Living Labs: Typology, Functioning Models and Potential Application in Russia

Forms of innovation infrastructure are always designed and employed to create favorable and stable environment and strengthen national innovation system. Various forms have specific functions and target particular goals, therefore, there is a need to constantly revise existing forms and adopt new ones depending on political agenda. The European Union has successfully introduced a platform for testing and experimentation based on user engagement – living lab. Living labs are spread all over Europe and have already penetrated into innovation systems of Australia, North and South America but is still not present in Russia. The main aim of this works is to identify key features of living labs as a form of innovation infrastructure and explore its potential application in Russia. Case study approach has been chosen to gain a detailed understanding of nature and peculiarities of living labs. As a result of cases study analysis, core characteristics of living labs are distinguished, comparative analysis of innovation infrastructure forms in Russia is conducted. This master thesis is concluded by policy recommendations for implementing a living lab approach in Russia.