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
Canada’s Technology Triangle contributes a net $900 million to provincial and federal government
A study estimating the outflow and inflow of taxes, funds and grants from the Region of Waterloo shows that the region contributes some $900 million to the provincial and federal government – $2.79 billion in outflow minus $1.89 billion in inflow. According the Randy Ellis, CEO of Canada’s Technology Triangle which commissioned the report “the purpose of the report is to demonstrate that an investment here by the federal and provincial governments is a good one.”
Editor's Pick
Fast Forward 3.0: Maintaining the Momentum
Here is The Canadian E-Business Opportunities Roundtable’s final update of Canada’s E-Report Card. The report notes several trends including a rising awareness of Canada’s global e-business brand, a continued growth of the number of Canadians on line (now 60% of consumers and 63% of businesses) and progress in e-business talent. Along side such progress, the group finds that Canadian SMEs have been slow to adopt e-business, lagging well behind their US counterparts. With the release of this report Industry Minister Allan Rock announced support for the successor to the Roundtable, The Canadian E-Business Initiative which will work to further identify and measure the significant role e-business can play in raising productivity levels, creating jobs and advancing the competitive position of Canadian firms in the global marketplace.
Innovation Policy
Benchmarking Industry-Science Relationships
From the OECD comes this extensive report of a two-year study comparing the relative efficiency of industry-science relationships in meeting and reconciling the needs of the main stakeholders and relating performance differences to observable characteristics of industry-science linkages. The main policy implication from the study is that while publicly funded research organizations and industry are best placed to determine how their collaborations can be enhanced in practice, governments have the responsibility for setting the basic rules and institutional frameworks that reflect the public interest and provide the right incentives to firms, public researchers and organizations alike.
Research Strategies for Smaller Countries
This report was prepared by a Working Group of ALLEA (All European Academies), an organization mandated to develop views on issues that concern the development of science and scholarship, and to give advice and make recommendations to governments, the European Community and national, international and supranational organizations. The central focus of this project is to describe models and strategies to facilitate the formation of national strategies, especially for small countries engaged in the process of moving towards the status of Member States of the EU.
Government innovation support for commercialisation of research, new R&D performers and R&D networks
Erik Arnold & Jari Kuusisto, Tekes, the Finnish National Technology Agency
This study seeks to create new process level information about the innovation systems in selected countries through understanding key processes and good practices in assisting university spin offs, new R&D performers and R&D networks. Selected government programs of France (Lorraine), Germany (Bayern), Ireland, Korea, Netherlands, United Kingdom, Singapore and Sweden. This study is part of a larger project, a previous part of which, Benchmarking Innovation: Government Funding for R&D, was reported upon in the March 1st OREDI newsletter.
Regional innovation & Clusters
Economic Profiles for US States
In an effort to increase awareness of the specific regional conditions to inform political action at the state level, the Council on Competitiveness, together with the Monitor Company, and the Institute for Strategy and Competitiveness have compiled a range of regional economic and cluster related information on each of the states. Data includes Economic Performance and Innovation Output, Patents by Organizations (1995 – 1998), Overall Composition of Employment and Wages, Employment by Cluster, Job Creation by Traded Cluster and Highest Wage Traded Clusters.
University of Minnesota’s industry cluster work
The Humphrey Institute’s State and Local Policy Program at the University of Minnesota has carried out several cluster related studies over the last few years, examples of which are available at the web page Examples of Industry Cluster Approaches. This site also provides a listing a cluster strategies and education studies based on the cluster approach.
E-Commerce
The Best States for E-Commerce
R. D. Atkinson and T. G. Wilhelm, Progressive Policy Institute
This report measures how state laws, regulations, and administrative actions affect Internet use by Americans in an effort to encourage states to examine their laws from the standpoint of giving their citizens more choices as Internet users. Based on a range of indicators, the authors find Oregon to be the most friendly to Internet users followed by Utah, Indiana, and Louisiana. As the United States’ best state for Internet users, Oregon does not require consumers to pay access taxes on Internet usage. Oregonian Internet users have the opportunity to purchase wine, mortgages, and prescription drugs with few restrictions and the state is above average in providing opportunities for its residents to interact with their government online.
These latest figures on e-commerce in Canada, feature comparisons of e-commerce attributes (e.g., export sales) across a variety of industries in Canada. The data is from Statistics Canada’s E-Commerce and Technology Survey 2000.
University Research
Innovation U.: New University Roles in a Knowledge Economy
Louis G. Tornatzky, Paul G. Waugaman, and Denis O. Gray
“Innovation U”. details the best practices and cultures of 12 major research universities that are leading the way in promoting technology-oriented economic development in their states and communities. Each university is analyzed by a case study which provides information about external partnerships, including industry research partnerships, technology transfer, industrial extension and technical assistance, entrepreneurial development, industry education/training partnerships, and career services and placement. The case studies also look at each institution’s enablers, particularly the university’s culture and rewards.
Assessing the Effectiveness of Technology Transfer Offices at U.S. Research Universities
E. Rogers, et al., published in The Journal of the Association of University Technology Managers
Since passage of the 1980 Bayl-Dole Act, almost all U.S. research universities have established an office of technology licensing intended to facilitate technology transfer to private companies. To measure the effectiveness of these offices, the authors develop a six-item scale to measure its effectiveness for 131 U.S. research universities. The study finds that those universities which prove to be relatively more effective in technology transfer are characterized by (1) higher average faculty salaries, (2) a larger number of staff for technology licensing, (3) a higher value of private gifts, grants and contracts, and (4) more R&D funding from industry and federal sources.
Industry Perspectives on Licensing University Technologies: Sources and Problems
J. Thursby et al., published in The Journal of the Association of University Technology Managers
This second study presents report results of a survey of industry licensing executives. The survey found that the most important source of university technologies were personal contacts between their R&D staff and university personnel. While the least important sources were marketing efforts by universities and canvassing of universities, a number of executives did indicate that they were important. For those who do not license-in from universities, the most important reasons for not licensing-in (other than limited overall license-in activities) were reasons related to the nature of university research. A number cited university policies regarding delay of publication and ownership.
Events
3rd European Forum for Innovative Enterprises
Stockholm, 8-9 April, 2002
This 3rd forum organized by the European Commission will continue the series of innovation forums looking at the latest trends in creation and development of innovative start-ups. The event is designed for PAXIS partners, decision makers at local, regional and national levels, business support representatives, financing organizations, participants in the technology transfer process and other players involved in the start-up development. The Forum will look at successful approaches for innovative start-up creation with discussions on related policy issues involving Commissioner Liikanen, Mayors of European cities and internationally renowned innovation specialists. Topics to be covered include academia as business generator, cities as business incubators and change as business opportunity.
The Regional Innovation Forum Roundtable VII
Ottawa 8-9 April, 2002
This year’s Roundtable will focus on building emerging technology clusters for economic growth with the understanding that new technology waves will continue to drive regional economics. For this premier Ottawa event, internationally recognized speakers and experts on key emerging technologies will present perspectives for cluster growth. The Regional Innovation Forum for Ottawa is a joint initiative of the National Research Council, the Ottawa Centre for Research and Innovation and the Ottawa Life Sciences Council. See also the preprogram booklet andregistration form.
2002 Knowledge Management Conference: Driving Business Results through Knowledge Management
Toronto, 16-17 April, 2002
The Conference Board of Canada’s 2002 Knowledge Management Conference examines design, application and implementation with practical solutions, tools and techniques related knowledge management. Questions to be addressed will be how to organize for results, how to put business processes, technology and people together and how to make knowledge management relevant to, and a driver of, business results.
CITO InnoTalk: Attracting Angel Investors
Toronto, 18 April, 2002
This Innotalk will feature angel members of the recently formed Angel Investors Canada organization, a group of entrepreneurs with track records of success in building companies from the ground up. They will address the issues and answer audience questions.
METI International Conference on Socio-Economic Evaluation of Public R&D
Hirakawa-cho, 18-19 April 2002
This conference, organized by the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) and New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO), will focus on perspectives and techniques for evaluating the socioeconomic impact of research and development. Also to be discussed is the future directions of such evaluations and the building of a related human resources network involved in the evaluation process. The conference is part of a Japanese initiative to support the Government Policy Evaluation Act and, “National Guideline on the Method of Evaluation for Government R&D” announced in June 2001.
Fifth Annual Milken Institute Global Conference: Building Prosperity in an Interdependent World
Los Angeles, 22-24 April, 2002
For this year’s Global Conference, The Milken Institute is joined by Forbes in producing the Global Conference that will host more than 100 expert panelists in debates of top issues on some 30 panels. The world’s foremost business executives, financiers and money managers will join leading scientists, academics, Nobel laureates and the media in examining the events of the past year, putting them in historical perspective, and debating what lies ahead. Sub-themes include:Financial Capital, Business: “The Real Economy”, Global Issues, Regional Realities Human Capital, Social Capital.
CITO/OCRI InnoTalk: Gaining A Competitive Advantage Through Patents
Ottawa, 23 April, 2002
This InnoTalk features three experts who will present various aspects of the patent process. The presentations will include an examination of the correlation between patents and competitive advantage — including gains in market access and impact to competitors and investors. In addition, an overview of the patent process will be provided with an examination of the effect of business plans on patent strategies. The final presentation will deliver a case study on patent use.
Ottawa, 23-24 April, 2002
This two day conference and trade show will bring together Canadian and International leaders, experts and visionaries in “smart” community development to explore application development, infrastructure technology and the community partnership building that leads to smart services implementation. With 50 conference speakers and a trade show with an attendance of over 8,000, the summit aims to provide all the necessary contacts, information and learning to help communities move in the “smart” direction. Keynote speakers include Dr Andrew Cohill, Director of the Blacksburg Electronic Village (BEV) at Virginia Tech, Lynn Anderson, VP Marketing, Hewlett Packard and Brad Westpfahl, Director, Government Industry Programs, IBM.
16th International Conference on Business Incubation: Explore Your World, Enrich Your Community
Toronto, 28 April – 1 May, 2002
Sponsored by the National Business Incubation Association and the Toronto Business Development Centre this international conference brings together industry leaders from around the world for four days of knowledge sharing and networking. Along with pre-conference workshops, the conference includes three days of educational sessions and roundtable discussions covering incubation’s latest topics.
CABI’s 11th Annual Conference on Business Incubation
Toronto, 1-3 May, 2002
This year’s Canadian Association of Business Incubators conference features wide range of plenary sessions on most aspects of business incubators. These include best models for incubation, best practices in program development, incubators and their role in cluster creation, marketing, financing and impact measurement.
Innovation in an Evolving Economy
Ottawa, 6-7 May, 2002
Statistics Canada’s Economic Conference 2002 will be focusing on the investments required to meet the challenges of rapidly changing economic and social realities. The event will include several plenary sessions featuring invited guest speakers who are leading authorities in their fields. It will also include presentations in which participants will discuss research providing new perspectives on topics related to one of the following sub-themes: ‘Investing in a competitive Canada’, ‘Investing in the global context’, ‘Investing in infrastructure’ and, ‘Investing in an innovative work force’.
Industrial Dynamics of the New and Old Economy – who is embracing whom?
Copenhagen, 6-8 June, 2002
DRUID’s Summer Conference for 2002 aims to contribute to a more satisfactory understanding of the economic and organizational mechanisms underlying the current ICT-based technological and entrepreneurial growth dynamics and to examine the interface and spillovers between the new and old sectors of the economy. Plenary sessions will be organized along four themes: Technical Change, Corporate Dynamics & Innovation, Production and Use of Knowledge in the Old & New Economy, New Competition Policies and Intellectual Property Rights, and Organisation of Internet Industry Dynamics. Both senior and junior scholars are invited to participate and contribute with a paper to one of the parallel sessions, which will be part of the conference.
The KANSAI´2002 Conference – Integrating Regional and Global Initiatives in the Learning Society
Kansai (Japan), 12-15 August, 2002
This 6th International Conference on Technology Policy and Innovation will focus on economic, political, technological, ethical, and social transformations associated with the emerging global issue of knowledge for development. Participants are encouraged to present original research and to share best practices. Conference topics will include: emerging issues in science and technology government policy, the management of knowledge socioeconomic development, the geography of innovation shared prosperity and sustainability, and the tools, methods and institutions regional and global systems of knowledge creation.
Seventh International S&T Indicators Conference
Karlsruhe, 25-28 September 2002
This conference, organized by The Fraunhofer ISI and the University of Karlsruhe, will look at whether appropriate indicators can clarify the debate on knowledge societies and the broad, radical conversion of modes of knowledge production that are claimed to accompany the shift. The main themes to be addressed include: trends and challenges in the development of novel, advanced S&T Indicators; validity and adequacy of S&T indicators; indicators reflecting modes of knowledge production; combination and integration of quantitative and qualitative approaches; and S&T Indicators for the assessment of policy effects. Deadline for submission of abstracts is April 30, 2002.
Cities And Regions In The 21st Century
Newcastle upon Tyne, 17-18 September 2002
To mark their 25th year, the Centre for Urban and Regional Development Studies (CURDS) has organized this conference to critically examines current debates in urban and regional development studies and the prospects for cities and regions over the next quarter century. Issues to be discussed include: the way in which cities and regions shape – and are shaped by – the activities and experiences of their citizens; territorial differentiation of life chances and access to services within, and between, cities and regions; the application of theories of clusters, innovation systems and knowledge-based development to the understanding of regional dynamics and their translation into policy and the revived interest in cities as motors of their regional economies.Deadline for submission of abstracts is April 26, 2002.
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This newsletter is prepared by Jen Nelles.
Project manager is David A. Wolfe.