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Next issue: November 1, 2002
EDITOR'S PICK [Table of Contents]
Public
understanding of science in the OECD member countries
This OECD website presents recent activities developed in member countries that support the public understanding of science. These include: “Results of surveys on recent trends in public understanding of science”; “Fostering scientific curiosity and understanding in primary and secondary education”; “New approaches in higher education to attract young people to studies and careers in science”; and “Promoting dialogue between scientists and engineers and the public”. The information illustrates the great variety of ways that member governments go about enhancing public understanding of science.
INNOVATION & RELATED POLICY [Table of Contents]
American Formula for Growth: Federal Policy & the Entrepreneurial Economy, 1958-1998
National Commission on Entrepreneurship
This report highlights the public policy roots of the U.S. entrepreneurial economy, identifying five key areas of public policy that have supported the American model for growth through entrepreneurship. These areas include: regulation that made capital markets more accessible to entrepreneurial growth companies; R&D and intellectual property protection for new technologies; investments in workforce and education; opening of market opportunities through trade agreements and deregulation; and investments in physical, environmental and cultural infrastructure. For each area, the report identifies the specific acts and policies that came into effect over the past 40 years, with brief analyses of their impact.
Do Financial Constraints Hold Back Innovation And Growth? Evidence on the Role of Public Policy
A. Hyytinen, O. Toivanen, The Research Institute of the Finnish
This paper provides evidence that capital market imperfections hold back
innovation and growth, and that public policy can complement capital markets.
The authors study the effects of government funding on the behavior of SMEs
in Finland and show that government funding disproportionately helps firms
from industries that are dependent on external finance.
REGIONAL INNOVATION & CLUSTERS [Table of Contents]
Clusters
and Knowledge: Local Buzz, Global Pipelines and The Process of Knowledge
Creation
H. Bathelt, A. Malmberg and P. Maskell, DRUID
The paper questions the merit of the prevailing explanation that tacit knowledge transfer is confined to local milieus whereas codified knowledge may roam the globe almost frictionless. Focusing on spatial clustering of economic activity and its spatial relation to knowledge creation, a distinction is made between the learning processes taking place among actors embedded in a community by just being there (dubbed buzz), and the knowledge attained by investing in building channels of communication (called pipelines) to selected providers located outside the local milieu. The authors argue that the co-existence of high levels of buzz and many pipelines may provide firms located in outward looking and lively clusters with a string of particular advantages not available to outsiders.
European Commission
Here is a summary of the regional innovation strategies and programs (RIS/RITTS) financed by the European Commission as part of its efforts to link directly with regions to respond to their economic needs. The programs have provided financing to nearly one in five European regions (30 in total) between 2000 and 2002 on the basis of four objectives including a requirement for public-private partnership and consensus, a focus on firms’ innovation needs, and that projects be action-oriented. The report also includes an explanation of each project, its goals and a review of their impact, along with a broader set of lessons learned and policy conclusions.
KNOWLEDGE & UNIVERSITIES [Table of Contents]
The influence of R&D Expenditures on New Firm Formation and Economic Growth
B. Kirchhoff et al., BJK
Associates
This paper, prepared for the U.S. Small Business Administration and The
National Commission on Entrepreneurship, examines whether university R&D
activity affects the local rate of new firm formations and economic growth.
Using data of U.S. university R&D expenditures and of new business
formation by Labor Market Area (LMA), the authors find that university
R&D expenditures are significantly related to new firm formation in the
same LMA and that university R&D expenditures are not significantly
related to economic growth. Furthermore, the authors find that university
R&D spending is associated with localities with higher levels of human
capital, which also contributes
substantially toward generating new firms.
EVENTS [Table of Contents]
8th Annual Canadian-American Business Achievement Award and International Business Partnership Forum
Toronto, 16 October, 2002
This awards event organized by The Canadian American Business recognizes successful Canadian and American business partnerships where the innovative and successful alliances have demonstrated strong business growth, remarkable innovations and provided both partners with global advantages. Distinguished presenters include the Honourable Allan Rock, Minister, Industry Canada and his Excellency, Paul Cellucci, U. S. Ambassador to Canada. The Forum will culminate with a gala luncheon at which the Canadian American Business Achievement Award for 2002 will be presented.
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.
BioNorth 2002 9th Annual Ottawa Life Sciences International Conference and Exhibition
Ottawa 4-6 November, 2002
BioNorth 2002 is Canada's premier biotechnology and life sciences conference. This year, the focus is on new developments such as genomics, proteomics, bioproducts and convergent technologies and their impact on the global business of discovery, development and commercialization. Special Programs Canada's Top 10 Investment Prospects Canada-U.K. Business Forum National Merit and OLSC Achievement Awards Dinner Student Poster Awards.
Symposium 2002- Canada: A Partner In Global Science And Technology
Ottawa, 5 November, 2002
Symposium 2002 will focus on Canada's participation and leadership in international science and technology projects. Speakers in discussing a broad spectrum of Canadian international activities from space and ocean sciences, to subatomic and transportation research, will highlight the importance and benefits of Canadian participation in international science and technology development projects.
Who's Who in IT in
Ontario: ITAC’s Third Business Cluster Development Session
Toronto,
7 November, 2002
This
breakfast session aims to provide an opportunity for Ontario’s IT companies,
which total some 4000, to tell each other what they are doing. Such interaction is important to the
Ontario IT industry for its potential to foster a strong and vital cluster of
cooperating companies. Keynote speaker is Michael Stumm, Co-Founder, Senior
Vice President, and Chief Technology Officer, SOMA Networks.
L'Aquila (Italy) 6-12 January, 2003
The conference attracts experts in computer/communications science and engineering, management and business administration, plus all others researching the e-business in interdisciplinary fashions. Topics include: B2B, B2C, E-Business Management. Workflow Technologies, Datamining, E-Banking, Virtual Marketplace, E-Marketing and E-Government. Keynote speakers include Peter Lyman (UC Berkeley) and Erich Neuhold, IPSI/Fraunhofer.
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.
The
Knowledge-based Economy: New Challenges in Methodology, Theory and Policy
Augsburg, Germany 9-12 April 2003
This 3rd European Meeting of Applied Evolutionary Economics focuses on the most important aspects of knowledge-based economies within the framework of evolutionary economics. Conference themes include: knowledge and learning; dynamics of technological and qualitative change; industrial organisation in a knowledge-based economy; evolution of institutions financial markets in knowledge-based economies; and policy in a knowledge-based economy. Deadline for submission of extended abstracts: October 18, 2002.
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]
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This newsletter is prepared by Tijs Creutzberg.
Project manager is David
A. Wolfe.
