ABSTRACT
Public policy is a key factor influencing innovation in the major sectors of biotechnology application. The European biotechnology innovation scoreboard is the most recent attempt to fill the information gap on biotechnology performance. This chapter considers the performance of European countries in achieving their aims for promotion of science, technology and innovation (STI) in life sciences, along with a range of targeted and generic policy instruments adopted to support these aims. It examines a range of Foresight studies and their potential role as a mechanism for integration of STI-related policies. Foresight first rose to prominence in the 1980s when it was used by policy-makers primarily to predict potentially successful trajectories for science, technology and innovation and hence to improve national, sectoral or company competitive advantage. Analysis of policy instruments implemented since 1994 reveals a recent shift in public promotion programmes, away from funding fundamental research towards the promotion of more applied and industry-driven research.
