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STEP – Centre for Innovation Research
The mission of STEP is to be a national resource centre for studies of the relationships between development of knowledge, technological change, and economic growth and development. STEP’s core activities are research on and analysis of innovation activities and abilities in private and public sectors, both nationally and internationally. Based on this research, STEP creates a basis for strategic decision making in agencies for policy formulation where development of knowledge, technology, and innovation ability are important for the achievement of political objectives. STEP has a multidisciplinary approach and emphasises the relationship between a quantitative based analysis of the knowledge-base for the innovation policy and a deep qualitative understanding of the relationship between this basis and the questions relevant for the design of an effective innovation policy. Development of indicators constitutes an important part of a long-term understanding of this field. Today STEP is internationally recognised as a leading institute on innovation research and policy. STEP has developed an extensive international network and every research program is based on contact with similar institutes and political authorities abroad. A large part of STEP’s research portfolio is undertaken as a part of different international research consortiums. The most important thematic areas for STEP’s research are studies of (Below each area examples of relevant projects are given. However, most of these projects include elements of several of the thematic areas):

i) Framework and incentives for innovation policy. Mapping and analysis of interaction in innovation systems European Trend Chart on Innovation, OECD Monitoring and evaluation of horizontal innovation policy (ability to see different policy areas in relation to each other), Good practices in Nordic Innovation Policy, European Network on Science in Public Policy, Regional development plan for the Nordland region.

ii) Innovation systems with a focus on an industry or geography. Includes both public sector and service industries Innovation in European low tech industries, The food industry in the Trøndelag region, Innovations in public sectors, Regional development in Backward Areas, Services in innovation – Innovation in services, Profiting from Sound: A Systems Approach to the Dynamics of Nordic Music Industry, Regional innovation systems and universities and colleges, Knowledge intensive service activities.

iii) Indicator development –analysis, incl patents EU - Indicator Development for European Analysis, OECD and EUROSTAT’s task forces in the development of innovation indicators, Pricing of Intellectual Property Rights, Standardisation and intellectual property rights, The Norwegian research and innovation system – statistics and indicators, The impact of High-Tech Spin-Offs.

iv) Mobility of labour and competence Competence, mobility and added value, European Network on Labour Mobility, Movements of competence in the Nordic countries

v) Advise and evaluation related to innovation policy The Norwegian Industrial and Regional Development Fund (SND) (2000), Norwegian Research Council (2001), The Industrial Development Corporation of Norway SIVA (2000), SIVA’s international activities (2001), Swedish research on innovation (2002).

STEP has a considerable quantitative competence combined with researchers with experience and insight in policy development. STEP has about 20 full time researchers and some part-time professors.