On the potentialities of an innovation council concept in the belarusian research and technological development

Abstract

A major problem for institutional actors is ensuring that the current status and prospects of the Belarusian innovation policy are upgraded. An assessment of the environment for research and technological development is carried out on the basis of Belarusian official statistical indicators and State program documents. Research results indicate the need to further modernize the environment for conversion of research results into innovative and improved services and products for Belarus to become more competitive in the world market place which would elevate the country’s development level. This implies modernizing the institutional framework for stimulating innovations. The authors particularly take into consideration the accomplishment of an EU approach towards innovations and the suggested concept for the Belarusian innovation coordination model is based on introducing an “innovation council”. After analyzing and discussing innovation performance in Europe a simple correlation model demonstrates that countries with an innovation council achieved superior innovation performance. This institution could be responsible for the successful innovation performance. It coordinates policy, which is then in a better position. Findings also suggest that substantial benefits for SMEs could be ensured by developing an open innovative development and by introducing competitiveness changes at enterprise level.