According to a study by the Cologne Institute for Economic Research (IW), the innovation landscape in southern Germany is among the world's best. Otherwise, the country is largely mediocre.
The south is great, the rest of Germany so-so: The results of the "Innovation Atlas" are mixed. For example, regarding the number of patent applications per 100,000 employees, the Munich region ranks third with 462, behind Ingolstadt (486) and the greater Stuttgart area (577). The German average, however, is just 125. The Brandenburg region of "Ostprignitz-Ruppin / Prignitz" brings up the rear with a mere four patents per 100,000 employees.
South at the top of the world
The picture is quite similar in the other categories: top positions for some southern German regions, but otherwise rather poor results. Positive exceptions are the Wolfsburg and Jena regions. Regions with a strong metal and electrical industries, according to the study, are particularly driving innovation. IW researchers Oliver Koppel says:
“If the entire state conducted research like Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria, we would be ranked first internationally.”
Strengthen leading-edge clusters or eliminate differences?
There is also a strong gap between urban and rural regions in Germany.
“Policymakers must do more to ensure that previously weaker innovation regions catch up again without weakening the top regions,”
said Koppel. The study authors call for tax incentives for research-based companies and for the expansion of broadband internet in rural areas. The goal, according to the study, should be to achieve a more evenly distributed innovation capacity across the country—so, should we level out innovation capacity instead of promoting leading-edge clusters?
Is a politically controlled, more equal distribution of innovative power really desirable? On this point, the study authors' statements seem contradictory: The task of politics is to support private research. However, controlling government influence over where companies should locate research and development can quickly overshoot this goal. The infrastructure must be right, but only the companies themselves can make the investment decision.
