Innovation Policy and Performance : A Cross Country Comparison This publication examines the relationship between innovation policy and economic performance in six OECD countries – Austria Finland Japan the Netherlands Sweden and the United Kingdom. In depth analyses highlight countries’ strengths and weaknesses in innovation as well as the effectiveness of their innovation policies in driving economic performance. Taken together the country studies constitute a rich evidence base which will be of considerable interest to innovation policy makers in all OECD countries. They indicate that countries share a need to adapt – or even profoundly change – their innovation policies in order to deal with opportunities and threats posed by new technological and economic developments.