Poland - the R&D backwater
Poland is falling behind not only the old, more advanced EU members, but also countries such as the Czech Republic and Hungary as far as developing new technologies is concerned. Technologically advanced products constitute only two to three percent of Polish exports. The EU average is 20 percent.
"In the world economy of the 21st century, it is knowledge that is considered as the most valuable asset." This remark opens an updated report by CASE-Advisors Ltd on the importance of intangible assets for socio-economic development. It then points to the gloomy situation of innovative technologies in Poland, where the number of new patents has fallen since the 1990s and spending on research and development (R&D) is embarrassingly low.
A considerable part - about 40 percent - of Poland's sparsely financed R&D is basic research, including theoretical and experimental works that do not have any practical application. At the same time, subsidies for applied research have also been regularly dropping for many years now.
The report ends on a sour note: "Fifteen years after the beginning of the economic transformation, Poland remains far behind when it comes to adopting or developing new technologies. The low level of innovation and expenditure on R&D applies to big and small companies." The report points to the fact that Polish companies have difficulties competing in the most important markets, where technologically advanced products are offered.
The problem of innovation was also the subject of a report by the e-Gospodarka Institute (e-Economy Institute) at the Adam Smith Center. According to this report, there are two factors that can have a positive impact on the economy: human capital and intellectual property. "The legal system, patents and copyrights have to protect those who will determine the future image of Poland," said the director of e-Gospodarka Institute, Mirosław Kaliński. "The role of the state is to prepare the proper technical and legislative infrastructure" so that the country can switch its focus to hi-tech products and advanced technologies.
The e-Gospodarka report highlights the same problems as the CASE one, i.e. insufficient spending on R&D and the archaic structure of this research. IT is also seen as a means to raise the efficiency of economy, speeding up the exchange of information and money.
"In the world economy of the 21st century, it is knowledge that is considered as the most valuable asset." This remark opens an updated report by CASE-Advisors Ltd on the importance of intangible assets for socio-economic development. It then points to the gloomy situation of innovative technologies in Poland, where the number of new patents has fallen since the 1990s and spending on research and development (R&D) is embarrassingly low.
A considerable part - about 40 percent - of Poland's sparsely financed R&D is basic research, including theoretical and experimental works that do not have any practical application. At the same time, subsidies for applied research have also been regularly dropping for many years now.
The report ends on a sour note: "Fifteen years after the beginning of the economic transformation, Poland remains far behind when it comes to adopting or developing new technologies. The low level of innovation and expenditure on R&D applies to big and small companies." The report points to the fact that Polish companies have difficulties competing in the most important markets, where technologically advanced products are offered.
The problem of innovation was also the subject of a report by the e-Gospodarka Institute (e-Economy Institute) at the Adam Smith Center. According to this report, there are two factors that can have a positive impact on the economy: human capital and intellectual property. "The legal system, patents and copyrights have to protect those who will determine the future image of Poland," said the director of e-Gospodarka Institute, Mirosław Kaliński. "The role of the state is to prepare the proper technical and legislative infrastructure" so that the country can switch its focus to hi-tech products and advanced technologies.
The e-Gospodarka report highlights the same problems as the CASE one, i.e. insufficient spending on R&D and the archaic structure of this research. IT is also seen as a means to raise the efficiency of economy, speeding up the exchange of information and money.
