Designing ex-post assessment of corporate RDI policies: Conceptualisation, indicators and modelling

This paper discusses different aspects related to the ex-post assessment of the effect of R & D and innovation (RDI) policies. To this end, the paper puts forward a comprehensive 'conceptual framework' where agents' behaviours, factors affecting their decisions, and quantitative (econometric) methods for impact evaluation are linked together and analysed. In particular, this work puts forward the following issues: 1 a generalised RDI investment model for explaining the potential occurrence of subsidy success (i.e., additionality) 2 a logical framework for the functioning of a project-funding RDI policy, rooted in the policy-cycle approach 3 the identification of the main factors driving the actors' behaviour, expressed through interconnected behavioural relations 4 a list of critical aspects regarding the design of public support to RDI, which need to be better addressed in future work to reach more reliable conclusions on the actual impact of an RDI policy. Copyright © 2012 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd.