215Actors that are in harmony with an established institutional setup are less likely to alter those institutions and hence, innovation policies directed toward supporting these actors may be more likely to reinforce established institutions and related vested interests than to alter them. Our illustrations from innovation policies in different countries show how these initiatives primarily target large, established firms, which indicates the risk for path dependence described above.
We build our arguments by drawing on theories from political economy, such as regulatory capture. Assuming that policies and programs are shaped by the interest groups that are affected by the policies, we highlight the risk that policymaking may end up as support for established interest groups rather than supporting the emergence of those who could act as institutional entrepreneurs or disruptors. Policies and programs may thus be captivated by dominant actors in the established regime, who have superior financial and relational resources. The result would then be that J.-E. Bergkvist et al.
216innovation policies sustain the established socio-technical structures of industries rather than contributing to the emergence of new structures.
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