Saturday, November 20, 2010
Learning from The Wisdom of Crowds | Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching
Learning from The Wisdom of Crowds | Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching: "we’re interested in spreading what is learned. Surowiecki writes that “invention may still be an individual enterprise, but selecting among inventions is a collective one.” And he adds, “used well, imitation is a powerful tool for spreading good ideas fast.”"
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Europeans and biotechnologies in 2010 - Winds of change?
Europeans and biotechnologies in 2010 - Winds of change?: "Europeans and biotechnologies in 2010 - Winds of change?
(Nanowerk News) The European Commission has released their new report 'Europeans and biotechnology in 2010 – Winds of change?' (pdf). This latest Eurobarometer survey on the Life Sciences and Biotechnology, which also specifically addresses nanotechnologies in the context of biotechnology, is based on representative samples from 32 European countries and conducted in February 2010. The report points to a new era in the relations between science and society. While entrenched views about GM food are still evident, the crisis of confidence in technology and regulation that characterised the 1990s – a result of BSE, contaminated blood and other perceived regulatory failures – is no longer the dominant perspective."
(Nanowerk News) The European Commission has released their new report 'Europeans and biotechnology in 2010 – Winds of change?' (pdf). This latest Eurobarometer survey on the Life Sciences and Biotechnology, which also specifically addresses nanotechnologies in the context of biotechnology, is based on representative samples from 32 European countries and conducted in February 2010. The report points to a new era in the relations between science and society. While entrenched views about GM food are still evident, the crisis of confidence in technology and regulation that characterised the 1990s – a result of BSE, contaminated blood and other perceived regulatory failures – is no longer the dominant perspective."
Monday, November 15, 2010
High Tech Plastic Potential
High Tech Plastic Potential: "Plastic Electronics (PE) is the general term to describe electronics based on semiconducting organic materials as opposed to silicon semiconductors. However PE is much more than that and production economies are very different from conventional electronics making it possible to consider products with radically different price points, functionality and performance. The nascent PE sector offers new global market opportunities and the potential applications are numerous, from point-of-care medical diagnostic devices, smart packaging, novel drug delivery devices to real-time newspapers, smart clothing, flexible solar cells and displays. The UK is at the forefront of this technology revolution with numerous centres of excellence and expertise across the PE supply chain, including material suppliers, device manufacturers, technology developers and equipment makers."
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Towards new growth business - thisisFINLAND: Facts: Politics & economy
Towards new growth business - thisisFINLAND: Facts: Politics & economy: "Stimulating clusters
Amid the severe recession of the early 1990s, Finland embraced a national export-led cluster strategy, which proved enormously successful – but has now been exhausted.
In the past two decades, the Finnish core clusters – forestry (dominated by UPM-Kymmene, Stora Enso and Mets�liitto), metal engineering (Kone, Metso, Outokumpu and Ruukki), mobile communication (Nokia) and chemicals (Kemira and Orion) – have demonstrated increasing productivity and innovation.
These flagship companies have given rise to new business, but their clusters have not led to new growth firms.
In the Finnish national innovation system, there have been increasing efforts to “stimulate” new business through a dozen national competence clusters, more than 20 centres of expertise, and half a dozen public-private strategic centres for science, technology and innovation.
Along with an array of technology development and innovation institutions, these initiatives seek to facilitate international competence as a resource in business operations, job creation and regional development.
Still, a critical mass of new growth businesses has not yet materialised."
Amid the severe recession of the early 1990s, Finland embraced a national export-led cluster strategy, which proved enormously successful – but has now been exhausted.
In the past two decades, the Finnish core clusters – forestry (dominated by UPM-Kymmene, Stora Enso and Mets�liitto), metal engineering (Kone, Metso, Outokumpu and Ruukki), mobile communication (Nokia) and chemicals (Kemira and Orion) – have demonstrated increasing productivity and innovation.
These flagship companies have given rise to new business, but their clusters have not led to new growth firms.
In the Finnish national innovation system, there have been increasing efforts to “stimulate” new business through a dozen national competence clusters, more than 20 centres of expertise, and half a dozen public-private strategic centres for science, technology and innovation.
Along with an array of technology development and innovation institutions, these initiatives seek to facilitate international competence as a resource in business operations, job creation and regional development.
Still, a critical mass of new growth businesses has not yet materialised."
Monday, November 1, 2010
Adaptive Governance
Adaptive Governance: "Adaptive Governance
Whether we speak of 'people and ecosystems' as the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment does or 'coupled social and ecological systems' as the emerging literature on adaptive governance does, it is clear that the present, past and future of human and biophysical systems are closely and intricately interconnected. This presents significant challenges for developing effective governance responses.
More often than not policy developers and decision-makers are faced with:
1. Problems of Complexity: intricate nature of ecosystem dynamics, differing spatial reach and temporal dimensions, impact of thresholds and feedback loops, and human dimensions
2. Problems of Uncertainty and Change: science is incomplete, some of our understandings may be wrong, some ecological and social changes are not foreseen, existing knowledge is not fully integrated
3. Problems of Fragmentation: the governance landscape is not sufficiently linked or co-ordinated, centralisation and decentralisation of governance is often not appropriately balanced, important users and constituents are outside the process
To address complex interaction and to manage uncertainty and periods of change, governance approaches that are adaptive have much to offer. A key characteristic of adaptive governance is collaborative, flexible and learning-based issue management across different scales.
Whether we speak of 'people and ecosystems' as the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment does or 'coupled social and ecological systems' as the emerging literature on adaptive governance does, it is clear that the present, past and future of human and biophysical systems are closely and intricately interconnected. This presents significant challenges for developing effective governance responses.
More often than not policy developers and decision-makers are faced with:
1. Problems of Complexity: intricate nature of ecosystem dynamics, differing spatial reach and temporal dimensions, impact of thresholds and feedback loops, and human dimensions
2. Problems of Uncertainty and Change: science is incomplete, some of our understandings may be wrong, some ecological and social changes are not foreseen, existing knowledge is not fully integrated
3. Problems of Fragmentation: the governance landscape is not sufficiently linked or co-ordinated, centralisation and decentralisation of governance is often not appropriately balanced, important users and constituents are outside the process
To address complex interaction and to manage uncertainty and periods of change, governance approaches that are adaptive have much to offer. A key characteristic of adaptive governance is collaborative, flexible and learning-based issue management across different scales.
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