Science and Scientific Innovation TCED 075 Prof. Jesse A. Role PhD TM Electronics Chairman, Department of Technology University of Eastern Africa, Baraton Scientific Innovation 2011 UEAB Prof. Jesse Role

The importance of innovation Scientific Innovation 2011 UEAB Prof. Jesse Role

Economic importance of innovation Company capacity for innovation Computing in the innovation process Information needs for innovation Silicon envy Lecture content

For companies to meet challenges such as:  rise of the global economy - world-wide competition  technological advances/problems, e.g. integration of services  legislation, e.g. European directives  new means of trading, e.g. e-commerce, XML  pace of change - volatile environments, uncertainty, complexity  operate in industrial/information age simultaneously Being innovative = key to preparing for the future

Anticipation of change  reduces uncertainty, improves stability In many industries new products are most profitable  on average 26% of revenues of engineering companies are earned from products less than 3 years old (according to Goffin & Pfeiffer (2000). Innovation management in UK and German manufacturing companies. Cranfield: York Publishing Services). “If you always do what you’ve always done you’ll always get what you always got” (or worse) Being innovative = key to survival

Innovation key to regional wealth

Provision of high proportion of graduate jobs  population stability Support other jobs  e.g. in SMEs serving innovators  e.g. in providing tools for other companies Innovation key to regional wealth - employment

Innovation - wider impacts Printing press example Church Lay education Formal education Latin etc.

Products and services Creativity through ideas New business concepts Society benefits Company success

Is capacity for innovation really that important? Scientific Innovation 2011 UEAB Prof. Jesse Role

Is capacity for innovation really that important?

Employee talent Financial soundness “Innovativeness” Long-term investment value Quality of management Quality of products/services Social responsibility Use of corporate assets “The key to staying ahead of the pack is innovation” “We aren’t a one-product company or one-market company. We are a company that reinvents itself constantly. It’s in our DNA.” (Chambers, Cisco) New economy growth style, old economy fiscal responsibility. “Most admired” criteria

1. Innovation as new work or management practice - to support processes that allow employees to innovate For example, teleconferencing, teleworking, intranet applications to support administrative tasks - all supported by computers 2. Innovation as outcome - end-products or services which are both novel and useful Types of innovation