The communication provision aspect of regional innovation systems

Sherstobitova T.I., candidate of science, Associate professor of the chair “Marketing, commerce and services”, Penza State University (Russia)

The processes of formation of regional innovation systems in Russia are going very slowly, notwithstanding active theoretical and practical interest to this topic. One of the problems of the relations formation in the sphere of innovation activity is the problem of disproportion in the chain of information transmission on all the stages of innovation process, when there are no data on new working outs and technologies from the side of “demand”, and there are no necessary knowledge on quantative and qualitative characteristics of demand from the side of “offer”.

From the point of view of modern neo-institutional and network approach the process of regional innovation system^’s formation intends the study of the problem of the stirring up of the innovation activity by means of the analysis and usage of relations which are formed in the process of creation and distribution of innovations. These relations influence the innovation activity of the economic subjects not at the less degree than their own potential.

Accordingly, the character of the innovation activity of businesses and of a region in general will depend on the direction of the formation of the abovementioned relations.

Efficient functioning of the regional innovation system is based on the use of the network capital which can be considered as a sum of some advantages received by an actor for some goal achievement at any moment of time. Meanwhile any actor of the system lies in the system of strong links (technological and economic dependence) and weak links (social and cultural relations), which determine the character of the received non -commercial information.

A number of researches justify to the fact that information transmission facilitating innovation acceptance and diffusion is actualized through weak links. Besides, weak links are important sources of information for interacting actors, as they serve as some kind of “bridges” to other networks where it is possible to get additional knowledge on some organizations or a situation in a certain market. In this case the links are displayed in a form of informal relations.

In our opinion the functioning of the regional innovation system presupposes the development of the following levels of links:

1^st level. Vertical links and norms which determine relations between the players in a technological chain as well as relations between suppliers and consumers of information.

2^nd level. Horizontal links in the frameworks of their branch (relations in the frameworks of ministries, associations and relations with competitors).

3^rd level. Macroeconomic structures and norms including relations between enterprises and government, the influence of macroeconomic situation and legal regime – regional governmental institutions, mass media, public foundations and etc.)

All the links can be studied from the point of view of their contribution into the knowledge system of an independent player and the network in general. More over the location of those links for every actor is not fixed. It can be changed with the lapse of time, stronger links can be formed with those actors which earlier did not influence greatly the activity of the first one. Simultaneously the roles of participants are being changed: they can be at the same time suppliers of some knowledge and consumers of other knowledge. The process of the change of links character between the participants of the network requires coordination and control. This fact will promote more precise forecasting of the innovation activity directions.

For a long time Russian economy has been characterized by strict regulations of links between business entities, that caused not only the decrease of their innovation activity but also made more difficult the process of new market relations establishing. The lack of information complicated the search for partners. Besides, the basic links between the players had inter-regional and inter-republican character. And when it became difficult to maintain these links there appeared a strong necessity to develop links at a regional level.

Functioning and formation of innovation system needs certain communication provision, allowing solving the following tasks:

1) To promote strengthening of interaction between participants of the regional innovation system, use of common technological standards and creation of harmonious social and cultural environment;

2) to provide knowledge management, their acquisition, processing, conversion into a convenient form, storage, distribution and availability for potential consumers and suppliers of innovations:

3) to determine priorities of the innovation development of the region on the basis of the accumulated knowledge and to evaluate the ability of know-how and technologies for commercialization;

4) to signal about disproportion of demand and supply and to overcome this disproportion;

5) to provide transfer of ideas and technologies and to develop competitive innovation products on this bases;

6) to manage conflicts, to level interests of the players of the regional innovation system and to take away uncertainty with the help of active influence on conflict situations.

According to the international practice valuable innovations are the result of client’s understanding, improvement and collaboration. In connection with the above written it is necessary to have communication mechanisms providing access to an existing client’s system of knowledge. This system of knowledge includes in itself knowledge on the best consumer properties of certain goods, the best experience of its usage. Besides knowledge on the process of consumer’s decision making, understanding of his demands and possibility of affecting consumer expectations becomes powerful competitive advantage of an enterprise.

Recently it is necessary to conduct more detailed international and Russian comparative case studies of the peculiarities of relations between the actors at the regional level, investigation on forms and methods of their strengthening, as well as conditions and factors, influencing stirring up of these relations.