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Building a healthy innovation ‘ecosystem’
Efforts to build innovation systems are too government-centric and tend to ignore a key ingredient — the private sector, says Dr. Athar Osama.
Recent years have seen a number of Islamic countries embarking on efforts to create and strengthen innovation ‘ecosystems’. But their delivery record has been mixed.
A couple of years ago, Malaysia created Agensi Inovasi Malaysia (AIM), under the Prime Minister’s office, to bridge the gaps in its innovation system. And plans are afoot in the United Arab Emirates to create an innovation agency to supplement or replace its Technology Development Committee (TDC). While in Pakistan, efforts to create the Pakistan I...
Efforts to build innovation systems are too government-centric and tend to ignore a key ingredient — the private sector, says Dr. Athar Osama.
Recent years have seen a number of Islamic countries embarking on efforts to create and strengthen innovation ‘ecosystems’. But their delivery record has been mixed.
A couple of years ago, Malaysia created Agensi Inovasi Malaysia (AIM), under the Prime Minister’s office, to bridge the gaps in its innovation system. And plans are afoot in the United Arab Emirates to create an innovation agency to supplement or replace its Technology Development Committee (TDC). While in Pakistan, efforts to create the Pakistan I...
Innovative inertia?
A book review on ‘The Innovation Secrets of Steve Jobs –Insanely different principles for breakthrough success’ by Carmine Gallo.
By Maheen Hassan
When you open a book, you expect to find something different; a new story; a new idea, a new inspiration. Your expectation is raised even more, when the title of the book is so intriguing that it speaks volumes in itself. Such was the case with ‘The Innovation Secrets of Steve Jobs –Insanely different principles for breakthrough success,’ written by Carmine Gallo, the title of which captivates you instantly, for the reason that it has ‘THE’ Steve Jobs mentioned in it. A man, courtesy who, the technology i...
A book review on ‘The Innovation Secrets of Steve Jobs –Insanely different principles for breakthrough success’ by Carmine Gallo.
By Maheen Hassan
When you open a book, you expect to find something different; a new story; a new idea, a new inspiration. Your expectation is raised even more, when the title of the book is so intriguing that it speaks volumes in itself. Such was the case with ‘The Innovation Secrets of Steve Jobs –Insanely different principles for breakthrough success,’ written by Carmine Gallo, the title of which captivates you instantly, for the reason that it has ‘THE’ Steve Jobs mentioned in it. A man, courtesy who, the technology i...
Zakri awarded prestigious environment prize
Feb 3 — Prof. Emeritus Dato’ Sri Dr. Zakri Abdul Hamid, the Science Advisor to the Prime Minister and Joint Chairman of the Malaysian Industry-Government Group on High Technology (MIGHT), was announced as one of the winners of the world’s most prestigious environment prize on February 1, 2014 in Dubai.
The Zayed International Prize for Environment was established in 1999 by Sheikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, United Arab Emirates Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai. Named after a great statesman and a dedicated environmentalist, the Zayed International Prize for the Environment is meant to recognise and encourage environmental achievements...
Feb 3 — Prof. Emeritus Dato’ Sri Dr. Zakri Abdul Hamid, the Science Advisor to the Prime Minister and Joint Chairman of the Malaysian Industry-Government Group on High Technology (MIGHT), was announced as one of the winners of the world’s most prestigious environment prize on February 1, 2014 in Dubai.
The Zayed International Prize for Environment was established in 1999 by Sheikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, United Arab Emirates Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai. Named after a great statesman and a dedicated environmentalist, the Zayed International Prize for the Environment is meant to recognise and encourage environmental achievements...
R&D can boost rice-fish farming in Bangladesh
[DHAKA] Government investment and support for innovation in existing rice-fish systems could benefit small-scale, resource-poor farmers in Bangladesh, says a new study by an international team of scientists.
“There is an immediate need for further research on issues such as improved technologies and practices for rice-fish systems, fish value chains, the distribution of economic value within those value chains, and the policy interventions that can encourage efficiency and equity,” says the study published last month (December) in Food Policy.
The findings of the study indicate that while innovation in rice-fish systems is being driven by households and communities, ...
[DHAKA] Government investment and support for innovation in existing rice-fish systems could benefit small-scale, resource-poor farmers in Bangladesh, says a new study by an international team of scientists.
“There is an immediate need for further research on issues such as improved technologies and practices for rice-fish systems, fish value chains, the distribution of economic value within those value chains, and the policy interventions that can encourage efficiency and equity,” says the study published last month (December) in Food Policy.
The findings of the study indicate that while innovation in rice-fish systems is being driven by households and communities, ...
Egypt plans satellite and space agency launch
[CAIRO] Egypt plans to launch its second satellite for scientific research and establish a new space authority and national space agency as well as work with other African states to pave the way for a new African space agency.
But some experts have warned that the aspirations may exceed Egypt’s financial and human resources, and that the country is rushing to launch a new satellite despite having learnt little from the loss of its first one in 2010 after just three years of operation.
The planned satellite, called EgyptSat 2, will be manufactured, assembled and tested in Egypt, Mohamed Medhat Mokhtar, chair of the National Authority for Remote Sensing and Space Science...
[CAIRO] Egypt plans to launch its second satellite for scientific research and establish a new space authority and national space agency as well as work with other African states to pave the way for a new African space agency.
But some experts have warned that the aspirations may exceed Egypt’s financial and human resources, and that the country is rushing to launch a new satellite despite having learnt little from the loss of its first one in 2010 after just three years of operation.
The planned satellite, called EgyptSat 2, will be manufactured, assembled and tested in Egypt, Mohamed Medhat Mokhtar, chair of the National Authority for Remote Sensing and Space Science...
Pakistani farming starved of research funding
[KARACHI] Despite being a predominantly agricultural economy, Pakistan suffers from inadequate funding for agricultural research and development (R&D), a recent seminar held in Islamabad heard.
A survey – presented at the seminar last month ((27 November), ‘Trends in Public Agricultural R&D, Investment and Staffing in Pakistan’ – showed agricultural R&D dropping from 0.43 per cent of the GDP in 1999 to 0.21 per cent in 2009.
Conducted by Muhammad Sharif, member of the Pakistan Agricultural Research Council, and Gert-Jan Stads, agricultural science and technology coordinator with the Washington-based International Food Policy Research Institute...
[KARACHI] Despite being a predominantly agricultural economy, Pakistan suffers from inadequate funding for agricultural research and development (R&D), a recent seminar held in Islamabad heard.
A survey – presented at the seminar last month ((27 November), ‘Trends in Public Agricultural R&D, Investment and Staffing in Pakistan’ – showed agricultural R&D dropping from 0.43 per cent of the GDP in 1999 to 0.21 per cent in 2009.
Conducted by Muhammad Sharif, member of the Pakistan Agricultural Research Council, and Gert-Jan Stads, agricultural science and technology coordinator with the Washington-based International Food Policy Research Institute...
