The Copying Paradox: Why Converging Policies but Diverging Capacities in Eastern European Innovation Systems?

Abstract

This paper analyzes the development of Eastern European
innovation systems since the 1990s by looking at the theoretical and
empirical accounts of two discourses that have had a signifcant impact
on the development of innovation systems: innovation policy and public
administration and management. We propose a framework for analyzing the
development of innovation policies by distinguishing between two concepts
– policy and administrative capacity – that are necessary for innovation
policy making and implementation. Using the framework we show how
the Eastern European innovation systems have because of past legacies and
international policy transfers developed a highly specifc understanding of
innovation policy based on the initial impact of the Washington Consensus
policies and later the European Union. We argue that because of the interplay
between the principles and policy recommendations of the two international
discourses we can see the emergence of a “copying paradox†in Eastern
European innovation systems: that is, despite the perception of policy
convergence, we can witness a divergence in the policy from the intended
results, and as a result can talk about limited and de-contextualized policymaking capacities.