One of the main goals of the "Energy Strategy 2050" in Switzerland is the exploitation of the existing energy efficiency potentials. The size of the efficiency potential strongly depends on the development and the adoption of energy-related innovations. The objective of this project is to...

In addition to discussing current trends and requirements for reform in the Federal Government’s research and innovation policy, in its 2011 report the Commission focuses on four main points. In Chapter B 1, firstly, it discusses the tensions between Federal and Länder competencies in...

Innovation is regarded as a key driver of productivity and market growth and thus has a great potential for increasing wealth. Surveying innovation activities of firms is an important contribution to a better understanding of the process of innovation and how policy may intervene to maximise the...

This volume was prepared by Sebastian Benz while he was working at the Ifo Institute. It was completed in December 2013 and accepted as a doctoral thesis by the Department of Economics at the University of Munich. It includes five self-contained chapters. All chapters discuss different...

This study was prepared by Nadine Fabritz while she was working at the Ifo Institute for Economic Research in the Department for Human Capital and Innovation. It was completed in June 2014 and accepted as a doctoral thesis by the Department of Economics at the University of Munich in October...

In 2020, firms expected their innovation expenditures to decrease by about 2% in 2020 compared to 2019. This decline is much smaller than that in 2009 following the financial crisis, when innovation expenditures fell by 11%. However, smaller firms with 5 to 99 employees planned to cut their...