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Papers have been submitted which cover the following broad themes:

1. Innovation and the Changing Global Economy

Structural changes are taking place both within and between national economies, such as the shift of economic activity to the tertiary sector; the lowering of trade barriers, consolidation in some industries, rapid emergence of new players in others. Innovation activities take on an increasingly `network' character and are more widely distributed across the globe. So,

• What roles do innovation and knowledge-based processes play in contributing to these structural changes?

• How do the structural changes affect the nature of innovative activity; and to what extent do they produce inequalities in national innovative capacities?

2. Managing Technology and Innovation beyond the Boundaries of the Firm

Even the largest firms now find that it is uneconomic to remain self-sufficient in creating all the technical and market knowledge that is required to pursue their business. Consequently, the act of innovation now involves the mobilisation of a network of economic agents who possess complementary knowledge and capabilities. This in turn requires careful investments in `knowing what others know'. So,:

• What are the practical decision rules and procedures which firms can use to make choices between alternative innovations and the routes to them, when both of these tasks mean managing beyond the boundaries of the firm?

• What changes do these `distributed' modes of innovation mean for the individual firm with respect to the creation, ownership and deployment of assets, and in the received view of the operation of markets for goods, capital, and corporate control?

3. Policy in Knowledge Production and Knowledge Use

The changes in the institutional map of knowledge production and use create a new situation for the formulation and application of policy. Blurring the boundaries between the different types of knowledge activity undermines one of the traditional touchstones of policy in this field: namely, that market failure applies strongly to certain types of knowledge production. New conceptual underpinnings for policy-making that are more appropriate to the new conditions are needed. So,

• What should guide the balance between public and private investment in knowledge production?

• Given the increasing importance of intellectual property rights, how will the interfaces between knowledge-producing and knowledge-using organisations in public and private sectors be managed?

4. Innovation for Sustainability and the Quality of Life

A prominent feature of the socio-political environment in which all the above analytical and practical questions are set is the debate over what is socially acceptable and environmentally sustainable. This creates powerful new business opportunities in some fields, and it creates complexity and unexpected interconnections between previously discrete policy domains. These challenge conventional policy processes and undermine the previously accepted assumption that innovation and economic growth are inherently 'good'. So,

• How can the levels of variety generation required for a dynamic economy be maintained in the context of the demands for sustainability?

• How can the governance structures of firms and markets be aligned with public environmental preferences?

In addressing these questions, all social and management science disciplines are welcomed, in keeping with ASEAT's long-standing theme of studying technological innovation from a variety of viewpoints.

• The Conference includes the Opening Ceremony of the Institute of Innovation Research. The Ceremony and Reception will be on April 7^th ; Lord Sainsbury, UK Minister will open the Institute and will give the Opening Lecture.

• The Conference will be on April 8-9^th; the keynote Speaker will be Professor Luc Soete, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, Maastricht University, the Netherlands.

• Selected papers will be published in a book by Edward Elgar or in a Special Issue of a leading journal (to be confirmed).

• The Cost of the Conference is £190; this includes two lunches, one dinner, one reception and all documentation. (A lower delegate rate may be available for those with special circumstances; contact the organisers for details).

• Accommodation will be available in nearby UMIST/University of Manchester hotels.

• The conference format will be in the ASEAT-style: full papers submitted in advance and presented by discussants.

Conference Organisers:

Ken Green (chair of Organising Committee)
Hugh Cameron
Rod Coombs
Sharon Hammond
Stan Metcalfe
Vivien Walsh

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