Cooperative Research Centre Program Research Articles

Sociocultural factors associated with detection of autism among culturally and linguistically diverse communities in Australia

BackgroundThe age at which parents or caregivers first develop concerns about their child’s development has significant implications on formal diagnosis and intervention. This study aims to determine the sociocultural factors that are associated with the age and type of first concern reported by parents of autistic children among culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities in Australia. We also assessed whether sociocultural factors predict autism traits measured in terms of social affect (SA), restricted and repetitive behaviours (RRB), and calibrated severity scores (CSS).MethodsThis study is a secondary data analysis of the data collected from six Autism Specific Early Learning and Care Centres (ASELCCs) as part of the Autism Co-operative Research Centre (CRC) program between 2015 and 2019. Data analysed in this study included a family history questionnaire with sociodemographic and sociocultural information, parent-reported age and type of first concern, and clinician/researcher administered Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule - Second Edition (ADOS-2) which includes standardised domain-wise scores of social affect (SA) and restricted and repetitive behaviours (RRB) as well as calibrated severity scores (CSS), a measure of severity of autism. Primary analysis included multivariable linear regression models to examine the predictive influence of sociodemographic and sociocultural factors on the dependant variables of age of concern (AOC) and the autism traits (SA, RRB, and CSS).ResultsThe mean AOC in the sample was 18.18 months and the most common concerns were speech/language delay, limited social interaction, and hyperactivity/behavioural changes. The multivariable linear regression models showed factors such as increase in age of child, those from a CALD background, annual family income, sibling’s autism diagnosis, and developmental concerns to be significantly associated with parental AOC. Additionally, we also found that increase in child’s age and CALD status to be significant predictors of autism trait (RRB) and severity measured in terms of the CSS score. Further, females (compared to males) were associated with higher difficulties with social communication and interaction skills.ConclusionUnderstanding key factors that contribute to early identification of autism can help tailor awareness programs for parents and caregivers, whilst also informing the development of services focused on serving all CALD communities.

A step in the right direction: the potential role of smartwatches in supporting chronic disease prevention in health care.

A step in the right direction: the potential role of smartwatches in supporting chronic disease prevention in health care.

MP21-15 PRIVATE EQUITY FAVORS UROLOGY PRACTICES IN AFFLUENT AND LESS DIVERSE NEIGHBORHOODS

You have accessJournal of UrologyCME1 Apr 2023MP21-15 PRIVATE EQUITY FAVORS UROLOGY PRACTICES IN AFFLUENT AND LESS DIVERSE NEIGHBORHOODS Stephen Kisty, Michael Stencel, Alex Watts, Bruce Jacobs, and Benjamin Davies Stephen KistyStephen Kisty More articles by this author , Michael StencelMichael Stencel More articles by this author , Alex WattsAlex Watts More articles by this author , Bruce JacobsBruce Jacobs More articles by this author , and Benjamin DaviesBenjamin Davies More articles by this author View All Author Informationhttps://doi.org/10.1097/JU.0000000000003246.15AboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints ShareFacebookLinked InTwitterEmail Abstract INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: Private equity involvement in healthcare has increased rapidly over the past 20 years, but the first urology practice was not acquired until 2016. After acquisition of a medical practice, private equity firms commonly deploy a “buy and build” model where they increase revenue and decrease costs to grow practice valuation before selling the practice within 5-7 years to a larger private equity firm. This study aimed to describe the private equity-ownership in urology practices and identify key characteristics of the populations these clinics serve. METHODS: We identified private equity-owned urology practices from February 25, 2022 through May 31, 2022. Practice acquisition was confirmed by cross referencing news releases, platform websites, and Pitchbook (a comprehensive market data warehouse). Population-level data was obtained from the U.S. Census website for each zip code tabulation area (ZCTA) within each county that had at least 1 private equity-owned urology clinic. Zip codes were converted to ZCTAs for analysis using a crosswalk. Zip codes containing private equity-backed urology clinics were compared to zip codes that did not contain a private equity-backed urology clinic but were in the same county. Data was analyzed using one-way ANOVA, and Chi-squared tests of significance. RESULTS: As of June 2022, 7 private equity platforms operate 387 urology clinics in 18 states, across 100 unique counties and employ 731 urologists. Zip codes that contained private equity-backed urology clinics (n=316) had higher rates of residents with a bachelor’s degree or higher, higher median family incomes, more white and less African American and Hispanic residents, and a greater proportion of privately insured residents than zip codes that did not contain a private equity-owned urology clinic (n=3,145, Table 1). These differences were universally amplified in zip codes that had higher concentration of PE-owned clinics (2 ≤ private equity-owned urology clinics). CONCLUSIONS: Private equity ownership in urology has grown significantly since the first acquisition and is concentrated in areas of higher socio-economic status and less racial diversity. If there are quality benchmarks that are improved by private equity acquisition, those benefits are being disproportionally directed at wealthy and largely white communities thus far. Source of Funding: NIH/NIDDK University of Pittsburgh O'Brien Cooperative Research Center Program (U54 DK112079) © 2023 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Volume 209Issue Supplement 4April 2023Page: e291 Advertisement Copyright & Permissions© 2023 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.MetricsAuthor Information Stephen Kisty More articles by this author Michael Stencel More articles by this author Alex Watts More articles by this author Bruce Jacobs More articles by this author Benjamin Davies More articles by this author Expand All Advertisement PDF downloadLoading ...

Show me the money: how do we justify spending health care dollars on digital health?

Show me the money: how do we justify spending health care dollars on digital health?

PD11-05 PRELIMINARY RESULTS OF BASELINE CORTICAL NEURAL ACTIVITY IN MEN WITH BENIGN PROSTATIC HYPERPLASIA AND BLADDER OUTLET OBSTRUCTION

You have accessJournal of UrologyBenign Prostatic Hyperplasia: Basic Research & Pathophysiology (PD11)1 Sep 2021PD11-05 PRELIMINARY RESULTS OF BASELINE CORTICAL NEURAL ACTIVITY IN MEN WITH BENIGN PROSTATIC HYPERPLASIA AND BLADDER OUTLET OBSTRUCTION Ricardo Gonzalez, Logan Hubbard, Khue Tran, Natalia Hernandez, Christof Karmonik, Shi Zhaoyue, and Rose Khavari Ricardo GonzalezRicardo Gonzalez More articles by this author , Logan HubbardLogan Hubbard More articles by this author , Khue TranKhue Tran More articles by this author , Natalia HernandezNatalia Hernandez More articles by this author , Christof KarmonikChristof Karmonik More articles by this author , Shi ZhaoyueShi Zhaoyue More articles by this author , and Rose KhavariRose Khavari More articles by this author View All Author Informationhttps://doi.org/10.1097/JU.0000000000001986.05AboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints ShareFacebookLinked InTwitterEmail Abstract INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) affects the entire micturition cycle including filling/storage phases, creating bothersome lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS). Chronic bladder outlet obstruction (BOO) remodels the entire lower urinary tract including the detrusor, connective tissue and local neural network; yet the extent to which it alters the central nervous system (CNS) in BPH is unknown. This study explores brain activation patterns on fMRI in men with BPH and BOO. METHODS: Men age ≥45 who failed conservative BPH therapy planning to undergo BOO procedures were recruited. Eligible men underwent concurrent fMRI-urodynamics (UDS) examination, their bladder was filled until a strong desire to void was signaled. Subjects were asked to hold for 30 seconds, before receiving permission to void while concurrent UDS was performed. After voiding/attempt to void, the bladder was drained and the cycle was repeated up to four times. fMRI images were obtained via a T1W 3 Tesla MRI. Significant activated voxels (p <0.05) were identified at strong urge to void and voiding initiation/attempt to void. RESULTS: Seven men with baseline demographics are represented in table 1. At strong urge to void, there was activation in the right inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) (p <0.05), fig 1a. Deactivation was seen bilaterally in thalamus, middle frontal gyrus, insula and parahippocampal gyrus, and in left middle/superior temporal gyrus (p <0.05). At voiding initiation activation was seen in the left angular gyrus/superior temporal gyrus, and the IFG, fig 1b. Only four of seven patients were able to void supine during fMRI scan. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study evaluating cortical activity in men with BPH and BOO. At full urge there was significant activation of the IFG, consistent with data from Harvie et al showing its significance during the voiding phase. However, there were important deactivations including bilateral thalamus, insula, and IFG during initiation and voiding attempts previously shown to be important regions in normal micturition in healthy adults. Further studies should evaluate whether deactivation in these regions reflect the inability to void of multiple subjects and/or represent neuroplastic changes of supraspinal micturition control in response to chronic BOO in men with BPH. Source of Funding: This study is supported by Pilot project funding through University of Pittsburgh O’Brien Cooperative Research Center program U54DK112079. Dr. Khavari is partially supported by K23DK118209, by National Institute of Heath, NIDDK and by Houston Methodist Clinician Scientist Award © 2021 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Volume 206Issue Supplement 3September 2021Page: e199-e199 Advertisement Copyright & Permissions© 2021 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.MetricsAuthor Information Ricardo Gonzalez More articles by this author Logan Hubbard More articles by this author Khue Tran More articles by this author Natalia Hernandez More articles by this author Christof Karmonik More articles by this author Shi Zhaoyue More articles by this author Rose Khavari More articles by this author Expand All Advertisement Loading ...

Changes in Medicaid Enrollment During the COVID-19 Pandemic Across Six States

Background: The COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) has caused extensive job loss and loss of employer-sponsored insurance. State Medicaid programs have experienced a related increase in enrollment during the PHE. However, the composition of enrollment and enrollee changes during the pandemic is unknown. Understanding changes in the Medicaid population during the PHE may inform policy development and identify strategies to meet the rising needs for insurance coverage during public health emergencies. This study aims to examine changes in Medicaid enrollment and population characteristics during the PHE.Methods: A retrospective descriptive study documenting changes in Medicaid new enrollment and disenrollment, and enrollee characteristics between March and October 2020 compared to the same time period in 2019 using Full-state Medicaid populations from six states of a wide geographical region. The primary outcomes were medicaid enrollment and disenrollment during the PHE. New enrollment included persons enrolled in Medicaid between March and October 2020 who were not enrolled in January or February of 2020. Disenrollment included persons who were enrolled in March of 2020 but not enrolled in October 2020.Results: The study included 8.50 million Medicaid enrollees in 2020 and 8.46 million in 2019. Overall, enrollment increased by 13.0% during the PHE compared to 2019, relative enrollment growth of 1.19 million. New enrollment accounted for 24.9% of the relative increase, while the remaining 75.1% was due to disenrollment. A larger proportion of new enrollment in 2020 was among adults aged 27-44 (28.3% vs 23.6%), Hispanics (34.3% vs 32.5%) and in the financial needy (44.0% vs 39.0%) category compared to 2019. Disenrollment included a larger proportion of older adults (26.1% vs 8.1%) and non-Hispanics (70.3% vs 66.4%) than in 2019.Conclusions and Relevance: Medicaid enrollment grew considerably during the PHE, and the majority of enrollment growth was attributed to decreases in disenrollment rather than increases in new enrollment. Our results highlight the impact of COVID-19 on state health programs and can guide federal and state budgetary planning.Funding: This study was supported from the Digital Health CRC (Cooperative Research Centre). The DHCRC is established and supported under the Australian Government’s Cooperative Research Centres Program. Funding for Antonia Chan was provided by the Stanford Medical Scholars Fellowship Program.Declaration of Interest: None to declare.

Animal science Down Under: a history of research, development and extension in support of Australia’s livestock industries

This account of the development and achievements of the animal sciences in Australia is prefaced by a brief history of the livestock industries from 1788 to the present. During the 19th century, progress in industry development was due more to the experience and ingenuity of producers than to the application of scientific principles; the end of the century also saw the establishment of departments of agriculture and agricultural colleges in all Australian colonies (later states). Between the two world wars, the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research was established, including well supported Divisions of Animal Nutrition and Animal Health, and there was significant growth in research and extension capability in the state departments. However, the research capacity of the recently established university Faculties of Agriculture and Veterinary Science was limited by lack of funding and opportunity to offer postgraduate research training. The three decades after 1945 were marked by strong political support for agricultural research, development and extension, visionary scientific leadership, and major growth in research institutions and achievements, partly driven by increased university funding and enrolment of postgraduate students. State-supported extension services for livestock producers peaked during the 1970s. The final decades of the 20th century featured uncertain commodity markets and changing public attitudes to livestock production. There were also important Federal Government initiatives to stabilise industry and government funding of agricultural research, development and extension via the Research and Development Corporations, and to promote efficient use of these resources through creation of the Cooperative Research Centres program. These initiatives led to some outstanding research outcomes for most of the livestock sectors, which continued during the early decades of the 21st century, including the advent of genomic selection for genetic improvement of production and health traits, and greatly increased attention to public interest issues, particularly animal welfare and environmental protection. The new century has also seen development and application of the ‘One Health’ concept to protect livestock, humans and the environment from exotic infectious diseases, and an accelerating trend towards privatisation of extension services. Finally, industry challenges and opportunities are briefly discussed, emphasising those amenable to research, development and extension solutions.

Evaluating university industry collaborative research centers

This research provides performance metrics for cooperative research centers that enhance translational research through partnerships formed by government, industry and academia. Centers are part of complex ecosystems and vary greatly in the type of science conducted, organizational structures and expected outcomes. The ability to realize their objectives depends on transparent measurement systems to assist in decision making in research translation. We introduce a hierarchical decision model that uses both quantitative and qualitative metrics. A generalizable model is developed based upon program goals. The results are validated through consultation with experts. The method is illustrated using data from the National Science Foundation's industry/university cooperative research center (IUCRC) program. The methodology provides a basis for a generalizable model and measurement system to compares performance of university science and engineering focused research centers supported by industry and government.

Desperately seeking innovation nirvana: Australia’s cooperative research centres

The Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) program has been one of the flagship programs of Australia’s National Innovation System (NSI) for 30 years. But compared to other members of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), statistics indicate that Australia has persistent low levels of business expenditure on research and development (BERD), while World Intellectual Property Office (WIPO) reports highlight poor diffusion-of-innovation characteristics. In response to reports of this ilk, and in line with the generally evolving nature of NSIs, the CRC program, and the Australian NSI system, has developed and matured. In a wide-ranging longitudinal review of the program’s policy documentation, we discover that a number of changes have affected the language used within the program, the targeted organizations, and, crucially, the duration of the funding periods. We conclude that, within the confines of the nation’s historical and geographic context, the CRC program exhibits similar characteristics to NSIs elsewhere. In addition, there may be scope for Australia to split the CRC program into separate streams, and that even further support for integration into the Asia-Pacific markets is likely to be beneficial to the diffusion of Australian innovation.

Genetic parameters for faecal worm egg count at different ages in Australian sheep under natural challenge

The data used in the present study consisted of 24535 worm egg count records on sheep observed from 63 to 560 days of age under conditions of the natural challenge of trichostrongylid species. Records were extracted from the Information Nucleus Flock database of the Australia Sheep Cooperative Research Centre program from 2007 to 2011. Records were observed at various ages and subdivided into weaning (W, ~3 months), post-weaning (P, ~4 months), yearling (Y, ~12 months) and hogget (H, ~18 months) age stages and were used to investigate genetic variation at different age stages in univariate analyses and estimate genetic correlations between age stages in multi-trait analyses. The full data were also analysed by random regression models to study how heritability and genetic correlations varied with age. Heritability estimates from univariate analyses were 0.20 ± 0.05, 0.15 ± 0.02, 0.36 ± 0.09, 0.22 ± 0.06 for W, P, Y and H age stages respectively. A similar trend of heritability over ages was found from random regression analyses, which decreased from 0.16 at 90 days to 0.09 at 120 days, following a steady increase to 0.32 at ~410 days, and then decreased afterwards to 0.24 at 520 days. Strong genetic correlations (&amp;gt;0.8) were found between W and P age stages, along with Y and H age stages. Sire by flock interaction effects were significant, and accounted for the reduced estimates of heritability and increased genetic correlations between age stages. The results indicated that a multiple-trait approach is required for genetic evaluation of worm egg count when measurements are at different ages, and the accuracy of evaluations would benefit from recording at least two separate age stages.

The Research Collaboration Paradox: A Tale of Two Governance Narratives in an Australian Innovation Setting

AbstractAustralian government policy aims to exploit university–industry research collaboration to transform the nation from a ‘lucky’ country enjoying the riches of agribusiness and resource exploitation, to a ‘clever’ country, exporting ingenuity and innovation globally. The Cooperative Research Centres (CRC) program has operated for more than a quarter of a century, but successive modifications demonstrate an inherent tension between two governance narratives pertaining to university–industry collaboration. This brief discussion looks at how the gradual privileging of one of these two narratives over time could potentially compromise genuine innovation‐producing collaboration. Policy makers therefore need to find ways to reconcile these two narratives.

An examination of funding for terrestrial vertebrate fauna research from Australian federal government sources

Funding for research towards more effective conservation of Australian fauna is widely believed to be low. Publically available data were examined to determine the spread of wildlife projects supported for the period 2005–15 by Federal Government agencies responsible for research and/or environmental management funding and funding aimed at delivering innovation across relevant sectors. A word search method was used and projects categorised according to their relevance to conservation goals. Of the AU$7.2 billion invested by the Australian Research Council, 0.9% (AU$67.8 million) was in areas relevant to conservation. However, of this relatively modest funding, 40% of conservation projects addressed questions classified as highly relevant, and 11.4% dealt with Australia’s threatened terrestrial vertebrate fauna. Of the AU$2.5 billion grant investment by the Department of the Environment, 7.9% (AU$196.3 million) was relevant to fauna conservation but mainly for on-ground management (62.5%). However, 32.9% of projects were research highly relevant to conservation practice, and 18.8% dealt with Australia’s threatened terrestrial vertebrate fauna. The Cooperative Research Centres Program is a well funded system that has supported applied research relevant to wildlife conservation. However, the Program’s recent focus has been on commercial outcomes rather than the public good. The study provides support for the argument that greater investment by the Federal Government is needed if innovation in wildlife management is to have a solid evidence base.

Australia's Cooperative Research Centre Program: A transaction cost theory perspective

Cooperative Research Centres (CRCs) in Australia are underpinned by funding from the Australian Government. Among their many goals, they are intended to lead to long-term sustainable relationships between industry and academic institutions without the need for further public funding. Yet concerns have been raised in various reports and reviews about the ability of CRCs to achieve sustainable collaboration beyond their initial seven-year life, despite the general observation that CRCs have proved beneficial to the broader Australian community and the economy in general. This study adduces Transaction Cost Theory to determine the impediments to long-term sustainable collaboration between industry and academia. It does so by examining relationships between CRC members at a member organisational level, rather than at an individual researcher or program level, as previous studies have done. The article concludes by introducing testable governance attributes that have the potential to minimise transaction costs between participants in industry-academic collaboration and therefore foster long-term research collaborations.

Bone-Conduction Hearing Aids

Bone-Conduction Hearing Aids

The value of research: using the Impact Tool to evaluate realised and anticipated benefits of the Cooperative Research Centre for Beef Genetic Technologies

The Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) for Beef Genetic Technologies operated for its third successive 7-year term from July 2005 to June 2012. It developed new genetic and genomic technologies and non-genetic ‘products’ (practices, processes, tools and technologies) to improve profitability, productivity, animal welfare and responsible resource use of Australian beef businesses. In this paper we assess how well the third-term Beef CRC met its objectives, at the end of its funding period, using the Impact Tool software package developed by the CRC Program of the Commonwealth Government. The Impact Tool generates two commonly used measures of return on investment: the net present value (NPV) and the benefit : cost ratio (BCR). The NPV, the sum of discounted benefits minus the sum of discounted costs, was $233.2 m, when evaluated over the period 2005/06–2020/21. The BCR, the sum of discounted benefits divided by the sum of discounted costs, was 2.94, over the same period. Thus on both measures, investing in the Beef CRC is expected to have been profitable. We conclude by noting that the value of the Impact Tool is not only for ex-ante and ex-post evaluation of the impacts of particular technologies, but it also provides a very effective tool for RD&amp;E project planning.

Rare-Earth Economics: The Balance Problem

TMS has forged cooperative agreements with several carefully selected organizations that actively work to benefit the materials science community. In this occasional series, JOM will provide an update on the activities of these organizations. This installment, by the Center for Resource Recovery & Recycling (CR3), focuses on the importance of recycling of rare earths to mitigate the so-called Balance Problem. The CR3 is a research center established by Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Colorado School of Mines, and KU Leuven. Twenty-eight corporations and national laboratories along with support from the U.S. National Science Foundation’s Industry University Cooperative Research Center (I/UCRC) program are sponsors of the center.

The symbiotic rumen microbiome and cattle performance: a brief review

The rumen of the dairy cow contains a rich and diverse collection of microbes that during feed digestion produce significant quantities of methane gas and ammonia, both of which contribute to greenhouse gas emissions. Strategies to redirect rumen carbon and nitrogen metabolism away from these products provide opportunities for significant productivity improvements in livestock systems not only by improving nutrient retention, but also by reducing greenhouse gas emissions. In order to develop these strategies, a greater knowledge of the diversity of the microbes within their rumen and their genomic capability is required. Many have used several techniques to study the rumen microbes, and the technology continues to improve. Among them include researchers at the Department of Primary Industries Victoria (DPI Vic) and the Dairy Futures Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) who are addressing the issue of regulation of methane emissions in dairy cattle, while scientists in Queensland and New South Wales, as part of the most recent Beef CRC program, focus on beef cattle. In this brief review, we examine how the techniques used in rumen microbial ecology have changed, and how technology improvements continue to allow us to examine the rumen microbiota of cattle and other ruminants, so as to better understand and possibly select animals with superior traits, leading to improvements in feed efficiency, methane emissions and nitrogen retention.

Evaluating industry-based doctoral research programs: perspectives and outcomes of Australian Cooperative Research Centre graduates

Researchers of the future will need to be able to work across the increasingly porous boundaries between university, industry, government and community sectors. Concerns have been raised internationally for several decades about the content and approaches adopted in doctoral programs. Innovative doctoral programs that facilitate students' experiences of industry-based research have been introduced around the globe as one approach to addressing these concerns. While some of these new national approaches have been studied, systematic evaluations that track research graduates' actual employment preparation and outcomes remain patchy. This article reports on a comprehensive study of graduate preparation and employment outcomes of an Australian doctoral program that has been designed to produce industry-ready graduates: the Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) program. This article argues that CRC doctoral programs appear to provide greater experience of industry and access to professional development, that result in higher numbers of graduates gaining employment in industry and in public sector research organisations.

Wound management innovation cooperative research centre – a new model for inter‐disciplinary wound research

Wound research is a complex multidimensional activity most effectively conducted by inter-disciplinary teams that connect studies in basic wound biology, devices and biomaterials with clinical practice. These complexities have been recognised in a new initiative through the establishment of an inter-disciplinary wound research centre in Australia; the Wound Management Innovation Cooperative Research Centre (WMI CRC). The centre is funded by the Australian Government's Cooperative Research Centre Program and a consortium of 22 participants and has a resource of US$108 million over 8 years...

A Systems Approach to Identifying and Managing Opportunities and Constraints to Delivering Innovation Policy for Agriculture: An Analysis of the Australian Cooperative Research Centres (CRC) Program

In this paper we outline an analytical approach to identifying points in the policy process where management intervention to adjust organizational design could enhance delivery of innovation policy over time. We illustrate this approach using an example from native vegetation policy in the state of Victoria, Australia. We then use this approach to interpret recent reviews of the Australian Cooperative Research Centres (CRC) Program, a policy instrument aimed at enhancing national economic growth by fostering innovation in research and development. The approach described in this paper is grounded in the idea of policy as a complex and adaptive organizational system. From the findings it was apparent that reviews of the Australian CRC Program have recognized some of its complex and dynamic properties. However, they have been limited in their capacity to translate this recognition into practical recommendations for organizational design to improve delivery on innovation, particularly in relation to the uptake of research outputs by industries such as agriculture. We propose that this is likely to reflect the bureaucratic foundations of innovation policy and the difficulties associated with changing processes and ways of managing them that have become locked in to the organizational system. The design of policy instruments to deliver innovation, such as the CRC Program, should be informed by a detailed understanding of the dynamics that are mediating between policy objectives and outcomes over time. Dynamics such as the impact of bureaucratic constraints on the flexibility of policy processes and the participants engaged in them. In the absence of this sort of understanding, dynamics that critically affect the capacity of policy instruments to deliver innovation are likely to go unidentified and left to run their own course to an unpredictable and potentially counterproductive end. While the idea of policy as a complex organizational system is well known, there remains a substantive gap in knowledge as to how thinking about policy in this way might be applied to generate practical options for improving organizational design. The analytical approach described in this paper addresses this gap in knowledge. In the absence of such approaches, the effectiveness of policy instruments such as the CRC Program, which are intended to foster innovation, will continue to be limited by deficiencies in organizational design.