Innovation commons for the data economy

Abstract

Data-driven innovation entails an overall positive effect on society. Innovation is a central policy goal in the EU, and the regulation of the data economy tends to elect innovation as a primary objective. However, considerably less attention is devoted to the identification of the qualitative characteristics of the desired innovation. From a technological point of view, (data-driven) innovation can be cumulative, combinatorial, or generative. In all three instances, innovation commons are crucial. The design of successful data commons demands the analysis of the relational dimension of the data economy, which can be conducted through the framework of business ecosystems. Incentives for data-based competition or cooperation in ecosystems are inspired by a metaphorical cognition of the economic function of data: whether data is considered a resource or an infrastructure ultimately affects the design of innovation commons. To conclude, the paper draws the policy implications of this framework. Policymakers and regulators may select one narrative over another, thus molding the features of future innovation.