The use and development of indicators for the commercialisation of university research in a national support programme

Governments in most countries have set up specialised programmes to support the commercialisation of academic research. A key challenge is to develop indicators that are able to measure operation and impact. This study shows how different indicators are used to satisfy different stakeholders of a Norwegian support programme. Policy intervention is supposed to lead to additionality related to input, behaviour and output. While the support programme uses input and behavioural measures as strategic tools for its operation, policy makers are mostly preoccupied with output measures. This study illustrates how indicators develop over time, partly co-evolving with the development of the programme and the national commercialisation infrastructure. Indicators serve as incentives for the agents involved, but they may also influence the strategies of the programme that established them. The external signalling effect of indicators remains central, while its use in daily operations becomes less important with time and experience.     

The conditions for the development of a biotechnology industry in Portugal: the impact of country specific factors

The innovation style of a country is dependent upon its distinctive capabilities and its government' policies. Three basic factors are involved: its scientific capabilities, its infrasturcture for transferring research from the public domain into industry, and its manufacturing base and industrial know-how. Most research looks at these three factors in relation to advanced economies, Asian Newly Industrialized Countries (NICs) and 'third world' countries. This paper addresses these issues from the perspective of a European late-industrializing country (Portugal). It uses the twin ideas of National Innovation Systems and 'technological systems' to analyze the development of biotechnology in Portugal. In so doing it illustrates the impact of country specific factors on this development, and the problems assoicated with 'imitation'. The focus of the research is on Dedicated Biotechnology Firms (DBFs), as they are seen as intermediaries between the public science base and the productive sector. It examines the evolution of the biotechnology industry in Portugal, provides an overview of govermment policies, and finally discusses the implications for the creation and development of DBFs in Portugal. The research shows that there was a government effort to create a science base in this field, but there was no parallel strategy to develop a biotechnology industry. There was (and still is) little incentive to use the results of biotechnological research, and little match between technological and market opportunities. In conclusion, the paper argues that policies should be developed to bridge the gap between public research and industry. This will require mechanisms that, going beyond the notion of 'technology transfer', promote an effective transformation of advanced knowledge intergrated into products and services,a nd facilitate the dialogue and exchange between groups with diverse capabilities, objectives and languages.     

Assessing the Effectiveness of Technology Policy--A Long-Term View

Innovation policy is increasingly concerned with mobilising a broad range of resources to support the development of firm-level technological capability. It is aimed at dealing with 'market failure', which arises when firms are confronted with technological challenges in which they lack the necessary experience or resources. Both internal agency and independent evaluation of such innovation policies are routinely undertaken but most are conducted during the lifetime of the programmes or soon after they have ended. There are few examples of such evaluations being able to take a long-term perspective. This paper explores the impacts of a UK government technology programme on the process and product application of microelectronic technologies (MAP) that ran between 1978 and 1986. Via interviews with a sample of firms who participated in scheme, the research explored their subsequent use of microelectronics, government support schemes and expert consultants. The study argues for more regular long-term reviews of technology promoting schemes as an aid to learning and capability enhancement in policy-making.     

Assessing the Effectiveness of Technology Policy--A Long-Term View

Innovation policy is increasingly concerned with mobilising a broad range of resources to support the development of firm-level technological capability. It is aimed at dealing with 'market failure', which arises when firms are confronted with technological challenges in which they lack the necessary experience or resources. Both internal agency and independent evaluation of such innovation policies are routinely undertaken but most are conducted during the lifetime of the programmes or soon after they have ended. There are few examples of such evaluations being able to take a long-term perspective. This paper explores the impacts of a UK government technology programme on the process and product application of microelectronic technologies (MAP) that ran between 1978 and 1986. Via interviews with a sample of firms who participated in scheme, the research explored their subsequent use of microelectronics, government support schemes and expert consultants. The study argues for more regular long-term reviews of technology promoting schemes as an aid to learning and capability enhancement in policy-making.     

Linking Technological,Market & Financial Indicators Of Innovation

This paper describes the results of a feasibility study to develop a national Innovation Scoreboard to measure and track the innovative performance of companies in the UK. It begins with a review of potential technological, market and financial indicators of innovation, and using data in the public domain, develops a trial Innovation Scoreboard based on 40 firms from five different sectors. The preliminary findings suggest that product announcements made in the specialist press may be a viable indicator of innovation at the level of the firm. Specifically, the evidence suggests that product announcements represent a useful measure of innovative output, which combined with expenditure on research and development provide a measure of research efficiency. This measure of research efficiency is shown to be associated with higher market to book values.     

Learning towards system innovation: Evaluating a systemic instrument

In this paper we develop an analytical framework for studying learning processes in the context of efforts to bring about system innovation by building new networks of actors who are willing to work on a change towards sustainable development. We then use it to evaluate two specific intervention programmes carried out by a self-proclaimed ‘system instrument’. The framework integrates elements from the Innovation Systems approach with a social learning perspective. The integrated model proposes essentially that these kinds of systemic instruments can serve to enhance conditions for social learning and that such processes may result in learning effects that contribute to system innovation by combating system imperfections. The empirical findings confirm the assumption that differences in learning can be explained by the existence or absence of conditions for learning. Similarly, the existence or creation of conducive conditions could be linked to the nature and quality of the interventions of the systemic instrument. We conclude that the investigated part of the hypothesised model has not been refuted and seems to have explanatory power. At the same time we propose that further research is needed among others on the relation between learning, challenging system imperfections and system innovation.     

关于区域创新体系中几个关系的界定

区域创新系统是个介于国家创新体系和企业技术创新体系之间的中观层次的创新系统。为了适应区域化和个性化需要，国内许多地区和城市都在着手构建和培育本区域的创新体系。构建区域创新体系必须要界定和处理好4种关系，即“区域创新体系”与“国家创新体系”的关系、“区域创新体系”与“企业技术创新体系”的关系，行政区域与经济区域的关系，不同等级的创新区域之间的关系。     

中美创新战略规划政策工具比较研究

基于Rothwell和Zegveld的政策工具理论,以中国《“十三五”科技创新规划》和美国《2015年美国创新战略》的政策文本为研究对象,对中美创新战略规划的政策工具进行比较研究。结果表明:中美两国使用的环境型政策工具最为频繁,同时中国环境型政策工具的使用比率高于美国;两国使用供给型政策工具的比例相当,但中国供给型政策工具的内部机构不尽合理;两国使用最少的为需求型政策工具,中国需求型政策工具的使用比例尤其低。与美国相比,中国在个别政策工具运用方面存在过溢、错位、缺位等不良现象,就此借鉴美国政策工具的运用经验,提出了完善中国创新战略规划政策工具布局的建议。     

Beyond clusters: Crafting contexts for innovation

The Review of Austrian Economics - Innovation requires cooperation among multiple actors spread across different organizations in order to fund, research, develop, scale-up and bring new products...     

基于扎根理论的众创空间发展质量评价结构维度与指标体系开发研究

通过分析14省市众创空间绩效评价政策文本和22家众创空间负责人的访谈资料,运用扎根理论方法,提炼众创空间发展质量评价结构维度及其作用模型,从"社会认知―社会情感―社会评价"3个方面阐释了理论模型;构建一套包含6个一级指标,19个二级指标和54个三级指标的众创空间发展质量评价指标体系,从管理建设、能力培育、品牌塑造3个层面科学评价众创空间发展质量。最后,从质量评价指标体系开发指导原则、构建方向及差异化配置不同类型众创空间指标体系维度权重等方面,提出开发和实践众创空间发展质量评价的策略建议。     

A Framework for Policy Oriented Innovation Studies in Industrialising Countries

This paper argues that there is increasing need for the integration of policy considerations in the formulation of research questions and in the development of analytical work in policy oriented innovation studies. Despite the fact that Evolutionary and Innovation Studies theories have offered new ways of incorporating policy, little explicitness in this regard has yet been achieved and there is a risk that academic research following the new perspectives will be of little relevance for policy. Rather than a ‘linear process’ starting with empirical research aimed at linking competitiveness and economic performance to technological capabilities (in a comparative perspective and aimed at identifying ‘best practice’) followed by very abstract and un-grounded ‘policy implications' - a new type of link between positive and normative economics in the field is required. Our approach suggests a new structure for policy-oriented and policy-relevant research, i.e. the integration of research on technological change and industrial transformation with research on policy and the development of a conceptual framework for the design and implementation of innovation policies.     

河南创新系统建设的战略构想

创新是现代企业和经济活力之源,加快创新系统建设是迎接知识经济挑战的必然选择。在剖析创新系统的核心内容的基础上,提出了河南创新系统建设的战略原则与推进模式。     

Permit markets,carbon prices and the creation of innovation clusters

Innovation clusters combining public and private effort to develop breakthrough technologies promise greater technological advances to slow down climate change. We use a multi-country model with an emission trading system to examine whether and how international climate policy can incentivize countries to create such innovation clusters. We find that a minimal carbon price is needed to attract applied research firms, but countries may nevertheless fail to invest in complementary research infrastructure. We construct a mechanism that leads to innovation clusters when emissions targets are set before uncertainty surrounding technological developments is resolved. It is a combination of low permit endowments for the country with the lowest costs to build the needed infrastructure, compensation for this country by profits from permit trade, and maximal possible permit endowments for the remaining countries. We outline how the EU-ETS can be further refined according to this mechanism.     

Innovation management tools: implementing technology watch as a routine for adaptation

Innovation management (IM) is a multidisciplinary field which has been growing for the past few decades. However, the management of innovation is often considered equivalent to technology management or the management of research and development. By focusing on a set of small- and medium-sized enterprises operating in a medium-high-tech industry, the paper intends to determine the characteristics of IM tools. In particular, we address one of these tools, technology watch (TW), and define a set of generic stages to introduce the most relevant roles for its implementation. TW consists of the systematic observation, analysis and use of technological information, allowing companies to be aware of their external environment and learn from it. Through the implementation of TW processes, companies are able to assess and adapt their current technological base and the fit of their internal competences to the signals coming from the external environment.     

2007年英国科技发展综述

2007年,是英国科技工作的调整年.布朗接任英首相后,对科技、教育和商务等政府部门进行了大规模的重组,新成立了创新、大学与技能部,政府科学主管部门的主要领导相继易人;国家主要科技创新计划进行了有机整合,统归技术战略理事会独立管理;出炉了关于英国政府科学与创新政策的评估报告.所有这些都彰显出英国政府在紧密围绕创新这一篇大文章下功夫,其用意是保持英国在世界科技的领先地位和更好发挥创新对经济社会发展的巨大推动作用.     

国内外合作创新研究述评

合作创新作为一种重要的技术创新模式和一个新兴的研究领域 ,日益受到企业管理理论界与实践界的关注。 90年代以来 ,国内外关于企业合作创新的研究大量涌现。本文从合作创新的概念界定、动机和优势、冲突、经济学分析以及合作创新过程中的技术学习与核心能力等几个方面评述了国内外合作创新的研究进展 ,为该领域的研究建立了一个理论框架 ,并提出深入研究的若干设想     

Participation and evaluation for sustainable river basin governance

This paper introduces a special section devoted to participation and evaluation for sustainable river basin governance. The departing point for this research was the recognition that although there is a relative agreement regarding the need to develop new multi-dimensional, inclusive and plural approaches to water resource management, there is still a deficiency of related methodologies and tools. This acknowledgement has motivated the undertaking of the ADVISOR — Integrated Evaluation for Sustainable River Basin Governance research project, which aimed at improving the understanding of evaluation processes, as part of river basin planning and management, and to test the use of specific tools to support the conduct of participatory processes. The paper starts with a discussion of the concept of integrated water resources management and an illustration of the water policies that have been adopted in different countries as a response to these trends. The conceptual framework that was developed in ADVISOR is then presented, as well as the main results from the ex-post analysis of the decision processes regarding five water related projects in different European countries. This analysis concluded that, in most situations, the decision-making processes fell short of including the interests, perceptions and values of affected parties. The remaining of the paper introduces the articles that form this special section, mostly devoted to the testing of new platforms for participation and deliberation. In the final section, a discussion on the assumptions and limitations of deliberative processes is presented, based on the results from the application of the different methods. Further research needs on the integration of different deliberative tools and on the integration of deliberation with decision processes are identified.     

复杂创新阶段性特征及其价值创造机理研究综述

运用CiteSpace软件对国内外技术创新价值创造机理最新研究内容进行聚焦分析,探讨了国内外在技术创新价值创造领域的研究热点和研究特征,论述了复杂创新背景下技术创新理论在研究内容、创新主体、创新模式、关键因素等方面的阶段性特征,探讨了技术创新在价值创造理论发展中的基础性地位,总结了技术创新价值创造机理3条研究路径及其背后的价值基础,可为我国技术创新实践和技术创新价值创造理论提供借鉴。     

Beyond the veil — The real value of Foresight

The wide application of foresight would benefit from a common assessment framework that hardly exists. This would require a higher level of reference, i.e. pursuing more generic goals. This is offered by the two concepts of “knowledge society” and “participatory governance”. The aim of the research is to develop an impact assessment framework of foresight programmes in developing more participatory “knowledge societies” beyond their specific aims.Research shows that the major impacts of foresight belong to three groups, i.e. in relation to knowledge, network creation, and promoting public engagement in policy-making. At the same time, the major features of modern societies are of three types, i.e. related to knowledge value, to innovation-driven growth and to consequences of a “risk society”. Thus, the relevant areas where foresight might contribute are: knowledge, networking, and coping with a ‘risk society’.The new framework is built on the features and pre-conditions of more participatory societies and draws upon existing evaluation approaches and concepts (“theory-based evaluation”, “knowledge value framework”, “behavioural” and “cognitive capacity additionality”) to tackle short-comings of earlier evaluation efforts. It is then tested in a case study that demonstrates its feasibility and comprehensiveness and further refines the assessment criteria it is based on.     

The framework of ‘local productive and innovation systems’ and its influence on STI policy in Brazil

ABSTRACT

Throughout its twenty years of existence, a Brazilian research network, RedeSist, has developed and improved the theoretical and methodological framework of National Systems of Innovation. The first aim of this article is to present RedeSist’s focusing device of Local Innovation and Production Systems (LIPS), a combination of the Systems of Innovation framework with the contributions of the Latin American Structuralist Approach and to explain the main tools devised to capture collective and systemic processes of production and innovation, taking into account that every LIPS is inserted in specific, local, regional, national and global systems. The second objective is to discuss the Brazilian experience in designing and implementing LIPS policies as part of its industrial and innovation policies. The concluding remarks attempt at recuperating the most important arguments of the discussion and at highlighting the advantages of creating and using contextualized and systemic theories, concepts, indicators and policy models.