The IPL newsletter: Volume 2, Issue 18

Information and Communications Technologies Statistical Overview web site 
This new web site by Industry Canada provides the latest data available on the Canadian Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) sector. The site includes the 1998 Statistical Review of the sector, some 1999 data (e.g. GDP, R&D, trade) and links to related documents. Readers are invited to visit the web site on a regular basis as new data and analysis will be added as it becomes available. 

New venture capital fund focuses on Waterloo market
Silicon Valley North
In another sign that Waterloo is approaching critical technology mass, the region is welcoming a $23 million venture capital fund.  Waterloo Tech Capital has two fund managers with an empty portfolio looking for early stage tech companies between London and Guelph to invest in. 

Centre of Excellence Policies in Research Aims and Practices in 17 Countries 
U. Malkamäki, et al. The Academy of Finland 
This report describes the centre of excellence policies of 17 countries (including Canada) and is intended as a handbook with a short description for each country of the program its objectives, its application, selection and evaluation procedures, as well as funding and follow-up of the research units. The task of analyzing different approaches is left to the reader. 
 

U.S. Competitiveness 2001: Strengths, Vulnerabilities and Long-Term Priorities
M. Porter, & D. Opstal, Council on Competitiveness
This report revisits U.S. economic performance from 1985-2000: what drove U.S. prosperity, where economic performance fell short and why U.S. leadership will be challenged.  The recommendations call for further investment in science and technology, workforce skills and a strengthening in regional innovation clusters.

The Intensification of Innovation
M. Dodgson , D.Gann  & A Salter, SPRU
Using insights from contemporary innovation and management research, this paper examines the benefits and limitations of digital technologies used for the automation of innovation in dealing with innovation challenges such as reducing costs and increasing speed, predictability and strategic organizational integration. It presents a conceptual framework for assessing the intensification of innovation and outlines some strategic managerial precepts that will facilitate effective use of these technologies. The paper concludes with speculations about future developments in the intensification of innovation and its impact for strategic management, together with questions for further research.

Organizational Design of R&D Activities
Ambe & Poitevin, Centre de recherche et développement en économique
This paper addresses the question of whether R&D should be carried out by an independent research unit or be produced in-house by the firm marketing the innovation. The authors compare an ‘integrated structure’, where firms that market the innovation also carry out and finance research leading to the innovation, with an ‘independent structure’ where firms that market the innovation buy it from an independent research unit.  The paper concludes that the integrated structure dominates when development costs are negatively correlated with revenues from the innovation while the independent structure dominates in the opposite case.

Social Capital and Knowledge Development in Small Firms
P. Parker, Lund University
From comparative case studies of nine small firms, this paper argues that knowledge development in firms correlates with specific types of social network structures or social capital.  The author notes that although the specific network configurations that constitute social capital is likely to vary with the industry, the mechanisms identified in this study correspond well with those described in research on social capital generally.

21st century policies for sustainable technological innovation: The role of STS higher education 
Oslo, Norway, May 20-21, 2001  
Organised by the Centre for Technology, Innovation and Culture (T.I.K.), University of Oslo, this will be the fourth and final international conference organised as part of the European POSTI project: “Policies for Sustainable Technological Innovation in the 21st Century”. The conference will deal with two different concepts of innovation: sustainability-related objectives and measures incorporated in innovation processes or outputs, and innovation processes or outputs which aim directly at improving the present or future quality of the environment, in a broad sense.  
 

Intellectual Property and Innovation in the Knowledge-Based Economy
Toronto, May 23-24, 2001
This conference, organized by Industry Canada and the Centre for Innovation Law and Policy conference, will explore how the IP regime can stimulate the creation and commercialization of new knowledge and how it can best contribute to Canada’s innovation economy. It will also examine emerging IP issues such as the patenting of biotechnology, software and business methods, and the protection of databases. Lastly, it is hoped that the conference will stimulate more interest in IP related research.

Strategic Alliances 2001 Conference: Strategy and Partnering Tools 
Ottawa, May 30-31, 2001
This conference will give business leaders the unique opportunity to hear how to form alliances that stimulate growth, and find out the value of having a clear view of what kinds of alliances should be pursued to leverage specific strengths, execute growth strategies or fill capability gaps.  Also, case studies will be discussed that explore the pitfalls and benefits of alliances

European Union – Canada Science & Technology Cooperation
Toronto, June 5, 2001
The European Commission, in association with federal and provincial R&D funding agencies, is convening a series of seminars to inform Canadians about the procedures for partnering with consortia involved in the European Union’s (EU) five-year Framework Programs on Research and Development. Technical experts and program officers from the European Commission will present cooperation opportunities for the 2002/2006 Sixth EU Framework R&D Program. The partner identification process, matchmaking and technical cooperation procedures will be described. Canadians who have participated in the EU Framework Programs will provide testimonials of their experience. 

CITO Toronto TechTalk Workshop: The Interactive Digital Technologies Shaping What We See, How We See It & Where We See It
Toronto, June 6, 2001
This talk takes a look at interactive digital media technologies, exploring how they will shape what we see in the future, where we see it and how we see it.  The impact of advances in digital media technology and techniques will be examined in three application areas: industry, education and entertainment offering broad overview of the influence that digital media technologies are now having.

IASP World Conference: Science and Technology Parks in the Knowledge and Digital Economy
Bilbao, Spain June 10-13th, 2001
The main objective of this conference is to make an overall assessment of the role to be played by Science Parks, incubators and universities faced with the challenges and opportunities of the Knowledge Society and Digital Economy.  Speakers include Stephen Denning, Programme Director of Knowledge Management at the World Bank, Manuel Castells, Professor of City and Regional Planning at the University of California-Berkeley and, Jill R. Felix, President and CEO of the University City Science Center of Philadelphia.

Bridging the Investment Gap Conference
Montreal, June 13-14, 2001
The Bridging the Investment Gap Conference will explore the new ideas, best practices and lessons learned by 22 pilot projects established under the Canada Community Investment Plan (CCIP) of Industry Canada. CCIP has created bridges between entrepreneurs and angel investors, facilitating a reported $150 million in risk capital for 250 businesses outside the main financial centres. 

Nelson and Winter Conference
Aalborg, Denmark,  June 12-15, 2001
To commemorate the 20 years since Dick Nelson and Sid Winter published their seminal book An Evolutionary Theory of Economic Change DRUID (Danish Research Unit of Industrial Dynamics), in collaboration with the journals Research Policy and Industrial and Corporate has organized this conference to address six main themes.  These include, 
‘Growth, Development and Structural Change’, ‘National Systems of Innovation, Institutions and Public Policies’ and, the ‘Production and Use of Knowledge.’

The 5th International Conference on Technology, Policy and Innovation
The Hague, Netherlands Congress Centre, June 26-29, 2001
Theme: Critical Infrastructures
The conference focuses on how infrastructures such as those enabling transportation of goods and people, telecommunications, and the supply and distribution of energy and water have become vital to the daily functioning and security of society.  Proposals are invited for workshops or presentations dealing with vulnerability, institutional management, historical lessons, innovation, and methodologies for interdisciplinary analysis and design, all related to critical infrastructures.

Canadian eBusiness Leadership Forum: Canada’s Internet Future
Toronto, June 26-28
At this Forrester two-day Event, industry leaders and Forrester analysts will focus on what is needed to: compete in the new arena of Canadian eBusiness; build strong and collaborative B2B relationships; and deliver products and services to online Canadians.  Speakers include: Jean C. Monty, Chairman and CEO, BCE, Marty Lippert, Vice Chairman and CIO, Royal Bank of Canada, and John D. Wetmore, President and CEO, IBM Canada.

Knowledge: the New Wealth of Nations?
Amsterdam, June 28 – July 1, 2001
The 13th Annual Meeting on Socio-Economics will focus on the role of scientific knowledge in the economy and in innovation and, the role of social scientific knowledge in social and economic policy.

The Future of Innovation Studies
Eindhoven , September 20-23, 2001
The Center for Innovation Studies (ECIS) at Eindhoven University has organized a conference on ‘The Future of Innovation Studies’ which will host a number of plenary sessions featuring some of the key contributors to the field of innovation studies. Invited speakers include Giovanni Dosi, Ranjay Gulati and Bengt-Åke Lundvall.  The conference will include topics in all areas of the social sciences perspective on the innovation process. Special emphasis will be placed on contributions in the area of the economics of technological change, innovation management, and sociology of innovation processes.