Specificity and pervasiveness of dialogues in science, technology, and innovation policies in Spain

Abstract

A process of dialogue often precedes the design of science, technology, and innovation (STI) policies. The scope of the process and the variety of targets and actors involved are key factors helpful in the characterization of dialogues. This paper explores specificity and pervasiveness as distinguishing analytical attributes of dialogues in the field of STI. This point is illustrated through a case study of two dialogues that have taken place over the last decade in Spain using diverse sources of indirect information. One responds to a top-down approach in policy building; the result has been a multi-year regional R&D plan. While the geographical scope is here reduced, the pervasiveness of the topic prevails. The second dialogue has its roots in a large Spanish firm playing as promoter; a clear case of bottom-up dialogue. The target was the reinforcement of university/industry relationships, ultimately ending in new labour regulation. Specificity has been a defining attribute of this dialogue, although the expansive result affects the national space.