-ties as Dynamic Accumulation Pro -cesses, †Simulation Modeling Practice and Theory 10, 271†296
the quality of the educational system†where the country continues to trail its top 10 peers at 28th
Although the quality of education in Hong kong is good (12th), participation remains below levels found in other advanced economies
large market size (19th) and high educational standards in particular its high enrollment rates (it is ranked 20th on
longstanding challenge and the quality of education 116th) does not seem to match the increasing need for a skilled labor force.
quality of education in the country (77th), and its low research and innovation capacity (70th. As the economy
highest in the world (11th), the quality of the educational system is assessed as poor (122nd. This and the low
of the quality of education. If not addressed, poor educational quality†particularly in math and science 89th) †could undermine the country†s innovation
and the quality of the educational system receives mediocre marks. Yet it is clear that by far the biggest
Learning and experimentalâ â€-category. Additionally,  â€oea smart -ï grid electricity network for plug-in hybrids and fully electric carsâ †is a major objective
share learning and best practice, and seek funding and sustainable new business models This research has identified the goals of policy, the policy tools and funding instruments
5. 4 Dissemination & learning 5. 5 Evaluation 6. 1 What should policymakers do REINVENTING
to combine open hardware technologies with new learning methods to experiment with new educational practices, enhanced by the way technology is integrated within the
learning environment Open standards A number of organisations affect DSI in Europe through acting as expert bodies on the
& constructing informal learning networks Fab academy; Institute for network culture; Coder dojo†s; and more generally the
Dissemination & learning 5. 5 Evaluation 4. 4 THE BETA â€oebottom-UP€ POLICY WORKSHOP TOOLKIT
Dissemination & learning 5. 5 Evaluation 66 Growing a Digital Social Innovation Ecosystem for Europe
DISSEMINATION & LEARNING EVALUATION In order to implement future DSI policy goals and strategies, several tools and in
DISSEMINATION & LEARNING EVALUATION There is a common sentiment that a strong public intervention at EU level is need
create new digital products, new public services or learning programmes The creation of a European network that would encompass regional innovation
5. 4 DISSEMINATION & LEARNING 81growing a Digital Social Innovation Ecosystem for Europe Firstly, tools for general dissemination should be included.
à Provide link between academic evaluation and evaluation reports (more professional, consultancy based, etc à Explore DSI specific indicators such as Open Data access, digital skills
creating a virtuous policy learning cycle13. As the Fifth Cohesion Report states,'the starting point for a result-oriented approach is
evaluation component associated with policy learning capabilities, etc This section presents each of the steps as defined above,
3.'Cluster'in depth case studies and peer reviews: to move beyond the figures that are available for comparison, more qualitative studies can be carried out on activity domains
Interactive learning with customers and suppliers Experimentation in studios and project teams Strong codified knowledge content
professions and they are fashioned invariably in action learning environments where there is a high degree of novelty associated with the activity.
of action learning which generated useful information as well as helped to maintain the active engagement of the business community
Learning by doing will help these public sector bodies to appreciate the needs of firms, but more formal
action learning programmes will also be needed. A good example of such a programme is the Place-Based Leadership Development Programme,
Certifications/accreditations Industrial Phds Support to creativity Innovation benchmarking Emerging instruments Competitiveness poles Competence centres
Proactive tools focusing on learning to innovate Global connections Excellence poles Cross-border technology centres
If such learning mechanisms are introduced properly in pilot projects, they can provide a model for performance-based funding mechanisms,
bases, ad hoc surveys, peer reviews, and more rarely, regional or national statistics. If the programmers use the latter,
support a process of policy learning and adaptation Formulating and implementing a national/regional research and innovation
implementation of the strategy, pilot projects and others, learning activities (inside and outside the region), new events that have occurred after formal adoption of
The Alliance and its Policy Learning Platform might prove another useful forum for managers of European Structural
accelerate the learning path Strategic and inclusive approach to investments and the use of financial
empowerment, co-creation and learning For these reasons social innovations offer a way of tackling societal challenges
support a process of policy learning and adaptation? How is it to be communicated 7. 1 Does the document identify concrete, achievable goals?
support a process of continuous policy learning and adaptation? If not, are actions foreseen to build up capabilities for that
Peer learning of innovation agencies...17 INNOSUP 6 †2015: Capitalising the full potential of online-collaboration for SME innovation
peer-learning and uptake of new approaches. In addition several actions will focus on the identification, further
Horizon 2020 participate actively in the learning and capacity building activities of the project either as beneficiaries in consortium or as beneficiaries of a financial support
Peer learning of innovation agencies Specific challenge: Innovation support agencies, i e. the regional and national agencies that
significant contributions to formulating the requirements for a permanent learning mechanism for SME innovation support agencies
learning activities have to be based on clear methodologies and they have to be driven demand, launched at the moment agencies
Furthermore peer learning activities need to benefit from a secretariat or an animation structure that assures horizontal
'twinning+'methodology that combines elements of traditional peer reviews and twinning in small learning groups of interested agencies
It is the objective of this action to make available to national and regional innovation agencies
these two methodologies as elements of a permanent peer learning environment and to give incentives to the agencies to engage more frequently in peer learning activities
Scope: The proposed activities will provide incentives in the form of small lump sum grants
to national and regional innovation agencies for engaging in peer learning on all topics relevant for design and delivery of innovation support programmes for SMES.
joint learning activities shall be available at any time when need and opportunity for policy
learning in agencies arises. While peer learning is open for all relevant topics only the
ï The number of innovation agencies engaged in peer learning activities significantly increases. The results of the peer learning are taken up by national and regional
investigated and developed by peer learning activities of national and regional 17 See for example â€oemaking public support for innovation in the EU more effectiveâ€, Commission staff
and accelerates the learning process Type of action: Coordination and support actions, lump sums for participating agencies (EUR
ï The platform will facilitate peer-to-peer learning among the coaching community and will ensure the international dimension for coaching,
ï Workshops, training, peer-learning and other actions to improve the capabilities for design-driven innovation among business development organisations, incubators and
innovative practices and trends in Europe as well as enhance learning across the EU Associated Countries and between the relevant stakeholders (National authorities and support
learning and inclusion This societal challenge will continue to be supported under the future research and innovation programme Horizon 2020
Experimentation and learning are happening fast. As a result, the series must be considered a work-in-progress,
Microsoft Partners in Learning Microsoft Math and Science Education Technology Training and Entrepreneurship Support Cisco Networking Academies
All partners must expect considerable learning and adjustment to take place. Companies in different industries, government agencies, non-governmental organizations,
UNV, Cisco Learning Institute, and Cisco Corporate Philanthropy to help LDC-based Networking Academies do
Learning from Experience. Background paper for the infodev Annual Symposium, Geneva, Switzerland, December 9-10 WASHINGTON DC:
Learning Institute, the International Telecommunications Union, United Nations Development Programme, and US Agency for International
http://www. cisco. com/web/learning/netacad/digital divide/ldc/Initiative. htm l (accessed September 21, 2007
Learning Institute, the International Telecommunications Union, United Nations Development Programme, and US Agency for International
Learning from Experience. Background paper for the infodev Annual Symposium, Geneva, Switzerland, December 9-10 WASHINGTON DC:
Theory of Innovation and Interactive Learning. Pinter, London Lundvall, B.,Borraâ's, S.,1998. The Globalising Learning Economy
Implications for Innovation Policy. Report to the DG XII, TSER Brussels Maillat, D.,1991. The innovation process and the role of the milieu.
2. 2. 1. Knowledge and Learning...9 2. 2. 2. Networks...11 2. 2. 3. Regional Actors...
the direction of technological learning...in a countryâ€, thus incorporating the †soft†factors which also are said to constitute an innovative milieu, an industrial district or a cluster (cf
an element which has been recognised by proponents of collective learning as an important ingredient for regional development (e g, Camagni 1991, Lawson 1997
informal, collective learning and milieu effects, although the author points out that networks are not a sufficient condition in making regions innovative
namely knowledge and processes of learning (cf. chapter 2. 2. 1), the role of networks
2. 2. 1. Knowledge and Learning In a R&d context, knowledge refers to scientific knowledge, but also to those capabilities
while learning refers to the process underlying the transfer of tacit and non-codified knowledge into explicit and codified
namely learning, which research frequently highlights as playing an important role for re -gions to be (come) RTD-oriented, innovative and entrepreneurial:
-gests that the technological vitality of regions revolves around their learning efficiency†Oinas and Malecki 1999: 14.
cesses, once the †intrinsic learning nature of technological change†(Camagni 1991: 124 became clear and it was understood that technology development
Learning processes need triggers and thresholds, as organisations and individuals tend to stick to routines and known behaviour
environment conducive for learning processes. Recent research picked up this topic in discussing collective learning which is understood as the learning process between differ
-ent agents (enterprises, public research institutions, etc. rather than organisational or in -dividual learning. Collective learning includes the regional accumulation of knowledge
which is shared freely and transferred among the participants through social interactions Capello 1999. In this regard, Mothe and Paquet (1998) indicate the importance of
communities of practices, defined as elements of proximity, trust, solidaristic values, as one antecedent for learning and innovation, identifying as threshold for learning pro
-cesses the degree of dissonance at a regional level Collective learning is said to be linked closely to proximity, as it is based on conversa
-tions and interactions among stakeholders within a particular context, which has lead some authors to introduce the concept of the †learning region†as a region where external
knowledge flows are disseminated effectively and integrated into a region†s internal sys -tems of information diffusion (e g.,
However, there is an ongoing debate regarding the existence of †learning regions†Some research also suggests that the spatial dimension of learning processes is not con
-firmed (Stam and Wever 1999. Oinas and Malecki (1999: 14) summarise the problem with the learning region concept in the following way:
†The collective aspect of learning sometimes comes up somewhat naively in the enthusiast usage of the †learning regionâ€
metaphor: as (â€) if †learning regions†were happy collectively learning communities 11 where no sign of friction nor domination is to be found †too heavenly to be descriptions
from the earth. †They instead suggest applying the concept of †regional learning†The mainstream academic debate of today recognises that collective learning empha
-sises joint problem solving, without necessarily implying that regions as such can learn Therefore, the discussion on learning regions started to focus more and more on how
learning in regions can occur. Research has identified three key mechanisms of such re -gional learning:
labour mobility, the creation of spin-offs and dense networks, for example between firms, customers and suppliers (e g.,
, Camagni 1991, Florida 1995, Harrison 1994, Malmberg et al. 1996 •Labour mobility can enhance technology development through diffusion of informa
This in turn sets off learning processes, as it fosters technology transfer into firms, consequently influencing development on firm and regional level
knowledge, learning and RTD: †(â€) geographical proximity is important to the innova -tion process because of the nature of the knowledge in question.
timely exchange of information and accumulation of knowledge†(Feldmann 1994: 27 also partly explains regional clusters of innovative firms.
-cusing on those elements and processes as introduced in chapter 2, namely knowledge and learning
-calised learning The institutional dimension is concerned with elements of †reproductivity and local buzz†(Bathelt 2004: 153) and it is of particular interest regarding RTD,
but learning is neglected (Oinas and Malecki 1999). ) Technopoles put more emphasis on linkages between science, technology and in
of collective learning and act as an uncertainty-reducing mechanism in the innovation process†(Camagni 1995: 320), in short:
and brings learning to the forefront of regional RTD. The milieu is seen as an incubator for innovations and the creativity
namely learning and interaction (Maillat 1995), with interactions triggering and producing collective learning processes. This collective and †socialised†process allows for cost re
-ductions within firms, thus enhancing their (technological) efficiency (Camagni 1991 Overall, milieus reduce uncertainty for firms by †tacitly
-ter of these linkages inducing learning processes and innovations and a common im -age and sense of belonging to this particular region or this particular group of actors
processes of localised learning needed to set off innovation processes 33 While there appears to be no model
†since they encourage continuing learning processes of the resident companies in an evolutionary, self-sustaining way, combining
-based learning, often with the solution of real-life technical problems as part of the stu -dents†project work, have created skills highly demanded in product development inten
A main issue for the region is knowledge and learning, which helped making this re
Process Shift from individual and spatially dispersed learning to collective learning Creation of technical culture
All this helps foster learning processes within the region 5. 2. Challenges in Fostering Regional RTD
firm level can usually be explained by switching costs, costs of not learning as fast as
Learning about innovation policy. Reflections on the state of the art in Europe†s regions. Paper presented at the Regional Studies Association International Conference †Re
Learning versus Collective Learning Processes. Regional Studies 33 (4), 353-365 Chell, E. and S. Baines (1998:
Networking, Entrepreneurship and Microbusiness Behaviour. Entrepre -neurship & Regional Development 12,195-215 Cohen, W. M. and D. A. Levinthal (1990:
a new perspective on learning and innova -tion. Administrative Science Quarterly 35,128-152 Colletis-Wahl, K. and B. Pecqueur (2001:
Learning from Clusters: A Critical Assessment. New york: Springer, pp. 19-50 Cooke, P. 1996: The New wave of Regional Innovation Networks:
Toward the Learning Region. Futures, 27,527-536 Florida, R. 2004: The Rise of the Creative Class.
Evolution, innovation and learning: evidence from case studies. Entrepreneurship & Re -gional Development 10 (2), 137-149
technological learning and regional economic change Aldershot: Ashgate, pp. 231†260 Fromhold-Eisebith, M. 1999:
-novation, Research and Competence in the Learning Economy (CIRCLE http://www. circle. lu. se/publications.
Collective learning processes and inter-firm networking in innovative high-technology regions. Cambridge, Series ESCR Centre for Busi
Spatial Clustering, Local Accumulation of Knowledge and Firm Competitiveness. Geografiska Annaler, 78 B (2), 85-97
Building a Cross-border Learning Region: Emergence of the North -European Oresund Region. Copenhagen Maskell, P. and A. Malmberg (1999:
Localised learning and industrial competitiveness. Cambridge Journal of Economics 23,167-185 Maskell, P.,H. Eskelinen,
Learning and Regional Development: Specialisation and prosperity in small open economies. London & New york: Routledge
The Learning Region: Institutions, Innovation and Regional Renewal. Regional Studies 31 (5), 491-504 Mothe, John de la and G. Paquet (1998a:
Local and Regional Systems of Innovation as Learning Socio -Economies. In: Mothe, John de la;
Beyond the Learning Region: The Dialectics of Innovation and Culture in Territorial Development. In: R. A. Boschma and R c.
Learning from Clusters: A Critical Assessment. New york: Springer, pp. 89-109 Nadvi, K. and G. Halder (2005:
Learning and Innovation in Organizations and Economies. New york: Oxford Uni -versity Press North, D. and D. Smallbone (2000:
learning economy. Paris: OECD O†Gorman, C. and M. Kautonen (2004: Policies to promote new knowledge-intensive industrial agglom
-tions. technological learning and regional economic change. Aldershot Hants: Ashgate, pp. 7†33 Oughton, C.,M. Landabaso and K. Morgan (2002:
) Innovation, Networks and Learning Regions? London: Kingsley Publishers, pp. 124-136 Prognos (2006: Prognos Zukunftsatlas 2006.
Knowledge, Learning and Regional Development: An Introduction. In: V Lo and E w. Schamp (eds.:Knowledge, Learning,
and Regional Development, Mà nster, Hamburg London: LIT, pp. 1-12 Schã¤tz, L. 1999:
A National and International Comparison of Collective Learning in High-tech Manufac -turing and Services. In:
Knowledge, Learning and Regional Development MÃ nster: Lit Verlag, pp. 39-60 Sternberg, R. 1999:
but it has to take into account the learning curve and the cost of deployment and also the potential impact on the rest of the software that they are
providing opportunities for shared learning, transfer of technical knowledge and resource exchange 3. 4. 3 Deployment of e-invoicing
accumulation, i e. embodied technical change is the key driver of growth E-business in the transport & logistics industry
for shared learning, transfer of technical knowledge and resource exchange The most obvious benefit of information integration with the help of ICT is the optimisation
more and more difficult to manage due to the accumulation of specific developments performed for AIT and the overall complexity of the solution
The average learning time how to use the system is another four months Regarding the resource planning system,
Arrow, K. J. 1962), The Economic Implications of Learning by Doing. Review of Economic. Studies, vol
Innovation and Learning: the two faces of R&d. Economic Journal Vol. 99. No. 397, pp. 569-596
Trading-Off Learning With Process Change. IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management 51 (1) 70 The Impact of E-business on Transportation.
firm†s linkage to external sources of expertise for learning about new technological development were the major forces that influenced these firms in adopting a process
learning from good international practices INTRODUCTION †25 IMPROVING HEALTH SECTOR EFFICIENCY: THE ROLE OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES  OECD 2010
payment to attend learning sessions, training and support, etc In addition to subsidies, government grants were the primary source of
Accreditation is the gateway to PIP. Since 1999 the PIP includes a number of incentives to encourage practices to keep up
direct cash subsidies, compensation to attend learning sessions, training and support (e g. by providing help with data entry.
Compensation for attending learning sessions Adoption of the CDM Toolkit is one component of the â€oecdm Bundleâ€, a series of
are six to eight learning sessions in the CDM â€oebundleâ€, with each session lasting 3. 5 hours
Government funding support and vendor accreditation are recognised generally as key factors in influencing health IT adoption in
cost can all be minimised by learning from good international practices CHAPTER 5. USING BENCHMARKING TO SUPPORT CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT †123
4. 1 Learning platform 12 4. 2 Tool set 12 4. 3 Recommendations on innovation support to SMES 14
an operational platform for mutual learning and collaboration The winning bid1 was from a consortium
learning platform 2. Propose and test new approaches to innovation support. This objective has been linked to
peer reviews and twinning. An example of this is the pre-commercial procurement that in many countries is a new approach on demand
and learning from, good practices To facilitate the process, IPF has developed a common framework that has served three main
•A learning platform that facilitates collaboration and learning among innovation support organisations based on good practices
•A tool-set supporting identification, assessment and transfer of good practices between innovation support organisations and policy
The learning platform developed by IPF has been based on the assumption that learning requires a common language with which good
practices can be discussed and exchanged among participants and it needs a methodology that guides users on how to analyse and transfer
Furthermore, the learning platform needs users †a communityâ€) that apply the language and the
and learning processes active in between physical meetings. One observation is that IT tools not have been able to alleviate these
for agencies for the learning and the transfer of practises. However, the tools have been best for
-IPF as a learning platform that facilitates collaboration and learning among organisations providing innovation support services to SMES
-IPF as a provider of tools that facilitates on the one hand the identification, assessment and
learned from the network/learning platform, the tools that have been used and from the analysis of the central policy themes.
mutual learning and exchange of experiences, with the objective to improve the overall quality and
Mutual learning should also include reflections on how to remove existing barriers for the use of â€oebetter practiseâ€
group should stimulate mutual learning and cooperation between public innovation support service providers across Europe and prepare
2. Carry out peer reviews (mandatory) to search for better practices in providing innovation support services. The main objective of this task
was to organise peer reviews through visiting programmes aimed at assessing current support mechanisms and searching for better practices
4. Foster mutual learning by facilitating staff exchanges (optional) between public innovation funding agencies from different countries
emphasis on learning from trial and error has emerged. This is shift has occurred due to the complexity and the difficulty in modelling
establishment of a mutual learning platform 2. Propose and test new approaches to innovation support.
peer reviews and twinning. An example of this is the pre-commercial procurement that is a new approach on demand side support in many
IPF has focused on identifying and learning from good practices as well as developing new ones. In order to do this, IPF has started with the
learning & development Tools Peer review WP 2 Twinning WP 3 EFQM WP 4 SDS guidelines
the learning and transfer process, as illustrated in Figure 1 Five of these work packages have focused
2. Work package 2 included peer reviews of European agencies and programmes in order to identify and to analyse good practises
5. Work package 5 included peer reviews of good practices at innovation agencies outside of Europe
learning between agencies. The Commission has also been interested in establishing a forum for a better dialogue with national and regional SME
of the learning platform. The IPF has arranged two council meetings per year where the group has
three sections, the first on the learning platform as such, the second on the tool set used to support
4. 1 Learning platform The learning platform developed by IPF has been based on the following approach
•Learning requires a common language by which identification, assessment and transfer of good practices can be discussed and exchanged
among participants. Hence, a common conceptual model adapted to the task of IPF was developed, introduced
•A learning platform also needs a methodology or work processes that guides users on how the
•A learning platform needs users (†a communityâ€) that applies the language and process.
panels and as hosts for peer reviews. This has extended the community of users beyond the
•Learning happens in the interaction and meeting between people. IPF has therefore invested in developing
•The learning platform has used â€oelearning-by -doing†as a principle which has been preferred to reading reports.
•The learning platform has raised the awareness and knowledge of how transferability can be supported and the challenges and limitations
learning processes alive in between the physical meetings. The IT tools have not alleviated these problems:
•A learning platform like the one used in in the IPF needs maintenance and management
electronic verison) of this report) for learning and transferring of practises The key processes identifying,
•Peer reviews have been beneficial for identifying good practises and it seems like it has been easier for the group to engage in
the conduct of peer reviews •However, there are areas for improvement such as how to elaborate on transferability and
•Peer reviews outside of Europe are more challenging due to language issues, incentives and shorter time frames for reviews.
of peer reviews Twinning •Twinning has been successful and three out of four of the countries that were involved actively
•Peer reviews cannot completely analyse transferability and hand over design recommendations; instead, the design recommendations have to be developed as a
with Twinning advanced, involving learning between experienced actors. Twinning advanced can also involve a less advanced actor that
method to introduce operational learning among agencies and as a tool to constantly improve operations
peer reviews of The irish initiative for High -Potential Startups, the Scottish Proof of Concept programme, the Finnish VIGO-and Young
for learning, both in formal and in informal ways. Findings and lessons learned have had an
performing peer reviews, twinningâ's and EFQM -assessments do not happen automatically Continuation of these activities will probably
where learning and knowledge exchange can occur both directly and indirectly. The platform also fosters informal networks that can be used in their
learning from peers •Develop and refine tools for learning, like Peer Reviews, EFQM and Twinning
•Be a platform that offers the service to assist agencies in learning through utilising the tools
•Host and manage a public online forum for discussions, like Linkedin group Innovation Policy Forum
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