Kan een maatschappelijke kosten-batenanalyse worden gebruikt voor de beoordeling van innovatieprogramma’s?

For the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs an essay is written that discusses the suitability of ‘societal’ cost-benefit analysis to judge innovation-programs, innovation themes and projects within the setting of the new programmatic approach. The traditional societal cost benefit analysis used in the Netherlands to judge infrastructure projects, is not considered suitable without any changes to the method. The method insufficiently considers a number of specific characteristics of innovation programmes like uncertainty, differences in risks and portfolio aspects. Execution of the method suffers from lack of reliable data both ex ante as ex post. Besides, the approach is not easily understandable, and does not include a test of legitimacy or effectiveness. Therefore another approach that combines amongst others multi-criteria analysis, portfolio analysis and a quick scan cost-benefit analysis is suggested to properly judge innovation projects/themes and programs.