207of an established regime. Looking into some of the most developed policies we have been able to identify, from different countries often recognized as forerunners in modern innovation policy, it is however not always obvious to what extent these policies actually differ from the traditional linear policies in their actual activities and outcomes. The remainder of this chapter addresses this problem.

In this section, we provide empirical illustrations of innovation policies aiming at system transformation across Western economies. We start with the Strategic Innovation Programs (SIP) in Sweden, continue with the SHOK programs in Finland, move on to the Top Sectors in the Netherlands, further toward the Austrian competence centers, and end with some illustrations from Canada.

4.1

The Strategic Innovation Programs (SIP) in Sweden

The Swedish Strategic innovation programs (SIP) are stated to be designed to create conditions for sustainable solutions to global challenges and to increase competitiveness in areas of high relevance to the Swedish economy. The program activities should be characterized by openness and transparency and implemented in publicprivate collaboration whereby problem formulation and program management are delegated to the program actors, while public agencies are responsible for the formal exercise of authority. Thus, the SIP programs appear as state-of-the-art examples of the third generation of innovation policy. The programs’ main activities consist of research and innovation projects (R&D projects) that are carried out in collaboration with a multitude of actors. The programs also carry out complementary activities to take a holistic approach to innovation in the targeted areas. The programs are offered public funding for up to 12 years, divided into four stages with intermediate