Austria 2025 – Measuring and Determining the Frontier in Science, Technology, Innovation and Economy

The performance of an innovation system can be measured by its capability to contribute to the frontier or highest performance threshold in a number of areas. By differentiating between the four frontier areas of science, technology, innovation and economy, the analysis can focus on the transition from knowledge and technology generation to employment and value added. The two dimensions of the frontier in innovation – structural change towards knowledge-intensive sectors and within-sector upgrading – may be used as a strategic framework for RTI policy. Such a framework can be more effectively operationalised than a focus on radical innovations. Applying this concept to Austria, it was found that the country lags behind leading innovation countries in all frontier areas, especially in science and structural change.