STI Policy Research Articles

The Role of Wild Cards Analysis in Foresight Studies: The Case of Russia

The wild cards conception as an element of foresight studies has been widely discussed by numerous scholars who have interest and qualification in strategic management field or STI policies from the end of the previous century. Some researchers focus their attention on the general key features of this phenomenon and its overall impact as well as origin, while others study possible applications of wild cards analysis in corporate and government sectors. The purpose of this research is to systematize knowledge about wild cards, determine their role in foresight practices and suggest an instrument for their detection and implementation into foresight research. For this reason, on the basis of a number of national and international foresight projects, we developed existing methodological approaches of wild cards identification, analysis and visual presentation. The results of the study were applied to Russian S&T Foresight 2030.

India’s Science, Technology and Innovation Policy: Choices for Course Correction with Lessons Learned from China

<p>A large number of developed and emerging economies have introduced S&T reforms and some of them such as Japan, South Korea and later China have used them for gaining competitive advantage in science, technology and innovation through well crafted S&T policies and appropriate strategies. So far, India has pronounced four major S&T policies beginning with the Science Policy Resolution (SPR) in 1958, Technology Policy in 1983; S&T Policy in 2003 and Science Technology and Innovation Policy in 2013. In a period of six decades India has created a huge S&T infrastructure and made impressive achievements in space, defence and atomic energy, yet the feat is not as impressive in the industrial sector. In innovation competitiveness, R&D and human resource, the indices related to global manufacturing, competition, innovation and knowledge, India has not performed as well in comparison to other BRICS countries. In this paper an attempt has been made to look at, how comprehensive India’s STI policies with regard to policy components; a roadmap; strategies for execution and boldness in terms of identifying and recognising the failures and recommend major structural changes. What is intended is to understand the relationship between the domain of S&T policy and intended outcomes; the mismatch between the policy expectations and outcomes. An attempt is being made to identify possibility for correction by taking lessons from other economies, such as China.</p><p> </p><p><strong>Keywords</strong>: S&T policies, Innovation policies, Innovation ecosystem</p>

Untangling the conflation of ‘young adults’ and ‘young people’ in STI and sexual health policy and sex education

Young adults, aged 18–30 years, are disproportionally mentioned in sexually transmissible infection surveillance data both in Australia and internationally. This contributes to categorising young adults as an ‘at risk’ group in health policy. How young adults are framed in policy, and what informs this, have direct implications for policy priorities and responses, including the development of health promotion programmes. In this paper, we provide a case study of Australia’s National Strategies for Blood Borne Viruses and Sexually Transmissible Infections from 2005 to 2017. We identify how ‘young adults’ as a population are masked by, and subsumed within, the broader category of ‘young people’ within these strategies. As a result, young adults become framed by default as a ‘risk category’ that requires education to correct its deficits, regardless of personal experience. For health promotion to advocate, mediate and enable better sexual health outcomes, a policy environment is needed that reflects the changing social and cultural contexts and sexual independence that young adults experience. Sexual health policies should reflect the complexity and opportunities of young adulthood if we are to offer an enabling policy environment for innovative and nuanced health promotion strategies, including adult appropriate health education.

Los instrumentos de la política en ciencia, tecnología e innovación en la Argentina reciente

La noción de instrumentos de política ha sido empleada en diversos estudios académicos que analizan el ámbito de la ciencia, la tecnología y la innovación; sin embargo, ello no se ha traducido en un avance en la caracterización de la política. Este artículo posee como propósito analizar la política pública en ciencia, tecnología e innovación en la Argentina reciente, a través de distinguir y caracterizar las tendencias presentes en materia de instrumentos. Para ello, se realiza una caracterización de los mismos de acuerdo con sus objetivos, con los organismos que se encargan de su aplicación, sus destinatarios y con el momento en que fueron creados. El estudio se basa en el procesamiento de información proveniente de la plataforma Políticas CTI gestionada por RICYT. Del análisis se desprende que la mayoría de los instrumentos son implementados por un único organismo del complejo de CTI; que el sector académico es el destinatario principal y que en los últimos quince años la política de CTI en Argentina ha atravesado un proceso de expansión y diversificación de sus instrumentos de significativa relevancia

The Last and Next 10 Years of Foresight

This study investigates trends in Foresight and establishes how the changing global landscape has affected the Foresight activities over the last decade. The strategies these countries have adopted to counter the effects and make the best of these changes have also been examined. Key issues discussed in the paper cover the drivers of the trends in the past and next decade and their future implications for Foresight. The study identifies trends in Foresight through case studies. Five leading countries in Foresight have been selected for analysis including Finland, the UK, Germany, Japan and Russia. A set of indicators have been designed for the purpose of benchmarking national Foresight activities of these five countries. Among the indicators are: the contextual landscape, scope of the exercise, regularity of using Foresight for policy formulation, funding mechanisms, scale of participation as well as use and implementation. The results of the study show that, Foresight activities have changed in content, context and process over the last ten years. First, Foresight has moved from large scale national activities and become narrower in scope with attempts to focus on specific grand challenges, sectors or technologies. Second, in the quest to provide a broader picture of the social environment within which the results of the study will be implemented in order to ensure robust STI policy, Foresight exercises have become more extensive by involving more social stakeholders and expert consultations. Also, technological applications have shortened the entire Foresight process as new tools have been created for gathering and processing data, eliciting opinions, and disseminating them widely. This is a result of more intensive use of technologies and electronic platforms for the purpose of Foresight studies. Recent Foresight literature lacks a comprehensive overview of the changing landscape of policy making, motivations for organizing Foresight activities and processes of implementing Foresight. The present study aims to fill this gap with a holistic analysis of the context, content and process of Foresight activities in the past 10 years, and discusses possible transformations in the next 10 years.

An Empirical Study of Policy Implementation of Thailand Talent Mobility Programme

<p>This paper empirically examines the national policy deployment of talent mobility programme aiming to leverage innovation atmosphere in private sector as a part of national strategy to escape middle income country status. The main policy mechanism is to facilitate universities and research institutes to develop their internal regulations in accordance with the Cabinet approval such that their talents can be legally mobilised to conduct research or project in private companies for competitiveness improvement. Moreover, clearing houses or service centres were established to eliminate the gap between industry and university, whereas training programmes were also developed for capacity building purpose, especially for staffs in those centres. Lastly, facilitation resources such as management, research fund, and compensation were mutually supported by government agencies including National Science Technology and Innovation Policy Office and Office of the Higher Education Commission. Based on data collection from the talent mobility projects executed during 2014 to 2016, key success factors and barriers were observed and subsequently the policy recommendations were proposed for improving the programme implementation in future.</p><h4><strong> </strong></h4><p><strong>Keywords:</strong> Talent Mobility, STI Policy, GEDP</p>

Innovation and development: a revision of the Latin American thought

PropósitoEl propósito de este trabajo es el de reflexionar sobre algunas aportaciones provenientes de lo que hemos denominado pensamiento latinoamericano en relación con la innovación, la ciencia, la tecnología y su relación con el desarrollo.Diseño/metodología/enfoqueEl método de análisis se basa en la revisión de un conjunto de autores latinoamericanos y latinoamericanistas que hemos seleccionado con base en sus aportaciones para la explicación y sus propuestas de política pública en relación con la CTI. Algunas preguntas que guían nuestro análisis son las siguientes: ¿en qué medida el pensamiento latinoamericano en CTI ha contribuido a la teoría del desarrollo? y ¿dada la existencia de otros enfoques que predominan como pensamiento único, podemos hablar de una vigencia del pensamiento latinoamericano?ConclusionesLa principal conclusión de nuestro trabajo es que hay un pensamiento latinoamericano vigente que ha sido y aún es un referente actual para la discusión del desarrollo en la región latinoamericana, como lo muestran la creación de conceptos y esquemas analíticos como los de heterogeneidad estructural, estilos de desarrollo, la competitividad auténtica y espuria, el Triángulo de Sábato, centro-periferia, así como estrategias de política en CTI.Originalidad/valorComo parte del marco analítico hemos agrupado al conjunto de aportaciones en tres direcciones: a) la participación del Estado (intensidad, composición); b) la industrialización como impulso al desarrollo y c) los instrumentos y medidas de política pública a implementar o que han sido implementados.

Creating sustainable impact from Foresight on STI Policy

PurposeForesight is frequently used to establish science and technology investment priorities and develop corresponding technology and innovation support programmes. In the light of technology and innovation policy, many individual Foresight studies are undertaken which are separate and little linked with the broader policy scope and ambition. This paper aims to look at an approach towards a consistent Foresight system which is linked closely to science, technology and innovation policy.Design/methodology/approachThe paper provides an in-depth case study of the Russian Foresight system. The case study is based on desk research and extensive experience of the authors with the system.FindingsRussia has developed a systematic approach towards organising Foresight which involves and serves multiple stakeholders, including government, ministries, federal and regional agencies, higher education institutions, public research institutes, state-owned companies and private businesses and a large range of associations. Under the auspicious of a dedicated commission, targeted Foresight is undertaken with clearly defined scope for each. The paper finds that the Russian system is unique in its organisational structure and in the integration of Foresight with science, technology and innovation policy measures.Originality/valueThe paper describes all facets of the Russian Foresight system which has not been done before. It also outlines the practical steps to further develop and leverage the system.

Dialogue Processes for Designing STI Policies: The Creation of a Thematic Network

Dialogue Processes for Designing STI Policies: The Creation of a Thematic Network

Windows of opportunity and death valleys in STI policy construction: Policy dialogues in Brazil

Windows of opportunity and death valleys in STI policy construction: Policy dialogues in Brazil

THE STATE AND POLICIES OF SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION IN BRAZIL

O tema deste artigo são as políticas de ciência, tecnologia e inovação, dos anos de 1950 até o presente, da perspectiva da atuação do Estado brasileiro. O principal objetivo é analisar o papel do Estado ao longo do período considerado. O referencial teóri

TRANSFER REVENUES OF RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY ORGANIZATIONS (RTOs) IN TIMES OF ECONOMIC CRISIS

Profit-oriented transfer activities have become a center piece of STI policies. There is little understanding tough of how companies facing financial headwind re-adjust their knowledge transfer activities in the light of economic downturn. This paper studies influence factors for transfer revenues during the years 2009, 2010 and 2012 in around 1000 Russian Research and Technology Organizations (RTOs). The data shows that in times of crisis, quality-related variables like scientific papers, patents or successful application for competitive research funds were no longer positively correlated to transfer revenues. Also recruitment strategies or long-standing relationships between customer organizations and RTOs had no influence. The paper concludes that RTOs are in a very weak position if economic outlooks are darkening and require public financial support to maintain their ability to continuously provide their services once until the economy will recovers.

Big-Data-Augmented Approach to Emerging Technologies Identification: Case of Agriculture and Food Sector

The paper discloses a new approach to emerging technologies identification, which strongly relies on capacity of big data analysis, namely text mining augmented by syntactic analysis techniques. It discusses the wide context of the task of identifying emerging technologies in a systemic and timely manner, including its place in the methodology of foresight and future-oriented technology analysis, its use in horizon scanning exercises, as well as its relation to the field of technology landscape mapping and tech mining. The concepts of technology, emerging technology, disruptive technology and other related terms are assessed from the semantic point of view. Existing approaches to technology identification and technology landscape mapping (in wide sense, including entity linking and ontology-building for the purposes of effective STI policy) are discussed, and shortcomings of currently available studies on emerging technologies in agriculture and food sector (A&F) are analyzed. The opportunities of the new big-data-augmented methodology are shown in comparison to existing results, both globally and in Russia. As one of the practical results of the study, the integrated ontology of currently emerging technologies in A&F sector is introduced. The directions and possible criteria of further enhancement and refinement of proposed methodology are contemplated, with special attention to use of bigger volumes of data, machine learning and ontology-mining / entity linking techniques for the maximum possible automation of the analytical work in the discussed field. The practical implication of the new approach in terms of its effectiveness and efficiency for evidence-based STI policy and corporate strategic planning are shortly summed up as well.

The Meaning of Digitalization for Research Skills: Challenges for STI Policy

This paper gives an overview of the impact of the current digital evolution of S&T systems, in particular on STI policies and research skills development. Within this context digitalization demonstrates strong impact on human capital and tangible assets (infrastructures and information processing tools etc.) by means of enhancing sources of new knowledge. Hence, challenges arise on the useful and proper utilization of numerous opportunities which emerged from digitalization. What are the new challenges for S&T systems caused by digitalization and what mechanisms could be implemented for system adaptation to them? What are the new research skills that are a high priority to acquire both by individuals and system as a whole? The paper argues that STI policy thus far hasn’t demonstrated sufficient responses to the changing requirements on researcher skills but remains at the infrastructural discussion.

THE PLACE OF TECHNICAL AND VOCATIONAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING (TVET) IN SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION (STI) POLICY: THE NEED FOR POLICY REFORMATION IN NIGERIA

Educational policy is a fundamental document that guides the smooth running of any educational programme. If not properly planned, prepared and implemented, such education programme can be run haphazardly without any beneficial outcome. Any policy document that cannot be applied in any educational programme may be described as inadequate. A science or technology based policy should not consider only the advanced level technology in Nigeria but also integrate the lower or indigenous level technology; hence STI policy should not neglect the TVET indigenous technologies since TVET is seen as programme to promote skill acquisition for indigenous and advanced technology in any nation. This study, therefore, investigated the place of TVET programmes in STI policy in Nigeria. The study determined that the place of TVET in STI policy may be described as illusion, mirage or not comprehensive to the public because the policy formulation and implementation appears to neglect the adoption of low level indigenous TVET technologies in Nigeria which an average Nigerian benefits from. Theories and philosophical dicta were presented with respect to policy advocacy for TVET programmes in Nigeria. The place of TVET in STI policy is undefined in Nigeria, hence the need to properly integrate TVET section in STI policy or formulate an independent TVET policy. It is, therefore, recommended that applicable societal values in technology should be considered in STI policy for the realization of the Nigerian vision 20:2020. The STI policy making and implementation process should embrace 90% of the experts in the fields of science, technology, technical and engineering education, else the need for alternative policy for TVET programmes in Nigeria. Key words: technical and vocational education and training, science, technology and innovation Policy, indigenous technology, policy reform.

Broadening, deepening, and governing innovation: Flemish technology assessment in historical and socio-political perspective

This article examines the socio-political dynamics in the evolution and development of Flemish technology assessment (TA). Broadly defined, TA encompasses activities and programs that expand and deepen the knowledge base of contemporary knowledge-based economies (KBEs), typically by including new actors (e.g. trade unions), ideas (e.g. science in society), and rationales (e.g. participatory techniques) in science, technology, and innovation (STI) processes. Starting from the regionalization of STI policy in Belgium and the convergence of Flemish STI around global KBE principles, the article exemplifies how since the 1980s successive Flemish TA waves (early-warning, bottom-up, and interactive TA) have co-evolved with successive generations of Flemish innovation policy. Building on these findings, it argues that Flemish TA has counteracted and accommodated dominant STI paradigms. By providing a historical and socio-political perspective on TA and innovation policy, the article draws critical attention to the institutional settings and societal contexts in which TA is embedded, and questions TA's strategic utility within contemporary KBEs. This perspective sheds light on the Flemish government's recent decision to close its parliamentary TA institute and the institutional expansion of TA elsewhere in Europe.

STI Policy in Russia and China Mapping and Comparisons in Instruments, Objectives and Implementation

We study STI policy of Russia and China in this paper with a three-dimension framework for policy objectives, policy instruments and policy implementation. Analyzing a database of 418 STI policies issued between 1990 and 2013 in the two countries, 25 policy variables have been scrutinized for the two countries vis-a-vis the three policy dimensions. The paper then compares and contrasts Russia with China, revealing the differences and similarities between the two countries in STI policy instruments, objectives and

The Persistent High--Tech Myth and its Implications for the EU10 Countries

Given the economic, societal and environmental relevance of innovation, this paper contrasts various models of innovation, compares how innovation is understood in mainstream economics and evolutionary economics of innovation and juxtaposes the concomitant policy rationales. By discussing two monitoring tools used by the European Commission to assess its member states’ innovation performance, it argues that the science-push model of innovation is still highly influential in the EC STI policy circles, in spite of the significance of non-RD ii) STI policies should promote learning and knowledge-intensive activities in all sectors, including low- and medium-technology industries and services; iii) analysts and policy-makers need to avoid the trap of paying too much attention to simplifying ranking exercises; iv) new indicators that better reflect the evolutionary processes of learning and innovation would be needed to support analysis and policy-making; v) the choice of an economics paradigm to guide policy evaluation is likely to be decisive.

STI POLICY AND ACADEMY-INDUSTRY COOPERATION FOR INNOVATION AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN DAEJEON, KORE

This study reviews technological innovation to examine science, technology, and innovation (STI) policies and strategies for academy-industry cooperation for innovation and entrepreneurship in Daejeon. STI policy in Daejeon is based on a vision that harmonizes regional and national policies at a regional level, fostering of a key innovation cluster and strategic industries in Daejeon, and a new growth engine of converging industries such as information technology (IT), biotechnology (BT), and nanotechnology (NT). This paper proposes the following: First, considering the harmony of national and regional policies, STI policy should be promoted at the regional level considering venture and SMEs. Second, we recommend nurturing a global innovation cluster as part of a regional STI and venture ecosystem. This will support the region of Daejeon as the heart of a global innovation cluster by having Daedeok Innopolis and the International Science and Business Belt as its two major axes. Third, we recommend strengthening academy-industry cooperation in Sejong and other regions.

The Legislative and Policy Gaps in the National HIV and AIDS, STI Policy, 2004-2014, Ghana

By 2003, 350,000 persons lived with HIV/AIDS in Ghana with an average drop of 15,640 over 8 years. In 2011, approximately 224,878 persons lived with HIV/AIDS, which is expected to drop to 221,884 by 2015. We think the estimated 2994 drop over 4 years is pedestrian. We attribute the lackluster performance to the haphazard HIV and AIDS, STI Policy from 2004 through 2013. We considered the Ghana HIV/AIDS and STI Policy published (NACP/GHS, 2013) “as is” to isolate the gaps in the policy, looking at the provision of judicial and legal mechanisms for testing, treatment and counseling. We also investigated the national policy on partner notification, names reporting, and expedited partner therapy, in the case of MSM and young people as provided for in the policy. Finally, we looked at issues affecting stigmatization and discrimination. The investigation consisted of the review of the Revised National HIV and AIDS, STI Policy of August 2004 through 2013. We also undertook a documentary review of publications on the topic. There are systemic problems in the policy design, which has weakened the thrust of the national control program. The policy is unsystematic and inconsistent with international best practice in combating communicable diseases. It may not maximize the number of persons who are aware of their HIV status. It may not increase the number of HIV infected persons who receive care, and may not prevent new infections. It is unlikely that by 2015 even the low 2994 drop over four years would be sustained particularly with the current rationing of ART drugs in the nation. Recommendations are made to, perhaps, inform policy.