Non-technological Innovation for Growth and Jobs

1. Zbornica poslovno storitvenih dejavnosti Non-technological Innovation for Growth and Jobs Summary & Recommendations By Viljenka Godina, CCI - CBS Ljubljana, CCI, 30 September 2014

2. ZPSD Non-technological Innovation for Growth and Jobs The aim • To highlight the context of knowledge society, which has become a strategic target and preferred policy orientation in most of successful societies • And to discuss – in this context – the scene in Slovenia • To speak about non-technological and social innovation, which are not fully understood and acknowledged in Slovenia • To get familiar with some Slovenian achievements and examples of good practice in this area • To discuss the barriers still hindering Slovenia in its efforts to overcome the stagnation and return to the company of successful countries

3. ZPSD Non-technological Innovation for Growth and Jobs What are non-technological innovations • Knowledge based services • Frequently accompany/ are combined with technological innovations • Focused on organisation, business models and processes, marketing, design, ..., • Both in business sector and public services

4. ZPSD Non-technological Innovation for Growth and Jobs The role of non-technological innovations in the society • They help technological innovation to enter/succeed on the market • More successfully than technological innovations alone – provide respond to challenges in the society, by creating solutions that meet people's needs at local and global levels • They are fully present, but maybe not sufficiently visible and acknowledged, also due to policy support mostly oriented to technological innovations • Countries that are recognised as innovation leaders have the largest share of companies combining different types of innovation • EU focus in forthcoming years will be on innovations that respond to the needs of a broader society

5. ZPSD Non-technological Innovation for Growth and Jobs Necessary conditions enabling non-technological innovations to develop full potential • Communities compete in building supportive economic and institutional environment to encourage innovations • In order to support sustainable solutions to meet the needs of people and respond to global societal challenges (ageing, climate, water, environment), policies strive to support combined innovation and involve various actors in networks that encourage and support the development of human and social capital

6. ZPSD Non-technological Innovation for Growth and Jobs Where is Slovenia? • Several examples of good practice show that Slovenian organisations/individuals have developed innovative non-technological (and combined)solutions with global market potential • Obviously, Slovenian people have talent, knowledge and right attitudes • Many successful innovative entrepreneurs move their companies abroad because Slovenian business environment and political / administrative context does not support entrepreneurship and innovation • What should be done to enable them to utilise their full potential in Slovenia?

7. ZPSD Non-technological Innovation for Growth and Jobs What is the reason? • Non-technological and combined innovations are not yet recognised as a „drive“ and not yet supported as such in Slovenia • According to participants at the event, it might be the prevailing „mindset“ of population in general, and the „mindset“ in policy designers, in particular

8. ZPSD Non-technological Innovation for Growth and Jobs What to do? • Policy makers and other actors, even general public should become more aware of non-technological and social innovation. They are intangible, maybe difficult to measure, but their results are visible • Usually innovation is associated with something highly scientific, very technical, ... • They should be released from such attributes, made more understandable, maybe defined differently, and brought closer to people • They should be discussed separately and not amalgamated with technological innovations

9. ZPSD Non-technological Innovation for Growth and Jobs What to do? (2) • Cross-sector (horizontal) policies in the government, collaboration and understanding the complexity of links for joint performance • Smart and stable support environment should be created that will: • Involve government, funding agencies, universities, NGOs, support institutions and knowledge based business services (creators of business models!), and companies • Enable concentration and efficient utilisation of R&D, funds and human capital and • Will not (significantly) change with each and every (frequent) change in the government and public administration

10. ZPSD Non-technological Innovation for Growth and Jobs What to do? (3) • Policy measures have to be put in place to support social innovation, including measures to encourage networking and cooperation between universities, companies, NGOs and public authorities (using PPP and other forms of cooperation) in discovering and defining societal challenges and developing appropriate solutions • A package of support measures have to be designed to support any combination of different types of innovations that properly address the needs of businesses and the society.

11. ZPSD Non-technological Innovation for Growth and Jobs Thank you!