Research
Researching into innovation
With BIG POTATOES, the broad idea is that research is essential for serious innovations to come about. But we also believe that there’s a need for better research into innovation – and especially research into the relatively slow pace of innovation in the West.
To advance research into innovation, it might be worth working round the 14 Principles in the Manifesto. Against these there are also lots of broadly defined sectors or issues that can improve insight into current international practice. One can think of some obvious Subjects for Further Research:
- IT, energy, pharmaceuticals, aerospace, transport
- services, public sector, trade, manufacturing
- intellectual property, finance for innovation, spending on R&D
- design, branding, environmentalism.
If you work in or know about innovation in these sectors, please start writing articles or comments about what the problems and the solutions are.
Amazon UK lists more than 100,000 books with the word ‘innovation’ in their titles. So we’re also interested in your thoughts on how best to present research. How should we most usefully review and also move on from today’s voluminous literature and media about innovation?
The faster readers declare the subjects they are most interested in, the sooner we can publish new kinds of research in new ways.
The research we want should be constructive, but should also refuse to allow today’s rhetoric of innovation to substitute for the real thing.
Workgroups
We have been developing a number of workgroups involving BIG POTATOES supporters and others serious about determining the landscape of, and issues around, contemporary innovation. The first workgroups – Information Technology, Energy, and The Arts have met, and further information about them will be posted on on this page.
The Cities and transport, Design, and Medicine workgroups will meet shortly. In general workgroups will meet monthly or bi-monthly, and people outside London will be able to participate online or via a Skype conference call.
If you would like to take part in a workgroup, please contact the workgroup convenor via our Research page or or contact us directly.
Information and Communication Technology
Thursday 23 September, 18:00
BT Centre, near St Paul’s, London
TBC
Energy
Wednesday 28 July, 18:00
London. Contact convenor for details.
UK policy on nuclear; Obama’s science policy and budget; Deepwater Horizon
Read The Power to Compete: Benchmarking the Kerry-Lieberman American Power Act on Clean Energy Innovation and Competitiveness,
Teryn Norris, The Breakthrough Institute, June 9, 2010
The Arts
In planning. (Last meeting: 1 July)
London. Contact convenor for details.
To come
Design
Tuesday 27 July, 18:30 for 19:00
Contact convenor for details.
Discussion of ‘design thinking’, introduced by Kevin McCullagh
Discussions to take place every six weeks to two months. A write-up of the discussions will be produced.
Cities and Transport
In planning
Review the Financial Times special report on the future of cities 18 May 2010
Medicine
In planning
Contact convenor
Media
In planning
Contact convenor