Innovation and science dilemmas. Unintended consequences of innovation policy for science. Polish experience

Abstract

The paper explores the relationship between the European Union’s innovation strategy and the Polish science policy. The research problem is unintended consequences of innovation policy in the field of science, in short, labelled as the science-innovation paradox. This phenomenon is divided into academic entrepreneurship paradox, human resources, financial and absorptive capacity paradox. The theoretical frame for the study is the perspective of new institutionalism and the triple helix concept. The analysis is based on desk research of secondary qualitative and quantitative data included in OECD, UE and national research institutions reports. The author claims that in Poland the academic institutions’ subjection to the rigor of innovation policy does not generate the expected diffusion of scientific knowledge to the business sector. In addition, it weakens the research and financial position of these institutions. It is shown that there are some new public institutions, such as science and technology parks, whose activities are actually a facade. Their functioning involves the state in the international process of building innovative economies but has a negligible impact on developing the scientific potential of the state and barely stimulates Poland’s innovation. This science-innovation paradox is determined by the lack of coherence between the rules of the EU innovation policy and the standards of Polish culture and economy. The paper contributes to the debate about the influence of diversified cultural factors on maintaining international organizations’ economic goals.