POLICY INTERVENTION TO R&D BASED VALLEY CREATION IN LITHUANIA

Abstract

Globalization challenges are pushing research universities as knowledge creation institutions to take a new role in state economic development. This role is to take innovation and entrepreneurship culture creator and facilitator in the region. Seeking the way to fill the existing gap between knowledge creations and the knowledge transfer in Lithuania, the main role must be devoted to excellence research performed by universities. The purpose of this paper is to analyze new trends in Lithuania R&D policy development concerning research infrastructure concentration and founding integrated research, study and business centers (Valleys) by comparing with world widespread tendencies of research based high technology centers creation. The main objective of this study is to draw the success factors for centers flourishing and find out the main obstacles for further Valley development.
Recent studies indicate the progressive development of Lithuanian R&D sector with several black spots concerning business partnership and commercialization activities. The crucial point for policy intervention is to maintain the existing R&D capabilities and put more emphasis on the diffusion that Valley ideology is seeking to cover. At beginning of 2007, the concept of Valley creation has been converted to the policy decision at 2008. The investigation has revealed that the main factors for successful high technology centers development could be named as following: research excellence in certain research areas; high skilled personnel; partnership. The role of R&D intensive universities for technology industry centers formation is discussed. Others factors such as availability of technology transfer instruments (spin–offs), geographical location, public and private funding accessibility, policy support, life time cycle, leadership and cross disciplinary interaction are expressed as crucial attributes that effects the new policy driven Valley creation. Further success of Valley concept implementation lay on the progress of accompanying policy measures regarding research excellence and environment for commercialization.