Sustainable Futures FUTURE TECHNOLOGIES AND THEIR RELATIONSHIP TO REGIONAL SUSTAINABILITY Meirion Thomas Cardiff Business School & CMInno Group In collaboration

Sustainable Futures

FUTURE TECHNOLOGIES AND THEIR RELATIONSHIP TO REGIONAL

SUSTAINABILITY

Meirion ThomasCardiff Business School & CMInno Group

In collaboration with Yannis PierrakisCardiff Business School

16 May 2002 Observatory for a Sustainable Knowledge based Region

2

The structure of the presentation

Benefits and limitations of RIS, RITTS, RTP Reasons behind these limitations The need for a new trajectory/a “step

change” Building in the concepts of foresight and

sustainability Basis for a new approach to a sustainable

future Innovation Action Programme in Wales


3

RIS, RITTS & RTP have provided impressive benefits for regional innovation policy

Promoted a “faster speed” towards closing the

disparity gap.

Strong impact on the institutional relationship

within the regions

Introduced innovative behaviour and thinking

Promoted partnership and consensus building


4

But there are drawbacks in their effectiveness

Main problem: - focus on “incremental” innovation:

“Innovation that is being continually carried out through sometimes small changes in the products,

processes and management practice, that are being used by the SME sector or through the adoption or

adaptation of technologies that already exist in other sector, firms”

Usherian model of innovation


5

Why RIS, RITTS & RTP have focused on Incremental Innovation?

Emphasis on needs of SMEs Implementation through existing

SPD’s Limited visioning and Foresight

exercises Regional autonomy Expense


6

Focus on incremental innovation leads to incremental innovation policy

RIS

RITTS

RTP

RIS

RITTS

RTP

GOVERNMENTGOVERNMENT

SMEsSMEs

REGIONAL

POLICY

REGIONAL

POLICY

LARGE

BUSINESS

LARGE

BUSINESS

INCREMENTALINCREMENTAL

UNIVERSITIESUNIVERSITIES


7

Evaluations of RIS, RITTS & RTP

Little has been achieved in supporting

“Strategic” Innovation.

Limited attention has been paid to the

development of “breakthrough” innovation

and technologies.


8

Creating a “Step-Change”

There is need for both:A new approach to the innovative initiatives

A methodology by which technological

“breakthroughs” might be initiated and managed

It is essential that future policies or programmes are capable of being

sustained within the region


9

EC Innovative Actions programme 2001

“The regions must find innovative solutions which

guarantee sustainable development and the enhancement of regional

identities – the factors which from the basis of regional, human and physical

capital”.

(European Commission 2001)


10

Changing the concept of Sustainability

Environment

Society

Economy

The concept of the “Triple Bottom

Line”


11

Future approaches should:

Use the consensus of the current RIS, RITTS and RTP initiatives,

in order to

Embrace a more foresight concept for generating sustainable growth


12

Foresight

“A systematic, participatory future intelligence gathering and medium-to-long term vision building process aimed at present-day decisions and mobilising joint action”

(FOREN 2001)


13

Regional foresight and Sustainability

Foresight requires consensus and trust networks that can establish and sustain strategic innovation policies and choices.

Matching foresight approaches with RIS,RITTS & RTP experiences to create the consensus and engagement required for strategic and sustainable regional innovation policies.


14

Creating a strategic & sustainable regional policy

REGIONAL

FORESIGHT

RIS, RITTS & RTP

REGIONAL

FORESIGHT

RIS, RITTS & RTP

GOVERNMENTGOVERNMENT

SMEsSMEs

REGIONALINNOVATION

POLICY

REGIONALINNOVATION

POLICY

LARGE

BUSINESS

LARGE

BUSINESS

STRATEGIC SUSTAINABLE

STRATEGIC SUSTAINABLE

UNIVERSITIESUNIVERSITIES


15

Operationalising these concepts

Wales has secured EU support for an

Innovative Actions programme - “Towards a

Sustainable based Region”.

One of the four complementary “Strands”

within this programme is “Future Technology

for a Sustainable Economy”


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Aims of the Future Technology Programme

To develop and test strategic approach that allows Wales to assess the key technologies required in order to develop in a sustainable manner.

To interact with companies, researchers and the public on the opportunities required to ensure Wales obtains a sustainable position in selected new technologies and innovation


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The programme goes further than a

traditional foresight exercise It builds on a successful RTP process and

long lasting consensus It focuses on a small group of technologies

that are key to a number of sectors relevant to Wales

It combines prospective analysis with implementation and dissemination

It links the sustainable future of the economy in Wales to key beneficiaries


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Beneficiaries of Programme

The programme will balance learning with doing and dissemination activities

Build on “bottom up” consultative approach

Beneficiaries include:SMEs & large businesses

Universities & Researchers

Policy Makers

Public


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Scope of Delivery

Range from:

Desk based data gathering

Commissioned studies

In-depth interactions with industry

Involvement of industry experts


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Running in parallel with:

A series of learning and dissemination activities including:

Technology Clinics

Debates

Technology Symposia

Web site

Future Technologies Exhibitions


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Conclusion

RIS, RITTS and RTP have had major impacts in Regional Development but have not encouraged Strategic Innovation

A Sustainable Regional Policy approach is now required

Building Regional Foresight into RIS, RITTS and RTP projects is a way forward

The Wales Innovation Actions Programme is an experiment to test this approach

Thank you

www.sustainableregions.net

Documents

Sustainable Futures FUTURE TECHNOLOGIES AND THEIR RELATIONSHIP TO REGIONAL SUSTAINABILITY Meirion Thomas Cardiff Business School & CMInno Group In collaboration