R& D, Innovation and Competitiveness in the European Chemical Industry explores the science & technology base and the dynamic performance of the European "system of innovation" in the chemical industry, with particular attention to its contribution to economic growth through innovation and competitiveness, and its ability to translate its research into commercially useful products. It also analyses the forces that encourage the diffusion of chemical innovations on downstream user industries and among large and small firms. The studies presented in this book represent an analysis of the issues and questions raised by the Green Paper on Innovation presented by the European Commission, for the specific case of the European chemical industry.
R& D, Innovation and Competitiveness in the European Chemical Industry will be of interest to industry and government experts related to the chemical industry, scholars; both faculty and graduate students interested in growth, corporate strategy and the management of innovation.

R&D, Innovation and Competitiveness in the European Chemical Industry explores the science & technology base and the dynamic performance of the European "system of innovation" in the chemical industry, with particular attention to its contribution to economic growth through innovation and competitiveness, and its ability to translate its research into commercially useful products. It also analyses the forces that encourage the diffusion of chemical innovations on downstream user industries and among large and small firms. The studies presented in this book represent an analysis of the issues and questions raised by the Green Paper on Innovation presented by the European Commission, for the specific case of the European chemical industry. R&D, Innovation and Competitiveness in the European Chemical Industry will be of interest to industry and government experts related to the chemical industry, scholars; both faculty and graduate students interested in growth, corporate strategy and the management of innovation.

Incentives for innovation are particularly relevant in the pharmaceutical industry where not all social needs provide equally profitable opportunities and where most OECD countries try to implement different measures that promote research in these less profitable areas. This book describes how incentives can be provided to deal with less profitable activities when no clear markets exist for the innovations. The book discusses alternative mechanisms to substitute for inexistent markets, situations where traditional instruments have proven totally insufficient, and the clear mismatch between the size of the markets being targeted and the incentives being provided. Patents become an ineffective way to incentivise R&D when the appropriability is low; this book provides alternative ideas such as allowing for a period of data exclusivity to firms that develop new drugs.

Los incentivos para la innovacion son especialmente relevantes en el sector farmaceutico, en el que no todas las necesidades sociales proporcionan las mismas oportunidades de beneficio y en el que la mayoria de los paises de la OCDE intentan aplicar diferentes medidas que fomenten la investigacion en estos campos que generan menos beneficios. La falta de incentivos para la innovacion resulta especialmente dramatica si tenemos en cuenta las enfermedades que afectan principalmente a paises de renta baja, y tambien las enfermedades que afectan a grupos pequenos de pacientes."