Public Research and Industrial Innovation: A Comparison of U.S. and European Innovation Systems in the Life Sciences

Abstract

Public research systems in the United States and Europe are often compared with respect to their divergent levels of involvement in the private economy. The U.S. research system, with its mix of both public and private institutions, has long played a significant role in conducting research that contributes to technological development and industrial performance (Geiger, 1988; Rosenberg and Nelson, 1994). Historically, this 'knowledge plus' orientation, in which high quality public and academic research tends to be driven by 'joint goals of understanding and use' (Stokes, 1997, p. 15) was contrasted to the European scene, where universities were believed to contribute more to knowledge for its own sake and to the preservation of distinctive national cultures (Ben David, 1977).