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
Provincial and Federal Governments Invest in Innovation and Skills for a Strong Economy
The Honourable David L. Emerson, federal Minister of Industry, and the Honourable Joseph Cordiano, Ontario Minister of Economic Development and Trade, recently announced support to DaimlerChrysler Canada Inc. (DCCI) as part of the company’s planned investments in its Windsor and Brampton, Ontario operations. The Government of Canada has committed a $46 million investment, and the Government of Ontario has committed $76.8 million through the Ontario Automotive Investment Strategy to support DaimlerChrysler’s $768 million investment. The investments are critical to ensuring the industry’s competitiveness in a global market place.
NRC Links Photonic Partners to Create an International Commercialization Alliance
The International Photonics Commercialization Alliance (IPCA) was officially announced recently in Boston at the 9th Annual Executive Symposium on Emerging Business Opportunities in Photonics. This North American alliance was created to provide links between Canadian and American photonic organizations. Dr. Pierre Coulombe, President of the National Research Council Canada, Mr. David R. Smith, CEO of Infotonics Technology Center in New York state and Dr. Donald Fraser, Director of Boston University’s Photonics Center, made the announcement. The mission of the IPCA is to provide leadership and support internationally for the commercialization of photonic technologies. The IPCA will offer its members assistance in all aspects of commercialization and will cultivate an environment where entrepreneurs, investors and researchers can exchange ideas.
Editor's Pick
Anders Malmberg and Peter Maskell, DRUID
The concept of localized learning outlines how local conditions and spatial proximity between actors enable the formation of distinctive cognitive repertoires and influence the generation and selection of skills, processes and products within a field of knowledge or activity. The localized learning argument consists of two distinct yet related elements. One has to do with localized capabilities that enhance learning while the other concerns the possible benefits that firms with similar or related activities may accrue by locating in spatial proximity of one another. This essay disentangle these two inherent elements of the concept, reviews some of the critiques that have been raised against it, and sort out some misunderstandings attached to its present use.
Innovation Policy
Rebalancing Priorities for Prosperity
The Institute for Competitiveness and Prosperity
This report concludes that Ontarians need to rebalance economic priorities and policies by investing more today to achieve full economic potential and prosperity in the future. Ontario has built one of the most successful economies in the world, but the Task Force’s report demonstrates that Ontario has a widening prosperity gap with its peer group of North American jurisdictions. The key to closing this prosperity gap, the report argues, is higher productivity – the increased capability of Ontarians to add more value to the physical, human, and capital resources in the province. But to achieve this Ontarians need to choose a different path and focus on rebalancing priorities to increase investment for the future and decrease current consumption.
Looking Forward: S&T for the 21st Century
NRC
It is possible for Canada to become the most influential mid-sized nation in the world by understanding the drivers and dynamics drifts of the new world order, by building on its strengths and transforming into a leading society and economy. This report begins to explore some of those drivers and dynamics, illustrate Canada ‘s situation and advantage, and highlight how science and technology (S&T) will make a difference.
Toronto Region Research Alliance, TRRA
This report examines the state of innovation in the Toronto region. While it identifies many strengths in the local economy – it is home to one of the leading biomedical research complexes in North America, world-beating strength in software, wireless and other information and communication technology fields, and cutting-edge capabilities in materials science and advanced manufacturing – there are still challenges to be met. The TRRA calls on business, finance, research, and political leaders to move to a new level of collaboration within the region to compete more effectively with the rest of the world.
The Knowledge Economy
How Next Generation Networks are Producing a “Techcom” Revolution
Information Technology Association of America, ITAA
For years, there has been talk about the coming convergence of key information technology sectors. This whilte paper says that convergence is finally here, and that it will have profound effects on business. The study focused on key technology trends such as the emergence of always-on multi-use devices, and the delegation of network control away from the center and toward a network’s edges. The emergence of this next-generation internet protocol network meansit is going to trigger a revolutionary boom in new products, services, and technologies. This should trigger tremendous productivity gains, but it will also challenge incumbent industries, such as cable, telecommunications and information technology. These shifts will in turn create major public policy debates over privacy, spectrum use, and market competition.
Cities, Clusters & Regions
Michael S. Dahl, Christian Ø.R. Pedersen and Bent Dalum, DRUID
How can the growth of regional clusters be explained? This paper studies in great detail the growth of the wireless communication cluster in Northern Denmark. Unlike the dominant theories, this paper argues that initial success of the first firms are the main driving force behind the generation of new firms that eventually lead to the formation of clusters. The success of the first firms tends to generate spin-offs, which become successful themselves due to the background of the founders.
Cluster Dynamics and Innovation in SMEs: The Role of Culture
Callegati Enrico and Silvia Grandi
The importance of the cultural element in the concepts of cluster, milieu, and district is undeniable. This is evident also when observing the phenomenon from a historical perspective. Evidence shows that the strength of a local economic system, and its capacity to grow and to innovate, are closely related to the pattern of knowledge (thus cultural) stratification, to the territory itself and to learning capacity. Moreover, one can observe that cultural socioeconomic elements are embedded in technology, thus they play a key role when considering the dynamics of innovation process and growth opportunities for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). In this respect, the paper presents some relevant case studies of technical assistance carried out in the field of industrial cooperation with several non-EU Mediterranean countries. In particular, the paper examines those case studies where initiatives were set up with a view to encourage cluster dynamics in regions (i.e. Aleppo, Syria or Yazd, Iran), where the main sector of activity (textile and clothing industry) is historically and culturally based. In particular, several factors were involved, such as the cohesion of stakeholders for the creation of innovation, the development of
new products, and the competitive advantages for the local productive system.
Statistics & Indicators
Alberta Innovation Scorecard 2005
THECIS
The purpose of the scorecard is to increase understanding of innovation in Alberta by telling the story of innovation in the province through a set of metrics and illustrative examples, so as to provide a basis for action by decision makers. It attempts to combine quantitative and qualitative information with informed judgement. It also tries to communicate new understanding of how innovation actually happens. This report differs from an economic scorecard in that it looks at a number of non-economic factors. It differs from a science and technology report in that it looks at the whole innovation cycle, from invention through to commercialization, including diffusion through the whole economy.
Oslo Manual: Guidelines for Collecting and Interpreting Innovation Data, 3rd Edition
OECD
The ability to determine the scale of innovation activities, the characteristics of innovative firms and the internal and systemic factors that can influence innovation is a prerequisite for the pursuit and analysis of policies aimed at fostering innovation. The Oslo Manual is the foremost international source of guidelines for the collection and use of data on innovation activities in industry. This third edition, published in October 2005, has been updated to take into account the progress made in understanding the innovation process and its economic impact, and the experience gained from recent rounds of innovation surveys in OECD member and non-member countries. For the first time, the Manual investigates the field of non-technological innovation and the linkages between different innovation types. It also includes an annex on the implementation of innovation surveys in developing countries.
AUTM
The Association of University Technology Managers (AUTM) has released the 92-page summary report for its 14th annual survey of university licensing, revealing steady growth in the field. AUTM U.S. Licensing Survey: FY 2004 provides quantitative information about licensing activities at universities, hospitals and research institutions across North America. With a 25 percent increase above 2003 figures in the number of starts-ups formed as a result of academic research, the 2004 survey reverses declines posted in each of the two previous surveys. Also, the survey found that at least 635 new products were introduced to the market during the year.
Events
Discovery 2006: Bridging the Innovation to Commercialization Gap
Toronto, 7 February, 2006
Ontario Centres of Excellence Inc. brings leading edge innovators and thought leaders together in an annual conference. Discovery 2006: Bridging the Innovation to Commercialization Gap assembles the world’s best from business, academia and government to explore issues around innovation, collaboration and commercialization — both within Ontario and globally. From practical to policy, from hands-on to hypothetical, Discovery 2006 will bring together the issues and the people that drive innovation to commercial and competitive outcomes.
Ottawa, 16 – 17 May, 2006
The Statistics Canada Socio-economic Conference provides an annual forum for empirical research focusing on issues of concern to Canadian public policy. The conference focuses on studies discussing: emerging economic trends and their underlying causes;
and the social implications of economic trends and the ability of various groups to participate in the economy. Topics relevant to the Conference include, but are not restricted to, innovation; productivity; international trade; agriculture; environment-economy linkages; natural resources and energy; transportation; industrial development; urban and rural development; health; education; families; income and wealth and their distribution; and labour markets. The Conference focuses on studies directly relevant to Canada, while at the same time welcoming comparative international studies that shed light on Canadian public policy issues. It places a premium on empirical studies making innovative use of Canadian data.
Changing Foresight Practices in Regional Development: Global Pressures and Regional Possibilities
Turku, Finland, 7-9 June, 2006
The future of regions is dependent on proactive interaction between companies, universities and public actors. The aim of the conference is to discuss the different strategic possibilities of regions under the rapidly changing pressures of globalizing world. The key questions are: How regional actors can cope in a global economy? What are the new ways to study and explore the future of regions? How to enhance regional co-operation and networking? What are the strategic keys to prosperous regional futures? Does creativity strengthen regions? How general foresight and development theories can strengthen regional development in practice? How companies can shape their regional strategies in globalizing economy? The conference will consist of several keynote addresses and parallel sessions.
Athens, Greece, 11-14 June, 2006
The 2006 International Society for Professional Innovation Management (ISPIM) Conference will be held in Athens this summer. Many topics will be discussed such as: academic-industry networks for innovation, learning and the entrepreneurial mindset, managing knowledge, SMEs: opportunities & threats, public policy to stimulate networks. Deadline for submitting an abstract: January 27, 2006.
The Future of Science Technology and Innovation Policy
Sussex, 11-13 September, 2006
This conference, besides celebrating the 40th Anniversary of SPRU (Science and Technology Policy Research), offers the opportunity to engage in a critical evaluation of the present and future research agenda of the Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) field. This conference seeks to explore empirical, theoretical and applied policy approaches that can enable us to conceptualize the contradictory nature of modern science and technology and innovation, and thus provide practical policy guidance. Such a conference is particularly timely because many of the existing conceptual frameworks are apparently undergoing a period of what Kuhn called ‘normal science’ where their assumptions are rarely questioned, and where they are institutionally and academically isolated from criticism. We aim to identify fruitful new ways forward in the field of STI policy by subjecting these established frameworks to structured debate and critical evaluation. The conference will be organised in the form of plenary sessions, parallel sessions and set debates. It will cover a series of broad themes. These include: Ownership, Accountability and Relevance of Science – for example, the deficiencies of peer review, the pros and cons of patenting in universities, the shifting boundary between public and private knowledge, and processes for allocating resources between disciplines. Technology, Security and Sustainability – for example, the dual relationship between technology and security, changing environment and energy policy, the balance between sustainability and growth, and the role of technology in sustainable development. Dynamics of Innovation Interfaces – for example, the management and dynamics of innovation across different levels (such as individuals, groups, firms, sectors, networks and systems), user-centred innovation processes vs. producer-centred innovation processes, and the connection between innovation and entrepreneurship.
New Generation Innovation: New Approaches and Policy Designs – Call for papers 
Atlanta, 27-29 September, 2006
Particular areas of interest include: new developments in university-industry relationships, new strategies for technology-based local and regional economic development, technology transfer to and from the public sector, trajectories for emerging technologies. All session proposals, paper proposals and abstracts should be submitted electronically not later than Friday, May 12, 2006.
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This newsletter is prepared by Jen Nelles.
Project manager is David A. Wolfe.