The aim of this conceptual paper is to explore the business ecosystem concept in innovation policy context, and question whether it has something new to bring to the innovation policy field compared to previous theoretical discussions. A comparative study was conducted where three widely utilized policy approaches were examined together with the business ecosystem concept. The ecosystem concept differs from the three approaches, for example in its evolving around innovation, and its self-organizing and self-renewing nature. This paper sets a conceptual basis for further empirical research concerning the innovation policy implications of the business ecosystem concept.

The aim of modern innovation policies is to enhance the innovation capability of regions, their organisations and people. Regional innovation system (RIS) theory has been one of the most popular frameworks for realising innovation policies. Yet, adopting the perspective of sustainable innovation policy where innovation is also seen as a solution to various societal and environmental problems has been slow. Social enterprises (SEs) are discussed here as a means to address those problems, particularly through collaboration between sectors and focusing on social sustainability. The aim of this paper is to identify whether and in what way SEs are communicated as an innovative solution and as a source of innovations for economic and development activities through regional strategies. The data consists of regional innovation and business strategies from all Finnish regions, analysed using qualitative content analysis. We argue that there is a need to go deeper and include effective support mechanisms for SEs in these documents. Better inclusion of SEs as part of innovation systems and communicating this through regional strategies would help to develop SEs and to have them perceived as potential innovators and active entrepreneurial actors in innovation systems contributing to economically, environmentally and socially sustainable development.

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This paper combines three major concepts: regional development platforms, business ecosystems and competitiveness policy. The framework of business and innovation ecosystems is gaining ground in the discussion of competi-| 627 HARMAAKORPI And RInKInEn

The use of foresight information in small and medium-sized enterprises -The role of intermediary organisationsIn order to successfully compete in the market, firms have to keep track of the changes in the operational environment and use this information in their innovation processes. Future-oriented information is gathered by various agents, but firms still struggle to find relevant information and transform it into profitable businesses and innovations. Intermediary organisations play an important role in the interfacing of knowledge producers and knowledge exploiters. This paper studies the role of intermediary organisations in promoting the use of foresight information in small and medium-sized enterprises. A qualitative case study approach is used. The study emphasises the importance of interpreting foresight information through communicative processes and combines these ideas at the system level, providing new insights not only on the theoretical level but also for developing the innovation policy practice.