The new research framework programme will bring amendments in the workprogramme for Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH). PLATON wants to give in the following newsletters an overview about the seven research areas (“activities”) the Commission has identified for SSH. starting with the first activity “Growth, employment and competitiveness in a knowledge society“

Please find a short summary and information about possible research topics of the research areas extracted from the draft research agenda of the Commission. The full agenda can be downloaded here.

Summary
This (activity) will aim to develop and integrate research on the issues affecting growth, employment and competitiveness in order to provide an improved and integrated understanding of these issues for the continued development of a knowledge society. It will benefit policy and support progress towards achieving these objectives. The research will integrate the following aspects of the question:

• The changing role of knowledge throughout the economy, including the role of different types of knowledge and competences, education and lifelong learning, and intangible investment. 
• Economic structures, structural change and productivity issues, including the role of the services sector, of finance, demographics, demand and the processes of long-term change. 
• Institutional and policy questions, including macroeconomic policy, labour markets, institutional contexts, and policy coherence and coordination.

Research topics
The following three areas propose a number of research topics which are central for supporting growth, employment and competitiveness policies in Europe. Research may address issues across these three areas in order to provide a more integrated understanding of growth, employment and/or competitiveness. The research may focus individually on growth, employment or competitiveness, or their relation to each other. Research also needs to take into account the European diversity, enlargements and globalisation which influence importantly the policy making environments. Unemployment and underemployment may be addressed where relevant.

Area 1. Changing role of knowledge throughout the economy Research should relate the changing role of knowledge to growth, employment and competitiveness in Europe. The aim is to link knowledge creation and dissemination to economic performance and social well-being. Research needs to contribute to the formulation of European policies and strategies while taking into account European diversity, demographic development and increasing globalisation.

Research topics could include: Predictions and validity of growth theories based on information, knowledge, innovation or diffusion: evidence for contributions to growth, employment and competitiveness as well as productivity in European economies; the role of individual countries’ policies and institutions as well as “soft factors”; how policies could reverse the low long term growth rates in Europe. How knowledge can be transformed better into growth, employment and competitiveness: at firm level, at industry level (including service and creative industries), at regional and country level; comparison of policies and instruments; effectiveness of the different commercialisation mechanisms for public sector research results; public policies supporting R&D and innovation in the commercialisation process. Supply and demand side determinants and conditions for intangible investments and innovations in Europe: determinants of the rate of return on intangible investments across European economies; the diversity of conditions in explaining different performances; effects of EU enlargement, EU patent systems and regulations among others, as well as the process of globalisation and technological development. Implications of different types of knowledge for aspects of the economy: competition, employment, competitiveness, regulation, trade, finance, taxation, industrial and technology systems or clusters, entrepreneurship, organisational change, management and product markets among others. Internationalisation and networking of European research and innovation activities and systems: characteristics and the impact of the internationalisation of research and innovation systems on research, science, education, and innovation policies, including regional R&D policies. Education and training systems, policies and their reforms in Europe: knowledge creation, including social capital, transfer and absorption of knowledge as well as competences and skills; alternative funding models in higher education systems; education systems facilitating life long learning, creativity and entrepreneurship; causes of drop outs and early school leavers and the consequences for policies including youth policy.

Area 2. Structural changes in the European knowledge society The area 2 connects growth, employment and competitiveness as well as productivity in a knowledge society to economic structures and structural change in Europe which concerns both manufacturing and service industries, and the internationalisation of the European economy as well as financial markets. It includes long term issues and effects of demographic development. The aim of the research is to develop European growth, employment and competitiveness policies and strategies.

Research topics could include: Structural change in Europe and its relation to growth, competitiveness and employment: factors determining structural changes in manufacturing and service industries and future perspectives; entrepreneurial, industrial and structural policies; adjustment mechanisms in manufacturing and service industries such as creation of new firms, company and organisational learning; and adjustment patterns across industries; the role of demand. Evolution of European service economy in relation to productivity, growth, employment and welfare in Europe: across all types of services; analysis of the input factors, production processes and outputs of individual service industries and their changes over time, in the context of knowledge economy and internationalisation of services; contribution of services as inputs to other sectors, aiming to capture the contribution of services to the economy; measurement of services inputs, outputs and productivity changes; determinants and types of innovations in services; effective policy instruments in the service economy. Globalisation and growth, employment and competitiveness in Europe: changing international specialisation, the effects of delocalisation of production, of internationalisation of innovation activities, and of networking of firms; European integration; applicant and neighbouring countries; emergence of new growth regions; transatlantic economic integration; international regulations and standards in trading new technologies. European international competitiveness and capacity to attract investment: changing determinants of international competitiveness of European business; comparison of the concepts of firms’ competitiveness with a country’s competitiveness and their relations to growth and employment; factors and conditions in attracting inward investment; factors determining European outward investment and its potential for economic development. Role for and relationship of finance to growth, employment and competitiveness: integration of financial markets; location of financial activity; external aspects of financial integration; innovations in financial services in Europe; effects of demographic development on the financial markets, including inter temporal analysis; liberalisation of international financial markets and services, capital mobility and financial stability; the possible future role of the Euro. Impact of European demographic developments on growth, employment and competitiveness: effects on labour supply, government budgets, consumption and financial markets; the role of pension systems and their reform, health care, housing and immigration policies; policy alternatives. Long term issues concerning e.g. energy, the environment and natural resources: economic effects of so-called “new risks” (GMOs, criminal economy, climate change, global diseases, security) on present and future growth perspectives and long-term growth policies; factors facilitating and preventing the emergence of “new risks”; policies for effective energy markets and supply in Europe.

Area 3. Institutions and policies in Europe Research is needed on the relation of policy governance and coordination, institutional issues, macroeconomic policy and labour market, including social models to growth, employment and competitiveness in a European knowledge society. This research needs to take into account European diversity and demographic developments but also the specialization and specific skill requirements. In particular, research should consider the effects that structural change and globalisation have on the policy making environment.

Research topics could include: Role of policy coordination and coherence for growth, employment and competitiveness: coordination of micro- and macro-policies; policy design on public and private sector partnerships; issues on the compatibility of microeconomic reforms with respect to policies supporting research and innovation systems; issues concerning the coherence of research, innovation and commercialisation policies. Role of institutions, including international institutions for growth, employment and competitiveness: at the Member State, regional and the EU level, in the short and long run; issues such as intellectual property rights, legal systems, corporate governance and the role and effectiveness of regulations, rules, norms, conventions and values. Macroeconomic policy and growth, employment and competitiveness: macroeconomic policy design; innovative new instruments, institutions and policy coordination; design of tax and public sector spending policies; issues relating to European monetary policy, international monetary integration and developments, the effects of the enlargement of the euro area; effects of changing expectations and behavioural assumptions. Effect of labour market policies: organisations and institutions in work places facilitating learning; effectiveness of labour market institutions and policies in reducing unemployment or in increasing the rate of employment; wages, migration and labour market access in Europe; effectiveness of labour market instruments in reducing unemployment rates and increasing employment rates; labour market policies, income distribution and growth. Alternative models of social policies and growth, employment and competitiveness: integration of socially weak groups; experiences concerning social policies aiming to improve the capacity to adjust and perform in the changing environment; sustainability of alternative social models; implications of changing labour market institutions and rules for social and economic institutions and relations.