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This newsletter is published by ONRIS at the Centre for International Studies, University of Toronto, and sponsored by the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade. The views and ideas expressed in this newsletter do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the Ontario Government.
ANNOUNCEMENTS [Table of Contents]
McMaster Innovation Park is the New Site for Federal Materials Laboratory
The federal government's CANMET Materials Technology Laboratory (CANMET-MTL) will relocate to the McMaster Innovation Park, bringing new opportunities for industry and for Hamilton. It will be the first major federal lab to be located in southern Ontario. The CANMET-Materials Technology Laboratory - a research centre dedicated to metals and materials fabrication, processing and evaluation - will become a key component of the University's new innovation park. The CANMET-MTL's unique facility will be able to test, create and process materials.
CITO Start-up Companies Among Top 25 "Up and Comers"
A Canadian business and technology magazine, recently published the Branham 300 Annual Canadian Review, naming three OCE Inc. -funded start-up companies among the top 25 “up and coming” tech companies in Canada. These three companies -- Handshake VR Inc., Hivva Technologies, and TenXc Wireless Inc.-- all received support through the CITO Accelerator Investment Program. CITO, a division of OCE Inc., created this program to help researchers in the communications and IT sectors commercialize their research results.
The Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) recently
announced the funding of 132 projects at 39 universities that will
enable Canadian institutions across the country to attract and retain
181 high-calibre researchers. The CFI approved a total investment
of $25.5 million through two funds: $19.6 million under the New Opportunities
Fund (NOF); and $5.9 million under the Infrastructure Operating Fund
which assists universities with the incremental operating and maintenance
costs associated with new infrastructure projects.
The CFI's NOF enables eligible universities to provide research infrastructure
for newly recruited faculty members in their first full-time academic
appointment. It also enables institutions to recruit new faculty members
in the areas of research identified as priorities in their strategic
research plans.
EDITOR'S PICK
[Table of Contents]
Measuring the National Reseach Council's Technology Clusters Initiative
Erin Cassidy, Charles Davis, David Arthurs, and David Wolfe
The National Research Council (NRC) is the Government of Canada’s primary public section research institution, composed of 20 institutes located across Canada with research and development programs spanning a variety of disciplines and offering an array of services. In recent years, NRC has launched a series of cluster building initiatives intended to stimulate the growth of globally competitive knowledge-based regional economies that build on existing local strengths. These initiatives build on the Government of Canada’s vision for innovation and economic development. This paper presents the approach NRC is taking to develop baseline measures of clusters in which NRC is involved. The project consists of a model, methodology, and execution plan for cluster measurement which NRC is implementing in two pilot studies: the National Institute for Nanotechnology within the Edmonton, Alberta nanotechnology cluster, and the Aluminium Technology Centre within the Saguenay, Quebec aluminium cluster.
INNOVATION & RELATED POLICY [Table of Contents]
Innovation Policy and Performance
OECD
This publication examines the relationship between innovation policy and economic performance in six OECD countries – Austria, Finland, Japan, the Netherlands, Sweden and the United Kingdom. In-depth analyses highlight countries’ strengths and weaknesses in innovation, as well as the effectiveness of their innovation policies in driving economic performance. Taken together, the country studies constitute a rich evidence base which will be of considerable interest to innovation policy makers in all OECD countries. They indicate that countries share a need to adapt – or even profoundly change – their innovation policies in order to deal with opportunities and threats posed by new technological and economic developments.
A Review of the Federal Role in Regional Economic Development
Mark Drabenstott, Center for the Study of Rural America
The purpose of this report is to frame in broad terms what the federal government’s future role could be in regional economic development. The first section of this report provides a comprehensive review of current federal programs and how federal dollars are spent on regional development. The second section of the report reviews the economics literature and highlights state-of-the-art thinking on regional growth.
CLUSTERS & REGIONS [Table ofContents]
What Qualifies as Cluster Theory?
Peter Maskell and Leila Kebir, DRUID
This paper investigates the theoretical backgrounds of the “cluster” and proposes a framework aimed at finding the frontiers of cluster theory. The profundity of the notion of ‘clusters’ is arguably conditional on the coherence of four fundamental issues associated with the concept: 1) the economic and social benefits that may accrue to firms when clustering or co-locating (the existence argument); 2) the diseconomies encountered when clustering exceeds certain geographical and sectoral thresholds (the extension argument); 3) the advantages obtained by exploiting intra-cluster synergies rather engaging in external interaction (the exchange argument); and, finally, 4) the possible erosion of economies and onset of diseconomies over the lifecycle of the cluster (the exhaustion argument). Each of these four issues is examined in terms of three relevant major theoretical frameworks that can be brought to bear on the cluster concept. The paper considers approaches based on the idea of externalities (illustrated by the Marshall's work on ‘Industrial district’); on competitiveness issue (illustrated by Michael Porter’s theory of cluster growth); on a territorial perspective (illustrated by the GREMI approach). The analysis acknowledges the general shift in explanatory emphasis from considerations of static cost efficiency towards more dynamic interpretations that highlight the creation and use of knowledge as their pivotal theoretical element. By placing these changes within a common conceptual framework the paper shows how different theoretical solutions provide distinct points of departure for subsequent policy recommendations. Three distinctive groups of solutions are identified focussing respectively on local spillovers, on competitiveness and on the region and its development. The paper concludes by identifying areas of particular ambiguity where further theoretical work is most urgently needed.
Neil Bradford, CPRN
In a recent commentary in the London Free Press,
Neil Bradford, former CPRN Cities and Communities Research Fellow,
argues that it is also a good time for London, like many cities
its size, to take stock. Bradford maps out a path for London (or
any Canadian city) determined to become a strong community, drawing
on experience elsewhere in Canada and abroad. He stresses the importance
of a coordinating body to bring together a community’s many
voices and visions. He argues that London needs to tap into the
growing network of Canadian cities that share their experience and
knowledge of good governance practices. Finally, he underlines the
fact that local choices are fundamentally shaped by the fiscal and
other policy decisions of the provinces and the federal government.
Any city must work with those levels of government to ensure that
their activities are coordinated at the community level, that they
draw on local knowledge and don’t stand in the way of building
a strong community.
RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT [Table ofContents]
Academic Science and Entrepreneurship
NBER
This group of papers presented at a recent NBER conference looks at various aspects of academic science and entrepreneurship. The themes covered include the commercialization of university inventions, the impact of academic science on private sector innovation, and the impact of academic entrepreneurship on the academic enterprise.
STATISTICS [Table of Contents]
Research and Development Statistics: 2004 Edition
OECD
This compendium provides a wide range of recent data on the resources devoted to R&D in all OECD countries. The statistical series start from 1981 and cover, inter alia, expenditures by source of funds, type of costs, R&D personnel by occupation and level of qualification. Data are detailed at national level by performance sector, for enterprises by industry, and for higher education and private non-profit by field of science.This electronic edition also provides time information on female R&D personnel and total R&D personnel in headcount for years 1995 onward.
Handbook of Economic Globalization Indicators
OECD
This manual provides guidance on how to measure and interpret measurements of globalisation's extent and intensity. The manual defines concepts and puts forward guidelines for data collection and fine-tuning of globalisation indicators. In particular, it looks at indicators related to foreign direct investment, the economic activities of multinational enterprises, the internationalisation of technology, and trade globalisation.
EVENTS [Table of Contents]
The Process of Innovation and Learning in Dynamic City Regions
Bangalore, India, 13-15 July, 2005
The event will offer a unique exchange platform
for policy-makers, academics, innovation practitioners and stakeholders
about the governance systems of City-Regions to successfully create
the conditions for industrial development to boost by building up local
capabilities and, at the same time, linking to international networks.
Global Aspects of Technology Transfer: Biotechnology
London, UK, 4-9 September, 2005
The 2005 GRC offers opportunities to present and discuss biotechnology impacts on World economy and how it relates to scholarly research on technology transfer between government, industry, and universities/nonprofits. The meeting will have a distinctly global perspective, as the Chair and Vice-Chair believe that challenges in biotechnological technology transfer are increasingly universal in nature, and that addressing these challenges requires this perspective. Research being undertaken, for examples, by MMV, TB Alliance, the Pharmaceutical Industries, the World Bank, World Trade Organization, World Health Organization, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, the Center for Management of IP in Health R&D, and others are leading to insights on this evolution. By examining in the Gordon Conference format new and innovative ideas emerging from such research, the organizers hope to continue to stimulate thoughtful discussion, engage the participants, and catalyze the dissemination of the fruits of biotechnology to the world community in a sustainable, economically viable and socially responsible manner.
Innovations and Entrepreneurship in Functional Regions
Uddevalla, Sweden, 15-17 September, 2005
The objectives of the symposium/conference are: i) to provide a unique opportunity for scholars and senior and junior researchers to discuss path-breaking concepts, ideas, frameworks and theory-essentials in plenary key-note sessions and parallel competitive paper sessions, and ii) to facilitate the development and synthesis of important contributions into cohesive and integrated collections for potential publication. The conference will focus on the themes of international entrepreneurship; innovation, entrepreneurship policy and regional development; entrepreneurship in the public andnon-profit sector; innovation, academic entrepreneurship and high tech firms in functionalregions; and SMEs, immigrant entrepreneurship and local economic development. Paper submissions will be considered until March 15, 2005.
Creative Places + Spaces 2: Risk Revolution
Toronto, 30 September - 1 October, 2005
This conference is dedicated to unlocking the creative potential of people and places through innovative social, educational, cultural, environmental and economic initiatives. In addition to onstage presentations, the conference will offer a Creativity Marketplace, which will provide organizations an opportunity to display materials and meet with delegates to exchange ideas and share information about their work in a less formal setting. We also invite the submission of feature articles and story ideas for the Creative Places + Spaces NewsJournal. The conference welcomessubmissions of dynamic presentations, demonstration projects and case studies from practitioners in the fields of arts, science, business, government, education and social services suitable for the conference.
Building a Brighter Future: Building Tech Based Economies
Atlanta, 19-21 October, 2005
The urgent need to focus public investment on the more distant horizon has been the recurring and underlying theme for all of the national discussion on unbalanced federal R&D budget priorities, the need for a national innovation strategy, and the challenge and opportunity presented by a "flat world" (to borrow a phrase from Thomas Friedman). SSTI's 2005 conference in Atlanta provides a unique and timely forum to advance understanding of the states' and regions' evolving roles as leaders in fostering the continued competitiveness of the U.S. economy.
Belfast, UK, 24-26 October, 2005
This is the only annual international conference on policy for the creative industries. The growth of creative industries has been explosive - communities, cities, regions and nations are embracing this shift, leveraging their culture to build valuable assets that can transform their economies. In the UK creative industries are growing twice as fast as any other - at a rate of 8% per year. Creative Clusters are accepting presentation proposals on the following four conference themes: Investing in Creativity, Delivering Skills for Creativity, Inclusion through Creativity, and an open session.
Toulouse, France, 27-29 October, 2005
This conference will bring together academic and industrial decision makers and their municipal counterparts with a view to fostering debate and discussion about best practices with respect to the creation, management and development of technology clusters.
Pretoria, South Africa, 31 October - 4 November, 2005
Globelics (the Global Network for the Economics of Learning, Innovation and Competence Building Systems) is a framework for scholars who use the concepts of learning, innovation and competence building systems as part of their analytical framework. The network is especially focused on the strengthening of research on learning and innovation systems in developing countries. In the region most in need of human and economic development, Globelics Africa 2005 aims to further examine the links between innovation, development and growth. The conference also aims to build research capacity in Africa by establishing contact between researchers from Africa and from other regions of the world, both from leading academic centres, and from other developing contexts. In addition, the conference aims to rethink and reframe the challenges of the African continent in the light of insights from innovation systems research. Scholars from innovation studies will contribute a range of approaches and perspectives to guide research, policy formulation and action to bring about societal transformation through enhanced learning, innovation and knowledge competencies.
Calgary, 16-17 November, 2005
This conference provides a forum where the innovation community of Western Canada can gather annually to network, review the latest developments, solve problems and take specific industry recommendations forward for action. Among the topics to be discussed are applied research, the culture of innovation, innovation policy and innovation support.
SUBSCRIPTIONS & COMMENTS [Table of Contents]
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This newsletter is prepared by Jen
Nelles.
Project manager is David
A. Wolfe.
