108 Tools for Measuring and Managing Innovation
'National Report on Innovation in Russia' is published, for the third year in a row prepared by the Russian Venture Company (RVC), the RF Ministry of Economic Development, and the RF Government’s Expert Council. Experts from the HSE Institute for Statistical Studies and Economics of Knowledge also contributed to producing the report. They suggested a number of advanced research methodologies and new indicators for measuring innovation development in the country. The indicator panel applied in the new report comprises 108 positions.
The national innovation report presents an assessment of the current state of the country’s innovation system taking into account major international trends and describes the main areas for adjusting the STI policy. It will serve as a basis for draft Venture Market Development Strategy for the RF, which the RVC is planning to publish by the end of 2018.
The new document features a number of important innovations while maintaining continuity with previous reports. It's divided into two sections: monitoring one, which presents a system of indicators jointly making a 'dashboard' for benchmarking the Russian innovation system against other countries, and thematic one. This year the latter is focused on attracting foreign investments into the innovative sector of the Russian economy using venture market tools.
Following the HSE ISSEK’s recommendations, the number of indicators describing the country’s innovation development was increased from 75 to 108; in particular, new statistical indicators were adopted (share of adult population participating in continuous education; social network activity of population; share of information industry in GDP, etc.). Poll data was also used.
The ISSEK experts also conducted an in-depth content analysis of leading Russian media coverage of the initiatives suggested in the first and second reports, using the iFORA smart big data analysis system. Interestingly, the recommendation to 'design a system of material and other incentives to promote research and development' turned out to be the undisputed leader (mentioned in media 2,277 times, while all others were mentioned between 187 and 652 times).
Analysis of all 108 indicators on the innovation dashboard reveals positive dynamics of Russia’s position on the basis of the 2017 results in two out of three groups of innovation activity indicators described in the report. E.g. regarding conditions for innovation development (human capital, infrastructure, industry maturity, institutions, and values) Russia has narrowed the gap with the leading countries for 22 indicators out of 62, and in terms of availability of resources for innovation (funding, materials and equipment, demand for, and supply of technologies, cooperation between businesses and R&D organisations, innovation activity, the role of state) — for 7 indicators out of 15. In terms of innovation productivity indicators (academic publications, patent applications, technologies, investment, innovative products output) the country’s benchmarking positions remained unchanged.
Results of surveys of the venture market participants, federal executive agencies, development institutes, universities, and other think tanks were also used to prepare the report. In January 2018, HSE jointly with RVC, JSC hosted a meeting of experts to discuss the indicator panels and government policy tools for supporting innovation development designed specifically for the 'National Report on Innovation in Russia 2017'.
The report was written by a team of authors comprising the following HSE ISSEK staff members: S. Artemov, M. Gershman, L. Gokhberg, E. Islankina, I. Kuznetsova, T. Kuznetsova, E. Kutsenko, V. Roud.
RVC press release / Full text of the report (in Russian)