Economic Cooperation and Integration Publications

 

Enhancing the Innovative Performance of Firms

Policy Options and Practical Instruments

Innovation in its many forms has been recognized as a critical dimension in improving economic performance in knowledge-driven economies. The innovation activity of firms is a key driver of competitiveness and economic growth. Although the process occurs at a company level through skilful management, a firm’s innovation performance can be enhanced by appropriate policy measures conducted in a business-friendly environment. This document identifies policy options and instruments available to enhance the innovative capabilities of firms. It is illustrated with examples of practical know-how, hands-on experiences and case studies with a view to developing practical guidelines.

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Policy Options and Instruments for Financing Innovation

A Practical Guide to Early Stage Financing

This guide provides practical advice on the different sources of finance available to innovative companies in the early stages of their development. It also presents the various policy options and instruments that can be deployed by the public sector to increase the supply of potentially successful innovative companies and to mobilise private financing to support the development of these companies. In addition, it discusses different good practices and institutions that increase the effectiveness of the activities of the various agents, both private and public, involved in the financing of innovative enterprises.

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Developing Entrepreneurship in the UNECE Region

At advanced stages of transition to a market economy, entrepreneurship and enterprise development come to the forefront of the development agenda. However, in countries with economies in transition (or “emerging market economies”), both new and operational companies often face formidable administrative and regulatory barriers to enterprise registration and operation. The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe identifies and examines good practices in reducing or eliminating such barriers and provides a platform for sharing the accumulated country experience. The current publication takes stock of obstacles to enterprise development and highlights the regulatory changes aimed at their removal in countries with economies in transition. It also assesses government policy in this area and summarizes the relevant recommendations to Governments generated by UNECE so far.

 

Compendium of Good Practices in Promoting Knowledge-Based Development

The world economy today is predominantly knowledge-driven and use of knowledge are the main drivers of growth, wealth creation and employment. The emergence of global knowledge-based value chains as the key drivers of global economic growth is both a challenge and an opportunity for businesses and countries, for national and international policymakers.

This compendium presents some of the outcomes of the work in five thematic areas of the UNECE Subprogramme on Economic Cooperation and Integration and is the the result of extensive multi-stakeholder policy dialogue.

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Guidebook on Promoting Good Governance in Public-Private Partnerships

Public-private partnerships (PPPs) in the delivery of public services have become a phenomenon which is spreading the globe and generating great interest. PPPs combine the best of both worlds, but they also present a severe organizational and institutional challenge for the public sector. To address the challenge, the UNECE has elaborated this guidebook for policymakers, government officials and the private sector in the hope that all the parties to PPPs will benefit by examining closely the good governance principles contained in the Guidebook and ensuring their implementation.

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Creating a conducive environment for higher competitiveness and effective national innovation systems
Lessons learned from the experiences of UNECE countries

The main objective of this Comparative Review is to provide an overview of how policymakers in the UNECE Member States seek to support innovation activities and how they try to maximise the benefits of that support for achieving higher economic growth and enhanced competitiveness. Through a comparative assessment of national experiences in the UNECE region it covers the following main aspects of policymaking targeting innovation and competitiveness:
• How policymakers in different countries determine objectives in innovation and competitiveness policies?
• Which policy instruments are commonly used in targeting innovation-based competitiveness?
• What are the main effects of innovation and competitiveness policies?

Download this publication (1.9 MB) ENG

 

Financiang Innovative Development
Comparative Review of the Experiences of UNECE countries in Early-Stage Financings

Effective support to innovation requires specialized financial intermediaries that are able to provide not only money but also managerial and technical expertise. The review focuses on the provision of early-stage equity financing to innovative technology-based enterprises with a view to identifying policy options and recommendations to facilitate the access of these enterprises to early finance. It is a contribution to transnational learning through the transfer of good experiences and best practices across the whole UNECE region.

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Information and Communication Technology Policy and Legal Issues for Central Asia

Guide for ICT Policymakers

The development of information and communications technologies (ICTs) gives rise to a variety of legal and regulatory issues for policymakers, from the validity of electronic methods of contracting and the security risks associated with them, to concerns over cybercrime and the ability to protect intellectual property rights online. This guide has been intended for use as a reference manual by ICT policymakers in countries not only in Central Asia but in all countries with economies in transition.

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