National Innovation System (NIS) from Germany. An Analysis

Academic Paper from the year 2020 in the subject Economics - Innovation economics, grade: 1,0, Corvinus University Budapest, language: English, abstract: This thesis deals with the National Innovation System from Germany. Germany’s reputation as innovation driver is however not only rooted in the achievements of the past. The country has seen drastic changes within its industries whereby some of the former flagship industries disappeared and new ones gained more importance. Especially in today’s times, the challenges of globalization, a growing amount of (digital) interconnections and the emergence of new national and international players put pressure on the German NIS. It is therefore important to maintain the focus on the most important and economically sustainable industries by creating new knowledge and innovation and by assuring the directed and speedy diffusion of both. The nation has properly assessed the current challenges and acts in accordance with the fast changing environment by investing more than 100 billion US-Dollars in research and development (R&D) per year, securing their place as the nation with the fifth most patents worldwide and eventually turning Germany into one of the most important actors on the global economic landscape. Here, the country is especially characterized by its highly innovative industries with the automotive sector leading the way in terms of innovation spending. The successful German NIS however is not only achieved through its national industries but moreover roots in other factors like the interactions of public and private research efforts. These factors and characteristics of the German NIS are multifaced and will therefore be examined more closely during the following to provide a comprehensive overview of Germany’s approach to innovation and its subsequent diffusion.