The Innovation Public Policies and the Firms’ Adoption of Innovative Processes. Some Notes about the Portuguese Case

Abstract

Innovation is considered an important competitiveness factor for firms and a source of wealth for economies. Innovation appears as a positive value and as a solution to solve social problems and firm’s competitiveness. Therefore it is an important subject of policy intervention and territory development, so organizations are encouraged to adopt innovative practices through incentives and innovation policies. This paper aims to propose a new methodological approach for public policy supporting innovation evaluation in a territorial‐based analysis. A new methodology which intended to contribute to strengthen and reinforce the innovation effectiveness in firms and territory development resulting from support of public mechanisms. Some economic and sociological studies had showed that Portuguese firms adopt more easily technological innovations (with short‐term effects) than organizational and social innovations. In this sense, we will consider innovation public policies effects at firms and how they take available opportunities for innovation. The aim is to know if the concept of innovation spread by these policies is multidimensional (e.g., social, economic and technological) or restricted. We propose to study the factors (internal and external) that affect innovation processes in firms through case studies methodology. This research strategy will show the processes of innovation from within the organizations and analyze the socio‐economic context in which organizations operate.