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Next issue: August 15, 2002
ANNOUNCEMENTS [Table of Contents]
New Brunswick restructures economic development agencies as “Enterprise Network”
Rebranded and restructured under the heading the Enterprise Network, New Brunswick’s 15 economic development agencies are now local Enterprise Agencies, a move which reflects the province’s new focus on a community-based economic development strategy for New Brunswick. The local agencies in the Network represent a major new commitment from the federal, provincial and participating municipal governments to community-driven economic development.
Half of U.S R&D Concentrated in Six U.S. States
R&D is substantially concentrated in a small number of states,
according to a recent National Science Foundation report. In 1999, the most
recent year for which these data are available, the 20 highest ranking states
in R&D expenditures accounted for 86 percent of the U.S. total, while the
lowest ranking 20 states accounted for only 5 percent. The six states with
the highest levels of R&D expenditures—California, Michigan, New York,
Texas, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania (in decreasing order of
magnitude)—accounted for one-half of the entire national effort.
EDITOR'S PICK [Table of Contents]
Measuring Third Stream Activities
SPRU Report
This report develops a framework of university indicators for analyzing of ‘third stream’ activities - those university activities beyond the core of teaching and research that reflect interactions between universities and the rest of society. Such interactions include the generation, use, application and exploitation of knowledge outside academic environments. Commissioned by the Russell Group of Universities, the report responds to signs by governments of making funding for third stream activities a permanent feature of the university funding landscape. Although the development of many of the suggested indicators is at an early stage, the suggested framework could be used to inform university management and government funding decisions.
INNOVATION & RELATED POLICY [Table of Contents]
Tuning the SR&ED Tax Incentive Program: Ideas for the ICT Sector
The Conference Board of Canada
Tax incentives for R&D investment in Canada's ICT sector are working, concludes this new study, prepared for the Information Technology Association of Canada. The study reveals that the incentives in the Scientific Research and Experimental Development Program (SR&ED), Canada’s largest federal program in support of R&D, make a difference for Canadian companies, helping them establish corporate R&D centers of excellence, grow start-up firms and attract and retain highly qualified people for R&D work. Conducted in two parts, the first examined the relationship between R&D intensity and the tax treatment of R&D in Canada’s ICT sector while the second consisted of two focus groups representing Canada's leading ICT organizations on how to enhance the competitiveness of the program.
Assessing the Socio-Economic Impacts of the Framework Programme
L. Georghiou, et al. PREST
This study examines the socio-economic assessment of the European Community Framework Programmes, providing a rigorous and defensible academic statement on the justifications for research and technological development (RTD) support and best available means of its evaluation. Included is a review of the justification of the role of RTD and its benefits, an examination of the evaluation practice of the Framework Programmes, case studies, and a summary of lessons and suitable practical evaluation principles. The report concludes with observations about future evaluation strategy in the light of recent developments at the level of the European research system.
REGIONAL INNOVATION & CLUSTERS [Table of Contents]
Governor’s Guides to economic policies
Here is a series of reports from the National Governors Association related to state policies for promoting a competitive economy. Included is A Governor's Guide to Cluster-Based Economic Development, which looks at structuring economic development policies to help make business clusters more innovative and competitive; A Governor's Guide to Trade and Global Competitiveness, which explores the changing global environment for state trade and investment promotion, emphasizing the need for companies to develop cooperative business networks; and A Governor's Guide to Building State Science and Technology Capacity, which emphasizes the importance of state innovative capacity to maintain national leadership in job and wealth creation and to compete successfully in a global economy.
Smart Growth at the Frontier: Strategies and Resources for Rural Communities
Northeast-Midwest Institute
This report reviews smart growth strategies and their challenges for rural
communities in the United States. The approach taken is based on an
examination of the market conditions that create incentives and disincentives
for rural smart growth as well as the financing tools that communities can
use to support such growth, with evidence drawn from case studies. The
process of revitalizing small towns, the linking of natural resource protection
with development, maintaining working landscapes, coordinating regional
development as well as accessing resources for shaping growth, are each
discussed in detail.
UNIVERSITIES & KNOWLEDGE [Table of Contents]
M. Tomlinson, CRIC
Using data from the 1997 UK Skills Survey, the author seeks to improve efforts to measure learning in the UK economy arguing that that this data can be used alongside more traditional economic data and innovation surveys to provide a more complete picture of the learning economy and the role of knowledge in economic systems. Among the findings is the observation that much of the dynamism of recent times is concentrated around the use of technology and HRM practices. Also observed is that such learning is also more concentrated in the new service economy than in manufacturing, an observation with important implications for policy making and competitiveness.
EVENTS [Table of Contents]
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.
From Industry to Advanced Services -
Perspectives of European Metropolitan Regions
Dortmund, 27-31 August, 2002
This year’s Congress of the European Regional Science Association focuses broadly on regional economic issues. Themed sessions include regional competitiveness, innovation and new technologies, regional and urban planning, sectoral changes and new markets, demographic trends and regional policy.
Doing Business in the New European Economy 
Toronto, 28 August, 2002
SMART Toronto, in partnership with the Greater Toronto Marketing Alliance and ITAC Ontario, have organized this breakfast session focused on doing business in the New European Union. With Dr. Wolfgang Fürniss, Brandenburg's Minister of Economic Affairs, as keynote speaker emphasis will be on the state of Brandenburg, one of Europe's up-and-coming centers of technological innovation.
Charlottetown, 8 September 8, 2002
This four-day event, themed “Where Great Ideas are Born” will not only include IT focused industries, but will explore business possibilities in the Media/Film, Education/e-Learning, Health, and Aerospace/Energy and Food/Hospitality sectors, all sectors which are providing lots of opportunities for IT companies. Participants include buyers, sellers, and facilitators from over 30 countries.
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 examine 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.
Europe's Regions Shaping the Future - the Role of Foresight
Brussels, 24 - 25 September, 2002
Involving various Commission Services, European organizations, and policy makers and experts from Member States and Candidate Countries, the conference aims at contributing to the networking of regional decision-makers, as well as foresight practitioners, promoters and stakeholders throughout Europe's regions. The first day is dedicated to inserting regional Foresight in a broader context and presenting concrete results already achieved in this field in different European regions. The second day will actively engage both promoters and sponsors of regional foresight and, practitioners and stakeholders to develop ideas for new activities to harness the potential of Foresight to contribute to the Lisbon goals.
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.
International Conference on Quality and Innovation
Waterloo, 22-23 October, 2002
Sponsored in part by the University of Waterloo and the American the
Society for Quality, this conference brings together academic researchers,
government and business leaders, and professionals to discuss and promote
ideas in the areas of quality and innovation. Topics include innovation management, leadership for
innovation, quality management and continuous improvement, quality culture
and business ethics, creativity and e-business.
CITO's Knowledge Network Conference - Where
People in Technology Converge
Ottawa, 24 October, 2002
This conference aims to further CITO’s mandate of facilitating
partnerships and knowledge exchange between industry and academic members.
The conference is a forum for over 200 of Ontario's leading researchers and
innovators to identify significant emerging technologies and explore the
issues, opportunities and challenges they present to both the research and
business communities. Among the highlights of this year's conference:
interactive research strategy sessions, research presentations by current and
upcoming innovators in communications, information technology and digital
media and commercialization workshops. Dinner keynote speaker will be Bill
Lishman.
Knowledge And Economic And Social Change: New Challenges To Innovation Studies
Manchester, 7-9 April, 2003
The purpose of this conference is to bring together the innovation studies community to focus on the current developments in the global economy, in technologies, and in political systems that are continuing to pose new challenges to analysis. Topics include: the increasing importance of the role of knowledge in the operation of the global economy; and the qualitative change in the conditions under which knowledge is exploited to create wealth, to improve the quality of life, and to move towards a sustainable ecosystem, economy and society. The conference is organized by Advances in the Economic and Social Analysis of Technology and the Institute of Innovation Research.
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.
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This newsletter is prepared by Tijs Creutzberg.
Project manager is David
A. Wolfe
