The Global Innovation Policy Index 2012

The Policy Index assesses 55 countries against 84 indicators grouped across seven core innovation policy areas: 1) trade and foreign direct investment; 2) science and RD 3) domestic market competition; 4) intellectual property rights; 5) information technology; 6) government procurement; and 7) high-skill immigration.The Index ranks countries as either upper tier, upper-mid tier, lower-mid tier or lower tier on each of the seven policy areas and overall, and highlights best practices in policy development among these countries that other nations can learn from. Only Canada and Singapore placed in the upper tier on all seven innovation policy indicators, while the United States placed in the top tier in every category except openness to high-skill immigration. The report ranks 18 countries as upper tier, 15 as upper-mid tier, 13 as lower-mid tier, and nine as lower tier in innovation policy.Released by the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF) and the Kauffman Foundation.