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Issue #7 November 1, 2000
Announcements
Studies
& Publications: Editor's Pick | E-
Commerce | Innovation & Related Policy | University Research | IT
Research
Initiatives
Events
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This newsletter is published by ONRIS at the Centre for International Studies, University of Toronto, and jointly sponsored by the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade and the Ministry of Energy, Science and Technology. The views and ideas expressed in this newsletter do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the Ontario Government.
Next issue: November 15th, 2000
ANNOUNCEMENTS [Table of Contents]
Ottawa
to spend $1 billion on Internet initiative
The federal government is
formulating a plan to spend well over $1 billion to allow every community
in Canada to have extra-fast access to the Internet by 2004. Liberal cabinet
minister John Manley spent his last day on the job as Industry Minister
yesterday announcing a task force that will design a strategy to bring
high-speed broadband Internet services to every town and village, no matter
how small. The strategy will give rural areas on-line health care,
efficient direct learning and business opportunities intended to prevent
highly educated and business-oriented young people from leaving home to
find jobs in the city, Mr. Manley said. [Globe and Mail]
Ontario
E-Commerce Law passed
Bill 88, the Electronic
Commerce Act was passed by the Ontario Legislative Assembly, after third
reading debate on October 10, 2000. Support for the bill was unanimous.
The Act will promote the use of information technology in commercial and
other transactions by resolving legal uncertainties and removing statutory
barriers that affect electronic communication.
NSF
recommends funding for 24 partnerships to foster local innovation
The National Science Foundation
(NSF) has recommended awards for 24 projects in communities around the
country to help translate knowledge gained from basic research into new
products, businesses and services, as well as to provide workforce education
and training opportunities focused on innovation. Averaging some
$600 000 over two to three years, these awards will support the building
of creative interactions in local communities between colleges and universities,
government agencies, foundations and private corporations.
EDITOR'S PICK [Table of Contents
Comparison
of High-Tech Industries in Major North American Metropolitan Areas
This study, carried out
by E&B Data and of Montreal and PricewaterhouseCoopers breaks, ranks
major metropolitan areas in North America by employment figures in 3 industries:
IT, biopharmaceutical and aerospace for the 15 largest metro areas in NA.
The findings are based on a survey of of more than 10,000 companies conducted
between October 1999 and May 2000 placing Toronto and Montreal seventh
and ninth, respectively, in terms of the highest employment levels.
Statcan
Innovation Analysis Bulletin
The September 2000 issue
of the tri-annual Innovation Analysis Bulletin is now available.
Included are updates on commercialization of federal government and university
research, biotechnology reports and e-commerce statistics.
E-COMMERCE [Table of Contents]
Canadian
entrepreneurs racing to adopt e-commerce
Canadian small businesses
are adopting electronic commerce at an increasingly fast rate, according
to one of Canada's largest surveys on small business and e-commerce.
Conducted by SES Canada Research, the SES Web Entrepreneurship Survey of
1,000 Canadian small businesses found that: Canadian small business
decision-makers bought and sold approximately $760 million on-line during
the twelve month period ending in the Spring of 2000. This represents
a $90 million growth in annualized e-commerce activities.
INNOVATION & RELATED POLICY [Table of Contents]
Innovation
in the Governance of Product-System Innovation: the Silicon Valley Model
Aoki M., Stanford Institute
for Economic Policy Research
The subject of this paper
is the Silicon Valley model as a new coordination-cum-governance mechanism
of technological product-system innovation. The thrust of the arguments
is: in order to understand the truly innovative nature of the Silicon Valley
phenomena and its implications beyond Silicon Valley, it is necessary to
grasp it as a coherent system composed of a cluster of entrepreneurial
firms on the one hand, and various intermediaries, such as venture capitalists,
leading firms in relevant niche markets, and other professional service
providers, on the other.
SME
policy and the Regional Dimension of Innovation: Towards a New Paradigm
for Innovation Policy?
Nauwelaers C., Wintjes
R., MERIT, University of Maastricht
Based on a study of 40 innovation
policy instruments in 11 European regions, the paper argues that the main
role for innovation policy, which aims to increase the capacity of a region
and the capabilities of its SMEs to innovate, is to foster interactive
learning with the firms and within the region. The paper also deals
with the question of how to build a coherent portfolio of policy instruments,
taking into account both regional situations and specific innovation related
needs of SMEs.
The
Network Competence - Performance Relationship: Effects and Moderators
Ritter T., School of
Management, University of Bath
This paper looks at inter-organizational
relationship and network management, assessing the impact of the company-specific
ability to handle, use and exploit inter-organizational relationships,
or network competence, on performance measures.
Innovation
& Services: New Conceptual Frameworks
Howells J., CRIC/PREST
This paper questions some
of the assumptions behind the issue of services and the innovation process
and reviews how they are becoming more important within the innovation
process as well as some of the fundamental changes that are taking place
within service innovation.
Towards
Greater Entrepreneurial Dynamism Interactions of Innovation and Education
Commissioned by the Department
of Trade and Industry, UK, and the Federal Ministry of Economics
and Technology, Germany, this document explores the interactions between
the education systems and innovation in Germany and the United Kingdom
(UK). Included are presents policy implications, some statistics
on innovation-related activities in the two countries and summarises information
relating to the six elements.
Science,
Technology and Industry Outlook: 2000 Edition
This year's report examines
the roles of science, technology and innovation in the economy, the extent
to which OECD economies are becoming knowledge-based, trends in investment
in knowledge and, whether technological change and innovation help explain
differences in economic growth.
UNIVERSITY RESEARCH [Table of Contents]
Ranking
of Canadian Universities by Observatoire des Sciences et Technologies (OST)
Governments in Canada want
to evaluate universities more systematically that they did in the past.
The only information they have to that end is the contested Macleans' ranking.
OST publishes today the second edition of its Canadian universities performance
in research in natural sciences, engineering and biomedical sciences.
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY [Table of Contents]
Canada
leads the way in deployment of fiber networks
A recent report by CRU Monitor
(Optical Fiber and Fiber Optica Cable) lists Canada as the number one in
country in terms of percentage growth of fiber networks deployment and
production.
| Growth in deployment of fiber
networks -- 1999/2000 Canada 63.1% USA 38.8% Germany 33.1% France 29.4% |
Growth in production and manufacturing
of fiber cables -- 1999/2000 Canada 74.6% France 68.9% Germany 50.5% USA 37.5% |
RESEARCH INITIATIVES [Table of Contents]
IT
Labour Market in Canada
The Software Human Resource
Council is involved in the Mapping the IT Labour Market project and will
be disseminating the findings in keeping with its role as sector council
representing software professionals in Canada. For a Status Report
on the project, go to Career Software Dynamics and click on Status Report
by following this link:
LINKS [Table of Contents]
Torontotech.com
TorontoTech.com lists events
and activities relevant to the Greater Toronto Area's advanced technology
industries. This directory includes association events and programs presented
by organizations providing service to the industry. TorontoTech.com is
supported by the Greater Toronto Technology Alliance, associations working
together.
Infrastructure
Canada Web Site
The Treasury Board Secretariat
has established a web site listing the latest infrastructure partnership
agreements signed by Canadian provinces and the Federal government.
This includes These infrastructure agreements which include telecommunications
and high-speed Internet access for local public institutions..
EVENTS [Table of Contents]
Knowledge
as the New Organizational and Societal Wealth in the 21st Century
November 7, National
Arts Centre, Ottawa
Dr. Lester Thurow,
professor of management and economics at MIT and author, will speak on
how knowledge and innovation are translating into new forms of organizational
and societal wealth around the world. He will share his thinking on the
new connected economy, governance models, innovation and complexity theory,
scientific breakthroughs and other fascinating topics reshaping our world.
This event, hosted by the Canadian Centre for Management Development and
Treasury Board, is an excellent opportunity to network with CEOs, political
leaders and private sector executives. Cost: - $225
Pacific
Rim Biotechnology Conference and BioExpo 2000
November 12-16, Vancouver
Sponsored by this year by
BIOTECanada and BC Biotechnology Alliance Pacific, the Pacific Rim Biotechnology
Conference is led by an 11 member International Organizing Committee from
Australia, Canada, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, New
Zealand, Malaysia, Thailand, and the United States of America. Sessions
will explore both science and business issues and include a full trade
show with over 70 exhibitors.
E-business
Strategy and SMARTsourcing Conference
November 13-15, New York
City
This event will allow e-business
and IT services providers to demonstrate their products and services to
key decision-makers from a variety of industries and business disciplines.
In addition, the latest e-business trends, ideas and opportunities will
be presented and discussed by industry leaders in a number of seminars,
panels and forums. The New York Consulate will support PEMD (Project of
Export Market Development) applications from qualified Canadian companies.
This program offers low interest loans for companies with revenue under
$ 10 billion. These loans can be used for exhibitor participation in a
trade show like SmartSourcing. Please contact your local Industry Canada
office to begin the application process.
Luncheon
Lecture: E- Commerce to M-Commerce: Business in an Online Age
November
16, Toronto
A
presentation of CITO and the North York Chamber of Commerce
Bell
Sympatico-Lycos Inc's Marc Tellier will discuss recent trends in e-commerce,
including business-to-business, business-to-consumer and the emerging mobile
commerce (dubbed m-commerce) segments. He will also discuss how the recent
deal with Thompson and the anticipated creation of a new $4 billion Canadian
multimedia company will enhance Bell Canada's Internet reach in Canada
and around the world. For additional information or to register,
please contact: Amy Ruddell, North York Chamber of Commerce, Telephone:
416.226.9345. Cost: CITO/NYCC Members: $35.00 Non-Members: $45.00
CITO/OCRI
Techtalk Workshop on User Interface Technologies
November 21, Ottawa
This research TechTalk workshop
examines the range of issues surrounding the design of usable, accessible
and desirable systems from the user's perspective. Special topics that
will be addressed include key questions about home interaction devices
and the human and social issues of the broadband home, design issues for
new consumer wireless communications devices and, design issues affecting
successful services for the World Wide Web.
CANARIE's
6th Advanced Networks Workshop: "The Networked Nation"
November 28-29,
Montreal
CANARIE, Canada's Advanced
Internet Development Organization, is hosting its 6th Annual Advanced Networks
Workshop. This year's theme, "The Networked Nation", will focus on application
architectures, "grids" made up of customer owned dark fiber and next generation
Internet networks like CA*net 3 that will ultimately lead to the development
of the networked nation where eventually every school, home and business
will have high bandwidth connection to the Internet.
Policy
Agendas for Sustainable Technological Innovation
December 1-3, London,
England
This is the third of four
conferences organized as part of the European POSTI project: "Policies
for Sustainable Technological Innovation". The London conference
will focus on the policy implications of Science, Technology and Society
(STS) research on socially, economically and environmentally acceptable
technological innovation. It will draw upon the body of recent and current
post-graduate and post-doctoral research in Europe as well as the work
of senior academic researchers in STS and professionals in the world of
policy research, development and implementation.
Ottawa
Life Science National Conference and Exhibition: The BioProducts Revolution
December 4-6, Ottawa
This will be the Ottawa
Life Science Council's 7th annual national conference. Sessions include
an examination of biotechnology's impact on the health and agriculture
fields and on the financing of biotech start-up companies.
The
5th International Conference on Technology, Policy and Innovation
June 26-29, 2001, Netherlands Congress Centre, The Hague
Theme: Critical Infrastructures
Abstract submission deadline:
December 15, 2000
The conference focuses on
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.
WILL YOU BE ONE OF OUR REGIONAL REPORTERS? [Table of Contents]
SUBSCRIPTIONS & COMMENTS [Table of Contents]
This Newsletter is prepared
by Tijs Creutzberg and Matthew Lucas.
Project manager is David
A. Wolfe.
