In this report we examine aspects of the competitive and innovative

environments of Singapore, New Zealand and the Republic of Ireland firstly by

analyzing competitiveness and innovation capacity using secondary data derived

from published sources and secondly on the basis of field interviews carried out

with 79 participants over our three locations.

We examine the competitiveness profiles of Singapore, New Zealand and the

Republic of Ireland, 2005-2010 outlining the main competitiveness drivers and

barriers based on hard and survey data compiled for the Global Competitiveness

Project of the World Economic Forum, organized around twelve competitiveness

pillars. We also estimated three alternative complementary approaches to the

determinants of innovative capacity allowing us to identify the most significant

determinants of patenting outcomes for 23 economies 1993-2005. We

investigate whether smaller economies, including Singapore, New Zealand and

Republic of Ireland, are supported or hindered by their limited scale or low

critical mass in achieving innovative success. On the basis of our field work we

examine the general and immediate business environment and the institutions

and processes promoting national productivity to understand how businesses,

research and policy organizations take up the challenges of improving

productivity, innovation and competitiveness at meso- and micro-levels.