Pie in the sky comes down to earth as governments begin to innovate

The term "innovation" has in the past been a somewhat vague term to some people and was often seen as a very "pie in the sky" phrase that CEOs and other thought leaders tossed around to make it seem like they were doing something original.

Now governments are calling that term to task as they initiate new departments and officials completely devoted to new and original ideas, and suddenly innovation isn't just for clever companies.  The New York Times notes that "the impetus comes from two fronts: daunting challenges in fields like energy, the environment and health care that require collaboration between the public and private sectors; and shortcomings of traditional economic development and industrial policies."

As an emerging discipline, innovation policy begs the question, "What is the appropriate government role in creating industries and jobs in today's high-technology, global economy?"  According to innovation policy practitioners from around the globe, the discipline is "an attempt to bring some coordination to often disparate government initiatives" from every facet of governmental research.  While it is meant to help move society forward faster, the governments role should be likened to an orchestra conductor, offering stewardship, not command or control.
The United States is behind in this area, but other countries are focusing their innovation on problems or issues unique to themselves.

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Brian Swann
VCU Brandcenter / Creative Brand Management / 804-690-7048
www.brandcenter.vcu.edu / swannbr@gmail.com