This definition differs from other measures used to assess the ‘’innovativeness” of an economy, such
as the number of patents, or the level of research and development (R&D) expenditure. For this report, the definition of innovation is used as a means to point out that innovation entrepreneurs are not all the same, yet all provide an important function to their respective economies in they make products and services available to consumers that previously had not been available. In doing so, they represent an important driver for the progress of an economy.