Title: Bridging the innovation system and industry development: experiments from Northern Finland

Authors: Henna Longi; Sami Niemelä; Tero Leppänen

Addresses: Industrial Engineering and Management, University of Oulu, P.O. Box 4610, FI-90014 University of Oulu, Finland ' Oulu University of Applied Sciences, P.O. Box 222, 90101 Oulu, Finland ' Industrial Engineering and Management, University of Oulu, P.O. Box 4610, FI-90014 University of Oulu, Finland

Abstract: As technological change has been identified as a one important driver of economic growth, the interest towards research, development, and innovation (RDI) has increased in academia and also in policy practices. However, a systemic analysis of innovation activities easily overlooks the role of the companies as key actors building the bridge between innovations and economic growth. Combining the analyses of innovation systems and entrepreneurial activities is important in ensuring the recognition of public and private stakeholders in regional development. This paper discusses the interplay of public and private sectors and concentrates on the companies and industry development in innovation systems. The case study in this article comes from the Oulu region in Northern Finland. This paper aims at describing and analysing public-funded projects as links between RDI and business development.

Keywords: regional innovation system; RIS; industry development; company engagement; RDI projects; regional development; regional policy.

DOI: 10.1504/IJIRD.2020.110515

International Journal of Innovation and Regional Development, 2020 Vol.9 No.2, pp.85 - 101

Received: 22 Nov 2019
Accepted: 03 Mar 2020
Published online: 22 Oct 2020 *

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