MLE on Evaluation of Business R&D Grant Schemes
In recent decades, some EU Member States, particularly the Nordic countries, have invested in high-quality data infrastructures to capture the outcomes attributable to research and innovation (R&I) grants to businesses. While quantitative methods have become more and more sophisticated, a simultaneous interest in studying more qualitative, behavioural aspects can be observed. This kind of holistic systems analysis was explored and discussed during the first MLE on Ex-Post Evaluation of Business R&I Grant Schemes, which ran throughout 2016. The present MLE follows a challenge-driven approach and will include themes such as the use of Big Data in R&D grant evaluations, as well as methods for capturing behavioural change.
Reports
An overview of the Mutual Learning Excersice on Evaluation of Business R&D Grant Schemes
Grants and loans play a vital role in public innovation policy, prompting businesses to spend more on R&D and helping them overcome barriers to innovation such as risk aversion and market failures. With large sums – and even larger outcomes – at stake, R&D policy-makers need robust and reliable information, which demands a lot from evaluation methodologies.
This report has been prepared for a Mutual Learning Exercise on the Evaluation of Business R&D Grant Schemes.
This thematic report addresses the topic of applying mixed method approaches to the evaluation of public schemes to support R&D and innovation in firms, specifically business R&D grants and associated innovation schemes. It sets out the broad context for the use of mixed-method approaches in the evaluation of innovation support schemes, with a focus on business R&D grants.
This thematic report addresses the topic of understanding and measuring the behavioural change in firms through these schemes and challenges to capture these. It is essential that the community of STI scholars, STI evaluators and STI policy-makers acknowledge more fully the importance of measuring and capturing behavioural change through R&D and innovation schemes.
This report discusses the use of big data to evaluate grant schemes and other types of support for R&D and innovation by businesses. One aspect of big data – data linking – is already being implemented by several public agencies, while others – such as web scraping, text mining and machine learning – are less mature.
Events
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MLE on Evaluation of Business R&D Grant Schemes: kick-off meeting
The kick-off meeting for this Mutual Learning Exercise (MLE) focused on the main themes chosen by participants of the first MLE on 'Ex-post evaluation of business R&I grants schemes' as well as on the organisation, planning and finalisation of the modus operandi of the exercise. The main findings of the previous MLE were presented, as were the themes of the first two country visits: big data and methods for capturing behavioural change. Participants from the host countries presented the state of the art in their countries, as well as the learning opportunities from the visits.
Brussels, Belgium DG Research and Innovation - Unit A4
Attachments
Event attachments
DownloadBehavioural change v2.pdfEnglishDownloadBigData.pdfEnglishDownloadMLE Business Grants Part II.pdfEnglishDownloadModus_Operandi.pdfEnglishDownloadAgenda.pdfEnglishDownloadNext generation_presentation.pdfEnglishDownloadMLE Business R&D grant scheme.pdfEnglishDownloadPanel team.pdfEnglish -
MLE on Evaluation of Business R&D Grant Schemes: first country visit – measurement, randomised trials and big data
This first country visit provided participants the opportunity to learn about the methodologies and practices followed in Norway for the evaluation of research and innovation grant schemes for businesses and to discuss specific methodological challenges. These methodological issues included: the use of advanced analytics in management and policy development from the perspective of different policy actors, quasi experimental designs for the evaluation of business R&D grant schemes, and the use of big data.
Oslo, Norway DG Research and Innovation - Unit A4
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MLE on Evaluation of Business R&D Grant Schemes: second country visit – measuring and understanding behavioural change
Methods for measuring and understanding behavioural effects when evaluating R&D business grant schemes are essential to better understand the outcomes of this type of policy instrument. Such effects can include organisational routines and innovation capabilities, for example. The methodological and practical challenges of assessing behavioural change are complex and diverse. A firm’s behaviour is influenced by many more factors than just the evaluated scheme or set of schemes.
Stockholm, Sweden DG Research and Innovation - Unit A4
Attachments
Event attachments
DownloadAgenda.pdfEnglish -
MLE on Evaluation of Business R&D Grant Schemes: third country visit – combining quantitative and qualitative approaches
This learning visit and workshop explored how evaluation approaches can be combined in order to better understand if and why a particular instrument is successful in addressing its objectives and achieving the expected impact. The participants had the opportunity to discuss with local experts the approaches used in the United Kingdom for evaluating the measures used to support R&I. Emphasis was given to how advanced quantitative methods can be combined with qualitative ones in order to better understand the impact of the schemes on the performance and behaviour of companies.
London, United Kingdom DG Research and Innovation - Unit A4
Attachments
Event attachments
DownloadJhonatan Cook_Smart evaluation.PDFEnglishDownloadMax Nathan_Local Economic Growth.pdfEnglishDownloadMike King_R&D Tax Credits in the UK.pdfEnglishDownloadDan Hodges_ Setting the scene.pdfEnglishDownloadChris Hale_Biomedical Catalyst.pdfEnglishDownloadSteve Roper_Public support for R&D and innovation in the UK.pdfEnglishDownloadDavid Legg_HVM Catapult.pdfEnglishDownloadDan Hodges_ Evaluation in Innovate UK.pdfEnglishDownloadBrian Mac_Disruptive Technologies.pdfEnglishDownloadJames Phipps_RCTs in Innovation Programmes.pdfEnglishDownloadHannah Lockley_Catapult Framework.pdfEnglish -
MLE on Evaluation of Business R&D Grant Schemes: final event – main findings and lessons learned
The final event of this MLE was a forum to discuss the participants’ main findings and reflections on the way forward. Belgium, Germany, Spain and Sweden presented their learning experiences, while the following sessions addressed the critical issue of how evaluation and policy-making should relate to each other.
Brussels DG Research and Innovation - Unit A4
Attachments
Event attachments
DownloadArjona_PSF MLE on business RD Grant schemes.pdfEnglishDownloadMLE Lessons learned.pdfEnglishDownloadWautelet_Innoviris.pdfEnglishDownloadBruno-Kadunc_The Next Eu RI Programme.pdfEnglishDownloadWeresa_Refelctions on Final report.pdfEnglishDownloadPoel_MLE Evaluation.pdfEnglishDownloadWessels_German Learning Experiences.pdfEnglishDownloadBarajas19Sept1.pdfEnglishDownloadBarajas_Learning experience and reflections.pdfEnglishDownloadMLE workshop 180915.pdfEnglishDownloadLaatsit:Borras_Towards system oriented innovation policy evaluation.pdfEnglish
