Arturo Vega Mike Chiasson David Brown PUBLIC PROGRAMME CONTEXTS AND THEIR INFLUENCE ON ENTERPRISE INNOVATION: The Case of University Outreach Activities

Relevance of the Topic SMEs in the EU (European Commission) : 99% of businesses 2/3 of the private sector jobs 50% of the total value added of businesses true backbone of the economy being primarily responsible for wealth and economic growth, next to their key role in innovation and R&D UK annual government support to SMEs = £ 10.3 billion (Public and Corporate Economic Consultants 2005) BUT... We detected Poor public support Unfinished SME adoptions Lets understand this better What are the nature and support needs of adoption processes? What are the nature and consequences of programme contexts?

Initial Theoretical Framework

Dynamics of Multiple Adoptions

Adoption Process Classification Category Number of Complementary Adoption Processes Level of External Support Number of Supporting Organisations SimplePossibly zeroNo support needed Low-ComplexityPossibly zeroLimitedPossibly one Medium-ComplexityPossibly zeroIntermediatePossibly one or two ComplexPossibly some fewImportantPossibly two or more High-ComplexityPossibly manyToo muchToo many

Adoption Process Classification (cont.)

Programme Context Determinants

Programme Context Classification Evaluation Result Goal Moderator CategoryClient GoalsSocial GoalsProgramme Goals Negative ChaoticVery few times Tendency NegativePositiveMisleadingSometimes Tendency Positive OptimumSometimesTendencySometimes PositiveNegativeUnsustainableVery few timesTendencyVery few times

Prog. Worker Behaviour (Chaotic and Misleading) Adopt. Process Assist. Process SimpleLow-ComplexityMedium- Complexity ComplexHigh-Complexity Selection Selected or not selected Selected or not selected Selected or not selected Selected or not selected Selected or not selected Design If selected: Any design If not selected: No design If selected: Any design If not selected: No design If selected: Any design If not selected: No design If selected: Any design If not selected: No design If selected: Any design If not selected: No design Delivery If selected: Any delivery If not selected: No delivery If selected: Any delivery If not selected: No delivery If selected: Any delivery If not selected: No delivery If selected: Any delivery If not selected: No delivery If selected: Any delivery If not selected: No delivery Connection All cases: No connection Follow-Up All cases: No follow-up

Prog. Worker Behaviour (Optimum and Unsustainable) Adopt. Process Assist. Process SimpleLow-Complexity Medium- Complexity ComplexHigh-Complexity Selection Not selected Selected or not selected Selected or not selected Selected or not selected Not selected Design No action needed If selected: Proper design If not selected: No design If selected: Proper design If not selected: No design If selected: Proper design If not selected: No design No action needed Delivery No action needed If selected: Proper delivery If not selected: No delivery If selected: Proper delivery If not selected: No delivery If selected: Proper delivery If not selected: No delivery No action needed Connection No action needed If selected: No connection If not selected: One connection If selected: No connection or one connection If not selected: Two connections If selected: One or more connections If not selected: Two or more connections No action needed Follow-Up No action neededAll cases: No follow-up All cases: Limited follow-up All cases: Important follow-up No action needed

A Worrying Situation Evaluation Many public funding schemes use similar evaluations, e.g. ERDF, RDAF and HEIF Power SMEs tend to depend on external support Resources Policy imperative of providing little resources but setting stretching targets Demand Inherent low demand for programme services related to Innovations Alienation Insufficient Resources: Few barriers addressed Poor Evaluations: No follow-up and connection activities System Failures Affecting Programme Contexts

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