Workshop
Scientific
cooperation
indicators
and
impact
measures March
16!17"2009
IRD,"FRANCE
The use of indicators in research policy
Daniel Villavicencio (UAM-X)
The
knowledge
society
(economy)• Capabilities of acquisition, stockage, production and
transferring of knowledge• Increasing importance of technological and
organizational innovation in firms and other institutions• Changes in the science–production cycle : a) shorter
time; b) more diversity and more intense linkages of science-industry c) new forms of funding
• New combinations of knowledge (tacit/codified) for innovation
• More knowledge intensive services• Intermediate organizations for knowledge transfer• New social capabilities to take advantage of scientific
knowledge (to solve problems)
The
knowledge
society
(economy)
• Employment in knowledge intensive sectors and increasing importance of these sectors in the economy (emerging sectors)
• Intangible capital (HR investment, professional training, knowledge diffusion, etc.
• New markets based on knowledge: access, costs, incentives for knowledge production, etc.
• Policy: instruments to accelerate knowledge production, absorption and use by society
What
can!we
measure?
– Which data are picked up, how, what for(assessment, public policy, international cooperation,
benchmark, etc.)
– Who produces them (universities, public organizations, enterprises)
– What do they show (outputs vs. dynamics)
– Which methodologies to use?
– What can we compare?
A!problem!for!measurement
Inputs-stocks-outputs(See manuals: Oslo, Frascati, Bogotá, Esocyt, Canberra,
Santiago)– R&D investments– Funds for innovation research & activities– S&T-Hum Ress, training and education– Patents– Publications
What about processes (how to measure them) ?– Learning capabilities (in particular SMEs)– Knowledge networks performance– Incremental innovation (‘inventing around’, technological catching-up,
industrial up-grading, tropicalisation of products…)– Knowledge spill-overs
What we!dont measure…• Tacit!knowledge!flows• The!use!of!traditional!(non!scientific?)!knowledge• Technological!absorption!capabilities,!adaptations• Knowledge!capital!circulation!(research!networks)• Impact!of!STI!policy!on!social!problem!solving!
• Learning!paths• Social!capabilities!for!knowledge!absorption
Tensions
and
challenges
• National dynamics vs international cooperation (objectives, actors, priorities, instruments…)
• Existence of cognitive divides• Actors have different learning capabilities,
while indicators attempt to standardize • Performance: inputs, outputs (processes?)• Tension between knowledge adaptation
and knowledge creation
Towards the knowledge society?
• Social needs: complexity, evolution • Institutional logics: incentives, paths and lock-in
effects• Efficency and impact : evaluation, methodologies,
information platforms• The public policy agenda : what is the role and
place of science, technology and innovation?
Tensions and challenges