Introduction

The International Conference on Innovative Methods for Innovation Management and Policy (IM2012) will be held in Beijing from May 21-24, 2012. The Conference is hosted by Beijing Institute of Technology, and co-organized by Georgia Institute of Technology (Program in Science, Technology and Innovation Policy), and University of Manchester (Manchester Institute of Innovation Research) as part of the Manchester-Atlanta-Beijing Innovation Co-Lab.

Science, technology & innovation imply CHANGE – new knowledge, new techniques, and fresh approaches to address major challenges facing humanity. The Conference will focus on ways that science, technology and innovation management and policies can anticipate and shape the future informed by innovative methods of analysis and assessment. Thus, the conference focuses on Science, Technology & Innovation (ST&I) Management & Policy Methods.

Key questions this conference will address:

  • How could data analysis results uncover and demonstrate S&T innovation dynamics?
  • How could integrated data, analysis & visualization approaches gain usable insights into Newly Emerging Science and Technologies (NESTs)?
  • What policy works, what doesn't, and under what circumstances in today's global economy and society? How about for the future?

 Accordingly, the IM2012 Conference spotlights the following specific themes:

  • New approaches to developing strategic intelligence to inform science, technology and innovation management and policy
  • Data analysis to reveal and demonstrate science, technology and innovation dynamics
  • Integrating data, analytical, and visualization approaches to gain usable insights into newly emerging science and technologies
  • Methods to better understand what science, technology and innovation strategies and policies work and under what circumstances in today’s global economy and society
  • Building future-oriented technology analysis (FTA) capacities for emerging technologies
  • Assessing R&D policy and decision making -strategies, tactics, results, and impacts
  • Incorporating analytical insights and assessment into the effective and responsible governance of science, technology and innovation
  • Other

The conference welcomes participants from all over the world. We want to bring together academics, practitioners, and public and private sector researchers and technology managers. We plan a mix of traditional and innovative sessions to cross-fertilize perspectives from Australasia, Europe, the Americas, and Africa. Our goal is to broaden the network of those engaged in S&T innovation management, expressly to advance methods to do this better.

The IM2012 targets audiences include:

  • Researchers involved in Technology Innovation Management from a private sector perspective
  • Researchers involved in Technology Innovation Policy from a public, or public-private perspective
  • Those pursuing empirical (data-based)analyses and visualizations to advance management and policy
  • Educators addressing IM training
  • R&D managers who are active in areas where innovative methods are essential (e.g. in NESTs such as bio and nano)
  • Government members and private sector directors concerned with ST&I decision-making

Contributions can be in the form of posters or scientific papers which are empirically grounded, with a sound theoretical component, and demonstrating critical or new methodological approaches. We also invite session proposals – either traditional (paper presentations) or novel format. These should describe potential or actual results and impacts, as well as policy options, and should relate to one or more conference themes. ST&I data and policy related workshop and short courses will be organized in parallel during the conference. The deadline for abstract submission is February 1, 2012, and the deadline of full paper submission is April 10, 2012. 

The extended abstracts of all papers will appear in the Book of Abstracts, which will be given to all participants at the beginning of the conference. The contributions could be in the form of posters or oral paper presentations. Paper presenters will not be required to submit a full written paper, although those submitted will be considered to publication. We will recommend some outstanding papers for special issues that have been arranged with these leading international journals:

  • Technological Forecasting and Social Change (Special issue, SSCI);
  • Technology Analysis & Strategic Management (Special issue, SSCI);
  • Journal of Beijing Institute of Technology(Special issue, EI);
  • Foresight (www.emeraldinsight.com/fs.htm). (Special issue)

Please use the following e-mail address for any inquiry you might have:

 imconference@bit.edu.cn

Click here to download the call in PDF format