The Development of the Economy of Poland in the Context of Institutional Changes of the R&D Sector

Abstract

The goal of the paper is to prove the relationship between economic development theory and the institutions, as well as, to illustrate the lack of this relationship in economic practice, on the example of R&D sector in Poland. The thesis here is that the dissonance between R&D sector funded with public centres, and the needs of private enterprises in the range of innovation is so large, that it will not bring the desirable effects without serious commitment of the State (organizational, legislative, financial and coordinative), as it has been verified in the second part of this study. The first part of this study presents the relationship between institutions, and economic growth in the theory of economics, but it does not define the degree of institutional adaptations, nor fields in which it would have to happen. The theoretical models present the only variety of variables of institutions and they differ in specific cases. The relationship between institutional changes and economic growth has drawbacks. Therefore many well-known organizations offer different measures and indicate institutional assessment and institutional change. The relation among such measures and economic growth is not proved. The second part of the study illustrates the institutional changes of the R&D sector in Poland after 2004, especially in 2007–2009. It was the time of fundamental changes in the institutional system of the R&D sector, when the fundamental researches were separated from applied. It start-ed the transition from institutions fully financed research by the State to the private institutions participation in the R&D sector in Poland. Many private agencies raised, but they needed some coordination with the private innovative enterprises in Poland. The cooperation between institu-tions (both public and private) and private enterprises in the R&D sector in Poland has still many flaws and it seems to be longer process. However, there is a possibility to shorten this process. There is a special need to resolve the problem of coordination the main actors of the R&D – admin-istration-universities-private enterprises and financing process of the innovation implementation.