized improving the business environment, including intellectual property regimes, telecoms, infrastructure, and administrative reforms.
• Entrepreneurship promotion through seed funding and support/training services is a key priority.
• Public procurement can act as a catalyst for innovation in sectors like energy, defense, and IT.
• Diaspora linkages are being leveraged, as seen in the Moroccan Innovation Club.
• Privilege in the private sector has historically limited innovation, though this has shifted in some countries post-Arab Spring.

Challenges for MENA

1. Private sector underdevelopment: Lack of support from the public sector hinders innovation.
2. Fiscal constraints: Rising costs of finance post-Arab Spring necessitate cost-effective solutions for innovation policy support.

World Bank Priority Activities in MENA

• Address early-stage funding for innovation and entrepreneurship.
• Support job-creating start-ups and gazelles through funding and technical assistance.
• Strengthen university-industry linkages in education and applied research.
• Develop an interlinked business innovation ecosystem that meets developmental needs and innovation priorities.

Contact Information

• Laura Tuck, Director, Strategy and Operations, MENA Region, The World Bank.
• Regional Quick Notes Team: Omer Karasapan and Roby Fields.
• Tel #: (202) 473 8177

This document is intended to summarize lessons learned from Bank Knowledge and Learning activities, and does not necessarily reflect the views of the World Bank, its Board, or its member countries.