TAILORING INNOVATION POLICIES TO SECTORS AND REGIONS – THE CASE OF SLOVAKIA

The aim of the present paper is to investigate channels of innovation and knowledge transfer in the development of the automotive and wood processing sectors in Slovakia and identify suitable policies to support these innovations. We follow the conceptual framework of innovation patterns and try to identify adequate support policies for different regional innovation patterns. We used interviews with several relevant actors in both sectors to identify their innovation activities and the role the external environment plays in them. We found that better functioning support tools in the region are aimed at key channels of knowledge and innovation transfer.We also support the need for a thematically=regionally focused innovation policy approach, as both sectors and regions require different kinds of innovation policies.