Situating innovation policy in Mediterranean Arab countries: A research agenda for context sensitivity

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Abstract

Innovation policy is embedded in local contexts that shape its courses and outcomes. However, the role of context is often neglected in the design and implementation of innovation policies. Critical questions such as what innovation actually means, what kind of innovation policies may be beneficial in a given country and for specific sectors, regions and actors, and what kinds of policies and programs can help promote innovation in a feasible and effective manner are rarely addressed. Focusing on Mediterranean Arab countries with their political and economic proximity to the EU, this article proposes three conceptual shifts towards a context-sensitive approach to innovation policy design and analysis. Drawing on insights from relational economic geography, interpretive policy analysis, and science and technology studies, the article discusses how these three shifts enable new perspectives on innovation policies in Tunisia, Jordan, and Egypt. The article suggests a research agenda that can stimulate discussion and lead to a new approach in innovation studies and policy for Arab countries in the EU's neighborhood.
Original languageEnglish
Article number104273
Number of pages12
JournalResearch policy
Volume50
Issue number7
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Sept 2021

Austrian Fields of Science 2012

  • 506017 Science and technology policy
  • 504028 Sociology of technology
  • 507026 Economic geography

Keywords

  • Innovation policy
  • Institutional context
  • KNOWLEDGE
  • MODEL
  • Mediterranean Arab countries
  • POLITICS
  • Policy transfer
  • REGIONAL CLUSTER POLICIES
  • RESEARCH-AND-DEVELOPMENT
  • SCIENCE PARK
  • SMART SPECIALIZATION
  • SUSTAINABILITY TRANSITIONS
  • SYSTEMS
  • Socio-technical understanding of innovation
  • Sociotechnical imaginaries of innovation
  • TECHNOLOGY

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