Innovations in Enlarged European Union from the Point of Innovation Diffusion Theory

Abstract

The article analyzes the main possible dynamics of innovationsystem in enlarged European Union (EU). Thegovernance of the EU innovation policies, underlining thecooperation and emergence of national innovation culturesand governance structures are shown by presenting threepossible scenarios. The main issues concerned in the articleare: the challenges and opportunities in the innovationand science research fields of enlarged EU; the EuropeanResearch Area (ERA) creation, highlighting three componentsof knowledge management: production, disseminationand exploitation of knowledge. Also the article informsabout the Sixth Framework Programme (FP-6) and itsimplementation instruments that are focused on researchand technology activities and innovation. Based on theoreticalassumptions, were examined factors explaining thedifferences of innovation diffusion process in differentcountries, analyzing the impact of country, culture andtime to innovation diffusion. This study emphasizes that theERA is the broad heading for a range of connected policiesthat attempt to ensure the development of European researchand facilitate the research policies of MemberStates in order to improve the efficiency of European researchcapabilities. The final issue identified was to encourageR&D and innovation as part of corporate strategiesand management policies so that they were fully integratedinto the government, education and business sectorsacross the whole EU.