Innovation systems in the European periphery: The policy approaches of Ireland and Greece

In this paper, we chart the historical evolution of the national innovation systems of Ireland and Greece, under the light of contemporaneous economic, technological and institutional developments. We argue that, among other things, the drafting of policy and the consequent shaping of their institutions has been an important delineator. We observe that importing solutions from abroad, with Greece looking to Brussels and Ireland to the USA, was central to their respective experiences. We conclude that effective innovation policy must also take into account of novel, context-specific approaches to governance.