"Lex lata" and "de lege ferenda" for the R&D law of Turkey

In this chapter, the content sophistication (legislative-executive and techno-economic conception and implementation) of the R&D Law No. 5746 of Turkey is analyzed by the constructed general framework of reference for content sophistication analysis with respect to the framing principles of neo-classical (optimizing) and evolutionary (adaptive) policy making and policy implementation approaches (Metcalfe, 1995) through their distinct underlying conceptions and implementations regarding to the "nature of technology," "using, creating, diffusing technology and knowledge," "specificity, variety, and mode of transfer," "externalities," and "risk/uncertainty" (Lall & Teubal, 1998). According to the results of the analysis, it is shown that, for the time being, the R&D Law No. 5746 of Turkey exhibits features of neoclassical (optimizing) policy making frames from conception to implementation in legislative-executive and techno-economic spheres of research and technology development. In comparison to these neoclassical features, features of evolutionary (adaptive) policymaking frames in other economies around the world are exemplified separately. By concentrating on "Iter Legis": "path that a law takes from its conception to its implementation," this chapter aims to contribute to discussions and recommendations on "Lex Lata": "the current law" and "de lege Ferenda": "future law" for R&D and innovation in any country where "the future cannot be predicted, but futures can be invented" (Gabor, 1963) through legislative-executive terms of techno-economic demand and imagination.