The Basque Country Competitiveness Report 2015: Productive Transformation in Practice

Abstract

The Basque economy faces the continual challenge of moving forward in its productive transformation. However, are there any single recipes? Does it make sense to apply the same policies to firms, sectors or territories alike? Based on the Economy of Innovation, which argues that productive transformation requires tailor-made answers, the 2015 Basque Country Competitiveness Report looks into the competitive behaviour of the different realms on which policies for productive transformation are applied. For this it analyses the competitive situation of the Basque Country; delving into factors such as size or ownership that clearly affect the behaviour and results of firms; considering sectors and clusters and examining the three thematic priorities set by the PCTI-2020 (Basque Government s 2020 Plan for Science, Technology and Innovation): advanced manufacturing, energy and biosciences-health. Keeping in mind the importance of the territory in productive transformation processes, it also includes analyses on a provincial, county and municipal level. Lastly it positions the Basque Country with regards to the international state of the art in competitiveness policies, identifying critical challenges to assure that these policies are capable of effectively supporting the current and future strategies of the territory.