The Development of an Innovation Information Infrastructure

该合同授予密苏里大学堪萨斯城分校，以支持以下36个月的活动。该提案是为了响应创新伙伴关系计划招标（NSF-03521）而提交的。合作伙伴：合作伙伴包括密苏里大学堪萨斯城分校（领导机构）、密苏里大学外联和推广学院、密苏里大学罗拉分校、华盛顿大学、密苏里农业部、密苏里经济发展部、美国小企业管理局、密苏里小企业发展中心、波音公司、Prolog Ventures、威尔金森埃文斯咨询公司；密苏里生物技术协会，堪萨斯城地区生命科学研究所，尤因·马里昂·考夫曼创业领导力中心。密苏里大学及其合作伙伴对传统的线性技术创新模型提出了有力的批评，并提出了另一种可供研究的社会网络模型。该假说认为，在社会网络理论中，创新是金融资本、人力资本、社会资本和物质资本相互作用的结果。在这一框架内，本研究考察了社会资本在技术创新过程中的作用。研究人员将创建一个电子的“创新信息基础设施”，它将提供对技术和商业资源的访问，然后监测交互并对参与者进行调查，以衡量交互和创新的类型和水平之间的关系。一个预测创新行为的工具和最大化创新的投入将是一个主要的成果。这一模式还将为发展教育材料、数据库和以创新过程为重点的培训创造手段。这个项目提供了创造力和经济增长新来源之间的联系。研究结果将实时用于改善获得创新资源的机会，并产生有关社会资本在创新中的作用的新知识。潜在的经济影响数据库和预测模型将提高大学与工业和小企业互动的能力，以增加该地区的创新。由此产生的新业务将为该地区带来长期的经济福祉。该活动的智力价值在于开发一个模型，用于预测所有合作伙伴（即大学、小企业、风险资本基金、孵化器以及地区和州政府机构）成功的创新行为。经济困难的社区不能从国家研究企业的活动中充分受益，而且它们往往没有知道如何促进创新的专门知识。这一模式和分析工具可供全国其他地区借鉴，促进创新。该活动的广泛影响包括为K-16数字图书馆开发基于研究的教育材料和数据库，研究人员和学生之间在教育和培训方面的伙伴关系，以及利用信息技术和互联互通来增强创新因素。确定对该地区创新至关重要的个人，将允许服务不足的个人、团体和社区参与科学和工程。该模型将展示发现与创造新财富的社会效益之间的联系。

0332378NicholsThis award is to University of Missouri Kansas City to support the activity described below for 36 months. The proposal was submitted in response to the Partnerships for Innovation Program Solicitation (NSF-03521).PartnersThe partners include University of Missouri Kansas City (Lead Institution), University of Missouri Outreach and Extension, University of Missouri Rolla, Washington University, Missouri Department of Agriculture, Missouri Department of Economic Development, U.S. Small Business Administration, Missouri Small Business Development Centers, Boeing Company, Prolog Ventures, Wilkinson Evans Consulting; Missouri Biotechnology Association, Kansas City Area Life Sciences Institute, Ewing Marion Kauffman Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership.The University of Missouri and its partners provide a solid critique of the conventional, linear model of technological innovation and suggest an alternative social network model for study. The hypothesis states that within the social network theory, innovation is an outcome of interaction between financial, human, social, and physical capital. Within this framework, the effort examines the role of social capital in the process of technological innovation. The investigators will create an electronic 'innovation information infrastructure' that will provide access to technology and business resources, and to then monitor interactions and conduct surveys of participants to measure the relationship between types and levels of interaction and innovation. A tool for predicting innovative behavior and the inputs to maximize innovation will be a major outcome. This model will also create the means for development of educational materials, databases and training focused on the innovation process. This program provides a linkage between creativity and new sources of economic growth. Findings will be used in real time to improve access to innovation resources and to generate new knowledge concerning the role of social capital in innovation.Potential Economic ImpactThe database and predictive model will improve the ability of universities to interact with industry and small businesses to increase innovation in the region. The resulting new business will provide long-term economic well-being for the region. The intellectual merit of the activity lies in developing a model for prediction of successful innovative behavior by all of the partners, i.e., universities, small businesses, venture capital funds, incubators, and regional and state government agencies. Economically distressed communities do not fully benefit from the activities of the national research enterprise and they often do not have the expertise to know how to promote innovation. This model and analytical tool can be adopted by other regions in the nation to promote innovation.The broader impacts of the activity include the development of research-based educational materials and databases for K-16 digital libraries, partnerships among researchers and students for education and training and use of information technology and connectivity to enhance the factors responsible for innovation. Identifying the individuals critical to the region's innovation will allow the engagement of underserved individuals, groups and communities in science and engineering. The model will demonstrate the linkage between discovery and the societal benefits of creation of new wealth.