The subsidiarity principle: Turning challenge-oriented innovation policy on its head

Iris Wanzenböck () and Koen Frenken

No 1806, Papers in Evolutionary Economic Geography (PEEG) from Utrecht University, Department of Human Geography and Spatial Planning, Group Economic Geography

Abstract: While innovation policy started as national policy, we witness a proliferation both at the sub-national and the supra-national level. This begs the question about subsidiarity: what policies should be organized at sub-national, national and supra-national levels? We argue that innovation policies aimed to solve societal challenges such as climate change or ageing - currently central in EU policies - are better organized at sub-national levels given the contested nature of problem identification and the contextual nature of problem-solving. Regional innovation policy, then, should formulate concrete societal goals relevant to the local community and tailored to the local context.

Keywords: innovation policy; societal challenges; subsidiarity; regional policy; multi-level governance (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: B52 D78 O38 R5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018-01, Revised 2018-01
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-geo and nep-ino
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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