--- canonical_url: "https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-23/stimulating-innovation-is-canada-pursuing-the-right-policies/" title: "Stimulating Innovation: Is Canada Pursuing the Right Policies?" author: name: "CSLS" url: "https://csls.ca/author/cslc/" date_published: "2026-07-13T07:33:45+00:00" date_modified: "2026-07-13T07:33:45+00:00" post_type: "ipm" summary: "" ipm_issue_period: - "Spring 2012" ipm_keyword: - "business strategy" - "Canada" - "innovation" - "innovation policy" - "productivity" - "R&D" - "Secor" - "six games of innovation" - "tax credits" ipm_research_theme: - "Technology and innovation" ipm_country_focus: - "Canada" - "OECD" featured_image: "https://csls.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/IPM_50_banner.webp" status: "publish" --- # Stimulating Innovation: Is Canada Pursuing the Right Policies? Canonical URL: https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-23/stimulating-innovation-is-canada-pursuing-the-right-policies/ # Stimulating Innovation: Is Canada Pursuing the Right Policies? [Download full PDF article](https://csls.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/IPM-Issue-23-1-Cote-Miller.pdf) Cite this article × Cite this article as: Côté, Marcel, and Roger Miller. 2012. “Stimulating Innovation: Is Canada Pursuing the Right Policies?” International Productivity Monitor, No. 23 (Spring 2012): 3–16. https://www.csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-23/stimulating-innovation-is-canada-pursuing-the-right-policies/ ## Authors: - Marcel Côté Secor Group - Roger Miller Secor Group ## IPM Issue 23 Spring 2012 pp. 3–16 ## Related IPM articles [The Relationship between Efficiencies Defenses for Mergers and TFP Growth Robin Shaban Fall 2025 | IPM Issue 49 | pp. 82–102](https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-49/the-relationship-between-efficiencies-defenses-for-mergers-and-tfp-growth/) [Adult Skills and Productivity: New Evidence from PIAAC 2023 Dan Andrews, Balázs Égert, Christine de La Maisonneuve Fall 2025 | IPM Issue 49 | pp. 41–63](https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-49/adult-skills-and-productivity-new-evidence-from-piaac-2023/) [Appendix: Variable Definitions and Country/Sector Coverage for Regulatory Reform Analysis Gilbert Cette, Jimmy Lopez, Giuseppe Nicoletti, Océane Vernerey Fall 2025 | IPM Issue 49 | pp. 1–18](https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-49/appendix-variable-definitions-and-country-sector-coverage-for-regulatory-reform-analysis/) [The Potential Impact of Pro-competitive Regulatory Reforms on Productivity and Growth in Canada Gilbert Cette, Jimmy Lopez, Giuseppe Nicoletti, Océane Vernerey Fall 2025 | IPM Issue 49 | pp. 3–40](https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-49/the-potential-impact-of-pro-competitive-regulatory-reforms-on-productivity-and-growth-in-canada/) [IPM Issue 49 Editors’ Overview Andrew Sharpe, Bart van Ark, Paul Schreyer Fall 2025 | IPM Issue 49 | pp. 1–2](https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-49/) [Appendix: UK Productivity Growth Rates Across Data Vintages and Studies Josh Martin Spring 2025 | IPM Issue 48 | pp. 65–73](https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-48/appendix-uk-productivity-growth-rates-across-data-vintages-and-studies/) [Opportunities and Risks of Artificial Intelligence for Productivity Francesco Filippucci, Peter Gal, Katharina Laengle, Matthias Schief, Filiz Unsal Spring 2025 | IPM Issue 48 | pp. 1–26](https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-48/opportunities-and-risks-of-artificial-intelligence-for-productivity/) [Using Ecosystem Accounting to Integrate the Environment in Measures of Multifactor Productivity Carl Obst Fall 2024 | IPM Issue 47 | pp. 87–108](https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-47/using-ecosystem-accounting-to-integrate-the-environment-in-measures-of-multifactor-productivity/) [Eroding Natural Capital: An Alternative Explanation for the Secular Decline in Productivity Growth Christina Caron Fall 2024 | IPM Issue 47 | pp. 109–147](https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-47/eroding-natural-capital-an-alternative-explanation-for-the-secular-decline-in-productivity-growth/) [How Does Industrial Policy Impact Output, Hours and Productivity? The Canadian Experience Tim Sargent Fall 2024 | IPM Issue 47 | pp. 39–53](https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-47/how-does-industrial-policy-impact-output-hours-and-productivity-the-canadian-experience/) ## Abstract ## Résumé EN FR Copy link Email LinkedIn Based on a global survey of over 800 innovative firms, a new framework has been developed by the authors to understand innovation. Using the perspective of the innovators to explain the diversity of the strategies behind business innovation, they identified six broad patterns called games of innovation around which innovations are structured. The article points out that this framework raises significant issues about the effectiveness of current Canadian innovation policies. In light of the productivity challenges that Canada faces, which appear to be largely related to innovation, the framework also provides useful insights into future directions for public policies. R ÉSUMÉ Sur la base d’une enquête auprès de plus de 800 entreprises innovatrices de partout dans le monde, un nouveau cadre conceptuel a été développé par les auteurs pour mieux saisir le phénomène de l’innovation. Empruntant la perspective des innovateurs, ce cadre conceptuel explique la diversité des stratégies d’innovation par la présence de six modèles ou”jeux d’innovation”. L’article indique que ce cadre conceptuel soulève de nombreuses questions quant à l’efficacité des stratégies publiques d’innovation poursuivies au Canada. Compte tenus des défis de productivité du Canada et du rôle que joue l’innovation à cet égard, les “jeux d’innovation” fournissent des pistes intéressantes quant à l’orientation de ces politiques. CANADA HAS A PRODUCTIVITY PROBLEM. The Sur la base d’une enquête mondiale auprès de plus de 800 entreprises innovatrices, un nouveau cadre conceptuel a été élaboré par les auteurs pour comprendre l’innovation. En utilisant la perspective des innovateurs pour expliquer la diversité des stratégies sous-jacentes à l’innovation en affaires, ils ont cerné six grandes tendances appelées « jeux d’innovation » autour desquels les innovations sont structurées. L’article souligne que ce cadre soulève des questions importantes sur l’efficacité des politiques d’innovation canadiennes actuelles. À la lumière des défis de productivité auxquels le Canada fait face, qui semblent être largement liés à l’innovation, le cadre fournit également des perspectives utiles sur les orientations futures pour les politiques publiques. [Download full PDF](https://csls.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/IPM-Issue-23-1-Cote-Miller.pdf)