The development of knowledge and technology transfer in Russia: Challenges and opportunities

The increasing role of knowledge and technology modernization of the economy, together with the increased speed of trends and mechanisms of S&T activities are the major vectors causing radical shifts in Russian economy. These were predetermined by general requirements of development of the information society in which new knowledge and technologies led to increasing competitiveness and become key factors of economic growth and innovation activity. Patents being at the same time a form of presenting knowledge which is commercially significant for innovation activity and a unique source of technological information allow measuring, analyzing and evaluating economic performance and, as a result, rendering more valid decisions.

While patent data demonstrate there were no substantial changes in S&T activities, commercialization of technologies and all the more tech catching-up in Russia happened at a faster pace, allowing for economic growth and increase of R&D financing in the pre-crisis decade. As for S&T activities and commercialization of knowledge and technologies in Russia these areas developed independently. Separate approaches to problems of stimulation of IP creation, on the one side, constitute major hamper stones for both developments. This causes isolate processes of development of knowledge and new technologies from the real requirements of manufacturing. IP are generally created not for specific user but for an abstract one and ultimately stay unclaimed both for production and market use. More over the vast majority of R&D results in the country are still created by research organizations and higher education institutions incorporated as state-owned federal-level institutions whose rights and responsibilities are defined independently and are not subject to civil laws and budgetary restrictions.

The presentation will show key issues, identifying by statistical analysis. Measures and mechanisms of development of knowledge transfer in Russia will also be specified.