Assessing European national policies to support the competitiveness of information and communication technology producers

Purpose - In the context of fears that the European information and communication technology (ICT) sector may be facing a period of crisis, this paper seeks to examine the changing role of national-level policy initiatives to enhance the competitiveness of European ICT producers. Design/methodology/approach - The article is based upon a study of 176 national programs that are aimed specifically or in substantial part at ICT producer goods. This supply-side focus provides a counterpoint to studies that concentrate on demand stimulation and aggregation measures, which generally make up a much larger share of national policy programs. A comparative analytical framework is used that takes account of the different composition and structure of the ICT industries in the EU member states. Findings - The key findings are that technology development programs continue to dominate but that the emphasis is shifting from ICT producer goods as such to the application and coordination of ICT products and services across a wide range of industry contexts. This process takes different directions depending upon national political and administrative structures and historical national attitudes to industry policy. Originality/value - The article gives evidence about sector specific strategies for supporting the competitiveness of the ICT sector and forms the basis for the identification of best practice examples.