Diversity of innovation support services and influence on innovation processes in Europe – Lessons from the AgriSpin project
- Publication Type
- Contribution to conference
- Authors
- Ndah, H. T.; Knierim, A.; Koutsouris, A.; Faure, G.
- Year of publication
- 2018
- Conference name
- IFSA 2018
- Conference location
- Chania, Greece
- Conference date
- 1.-5. Juli 2018
The role of agricultural advisory services (AAS) has considerably evolved during the last decades and a diversity of new innovation support service (ISS) functions has emerged. The plethora of new forms of ISS has one common feature, which is the activity of linking actors within the Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation System (AKIS). So far, there is dearth of information concerning the diverse ISS and thus the need for empirical research and systematization of findings. Mapping ISS and their functions within innovation processes is thus necessary for targeted strengthening of such services. As part of the EU funded AgriSpin project (www.agrispin.eu), which aimed at “creating space for innovations” in agriculture across Europe, this contribution addresses the above mentioned knowledge gaps by a. elaborating a generic typology appropriate to capture the variety of ISS, b. structuring selected innovations along the degree of technological change and coordination levels, and c. testing the generic ISS typology by way of addressing the research question “Which innovation support services (ISS) are most appropriate and qualitatively best match innovative stakeholders’ needs with respect to their degree of technological change, actors’ coordination, and across phases of innovation process?” After applying an exploratory case study approach for data collection and analysis, results show varied outcomes with regards to the assumption that types of innovations may shape types of ISS intervention. ISS are seen to be associated with various groups of innovations as well as vary in relation with different phases of the innovation process across farm, territorial or value chain levels