Making innovation work for the poor in a globalised world
21st May 2007
ESRC STEPS Centre, University of Sussex, Brighton BN1 9RE
“Delivering public value from new technologies” is particularly relevant in the current environment where spending on science and technology is increasing and where society’s expectations are that technology will deliver solutions that “solve” environment and development problems. Technological innovations, whether in the arenas of agriculture, medicine, energy or environment, are often posed as solutions to problems of poverty, livelihood and ill-health.
Yet whether innovation actually works for the poor depends on how choices about alternative innovation pathways are made, who participates in them, the nature of the systems in which innovation processes are embedded, and how these are governed. Today, innovation systems often encompass both highly globalised institutions and processes, and a multiplicity of actors and institutions, private as well as public. Ensuring that innovation responds to poorer peoples' own perspectives and priorities in this context is difficult, yet vital. This seminar will draw on cases from across the agricultural and health sectors to consider the conceptual and practical challenges and how they might be met.
Seminar 2: Increase the recognition of the role of technologies in human development, with an emphasis on improving the choice people have about which technologies are developed and which are diffused.
The second of a series of seminars, supported by funding from the Economic and Social Research Council, UK, under the general theme of Delivering Public Value from New Technologies.
Objectives of the seminar series
- To facilitate north-south stakeholder participation in the process of re-framing understandings about the role of science and technology in human development.
- To increase recognition of the role of technology in human development, with an emphasis on improving the choice people have about which technologies are developed and how they are diffused.
- To conceptualise new business models or processes that would support outcomes of science-led new technologies that fulfil human need rather than market demand.
- To develop a means of building an interdisciplinary approach to future research agendas.
Outline programme
| 9.30 | Registration & Coffee |
|---|---|
| 10.00 | Introduction & welcome |
| 10.15 | Andy Stirling - Innovation vectors and the politics of technology choice View presentation as PDF | Flash |
| 10.45 | Brian Wynne - From risk governance to innovation governance View presentation as PDF | Flash |
| 11.15 | Coffee |
| 11.45 | Ian Scoones - Biotech in Bangalore: the politics of innovation View presentation as PDF | Flash |
| 12.15 | Uli Beisel - DDT, GM mosquitoes and a malaria vaccine: Tracing 'innovation' in malaria prevention and treatment View presentation as PDF | Flash |
| 12.45 | Andrew Adwerah - Experiences of social entrepreneurs in East Africa View presentation as PDF | Flash |
| 13.15 | Lunch |
| 14.00 | Small group discussions - What are the contours of a new innovation agenda for development? How does it differ from the ‘old’ innovation agenda? |
| 15.30 | Plenary |
| 4.00 | Tea and depart |
STEPS Centre report - Making Innovation Work for the Poor in a Globalised World
Download seminar flyer to print (PDF, 204k)
Other seminars in the series
Seminar 1: Reframing understandings about the role of science and technology in human development
The first of the seminars was on 22 February 2007 at the Schumacher Centre for Technology and Development, Bourton on Dunsmore, Rugby, UK. A set of disciplinary position papers, with a focus around the key issues, were presented, plus discussion and inputs from practice and developing countries.
Seminar 3: Taking the research agenda forward.
Building on the interdisciplinary frameworks and taking these forward into empirically based research. 24 November 2008
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