[Env seminars] WEDNESDAY-'Innovation and Sustainability', Ruud E. Smits, 9/28/05

[Karen Gibson]

"Innovation and Sustainability: the Need for Systemic Policy Instruments"

Prof. Ruud E. Smits
Department of Innovation Studies, University of Utrecht

Wednesday, September 28, 2005
12:00 noon
E40-496 (1 Amherst St.)

Abstract
Based on an analysis of developments in innovation policy and on 
recent insights from innovation studies, it appears that there is a 
need for what could be called systemic policy instruments. These 
instruments are complementary to the more traditional instruments, 
which put a heavy emphasis on 1-1 or bilateral relations and have a 
strong financial focus. Systemic instruments, on the other hand, 
focus on alignment, learning and demand and vision articulation. 
These instruments will be illustrated with some examples dealing with 
sustainability related issues (transition in transport chains to bio 
fuels).

Biography
Prof. Ruud Smits is Professor of Innovation and Technology at Utrecht 
University in The Netherlands. He is a member of the board of 
Copernicus Research Institute for Sustainable Development and 
Innovation and is a member of several committees dealing with 
research and policy in the field of innovation. He is also director 
of  'Smits Innovation Consultancy' and associate of 'Dialogic', a 
young and innovative consultancy firm involved in interactive 
strategy and policy development in the area of innovation in services 
and E-commerce. Prof. Smits is co-founder and associate editor of the 
International Journal of Foresight and Innovation Policy. The focus 
of his work is on management of innovation processes and the 
development of more user-oriented types of innovation policy and 
management, technology assessment and the development of instruments 
that facilitate the participation of relevant actors in 
decision-making processes on innovation and on the dynamics of 
innovation systems.

Light refreshment will be provided.

-- 
_________________________________
Karen  L. Gibson
Program Assistant
MIT Laboratory For Energy and the Environment
77 Massachusetts Avenue, E40-469
(1 Amherst St., E40-469 - for DHL and FedEx)
Cambridge, MA 02139  USA
Tel:  1 (617) 258-6368; Fax:  1 (617) 258-6590
http://lfee.mit.edu
http://globalsustainability.org
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://mailman.mit.edu/pipermail/environmental-seminars/attachments/20050927/46568ebb/attachment.htm