A Report on the Economic Competitiveness of the District of North Vancouver

The District of North Vancouver entered into a process of data collection, analysis and public consultation to develop an understanding of the economic competitiveness of the District. This report addresses the importance of industrial clusters in regional economies

Innovation Happens in Systems: Implications for Science, Technology and Innovation Policy

This report addresses the regional systems of innovation in Canada, and looks at the ways that policy instruments play a role in the process. Recommendations are made to encourage the development of policies that foster the development of innovation clusters in Canada

Quantifying the Vancouver Biotech Cluster

This paper addresses indicators of the performance of the Vancouver human health biotechnology cluster

An Analysis of Industrial Clusters in Burnaby

This report presents the findings of the analysis of industrial clusters in Burnaby. The report provides an overview of cluster theory, provides an analysis of clusters within Burnaby, and draws conclusions based on this analysis

A Proposal for Measuring Science, Technology and Innovation Activities

This conceptual framework for measuring Science, Technology and Innovation Activities (STIA) consists of five elements: (1) Human Capital, (2) Infrastructure, (3) Diffusion & Transfer, (4) Innovation, and (5) Research & Development (R&D). These components can be broken down into two categories: investment in S&T capital (human and infrastructure) and investment in innovation (R&D and national innovation activities). Diffusion and transfer of knowledge and technology is a consequence of these investments. All of these have economic and social impacts

Sri Lankan Expatriate Scientists in Vancouver: Attitudes Towards Returning to Sri Lanka to Rebuild

After a tsunami in 2004, the Sri Lankan Ministry of Science and Technology sought ways to accelerate their economic development through their burgeoning high tech industries. This paper serves as a recommendation to the Ministry to encourage Sri Lankan scientists working and studying abroad to return to the country to aid in rebuilding efforts. It accounts for the factors that lead many Sri Lankan nationals to move abroad, and provides recommendations to entice their return

Reconfiguring National Science and Research Systems: The Role of Charities

We have become familiar and comfortable with the idea that the science, technology and innovation (STI) system of countries is constructed around the so called ‘triple helix’ of government, universities and business. Contrary to the academic interest and government policy, the public is increasingly bypassing this club to impact science funding and innovation outcomes through directly creating and donating funds for research that they want. The charities and foundations coordinating this shift are neither ignorant of strategy or dealing in petty cash. In a significant number of OECD countries, private-non-profits as the statistical category is called, fund the higher education research system at a similar or greater level than business. This result has important implications for how we understand the STI system. This paper explores this gap in the literature, ambiguities in analyzing the phenomenon and suggests a framework for further analysis how charities and foundations are reconfiguring STI systems. &nbsp

An Analysis of the Classification of Government R&D Funding

This paper sketches out a view on this and from it tentatively outlines a framework for the classification of government research and development. More importantly, it proposes a research strategy that could test our framework and develop the data necessary to design an R&D classification that is relevant for public sector management

Some Notes on Theories of Technology, Society and Innovation Systems for S&T Policy Studies

This paper is an examination of technological determinism – the shaping of society by technology – and the influence of society on the evolution of technology

Understanding the British Columbia Hydrogen and Fuel Cells Cluster: A Case Study of Public Laboratories and Private Research

This study looks at the cluster using a structured approach that tests clusters against indicators of current conditions and current performance. It includes the results of an extensive interview program and survey of professionals in the field, both within the cluster and elsewhere. The results give a clear picture of a cluster that has two major components – hydrogen based industries and fuel cell technologies, which are both global in reach and potential