Tagungsberichte und Tagungsankündigungen

University of Sussex, UK, November 13 - 15, 2003

Conference report by Susan Lees, SPRU, University of Sussex, and Jonathan Sapsed, CENTRIM, University of Brighton

More than 200 scholars and researchers attended a conference in honour of the lifetime contribution of the late Professor Keith Pavitt, titled “What do we know about Innovation?“ The conference was sponsored by SPRU (Science and Technology Policy Research of the University of Sussex), CENTRIM (Centre for Research in Innovation Management of the University of Brighton), the Economic and Social Research Council, the UK Department of Trade and Industry and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council. Held on the 13 - 15 November 2003, over 240 participants from around the world attended. The UK Minister for Science and Technology Lord Sainsbury was among the policy makers who attended the event, which also marked the opening of the new Freeman Centre at the university, which combines the research expertise of SPRU and CENTRIM.

Keith's work was based on a deep empirical understanding of innovation and firm behaviour, and he placed particular emphasis on the development of new data, methods, and taxonomies. His contributions spanned economics, management and science and technology policy. The conference was organised around the major themes of his work, including the structure, dynamics and management of innovation processes, the relationship between basic research and technical change, knowledge and the theory of the firm, the globalisation of R&D, and science and technology policy. Keith's research combined empirical evidence and common sense to generate realistic and robust theoretical insights and policy proposals. Papers were selected that focused on new empirical contributions and empirically grounded theoretical developments, as well as methodological contributions in each theme.

Whilst recognising Keith's important contributions, the conference was intended to encourage further critical development based upon his works and interests. Therefore, the conference organizers encouraged the participation of younger researchers and gave priority to their papers. Over one-third of all papers presented were authored by young researchers. Furthermore, prizes were awarded for the best conference papers submitted by a young researcher. The winners were Pablo D'Este (University of Sussex) for his paper “Persistent Knowledge Specialisation and Intra-Industry Heterogeneity: an analysis of the Spanish pharmaceutical industry“; Sarah Kaplan (MIT) for her paper “Framing the Future: Uncovering the Micromechanisms of Technology Strategy Making“; and Anna Bergek (Linkoping University) for her paper (with Christian Berggren) “Technological Internationalisation in the Electro-technical Industry: A Cross-company Comparison of Patenting Patterns, 1986-2000“. The prizes were sponsored by Industrial and Corporate Change, the Freeman Centre (SPRU and CENTRIM) and Elsevier Publishing respectively.

Indeed in honour of Keith and in light of the conference's overarching theme, the organising committee, comprising many of Keith's former students, selected an innovative debate format for the plenary sessions of the conference. The first debate considered, “Let it be resolved that recent attempts to make academic research more user-oriented have undermined its value.“ Richard Nelson (Columbia University) and Staffan Jacobsson (Chalmers University) spoke for the motion, and were fiercely challenged by Ben Martin and Mike Hobday (both of SPRU). The debate was deftly managed by the chair, Baroness Margaret Sharp of Guildford (House of Lords).

The second debate was chaired by Keld Laursen (Copenhagen Business School) and addressed the topic of globalisation, for which the motion put was “Let it be resolved that this conference believes that despite the recent internationalisation of many scientific and technological activities, innovation - and related "high-tech" production activities - will remain concentrated in a small number of regions.“ Martin Bell (SPRU) and Michael Storper (LSE/Institute of Political Studies, Paris) spoke persuasively for the motion, however the dynamic performance of the team speaking against (Daniele Archibugi (Italian National Research Council/LSE) and Dieter Ernst (East/West Center/University of Norway) swayed many in the audience.

The final debate took on the topic of technology management, which also was the subject of the well-received textbook Managing Innovation, in which Keith collaborated with fellow authors Joe Tidd (SPRU) and John Bessant (Cranfield School of Management). The topic debated in the plenary session was “This conference believes that the activities of the firm are largely determined by technology". Chairman, Jon Sapsed (CENTRIM), successfully launched a lively discussion for the teams speaking for the motion (Henry Chesbrough (Haas, UC Berkeley) and Ove Granstrand (Chalmers University of Technology)) and against (Bruce Kogut (University of Pennsylvania/INSEAD) and Connie Helfat (Tuck School of Business)). The three debates were recognised as an outstanding innovation, and the recordings of the debates will soon be available on the conference website: http://www.sussex.ac.uk/spru/events/KP_Conf_03/index.html

In a press review, Dr Virginia Acha, a former student of Professor Pavitt and a member of the conference organising committee, stated that "The conference is one of the leading events for the innovation community this academic year. The distinctive element is the debates, which are in keeping with Keith's tough questioning style. Keith never shied from controversy or from pushing the boundaries of innovative thinking. He was a great teacher who was able to back up apparently outrageous comment with grounded argument. We are continuing in his style by tackling contentious issues in vigorous debate during the three days of the conference."

Debates also continued in the “upside down“ poster session, in which some of the most renowned researchers in the field presented their work to junior researchers, rather than the other way round as in most poster sessions. Poster presenters included Dick Nelson (Columbia University), David Mowery (UC Berkeley), Ove Granstrand (Chalmers University of Technology), John Cantwell (University of Reading and Rutgers University), Nick von Tunzelmann (SPRU), Giovani Dosi (Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies, Pisa), John Bessant (Cranfield School of Management), Howard Rush (CENTRIM), Stan Metcalfe (University of Manchester), Franco Malerba (CESPRI, Bocconi University), Bart Verspagen (Eindhoven University of Technology), Luigi Orsenigo (CESPRI, Bocconi University), Claudia Werker (Eindhoven University of Technology), Martin Meyer (SPRU, KUL) and Tiago Santos Pereira (CES, University of Coimbra).

A number of papers of the conference have now been selected for inclusion in Special Issues in Research Policy, International Journal of Innovation Management, Long Range Planning, Economics of Innovation and New Technology, and the Revue d'Economie Industrielle. The special issues are targeted at specific themes related to Keith Pavitt's work and they are due in print in 2005.