Communication and Transparency of Innovation: The Case of the Valencian Community (Spain)

Receiving public support for the development of research, development, and innovation (R&D&I) projects means assuming the obligation to comply with the communication and transparency requirements established by state and European regulations. This study presents the assessment of the required measures and their impact made by beneficiary companies based on a questionnaire to 56 institutions that have received a grant through the Valencian Institute for Business Competitiveness (IVACE). Although the companies are inclined towards transparency and value positively the dissemination actions requested, the information they publish is limited and superficial, the improvement that the innovation will bring to society is not disseminated, and hardly any use is made of social networks. It would be very useful for the managing bodies to increase their support to companies that do not have specialised communication staff in order to multiply their impact. In general, communicating the importance of investing in innovation, in addition to a demand for social responsibility and transparency, is also an opportunity for both communication professionals and scholars.