Innovations Supporting Institutions in Russia: the Logic of Development and the Current Status

Abstract

The article is focused on the complex of institutions providing organizational support for innovation activities aiming to create the most favorable environment for innovation fi rms for effective communication based on cooperation, competition and appropriation of the relationship rent. The above-mentioned institutions include science parks, techno-parks, research and production parks, business incubators, centers of common use of high-tech equipment, innovation clusters, etc. These institutions have been analyzed first of all on the basis of history of their development, and secondly taking into account the character of their evolution (progressive or parallel) and its contradictions. The analysis made in the article shows that the current complex of innovation supporting institutions in Russia in terms of its composition slightly differs from developed countries, but significantly stands behind in terms of their efficiency. Th e article reveals the reasons of this situation, including the absence of a long-term strategy of establishing balanced complex of such institutions, insufficient efficiency of the Government policy,
as well as disbalances in regional allocation of such institutions over territory of the country. Based on the concept of national innovation power, the authors make a conclusion that it looks reasonable to evaluate the Government policy in the relevant area on the base of internationally acclaimed indicators considering both current and long-term efficiency. Refs 41. Figs 2. Tables 2.

Keywords:

Innovation Infrastructure and Institutions, Non-technological Innovations, Global Innovation Index, National Innovative Capacity, Innovation policy