An alternative proposal for regional European innovation policy: Cooperation of SMEs with knowledge-intensive services in innovation networks

Paper presented at the Conference “New economic concepts in the current European crises“.

Abstract: Innovation policy in the European Union (EU) comes to a result; its policy goal to become the most innovative region in the world until 2010 failed, primarily concerning the Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs). Thus, the purpose of this paper is to introduce my proposal in terms of an alternative innovation policy across EU member states. In few words, Innovation networks that are dominated by SMEs could become more innovative by integrating Knowledge-intensive Business Services (KIBS). Innovation networks would allow problems to be solved, transcending the disadvantage of SMEs in the innovation process. Regional actors and regions are recommended to initiate and foster the afore- briefly - mentioned network relation.