Guest Editor: Francesco Prota
Research and innovation policies are important academic topics and are high on the policy agenda. Theoretical and empirical research has documented their impact on industrial and wider economic development. In the field of research and innovation as in other policy areas, the role of evaluation is fundamental: it provides an informed assessment of public policy interventions in terms of their efficiency, their effectiveness and their relevance. The results of the evaluation exercises can contribute to the policy-making process in different ways, from supporting the accountability of public spending to enhancing policy learning.
A special issue of l’industria will be devoted to identify, describe and analyse the main challenges facing research and innovation policies evaluation: the increasing complexity and scope of the policies being assessed; the request for a better understanding of the social impact of innovation; the need of providing feedback, generating learning, supporting direction or affirming new direction in a timely manner.