Innovation surveys: A researcher's perspective

An earlier version of this paper was prepared for the joint OECD/Eurostat workshop on innovation surveys, OECD, Paris, June 30th 1999. The paper addresses some issues about the nature of innovation surveys (particularly the new Community Innovation Surveys) and how they might be improved to take on board several crucial developments in contemporary advanced economies. In particular the following topics are discussed: the increased distribution of innovative activity across firms and networks; the problems of service sector innovation and the comparability of services and manufacturing firms; and the problems of labour in the innovation process.