Current Issue
Archive:
Volume One
Volume Two
Volume Three
Volume Four
Volume Five
Volume Six
Volume Seven
Studies
& Publications: Announcements | Editor's Pick | Innovation
Policy | University Research
Events
Be a Regional
Reporter!
Subscriptions
& Comments
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 15, 2001
ANNOUNCEMENTS [Table of Contents]
Sponsored research up by 24% in Canada’s top 50 research universities
According to this year’s ranking of Canada’s top 50 research universities by Re$earch Money, both overall levels of sponsored research and research intensity (sponsored research income per full-time faculty) were at all time highs in 2000. Ontario universities drew in the highest level at 38% the Canadian total with the University of Toronto at the top of the list at $373 million.
Information technology industry presents blueprint for innovation
The Information Technology Association of Canada (ITAC) released a white paper on innovation calling upon the Government to fulfill its commitments to build a more innovative national economy. Seven initiatives to bolster Canada’s national capacity for innovation have been highlighted including the making of strategic investments in education, especially in areas that have a high potential for generating "commercializable" R&D, and improving access to capital so that Canadian innovators can find the financing they need in their own country. The report also notes that Canada is facing a declining number of "highly qualified" technology workers, a trend that is likely to continue unless more money is spent on education.
Australia announces major initiative to lure foreign venture capital
The Australian federal government has announced a major new program to expand private equity investment that is expected to add an additional $1 billion in foreign investment into Australia’s venture capital funds. The new rules will introduce tax concessions to non-resident investors including endowment funds and venture capital ‘fund-of-funds’ vehicles, making it more attractive for them to allocate a portion of their funds to Australian venture capital partnerships.
EDITOR'S PICK [Table of Contents]
Photo simulations of land efficient urban development
Here are several interesting computer-generated images from Joint Venture Silicon Valley that demonstrate how communities can manage and direct growth in ways that minimize damage to the environment, reduce "sprawl", and build livable towns and cities. The images are based on a set of development principles such as mixing land uses, taking advantage of compact building design, creating housing opportunities, creating walkable communities, and fostering distinctive, attractive communities with a strong sense of place.
INNOVATION & RELATED POLICY [Table of Contents]
The Key Characteristics of Sectoral Knowledge Bases: An International Comparison
S. Brusoni & A. Geuna,
SPRU
This paper builds upon and extends existing studies of scientific and technological specialization by proposing a broader theoretical framework to compare sectoral knowledge bases across countries. It puts forward the concepts of knowledge persistence (analyzed as the evolution of specialization over time), and knowledge integration (evolution of specialization across different typologies of research) as the relevant dimensions along which knowledge bases can be mapped. The authors argue that countries with high degrees of both persistence and integration (e.g. the US in pharmacology) are the most likely sources of useful research results for EU firms’ innovative efforts in the pharmaceutical sector.
The Generation & Selection Of Successful Research Projects
R. Coombs, R. Ford and L. Georghiou on behalf of the Technology
Strategy Forum
This study reviews what is understood of ‘best practice’ in the generation and selection of research projects and concludes with the identification of some of its elements in the field of longer-term research project creation and management. The problem of ‘best practice’ is, according to the authors, intimately linked to both the existing organizational structure of the company and the ultimate business vision and strategy of the corporation. The study was conducted through a series of case studies, which investigated and compared a small number of global companies believed to be leaders in this area, namely Hewlett-Packard (Palo Alto labs, California), IBM (Watson labs, New York State), 3M (Technical Centre, St Paul), Corning (New York State), Nokia (Finland), Philips (Eindhoven, Netherlands), Johnson Matthey (Sonning Common, UK).
UNIVERSITY RESEARCH [Table of Contents]
DRUID stipends for Canadian master students
Two fellowship stipends of $150,000 each are available to North American applicants wishing to enroll in the Doctoral Program on Industrial Dynamics at the DRUID (Danish Research Unit in Industrial Dynamics) Academy beginning June 1, 2002. DRUID, which is affiliated with the Copenhagen Business School, pursues a research agenda that focuses on the theory and empirics of the firm, inter-firm learning processes, systems of innovation and spatial economics, and technology and international trade. Applicants must have obtained a Masters degree or equivalent in economics, business, management, economic geography or other social sciences from a US or Canadian university.
J. Bound, et al, NBER
Under the assumption that highly skilled workers are potentially mobile, this paper investigates how the production of undergraduate and graduate education at the state level affects the local stock of university-educated workers. Using data from the U.S., the authors find a modest link between the production and use of BA degree recipients, a finding that may be explained by local industries expanding the production of goods that use college-educated workers intensively. The research also found that states awarding relatively large numbers of BA degrees in each cohort have somewhat higher concentrations of college-educated workers.
EVENTS [Table of Contents]
Toronto, 5-8 November, 2001
The 2001 IBM Centre for Advanced Studies Conference invites researchers and developers from IBM, universities, government agencies, and their industry partners to present their latest technological undertakings. One of the key components of CASCON is the technology showcase where CASCON provides an interactive forum for researchers and developers to meet and interact in a friendly atmosphere. The deadline for registering posters and demos for CASCON 2001 is Monday, October 1, 2001.
ITAC’s Second Annual Who's Who in IT:
Ontario Cluster Building Event
Toronto,
November 8, 2001
In an effort to build and strengthen Ontario’s IT industry, ITAC (Information Technology Association of Canada for Ontario) has dedicated this year’s ‘Who’s Who in IT’ conference to giving IT companies in Ontario a forum for introducing themselves and telling each other what they are doing. Following a keynote address, 25 Canadian companies from different parts of the IT industry will introduce themselves, explain their products, and be available for one-on-one meetings.
Meeting Canada's R&D Challenge: Moving from 15th to 5th in Global R&D
Ottawa, 13 November, 2001
RE$EARCH MONEY, Canada's leading source of news and analysis for the R&D community, in partnership with NSERC, CFI and others, will bring together some of Canada's most influential thinkers to debate how Canada can improve its R&D performance over the next decade. Meeting Canada's R&D Challenge is a must for anyone who is involved in research, development or policy. If you want to participate in helping Canada become Number Five in Global R&D, this conference is for you.
Regional Innovation Observatories and
Technology Watch
Póvoa de Varzim (Portugal), 8-9 November, 2001
This workshop, organized by TecMinho, the Innovation
Relay Centres and Innovating Regions in Europe Central Unit, aims at
promoting the exchange of information and presenting good practices on
technology watch at two levels. The first is at the level of policy makers, particularly for enhancing
the services that can be provided by Regional Innovation Observatories. The
workshop will demonstrate how to set up Innovation Observatories, the
methodologies they use and the role they play in guiding regional innovation
policies. The second level focuses
on technology watch services to companies, particularly SMEs, emphasizing the
role that can be played by IRCs.
2001 Innovation Conference: Investing In Innovation
Montreal, 19-20 November, 2001
This Conference Board of Canada event focuses on the critical necessity to increase investment for innovation, presenting helpful tools and lessons learned from practitioners, and discussing what it means for the country, organizations and individuals. The conference will help executives, managers and entrepreneurs in any organization to create the kind of culture that encourages the constant effort to find and invest in new answers, new ideas and new products. Stakeholders for this event include the business community, the financial community, the education system and all levels of government.
Building Canada's National Innovation
Infrastructure
Toronto, 27-29 November, 2001
CANARIE's 7th Annual Advanced Networks Workshop will explore how community
broadband networks, provincial networking initiatives and next generation
optical networks, like the
proposed
5th Annual 'European Network on Industrial Policy' (EUNIP) Conference
Vienna, 29 November – 1 December, 2001
This EUNIP Conference will focus on the cutting edge topics in industrial and structural policy, including policies promoting growth, competitiveness and employment. Topics include industrial economics and policy, innovation policy and theory and, regulatory issues in network industries. A special session will focus on industrial policy in a knowledge-based economy.
Creating and Applying Vision in the Regions: Towards Agile and Networked Regions through Foresight
Dublin, 13 December 2001
This EC Conference focuses on regional foresight and seeks to explain how such activities may help regional policies achieve their major objectives (e.g. improvement of competitiveness, job creation, sustainable development). It will examine what good practice is in Foresight, and will unveil a practical guide for regional foresight developed through the FOREN initiative. FOREN is an EC-supported network, under the STRATA program, which has brought researchers and policymakers together to share experiences in regional foresight and to learn from each other. The conference will also showcase keynote speeches and in-depth presentations by leading figures in regional futures thinking and action.
Regional Governance in an Age of Globalization
Stuttgart, Germany, 8-9 March, 2002
This conference aims to examine and advance theories and practices in understanding regional governance in an age of globalization. The focus will be on globalization and its impact on subnational governments around the world with a particular interest in the intersection of the international with the local and regional and how this phenomenon is affecting the development of international and transnational relations on the one hand, and governance internationally, nationally, and subnationally on the other. The influence of unprecedented technological change on globalization and governance is also of interest to the conference organizers.
Rethinking Science Policy: Analytical Frameworks for Evidence-based Policy
Brighton, 21-23 March, 2002
This conference focuses on new
models for science policy, exploring the European context where traditional
foundations for science policy have been increasingly questioned during the
last few decades of science policy research as policymakers search for new
methods of harnessing scientific investigation. Twenty-six new papers, including eight invited papers by
leading authorities in the field of science policy, will be presented. Final date for acceptance of
abstracts November 1, 2001.
Raleigh, (North Carolina), 6-8 June, 2002
In an effort to establish a critical dialogue on the social and ethical dimensions of ICT, ISTAS'02 will bring together ICT professionals, computer science and engineering educators, scholars in the humanities and social sciences, students and policymakers to discuss several important and topical themes. These include electronic publishing, ICT and democratic processes, intellectual property rights in the digital era, social implications of wireless technology and gender issues in ICT. Among the plenary session speakers will be Dr. Lucy Suchman from the Department of Sociology, Lancaster University. Proposal deadline for sessions, panels, or individual papers is December 13, 2001.
WILL YOU BE ONE OF OUR REGIONAL REPORTERS? [Table of Contents]
Yes, you! In an effort to improve our coverage of Ontario's regional economies in this newsletter, we are looking for a few people who are 'plugged in' to the latest local economic development and innovation happenings in their regions. All we ask is that you send us a short message once a month highlighting recent news and research initiatives from your region - please forward items that you would like to share with newsletter recipients, as well as other items of interest, to: onris.progris@utoronto.ca.
SUBSCRIPTIONS & COMMENTS [Table of Contents]
Please forward this newsletter to
anyone you think will find it of value. We look forward to collaborating with
you on this initiative. If you would like to comment on the content,
subscribe or unsubscribe, please contact us as onris.progris@utoronto.ca.
This newsletter is prepared by Tijs Creutzberg.
Project manager is David A. Wolfe.
