Managing innovation, sustainability and inclusiveness: Towards new policy directions in national innovation system for Malaysia

• Main Author: K., Thiruchelvam
• Format: Conference or Workshop Item
• Published: 2013
• Subjects: HD28 Management. Industrial Management
• Online Access: http://repo.uum.edu.my/8600/; http://www.icois2013.uum.edu.my/
• Institution: Universiti Utara Malaysia

Global climate change and other environmental problems demand new approaches as well as adoption of new technology paradigms.The business as usual and incremental approaches to these growing problems will not be able to abate them. Current approaches towards innovation are premised on market dynamics.Such market-based approaches are not able to address problems that require long term solutions, that are plagued by huge uncertainties and which require enormous coordination both nationally and internationally. More importantly, such market oriented approaches have caused growing income disparities despite generating growth for the local economy.The present innovation system framework is skewed towards issues pertaining to research and commercialization.Building capabilities particularly among groups seldom addressed by traditional innovation policy approaches assumes importance in order to build a coalition approach towards the development of science, technology and innovation.In addressing the increasing number of complex and interdependent problems, policy makers cannot afford to ignore issues pertaining to sustainability and inclusiveness.A holistic approach to these issues is critical.There will be changes to the way we treat new technologies to improve the environment or enhance opportunities for the marginalized section of society.New technological trajectories will be promoted and unsustainable ones discouraged.A new Sustainability and Inclusiveness-oriented Innovation system will be promoted. Issues pertaining to governance will feature prominently in efforts to forge this unusual coalition of innovation, sustainability and inclusiveness.Flexibility, agility and a willingness to experiment are crucial to ensure a fairer, richer and greener Malaysia.