Identification of policy problems in systems of innovation through diagnostic analysis

‘Activities’ in innovation systems are the determinants of the development and diffusion of innovations. (Examples are R&D, provision of organizations and institutions, financing of innovations, incubation, etc.) These activities are partly performed by private organizations and partly by public ones. Those performed by public organizations constitute innovation policy. As a basis for innovation policy, the problems in the systems must be identified. These ‘systemic problems’ or ‘policy problems’ can be identified only by means of comparing existing innovation systems with each other – over time and space. On this basis the division of labor between public and private organizations must be analyzed. This division of labor varies between countries and over time. To determine this division of labor is a matter of strategic choices in innovation policy-making. This paper will be focused upon the identification of systemic problems through diagnostic analysis.