Political institutional structure influences on innovative activity

This study draws upon previous research on political institutions to examine country-level measures of innovative activity over a ten-year period within 24 developed nations. Investigating the relationship between political institutional structures and two types of innovative activity (i.e., basic and applied) reveals that political institutions have an important role in determining the number and nature of innovative opportunities for firms and entrepreneurs. Findings suggest that countries with political institutional structures characterized by weak state authority and corporatist societies generate greater levels of basic innovative activity. Further, national political institutions typified by strong state authority and corporatist societies were found to create higher levels of applied innovative activity.