Discussion Forums

This is the simplest part of the UK innovation approach but one of the more subtle, and important.

Without an open discussion between different organisations there is a tendency to silo thinking; focusing on individual sector priorities without the recognition of other possibilities. Brazil is a good example with strong Universities, strong innovation policy drives and approaches within government, and large successful companies, but they all focus on their own directions and fail to optimise joint possibilities.

Within the UK places like the R&D Society and NESTA have provided platforms for people networking in policy and evidence for policy decisions. A network of networks that can provide a cross organisationally approach to optimise innovation approaches.

A note of caution is to overcome the tendency of key people in sectors such as Universities, Royal Societies, or standards bodies to believe their sector is the most important and that their expertise has direct read across to all other sectors; but as a generalist Ex Civil Servant I would say that!