Innovation performance: EU Member States and international competitors compared

8 May 2015 11:43 AM

This fact sheet explains the objectives of the Innovation Union Scoreboard and provides an overview of the research and innovation performance of EU Member States and some associated and neighbouring countries, as measured by the Innovation Union Scoreboard 2015.

What is the Innovation Union Scoreboard (IUS)?

The Innovation Union Scoreboard provides a comparative assessment of the research and innovation performance of the EU Member States and the relative strengths and weaknesses of their research and innovation systems. It helps Member States assess areas in which they need to concentrate their efforts in order to boost their innovation performance. In addition, the IUS covers Serbia, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Turkey, Iceland, Norway and Switzerland. On a more limited number of indicators, available internationally, it also covers Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, India, Japan, Russia, South Africa, South Korea and the US.

What are the indicators used for the Innovation Union Scoreboard?

The Innovation Union Scoreboard, following the methodology of the previous editions, captures a total of 25 different indicators (see Figure 1 below and table at end of the document), distinguishing between eight innovation dimensions and three main categories of indicators:

• Enablers: the basic building blocks which allow innovation to take place - human resources, open, excellent and attractive research systems, and finance and support.
• Firm activities: which capture innovation efforts in European firms - firm investments, linkages and entrepreneurship, and intellectual assets.
• Outputs: show how this translates into benefits for the economy as a whole - innovators and economic effects.

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