6 research outputs found

    Research, innovation and technological performance in Germany - EFI Report 2008

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    Research and innovation are extremely important for Germany. New insights are generated by research, and new ways of creating value are opened up by technical, organisational, and other innovations. Production, value-creation and employment tend to increase much more in companies which are highly innovative. The public sector can become more efficient and customer-oriented through the implementation of innovations, which also have a positive influence on people's welfare and their quality of life. Against this background, Germany's politicians have increasingly been considering how best to promote research and innovation, and where the country ranks in the international innovation contest. The Federal Government of Germany therefore decided in 2006 to establish an independent Commission of Experts on Research and Innovation (EFI), with the remit to analyse the structures, trends, performance, and prospects of the German research and innovation system, and to formulate policy recommendations for its further development. This report is the result of our work to achieve this goal. -- Forschung und Innovation (F&I) sind fĂŒr Deutschland von herausragender Bedeutung. Durch Forschung werden neue Erkenntnisse geschaffen, durch Innovationen – technische, organisatorische oder andere Neuerungen – werden neue Formen der Wertschöpfung erschlossen. In innovationsstarken Unternehmen wachsen Produktion, Wertschöpfung und BeschĂ€ftigung in weitaus stĂ€rkerem Maß als in innovationsschwachen. Der öffentliche Sektor kann durch Innovationen an Effizienz und Kundenorientierung gewinnen. Wohlstand und LebensqualitĂ€t der Menschen werden durch Innovationen positiv beeinflusst. Vor diesem Hintergrund stellt sich fĂŒr die Politik zunehmend die Frage, wie sie Forschung und Innovation fördern kann und welche Position Deutschland im internationalen Innovationswettbewerb einnimmt. Die Bundesregierung hat deshalb im Jahr 2006 die Einrichtung einer unabhĂ€ngigen Expertenkommission Forschung und Innovation (EFI) beschlossen. Sie hat die Aufgabe, Strukturen, Trends, LeistungsfĂ€higkeit und Perspektiven des deutschen Forschungs- und Innovationssystems zu analysieren sowie Handlungsempfehlungen fĂŒr dessen Weiterentwicklung zu erarbeiten. Das hiermit vorgelegte Gutachten ist das zentrale Instrument zur ErfĂŒllung dieser Aufgabe.

    Research, innovation and technological performance in Germany - EFI Report 2009

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    On behalf of the German Federal Government, the Commission of Experts for Research and Innovation presents its second report. This was originally intended to be a “short” report, in which the key indicators of research and development were up-dated and commented on. However, the Expert Commission has decided to do much more than this, and recommends a series of measures to further strengthen the innovation potential of Germany. In particular in the present economic diffi culties, research and innovation policies have a central role to play. The challenges faced are varied and were already named in the EFI Report 2008. The conditions for the fi nancing of innovations are still not ideal in Germany. The weaknesses of the educational system are already having negative consequences and in the medium- term could represent an existential threat to the innovation potential. The high degree of specialisation in a few manufacturing sectors is an expression of the particular German strengths, but it also creates dependencies and risks. Because research and innovation policies are only effective over the medium- to long-term, these problems cannot be solved within a short period of time. But politicians must act more rapidly than in the past. The opportunity of introducing fi scal support for research and development has unfortunately not been seized, and the measures introduced by the Federal Government to improve investment fi nancing are not at all convincing. In this second report we consider other fi elds of action: the intensifi cation of knowledge and technology transfer, increasing the attractiveness of science as an employment opportunity, and the promotion of innovation processes in small and medium-sized enterprises, in particular in sectors of the knowledge-intensive services. The shortage of qualifi ed personnel is beginning to represent a threat to the innovative potential of Germany. We urgently need to develop our universities and research institutions and to adopt intelligent, targeted immigration policies. The Expert Commission also considers the questions relating to the implementation of the Second Recovery Package. This requires particularly rapid and effective action. -- Die im Auftrag der deutschen Bundesregierung tĂ€tige Expertenkommission Forschung und Innovation legt hiermit ihr zweites Gutachten vor. Nach der Abfolge der Gutachten sollte es eigentlich ein ‚kurzes’ Gutachten sein, in dem zentrale Indikatoren von Forschung und Entwicklung fortgeschrieben und kommentiert werden. Die Expertenkommission hat sich entschlossen, weit mehr als das zu leisten, und empfiehlt eine Reihe von Maßnahmen zur weiteren StĂ€rkung der Innovationskraft Deutschlands. Gerade in der heutigen, wirtschaftlich schwierigen Zeit muss die Forschungs- und Innovationspolitik eine zentrale Rolle spielen. Die Herausforderungen sind vielfĂ€ltig und im Gutachten 2008 bereits benannt worden. Die Rahmenbedingungen fĂŒr die Finanzierung von Innovationen sind in Deutschland weiterhin nicht optimal. Die SchwĂ€chen des Bildungssystems wirken sich bereits jetzt negativ aus und können mittelfristig zu einer existenziellen Bedrohung der InnovationsfĂ€higkeit werden. Die hochgradige Spezialisierung auf wenige Branchen der Industrie ist ein Ausdruck besonderer deutscher StĂ€rken, schafft aber auch AbhĂ€ngigkeiten und Risiken. Da Forschungs- und Innovationspolitik mittel- und langfristig greift, können diese Probleme nicht innerhalb kurzer Zeit gelöst werden. Die Politik muss aber zĂŒgiger als bisher handeln. Die Möglichkeit der EinfĂŒhrung einer steuerlichen Förderung von Forschung und Entwicklung ist leider noch nicht wahrgenommen worden, und die von der Bundesregierung verabschiedeten Maßnahmen zur Verbesserung der Beteiligungsfinanzierung ĂŒberzeugen in keiner Weise. In diesem zweiten Gutachten sprechen wir weitere Handlungsfelder an: die Intensivierung des Wissens- und Technologietransfers, die Steigerung der AttraktivitĂ€t des Arbeitsmarktes Wissenschaft sowie die Förderung von Innovationsprozessen in kleinen und mittleren Unternehmen, insbesondere in Branchen der wissensintensiven Dienstleistungen. Der FachkrĂ€ftemangel wird zu einer Bedrohung der Innovationskraft Deutschlands. Dringend brauchen wir den Ausbau unserer Hochschulen und eine kluge, gezielte Einwanderungspolitik. Die Expertenkommission widmet sich auch Fragen der Umsetzung des Konjunkturpakets II. Hier bedarf es besonders schnellen und nachhaltigen Handelns.

    Research, innovation and technological performance in Germany - EFI Report 2011

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    In addition to discussing current trends and requirements for reform in the Federal Government’s research and innovation policy, in its 2011 report the Commission focuses on four main points. In Chapter B 1, firstly, it discusses the tensions between Federal and LĂ€nder competencies in education, research and innovation policy. It calls for elimination of the prohibition on competition in education policy and for introduction of consistent distribution of responsibilities between the Federal Government and the LĂ€nder for financing of all nonuniversity research institutions. In Chapter B 2 the Expert Commission considers the European dimension of research and innovation, which has been gaining importance since 2000. It recommends that the Federal Government take a stronger role in the European co-ordination process – Germany must lead in the area of research and innovation, if it is to play a useful role in shaping the European Research Area. In Chapter B 3, the Expert Commission comments on the discussion relative to network neutrality. For the sake of innovation, it is vital that the Internet remains open in this regard – and the Expert Commission would like to see the Federal Government play a more active role on behalf of network neutrality. In Chapter B 4, the Expert Commission considers the still largely ignored role of those innovators who succeed even without undertaking research activities. Innovation processes do not conform to simple logical rules. Consequently, research and innovation policy concepts must be open, able to provide latitude for innovators without research and development (R&D) of their own. In its report, the Expert Commission again notes that the idea of introducing tax-based R&D support urgently needs to return to the political agenda. Similar priority needs to be given to providing a legal framework for business angels and venture-capital providers; such a framework is still lacking. Over the past few years, a good basis has been created for the development of Germany’s research and innovation sector. But if lasting growth and prosperity are to assured in Germany, research and innovation in Germany will have to be additionally and substantially reinforced., --

    Food Loss and Waste: Measurement, Drivers, and Solutions

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