Innovation in Foreign Policy

In this article by Anne-Marie Slaughter in The Atlantic, she introduces a new term: "Do-it-yourself-foreign policy". The Do-it-Yourself (DIY) movement already has impacted research and innovation, this is a complete different trend. The involvement of citizens in the development and implementation of new public policies is a new trend enabled by new technologies and a greater awareness of citizens. That also the traditional 'behind the doors' foreign policy between states might also be affected (not abandoned) by these trends is new and worth mentioning.

For the article, click here

Are Patents good or bad for innovation?

Patents are often used as a indicator for measuring innovation. While actually, many statistics indicate that patents are very often unused, or used strategically to protect other patents.

An article about patents and their negative role on innovations:

Click here

Industry clusters: The modern-day snake oil

In an article in the Washington Post, Vivek Wadhwa warns against the top-down risks of policy makers that try to build new clusters. What is overlooked according to him, is that innovation is about people and their connections.

This line of thinking is fully in line with my thoughts. Innovation is the result of actions of people, not of institutions and secondly new clusters cannot be planned and executed top-down by policy-makers themselves. Clusters only become successful if it is believed, shared by the relevant people who have to make it into a success.

See article here

Roger McNamee

A speech of Roger McNamee, a technology investor, on some of the future trends in ICT, internet, media. He foresees a whole new market with HTML5, which levels the playing field (a whole new pasture, fist come first serve base).

The Eight Pillars of Innovation

Google Employee #16 (Susan Wojcicki) looks back on the efforts of Google to continue to develop and deliver innovations, from a small start-up to a large multinational. See came up with 8 pillars:

1. Have_a_mission_that_matters
2. Think_big_but_start_small
3. Strive_for_continual_ innovation, not_instant_perfection
4. Look_for_ideas_everywhere
5. Share_everything
6. Spark_with_imagination, fuel_with_data
7. Be_a_platform
8. Never_fail_to_fail

For the full story and explanation, click here