News from the IPL
INTRODUCTION
This newsletter is published by The Innovation Policy Lab at the Munk School of Global Affairs, University of Toronto, and sponsored by the Ministry of Research and Innovation. The views and ideas expressed in this newsletter do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the Ontario Government.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Recently, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) released a three year progress report on its Strategy for Partnerships and Innovation. The Strategy was launched in 2009, following a year of consultations with businesses. It aims to help companies realize greater value from their investments in research and development, accelerate commercialization, and help students acquire business-focused skills.
Government of Canada: Building a Stronger Economy Through Investments in Research Partnerships
The Government of Canada recently announces its support for 83 scientific teams at universities across the country. Researchers will work with companies on long-term projects in areas of importance to Canadians. Of the 83 projects, 81 are receiving more than $36 million over three years to support early-stage work and to encourage collaboration among academic researchers, industry and government partners through the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) Strategic Project Grants. The goal of these grants is to increase research and training in areas that could strongly influence Canada’s economy, society or environment in the next 10 years in four target areas: environmental science and technologies; information and communications technologies; manufacturing; and natural resources and energy.
Editor's Pick
Report from the MIT Taskforce on Innovation and Production
MIT
What kinds of industrial production can bring innovation to the American economy? This study suggests that a renewed commitment to research and development in manufacturing, sometimes through creative new forms of collaboration, can spur innovation and growth in the United States as a whole. Among the approaches the report recommends are new forms of collaboration and risk-sharing — often through public-private partnerships or industry-university agreements — that can enable a wide variety of firms and industries to grow. The report follows two years of in-depth research on hundreds of firms across various industrial sectors, ranging in size from high-tech startups to small “Main Street” manufacturers and multinational corporations. Among other conclusions, the report emphasizes that manufacturing should not be regarded as a small group of traditional, shrinking industries. Instead, manufacturing is a diverse, evolving group of industries in which new products and knowledge frequently emerge from firms of all sizes throughout the country.
Innovation Policy
How Crowdsourcing Impacts Innovation Portfolio Management
innovationmanagement.se
This in-depth article presents how open innovation meshes with crowd sourcing, drawing on ideation, market needs and opportunities, to fuel a balanced portfolio with actionable innovation challenges, or “the right things to do”, and converges these with a need driven approach to source the ways of “doing things right”. This innovation continuity is illustrated with a number of examples and a focus onto the food and drink industry.
Knowledge and Rent Spillovers through Government-Sponsered R&D Consortia
Junichi Nishimura and Hiroyuki Okamuro
This paper proposes a model in which government-sponsored R&D research consortia offer two varieties of constructive outcomes. Knowledge spillovers occur directly through the activities of consortia, without market dealings. Knowledge spillovers are fueled by the sharing of advanced scientific knowledge among consortia participants. By promoting knowledge sharing, consortia help reduce the inherent uncertainty of R&D and incentivize private research through coordination, risk sharing and resource pooling. Rent spillovers, however, occur through the market as consortia members capitalize on knowledge spillovers. These private partners are able to use product or process innovations to improve intermediate and capital inputs for their customers.
Cities, Clusters & Regions
Cluster Branding and Marketing: A Handbook on Cluster Management
Tendensor/Cluster Brands
Locations all over the world compete for investments, export share, talents, tourists, residents, resources, political attention and media space. This is no less true for business clusters. Many clusters, however, face branding and image-related challenges, such as low visibility and weak differentiation externally, as well as low identification and lack of commitment on the part of cluster stakeholders internally. Against this background, this handbook seeks to illustrate how brand building and strategic marketing can be used by cluster organizations and their main stakeholders, and how these activities are an integral part of cluster development. This handbook shall function as a practical toolbox and a go-to source of inspiration for cluster brand and marketing management that can be used by individual cluster organizations as well as national and regional development and inward investment organizations.
Two Cities, One Brand: A Branding Insight into Local Economic Development
Cecilia Pasquinelli, The Martin Prosperity Institute
Increasing attention has been drawn to relational spatial entities as potentially embedding renewed and alternative paths of local development. This research paper discusses the intertwining of an emerging relational configuration of space and the pursuit of post-industrial development, by analyzing the formation of an organizational identity. The case of NewcastleGateshead (UK) is interpreted as a brand emerging from urban collective strategy-making which has involved two partner cities, thus crossing administrative borders. By suggesting the importance of recognizing the emergence of “branded relational spaces”, research results stress the active role of a collective construction of meanings and their communication in the creation of relational spatial entities. This provides an opportunity to reflect on the extent to which branding, here interpreted as collective strategy-making, is a process going beyond mere communication and fostering an institutionalization of the branded space, thus influencing the way in which local development is spatially and strategically conceived.
Keys to Economic Success: Growing Entrepreneurial Communities
Center for Rural Entrepreneurship
This document presents ten keys to succeed in the post-Great recession world: local responsibility, smart game plan, robust investment, entrepreneurial development systems, sustained effort, growth entrepreneurs, attributes of an entrepreneurial community, immigrants & new residents, real regional collaboration, civic & social entrepreneurs.
Statistics & Indicators
Financing SMEs and Entrepreneurs 2013: An OECD Scoreboard
OECD
As the global economy begins to turn the corner following the worst financial and economic crisis in decades, governments, businesses and individuals still face major challenges to prosperity. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and entrepreneurs must continue to be key players in national strategies for growth, job creation and social cohesion. SMEs and entrepreneurs are crucial for tracing new paths to more sustainable and inclusive growth, thanks to their role in developing and diffusing innovation. However, they can only fulfill this potential if they obtain the finance necessary to start and grow their
businesses. This Second Edition of Financing SMEs and Entrepreneurs 2013: An OECD Scoreboard brings us a step closer to developing a comprehensive framework to monitor trends in access to finance by SMEs and entrepreneurs at the country level. The report covers 25 OECD and non-OECD countries. It examines 13 core indicators of debt, equity and general market conditions, complemented by a review of government policy measures. This year, its thematic chapter puts the spotlight on the use of credit guarantee schemes, the most widespread tool harnessed by governments to respond to the crisis and to improve financial inclusion. The chapter highlights the emerging challenges for these long-established mechanisms in the present economic and budgetary context.
Main Science and Technology Indicators 2012: Vol 2
OECD
This report published twice yearly, provides a set of indicators that reflect the level and structure of the efforts undertaken by OECD member countries and nine non-member economies (Argentina, China, Israel, Romania, Russian Federation, Singapore, Slovenia, South Africa, Chinese Taipei) in the field of science and technology. The indicators cover the resources devoted to research and development, patent families, technology balance of payments and international trade in highly R&D-intensive industries. Also presented are the underlying economic series (a reference year and for the last six years) used to calculate these indicators. Series are presented for the last six years for which data are available.
Policy Digest
Tackling the Top 10 Barriers to Competitiveness
Connect!
Canada’s competitiveness continues to be severely challenged as traditional and emerging economies aggressively strive to occupy the global economic landscape. In fact, the country’s ability to remain a leader among nations continues to decline. A 2012 World Economic Forum report ranked Canada 14th in global economic competitiveness—down two places from 2011 and sliding five places since 2009. Improving Canada’s competitiveness requires an ambitious, aggressive and innovative private sector. Strategic thinking and smart public policies are also needed to address long-standing structural impediments that hinder businesses at a time when they need much greater flexibility to compete. This report presents the top ten barriers to Canadian competitiveness as determined by members of Connect!
Skills shortages
Governments and businesses across regions and sectors will need to work cooperatively and aggressively to address this ubiquitous issue, particularly in four key areas: upskilling, immigration policies, education-employment alignment and Aboriginal education and workforce development.
Marketing Canadian energy products
The overseas market will be of critical economic importance to Canada in the 21st century. Federal and provincial governments must act now to support the development of the infrastructure and relationships needed to realize the full potential of Canada’s energy endowment, or risk missing out on a historic opportunity.
Workforce productivity
Improved trends in business investment in productivity-enhancing technologies and equipment are encouraging but still leave Canada underperforming relative to its competitors. To improve its productivity, Canada must leverage advanced technologies and efficient infrastructure, support efforts to raise literacy and numeracy levels among workers.
Public infrastructure planning
Mobilizing private investment to finance public goals is essential for infrastructure development.
Tax complexity and structure
Canada’s tax system over-relies on income and profit taxes. Canada’s tax system is also overly complex and, as a result, imposes unnecessary and significant compliance and administration costs on businesses and consumers. Canada must create a simple, fair and growth-oriented tax system.
Internal barriers to trade
Canada is still far from being a barrier-free internal market. Internal trade barriers cost Canada’s economy up to $14 billion each year. Canadian business still has to petition governments for the “right” to sell goods and services in Canada. Canadian business needs a new agreement that will deliver a single, unimpeded marketplace for internal trade, labour mobility and investment.
Innovation performance
Canada lacks a defi nitive innovation strategy that brings coherence to the many government policies and programs affecting private research, academic research and commercialization. Poor innovation leaves Canadian business vulnerable to competitors and to changing economic conditions. A clear approach that leads to action is urgently needed.
Travel and tourism strategies
Through a combination of high transportation costs and steadily reduced marketing efforts, Canada has slipped from seventh place among the world’s tourism destinations to 18th place in just a decade. A huge industry, critical in every region, is struggling with its competitiveness and needs public policies that are forward looking and supportive.
Strategies for trade success in new markets
Canada’s competitiveness is constrained by a focus on slow-growing, traditional markets. Canada must reduce its dependency upon its usual trading partners and expand its access to new markets in Asia, Africa and South America. Legal access to these markets is but the first step. Canada needs to construct trade strategies that will turn access into success.
Access to capital
A critical element of business competitiveness in any industry is access to capital—be it through venture capital or through foreign direct investment. Canada must support a sustainable private-sector led venture capital market and increase its appeal to foreign investors.
Events
Madrid, Spain, 10-12 April, 2013
The Conference aims to encourage dialogue between academics and practitioners to improve innovation policy design, implementation and evaluation. The conference will offer keynote speeches, parallel thematic sessions, roundtable discussions, special activities for young researchers and ample space for all participants to interact. Visits to research and innovation centres both in public and private institutions will be offered after the conference.
Shape and Be Shaped: The Future Dynamics of Regional Development
Tampere, Finland, 5-8 May, 2013
In the many regions and localities of the world, there is an ever-growing need to find new solutions for the future, as they are increasingly confronted with intertwined sets of ecological, social and economic difficulties as well as new opportunities brought to them by the globalising economy. Indeed, there is a need to work for more balanced and sustainable development and cross the many institutional boundaries that prevent new solutions from being created. What makes all of this a demanding set of policy challenges, is that regions and localities need to find ways to manage their own destiny while being manipulated by many forces. The central idea underpinning the RSA 2013 conference in Tampere is that there is now an urgent need to better to understand how regions and localities can adapt to current challenges and deal with the wicked issues of sustainability by developing new multi-actor governance, policy-making and leadership capacities. The conference offers researchers and workers in local and regional development an opportunity to collectively explore and discuss these key issues from a multitude of perspectives and with different theoretical stand points and with empirical observations from different parts of the world.
Cluster Academy: Learning from the Clusterland Upper Austria”cluster region”
Linz, Austria, 14-17 May, 2013
The Cluster Academy shows how successful clusters work, using Clusterland Upper Austria Ltd. as an example and gives an input, how these processes could be implemented in your region. An additional benefit is the networking and exchange of experience effect with international participants, sharing the same interests in cluster activities. The cluster management workshop covers the areas of knowledge management, initiation and support of cooperation projects, qualification and event management, marketing & PR, internationalization, financing and evaluation & measuring. This year, more interactive formats of participation such as an ample case-study to complement lectures, field reports and presentations are being designed. Numerous direct visits to cluster companies should spot the motivation of being active in a cluster. Attractive side events give a chance to get to know the participants and the city of Linz.
9th International PhD School on Innovation and Economic Development
Tampere, Finland, 20-31 May, 2013
The aim of the Globelics Academy PhD-School is to support the training of Ph.D. students from different parts of the world and who are writing theses on issues related with innovation and economic development. The Academy brings together frontier researchers in innovation with Ph.D. students from developing countries in order to inspire and qualify their work as well as in order to help them to join high-quality research networks in their field of research.
16th Uddevalla Symposium 2013: Innovation, High-Growth Entrepreneurship and Regional Development
Kansas City, 13-15 June, 2013
The critical role of innovation and entrepreneurship in regional economic development in terms of productivity and employment growth has been well documented theoretically as well as empirically by researchers in recent decades. The specific mechanisms through which innovation stimulates regional economic development are less well established. It is often assumed that entrepreneurship in the form of new firm formation and the growth of newly established firms plays a critical role, but how, why, when and under what conditions is less clear. Empirical studies show that a limited share of new business ventures have the capacity to rapidly up-scale and to generate substantial new jobs in the regions where they are launched. From the perspective of regional policy makers, this implies that it is critical to understand what regional economic milieus are capable of generating innovations that can be the basis of high-growth entrepreneurship as well as provide the right environment for entrepreneurs to launch entrepreneurial initiatives.Against this background, we seek papers that, in particular, topics related to exploring these themes.
Experience the Creative Economy
Toronto, 18-21 June, 2013
The 6th Annual Experience the Creative Economy conference is a forum for emerging scholars who are engaged in research related to the creative economy. The conference brings together up to 25 individuals from around the world to share and discuss their research. In particular, the small and focused setting provides participants with the opportunity to: present their work; receive feedback; refine and develop research methods; and join an ongoing network of collaboration and exchange.
Knowledge-Based Entrepreneurship, the Triple Helix and Local Economic Development
London, UK, 10 July, 2013
The creation of innovative new firms and the development of SME innovation are strongly influenced by the extent to which localities offer environments that favour the transfer of knowledge to local business and provide the other resources required for innovative firm development, including skills, finance, advice, and supply chain partners. The concept of the ‘triple helix’ captures the interplay of government, research and industry in the promotion of business innovation and provides a framework for policymakers seeking to understand how to promote local knowledge-based entrepreneurship. The workshop will use this framework to examine the policy actions that governments can take to promote innovative new firm creation and SME innovation in local economies by improving conditions for knowledge transfer and knowledge-based entrepreneurship.
Brighton, UK, 10-12 July, 2013
Europe’s relations with the wider world are continuously undergoing change. The urban and regional significance of these changing relations remains surprisingly poorly understood. The global financial and economic crisis, the dramatic events of late 2010 and 2011 in the Middle East and North Africa, the continuing crisis in Europe, and the global rise of ‘new powers’ are each impacting on how Europe, its citizens, and its cities and regions are connected to the wider world. The 9th European Urban and Regional Studies conference aims to consider a wide range of consequences of these changes as well as other themes relating to European urban and regional change.
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This newsletter is prepared by Jen Nelles.
Project manager is David A. Wolfe.