New structural economics : discussion about development policy based on innovation

The ongoing discussion in Poland on the design, implementation and coordination of a sustainable development policy based on innovation refers to the research and achievements of co-creators and proponents of the New Structural Economics (NSE). This article presents both the strengths of the NSE research programme, which demonstrate its usefulness in the context of the situation and challenges that Poland is facing, as well as its fundamental weaknesses, which may have a negative impact on the quality of the debate on a long-term development, innovation and competitiveness policy. The NSE recommendations for the development policy should be treated as a starting point which still requires the consideration of many additional phenomena and processes taking place in the social, economic and political environment of a given economy.