Richard Hawkins on ‘Innovating in a resistant world: Remapping the policy landscape’

On 28/06, QHHQ is happy to welcome Richard Hawkins – PhD, Professor, University of Calgary, Canada & Editor of the Handbook on Innovation and Standards – for an exciting debate on ‘Innovating in a resistant world: Remapping the policy landscape’.

For decades, industrial policy in the OECD countries has had a dual focus. On the one hand, governments promote disruption and change through innovation as defined almost exclusively in terms of the development of new technology. On the other hand, the same governments continue to pour massive resources into perpetuating stasis – preserving exiting industrial, economic and social paradigms, or even resurrecting obsolete ones. The two camps come into conflict for example concerning alternative energy, transport and logistics or urban renewal. Too often, however, change and stability are seen to be opposed, even irreconcilable forces. But this ignores the historical dynamics of how innovation and change create prosperity. This seminar will reflect on how the relationship between innovation and stability could be leveraged more effectively in economic, industrial and social policy.

PROGRAMME

• 12h00 – Registration & Sandwich lunch
• 12h30 – Short introduction by Pieter Ballon (director SMIT – imec – VUB & Professor VUB)  & Lecture Richard Hawkins (Professor University of Calgary, Canada & Editor of the Handbook on Innovation and Standards)
• 13h30 – Q&A
• 14h00 – End lecture