1. Governance innovation : unlocking ICT potential
Prof. Dr. Stefan Schepers
Secretary general of the independent, tripartite High Level Group on Innovation Policy Management
Director of EPPA
Dublin, 12 June 2014

2. Institutions and technology evolution
From bronze tools to iPhone : technology innovation effects economy and social life
Role of institutions : organisation of societal interactions
Key technological influences on the ‘modern’ state : printing press & steam machine

3. Creative destruction of institutions
Present transformation : increasing complexity management gaps between
- traditional governance objectives,methods and tools, dating from industrial economy;
- new needs and objectives in economic, ecological and social systems;
- insufficient governance innovation of methods and tools;
- up- and downwards leakage of state powers

4. Governing ecological complexity
Key is managing resilience : understanding dynamics, inter-actions and feedbacks in ecological systems to ensure restoration, adaptation, evolution
Dominating ecological policy paradigm from 1970s : linear & legalistic regulatory trajectories
Climate change research : understanding system complexity : possible with ICT know how
New paradigm for governance of ecological sustainability : key role for ICT

5. Governing social stability
Welfare state mechanisms : rooted in European metaphysical traditions, developed for and by industrial economy
On-going social-cultural paradigm shifts : individualisation, networks, mobility, globalisation
Complexity gaps : long term business cycles, driven by technology and global value chains versus national policies, driven by electoral cycles, in national frameworks
Re-thinking democracy, legitimacy & accountability
Key role for ICT : innovation of social tasks

6. Governing competitiveness & innovation
Supra-national governance tools : regulations for opening up markets and setting common standards
Economic competitiveness : creating space for disruptive technologies, managing multiple interdependent effects and feedbacks
Fault line between European Union with macro-economic and market organisation tasks versus national governments with social tasks (education, health, social protection)
Need for ecosystem approach to innovation & competitiveness : key to maintenance & modernisation welfare mechanisms
ICT is key for managing inter-action between multiple stakeholders

7. To do list for ICT sector
Re-thinking democracy, legitimacy & accountability
Managing ecological resilience & economic competitiveness : ICT based policy & regulatory innovation
New tools for collaborative governance of economic, social and ecological complexity between stakeholders