Evolution of the Galician innovación policy: From zero to smart specialization

Abstract

This paper aims to explain the changes that occurred in the Galician innovation policy during the last two decades. We note that this policy emerged as an innovation policy, not only focused on S&T, at the end of the 1990s. In a way, there was a pat-tern of continuity until 2009, in which the changes came to a large extent to be determined by processes of imitation and learning. Interactions with other levels of government are particularly relevant. Thus, the Spanish innovation policy has been very influential in regard to the institutional and governance structure, particularly at the beginning. The influence of the Eu-ropean level has been gradually increased, especially in the field of the selection of priorities and instruments, until reaching the highest point at present with the RIS3. Even so, the Galician innovation policy has gradually consolidated its own dyna-mics, due to the internal processes of accumulation of experiences and learning. Starting in 2009, certain changes have been made, largely due to the economic crisis. This crisis did not only mean a decrease in the public budget for innovation, but also made possible a scenario for changes in ideological orientation and in the instruments of this policy.