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Applying the DARPA Concepts to Energy Innovation: The Emerging ARPA-E Model

afearon — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0000

Driving growth through innovation isn’t just about boosting science funding and hoping for the best. Institutions – and their management models – matter. In the past, public agencies like the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) helped develop and spur economy-changing innovations, most notably the Internet. It's high-risk/high-reward bets created new industries and yielded massive economy-wide returns on initial investment – some of the best “bang for the buck” imaginable.

Debate: Progressive Economics and the Great Recession

afearon — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 05:00:00 +0000

The Great Recession has given way to a less-than-great recovery and the pressure is on for Washington to respond. ITIF President Rob Atkinson has taken on traditional Keynesians for pushing for additional public pump priming and for what he sees as their focus on distribution of the economic pie rather than the growth of the pie. But Dean Baker, co-director of the Center for Economic and Policy Research, rejects Atkinson's critique.

Restoring the Innovation Edge

afearon — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0000

Only those in deep denial believe the United States remains the unchallenged leader when it comes to innovation-based competitiveness. As other nations adopt public-private innovation strategies, the U.S. is going in the opposite direction, failing to adapt to the competitive environment generated by the evolution of science and technology.

Bricks and Bits: Transforming the Construction Industry Through Innovation

afearon — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0000

Notwithstanding the current surplus in housing, over the next quarter century the U.S. will need to invest trillions of dollars in construction to meet the demands of a growing population and to refurbish aging infrastructure. Doing this efficiently will be critical to America’s economic future. However, when benchmarked against America’s leading industries, the construction industry is anything but efficient. Indeed, measured growth in construction industry productivity has actually declined over the last two decades.

Both Sides of SOPA and PIPA Anti-Piracy Legislation

afearon — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0000

In an interview with Nightly Business Report, Senior Analyst Daniel Castro argues tougher anti-piracy rules would benefit artists and software engineers working in the United States. He points out that millions of foreign internet users are downloading pirated content without any price. This income gap could be funding American jobs and lowering the average cost of such entertainment products for Americans.

Rob Atkinson, President ITIF, Speaks About the COMPETES Report

afearon — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0000

As the Commerce Department unveiled a report on U.S. innovation and competitiveness, which ITIF had long championed, ITIF President Rob Atkinson said he hoped it would raise the public awareness of ebbing of U.S. competitiveness.

"I hope this is a first step in the process of Washington waking up to the urgent innovation challenge and giving it the same attention as the budget deficit. But we need to do more than merely wake up. We must bound out of our complacency and partisanship as if our future depends on it, because it does," he said.

Benefits and Limitations of Self-Regulation for Online Behavioral Advertising

afearon — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0000

Self-regulation, as opposed to government regulation, is the preferred norm in industries as diverse as health care, higher education, fashion, advertising, mining, marine fishing, professional sports, and nuclear power. The private sector relies on self-regulation to establishing industry standards, professional codes of ethic, and establish consumer confidence. Unfortunately, when it comes to protecting consumer privacy online, many policymakers are skeptical of self-regulation and seem to think the risks of under-regulation outweigh the risks of over-regulation.

America’s Competitiveness Crisis and the Anemic Job Recovery

afearon — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 05:00:00 +0000

The Great Recession officially ended more than two years ago but the recovery is barely perceptible and anxious policymakers are running out of options. Washington cannot seem to agree on what caused the Recession in the first place or how to create robust job growth. One camp argues for revving up consumer demand through fiscal and monetary policy. The other says the financial system got out of control and we just have to wait for our books to get back into balance.

Energy Innovation 2011

afearon — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 05:00:00 +0000

At Energy Innovation 2011, leading energy policy thinkers will address core issues and counter misguided but widely held beliefs about the clean energy innovation.

UK and U.S. IP Enforcement: Views from the Top

afearon — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 05:00:00 +0000

In today's economy, few assets are more valuable than intellectual property. Tens of billions of dollars, hundreds of thousands of jobs, and national competitiveness are on the line. ITIF, working with the British Embassy, is pleased to host two of the world's chief IP officials, David Kappos, Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and the Director of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, and John Alty, Chief Executive of the United Kingdom's Intellectual Property Office, for a rare joint appearance.

Health Care Innovation in a Time of Fiscal Austerity

afearon — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 04:00:00 +0000

In both America and Europe increasing fiscal pressures are requiring a rethinking of many policy areas, including health care. And yet historically, America and Europe's leadership in life sciences innovation was linked in part to adequate expenditures on health care. Today that link is being challenged. As a result, policy makers who seek to control costs while enabling the needed advances in life sciences innovation must address new critical questions: How can healthcare benefit from the innovation which is typical of a free market economy?

Boosting Competitiveness by Connecting Science and Industry: Insights from Germany's Innovation Model

afearon — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0000

Germany has emerged from the global downturn as one of the world's strongest economies. What's the secret behind Germany's economic strength? The Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Washington, the German Center for Research & Innovation, and ITIF held an event that featured presentations on Germany's High-Tech Strategy from Engelbert Beyer, Head of the Directorate Innovation Strategies, and Dr. Jan Wessels, Division for Innovation Policy Issues, from the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research and on its Fraunhofer System from Dr.

A Time For Change: The Case for Reforming Universal Service Now

afearon — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0000

Efforts to modernize the Universal Service Fund have been underway in Washington nearly as long as the Fund has been in effect. Very little progress has been made on this issue, despite the almost universal agreement that the United States should place higher priority on broadband service than traditional telephone service. However, the stars seem to be finally aligning around the need for fundamental reform.

Patent Boxes: Innovation in Tax Policy and Tax Policy for Innovation

afearon — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 04:00:00 +0000

One of the most interesting policy developments in the global innovation race is known as a patent box, which provides preferential tax treatment for corporate income that comes from patented products. The goal is to encourage commercialization of R&D.

Are Investment Incentives Necessary in Corporate Tax Reform?

afearon — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 04:00:00 +0000

There is growing interest in the issue of corporate tax reform as a way to boost economic growth and U.S. international competitiveness. While any comprehensive tax reform involves a multitude of issues, one important issue is the extent to which a reformed tax code should include, or even stress, specific incentives to shape corporate behavior. The American Action Forum, the Tax Policy Center, and the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation held an important debate on the key issues facing policy makers.

Measuring Broadband Performance

afearon — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 04:00:00 +0000

The FCC recently released a report that contradicts previous speculation that American ISPs deliver much less broadband performance than advertised. This event examined the report, highlighting methodological improvements over previous studies and examined the stresses and strains on the broadband ecosystem.

Electronic IDs: Why is the U.S. so Far Behind?

afearon — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 04:00:00 +0000

It has been more than a decade since President Clinton signed the Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act (ESIGN), but little has been done since then to create an electronic ID system. Are we ever going to have the ability to securely sign electronic documents and authenticate to online services? Countries around the world are implementing electronic ID systems to enable their citizens to benefit more from the digital economy, to vote via the Internet and to combat identity theft. But the United States lags woefully behind.

Reviving Small and Mid-Sized Manufacturing With Technology: Learning from Best Practices Around the Globe

afearon — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 04:00:00 +0000

U.S. manufacturing is in trouble, having lost one-third of its jobs in the last decade. Robust jobs recovery will be difficult without a manufacturing renewal. But renewal will not be possible if the nation's 245,000 small and mid-sized manufacturers (SMEs) collectively do not become more productive, innovative and competitive. Other nations fully recognize the key role of their SME manufacturers and that's why many have rolled out well funded and smartly designed programs to help them.

Spectrum Policy for Innovation

afearon — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 04:00:00 +0000

ITIF unveils a report that advocates a set of policies that will make more spectrum available to innovative uses. It proposes to accelerate the re-assignment of spectrum from legacy single-purpose networks such as over-the-air TV to high-demand, multi-purpose networks such as mobile broadband. Incentive auctions, a second DTV transition, clear spectrum rights, and reassignment of government spectrum to public use are key recommendations.

The Results of Measuring Broadband America Report

lstewart — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 04:00:00 +0000

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Julius Genachowski unveils the results of the first nationwide test of residential wireline broadband service in a report, Measuring Broadband America. The event features Parul Desai, Communications Policy Counsel for the Consumers Union, and Richard Bennet, Senior Fellow at ITIF.

Liberalism Must Embrace Innovation Economics

afearon — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 04:00:00 +0000

In a Breakthrough Journal Article, Rob Atkinson comments that liberal economics has failed because it can't articulate a viable alternative to the hegemonic neoclassical economic doctrine. To regain currency in economic affairs, liberals need a new economic agenda based not on redistribution but on innovation and competitiveness. Liberals should embrace a new emerging doctrine-Innovation Economics-which focuses on productive public-private partnerships to boost productivity and innovation and could point the way toward bipartisan agreement on economic policy.

An App Store for Energy: eKNOW and Data-Driven Innovation for Smart Buildings

lstewart — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 04:00:00 +0000

The Administration's new smart grid policy framework is premised on empowering electricity consumers and on unlocking the potential for innovation in the electric sector. So too the e-KNOW Act (S1029) introduced by Senators Mark Udall and Scott Brown. Will there be real innovation in this area? Will we get an app store for electricity?

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The Atlantic Century 2011: Benchmarking U.S. and EU Innovation and Competitiveness

lstewart — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 04:00:00 +0000

Two years ago, ITIF published The Atlantic Century: Benchmarking U.S. and EU Innovation and Competitiveness. The report’s conclusion that the United States was rapidly losing ground in today’s global, innovation-driven economy stunned many people. Leading public officials, CEOs and journalists began citing the report in their call for a renewal of U.S. innovation and new strategies for competing.

What Would Pro-Growth Corporate Tax Reform Look Like?

lstewart — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 04:00:00 +0000

There is a growing consensus in Washington that now is the time for comprehensive corporate tax reform. Such reform, if enacted, could easily be the most important economic policy decision Washington makes over the course of the next few years and its effects would likely have long term and important implications for the future health of U.S. economy. In this event, American Action Forum and ITIF host a discussion of how corporate tax reform can help drive U.S.

The Innovation Policy Saga 2006-2016

Thu, 23 Jun 2011 04:00:00 +0000

ITIF is celebrating its 5th anniversary this year. Whatever contributions ITIF has made in enhancing public awareness of innovation’s central role in our economic health and in shaping public policies to improve U.S. capacity to innovate and compete, we have just begun. Whether the U.S. can marshal its formidable resources and talent to prevail in today’s innovation-driven and competitive world remains an open question.

Understanding the Importance of Export Credit Financing to U.S. Competitiveness

Wed, 22 Jun 2011 04:00:00 +0000

Export credit financing is a vital component of U.S. international competitiveness and a key ingredient for many successful U.S. exporters. But now, more and more foreign countries are adopting this tool and the competition in export credit financing has become increasingly formidable. For example, both China and India have increased their levels of export credit financing by over 200 percent since 2005. With the reauthorization of the U.S. Export-Import Bank upon us, ITIF introduces a new report highlighting the importance of export credit financing to the U.S.

Special Greeting from Rob Atkinson

Mon, 06 Jun 2011 04:00:00 +0000

Governments Should Neither Subsidize nor Operate Broadband Networks to Compete with Commercial Ones

Wed, 01 Jun 2011 04:00:00 +0000

NCTA, the industry association of America's cable companies, claims that the U.S. Rural Utility Service mistakenly funded projects under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act in areas that were already served by one or more broadband providers. RUS maintains the grants are defensible because existing broadband services in the areas were inadequate to support rural economic development.

Crafting the Trans-Pacific Partnership as a True Model 21st Century Trade Agreement

Wed, 25 May 2011 04:00:00 +0000

The Administration is currently negotiating U.S. entrance into the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), a new vehicle for trade and economic integration in the Asia-Pacific region including Australia, Chile, Peru, New Zealand, Vietnam, and others. It is imperative that in the TPP the U.S. negotiates a strong, comprehensive accession agreement that includes the highest standards of intellectual property protection, eliminates non-tariff barriers such as standards manipulation, achieves transparency on government procurement provisions, and ensures that U.S.

Testimony on Digital Goods and Services Tax Fairness Act

Mon, 23 May 2011 04:00:00 +0000

Rob Atkinson testifies on the Digital Goods and Services Tax Fairness Act of 2011 before Subcommittee on Courts and Administrative Law of the U.S. House of Representatives.

Waves of Innovation: Spectrum Allocation in the Age of the Mobile Internet

Tue, 17 May 2011 04:00:00 +0000

For many of us the term "spectrum policy" has to do with allocating relatively small parts of the radio frequency space to specific applications such as AM and FM radio, television, and public safety. It is a notion more apt for a time when we watched TV over the air and made phone calls over a wireline network. Today these patterns of usage are reversed, and we live in a world where mobile broadband has emerged as a general-purpose technology that can support a wide range of applications.

Competition in the Internet Ecosystem

Tue, 10 May 2011 04:00:00 +0000

Consumers have seen vast changes in the way they use the Internet. Mobile broadband, the explosion of apps, video over the Internet are just some examples. A key question therefore is: how are changes in the Internet marketplace translating into new business models and/or industry structures? To consider this question, ITIF invites a series of panelists to offer their observations on the changing marketplace.

Medical Data Innovation: Building the Foundations of a Health Information Economy

lstewart — Tue, 03 May 2011 04:00:00 +0000

On April 26, 2011, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in IMS Health v. Sorrell, a case that will decide whether state laws that restrict the use of prescriber-identified data violate the First Amendment protections of free speech. This case will have important implications for how health data will be used for medical research, patient education, marketing, and health care reform. Do laws that burden or ban the use of de-identified data for marketing purposes also impede medical research?

China is not Simply the Latest Paper Tiger

lstewart — Mon, 02 May 2011 04:00:00 +0000

"Made in China" has been a fact of life for years. But when it comes to creating an innovation-based economy, can China really hold a candle to the U.S.? Dr. Adam Segal, the Ira A.

Video Slideshow: The Logic Chain to National Competitiveness and Innovation Policy

lstewart — Mon, 02 May 2011 04:00:00 +0000

Why is the United States one of the few developed nations without a comprehensive national innovation and competitiveness policy? Is it a hyper-partisan political environment and stakeholder resistance? Perhaps, but the real culprit is that too few policymakers and even fewer economic pundits and analysts acknowledge we have competitiveness and innovation problems. And if they do, the solutions they advocate don’t logically lead to developing and effective policy response.

The Case for a National Manufacturing Strategy

lstewart — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 04:00:00 +0000

U.S. manufacturing is in crisis, with almost 6 million jobs lost and 42,000 factories closed over the last decade. Even worse, we are losing know-how and ultimately control over our future. While the U.S. retains important strengths, U.S. manufacturing competitiveness is slipping rapidly. There is no reason to resign ourselves to defeat or to sugarcoat the challenges we face. We possess the tools, talent, and resources to revive manufacturing. But to do so we need a national strategy for manufacturing renewal.

Video Slideshow: The Case for a National Manufacturing Strategy

lstewart — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 04:00:00 +0000

In this brief video presentation, ITIF Communications Director Steve Norton lays out the thrust of ITIF's report, The Case for National Manufacturing Strategy.

Senate Testimony: 2020 Census Preparations

lstewart — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 04:00:00 +0000

ITIF Senior Analyst Daniel Castro testifies before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs (beginning at 01:18:44). Castro argues that the Census Bureau should allow individuals to submit their responses online and adapt to current technology trends such as cloud computing, low-cost mobile devices, and social networks.

Innovation Policy in the European Union—Issues and Challenges from Ireland and the European Commission

lstewart — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 04:00:00 +0000

Innovation policy at the pan-European and national levels in Europe today is facing important challenges and decision points. The relative absence of commercialization of research outcomes remains a major issue across Europe, as does the need to put university-industry relations on a new footing.

Operation Energy Innovation: A Stronger, Smarter Fighting Force

lstewart — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 04:00:00 +0000

There are many obvious sources of clean energy innovation. But lately the clean energy community has begun paying attention to one not-so-obvious source: the Department of Defense. With a massive energy footprint and a mission-driven need to reduce fossil energy consumption, DOD can play a prime role accelerating cleantech development and is already seeking to become a test bed for innovative technologies.

Video Slideshow: An Innovation Carbon Price

lstewart — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 04:00:00 +0000

The United States faces two key energy challenges—improving national security by reducing dependence on foreign oil and mitigating the impacts of climate change by reducing carbon emissions. Closely linked is another challenge—as well as an opportunity—boosting international economic competitiveness by discovering and widely commercializing clean energy technologies. Until now, the predominant approach to these challenges was to based solely on raising the cost of carbon, either with a tax or through cap and trade.

Debate on "The Great Stagnation"

lstewart — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 04:00:00 +0000

Tyler Cowen's recent e-book, The Great Stagnation, has attracted praise and generated intense discussion about the changing nature of the modern U.S. economy. The provocative premise is that median household income growth has stagnated since the 1970s because innovation is no longer the key driver of economic growth.

The National Purposes in the National Broadband Plan: One Year Later

lstewart — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 04:00:00 +0000

In March 2011, it has been almost one year since the Obama Administration presented a strategy for expanding the availability and adoption of broadband Internet access nationwide. In calling on the Administration to create the national broadband plan, Congress insisted that the plan specifically address “national purposes”—job creation and economic growth, consumer welfare, civic participation, public safety and homeland security, health care, energy independence and efficiency, and other issues.

Broadband Breakfast: The National Broadband Plan: A One-Year Update

lstewart — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 04:00:00 +0000

On the one-year anniversary of the announcement of the National Broadband Plan, Broadband Breakfast gathered key industry experts to offer criticism and discuss the government’s implementation of the plan. ITIF President Rob Atkinson was among the panelists.

CNBC: Dump Corporate Welfare?

lstewart — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 04:00:00 +0000

On CNBC's Squawk on the Street, Rob Atkinson debates James Pethokoukis of Reuters on whether the tax code should incentivize innovation.

U.S. Competitiveness: A New Conversation with New Opportunities

lstewart — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 05:00:00 +0000

There is a growing sense of urgency for bipartisan commitment to restoring America's competitive edge through innovation. In that spirit, ITIF hosts a seminal half-day conference on how the United States can revitalize economic growth by boosting innovation and productivity in existing industries while also advancing emerging growth sectors such as nanotechnology, biotechnology and mobile broadband.

The Obama Administration's Innovation Policy

lstewart — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 05:00:00 +0000

In his 2011 State of Union Address, President Obama warned of a "Sputnik moment" in calling for the nation to confront our international economic competitiveness and innovation policy challenges.

Cut or Invest: What's the Best Way to Grow Our Economy?

lstewart — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 05:00:00 +0000

In his 2011 State of the Union Address, President Obama called for increasing federal investments in innovation as a way to accelerate economic growth and thus reduce the federal deficit. Federal government investments, he said, were critical to the creation of computer microchips, GPS, and other technologies. But conservatives say this is the wrong approach. We must cut government spending, not increase it, in order to reduce the deficit and free up private capital to innovate. The government shouldn't pick tech winners and losers—they’ll only make things worse. Who's right?

FCC Chairman Genchowski Remarks on Universal Service Reform

lstewart — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 05:00:00 +0000

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Julius Genachowski makes remarks on Universal Service reform at an event hosted by ITIF.

How Much Bandwidth Is Used For Online Piracy?

lstewart — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 05:00:00 +0000

Online piracy is responsible for a significant portion of network traffic on the Internet, but just how much bandwidth is consumed by illegal file sharing? Various studies over the past year from network monitoring companies have given us a clearer picture of overall Internet usage and traffic patterns, but the exact amount of traffic attributable to infringing content has been difficult to estimate.

Economic Doctrines and Approaches to Antitrust

lstewart — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 05:00:00 +0000

There is considerable disagreement on optimal antitrust policy both within the United States and between the United States and some other nations and regions. These fundamental disagreements over the right approach to competition don’t stem principally from politics, rather they stem from doctrine – the overarching view of antitrust held by regulators and other policy makers.

The Strain of Internet Video: How Will Lawmakers & Regulators React?

lstewart — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 05:00:00 +0000

ITIF Senior Fellow Richard Bennett participated in a panel at the Congressional Internet Caucus Advisory Committee's 7th annual State of the Net Conference on January 19, 2011. The panel debated the future of Internet video from a policy perspective.

Reversing U.S. Innovation Decline

lstewart — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 05:00:00 +0000

Sen. Mark Warner, D-VA, honorary ITIF co-chair, and ITIF President Rob Atkinson offer a cautionary assessment of America's innovation capabilities and lay out a vision to restore our global economic leadership at an event at The Commonwealth Club of California on January 19, 2011.

"Bridges": The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of Innovation Policy

lstewart — Tue, 21 Dec 2010 05:00:00 +0000

The Winter 2010 issue of Bridges, the Austrian Embassy Office of Science and Technology Policy's magazine, features a summary of ITIF's recent survey of innovation policies employed by countries around the world, The Good, the Bad and Ugly and the Self-destructive) of Innovation Policy. This groundbreaking report urges action to thwart the growing innovation mercantilism practiced by some countries, and to move the world towards a more principled basis of competition.

Public Briefing: Designing a Digital Future

lstewart — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 05:00:00 +0000

At a public briefing, the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) released the report, Designing a Digital Future: Federally Funded Research and Development in Networking and Information Technology, which assesses the Federal Networking and Information Technology Research and Development Program (NITRD).

Energy Innovation 2010

lstewart — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 05:00:00 +0000

On December 15th, 2010, a group of America's leading policy think tanks hosted a day-long conference in Washington, DC, to ask hard questions about how energy technology funding should be spent, which institutions should be involved, how the program should be disciplined and evaluated, and how both parties can support policies to boost public and private energy innovation investment.

Part 1

Education for Innovation: A Digital Town Hall

lstewart — Tue, 07 Dec 2010 05:00:00 +0000

We know that U.S. students are lagging in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) studies compared to students in many other countries and that the United States is at risk for losing its innovation edge in critical industries. And yet we continue to devote even more resources to the same formulas for STEM education that have been in place for close to 40 years. In a provocative report, Refueling the U.S.

Keep the FCC

lstewart — Tue, 07 Dec 2010 05:00:00 +0000

Hedge-fund manager Andy Kessler wrote an op-ed in The Wall Street Journal last Friday in favor of shutting down the FCC. Tech Crunch TV’s Andrew Keen asked Kessler to explain his opinion in a video interview.

C-SPAN Interview on State "New Economy" Rankings

lstewart — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 05:00:00 +0000

As the United States grapples with a persistently anemic economic recovery, it is clear that policy makers must turn their attention to rebuilding and reinvesting for new economic realities. In this interview on C-SPAN’s Washington Journal, Rob Atkinson responds to callers from across the nation and offers candid insights about the findings of the 2010 State New Economy Index, published recently by ITIF and the Kaufmann Foundation and what the report indicates about

Innovation Mercantilism: The Bad, The Ugly, and The Self-Destructive

lstewart — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 05:00:00 +0000

An increasing number of countries think achieving economic growth through technology exports is preferable to doing so by raising domestic productivity levels through innovation, particularly by leveraging information technology. These nations, of which China is only the most prominent, are not so much focused on innovation as on technology mercantilism, specifically the manipulation of currency, markets, standards, IP rights, etc., to gain an unfair advantage favoring their technology exports in international trade.

The 2010 State New Economy Index

lstewart — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 05:00:00 +0000

Many jobs lost in the recession are never coming back and job creation is expected to be sluggish for years. This has created an imperative to develop new jobs, business models and industries. The states are on the front line of this effort and it more important than ever for them to embrace innovation and the New Economy. ITIF will unveil the latest data on how the states are doing in efforts to be competitive in the global, entrepreneurial, innovation- and knowledge-based New Economy.

What's Next for Technology: How Washington Will Act on Key Policy Issues in 2011

lstewart — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 05:00:00 +0000

In this event hosted by Politico and sponsored by Qualcomm, ITIF President Rob Atkinson participates in a discussion of the future of technology policy with a panel of industry leaders.

The Unfinished Radio Revolution: New Approaches to Handling Wireless Interference

lstewart — Fri, 12 Nov 2010 05:00:00 +0000

Change is in the air: there are likely to be significant new spectrum allocations as a result of the National Broadband Plan, and the march of technology keeps offering new ways to increase the capacity of wireless systems.

Economic Doctrines and Climate Change

lstewart — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 04:00:00 +0000

The economic philosophies of public officials have a significant impact on the kinds of policies they embrace, from welfare or taxation to foreign affairs. What about climate change? With climate change and major energy legislation stalled, maybe it is time to put aside fixed philosophical notions and take a practical look on ways to address climate change in an economically feasible way.

A Guide to the Internet Political Landscape

lstewart — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 04:00:00 +0000

The debate about the future of the Internet is more politically charged than ever. Internet policy issues are becoming more central. All groups involved in Internet policy share a goal of a robust Internet ecosystem but have sometimes vastly different definitions of robust and different views on how to achieve that goal.

Role of Managed Services on Broadband Networks

lstewart — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 04:00:00 +0000

Does the spirit of open networking embedded in the design philosophy of the Internet permit network operators to provide enhanced service tiers for a fee? This has been one of the central questions in the net neutrality debate in Congress since 2006. An open inquiry at the FCC seeks comment on this question, and a recent spate of stories in the media over FCC filings by Free Press, AT&T, and others highlights its contentious nature.

The Next Generation of IP Protection: Enhancing Global Economic Growth and Prosperity Event

lstewart — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 04:00:00 +0000

Intellectual property theft costs the United States billions of dollars every year and hurts American workers. What can be done to increase enforcement against nations that systematically steal, extort or otherwise gain U.S. IP without paying for it? And what can be done to step up enforcement of IP rights here in the United States?

The Future of Privacy Online

lstewart — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 04:00:00 +0000

From blogs to Facebook profiles to Twitter messages, individuals are increasingly choosing to share information about themselves online. More personal information online brings both risks and rewards. How are companies using this digital information and how do consumers benefit from increased data sharing? Perhaps more importantly, do consumers have enough control over their personal information or is there a need for government regulators to step in?

The Emerging Mobile Broadband Economy and its New Business Models

lstewart — Tue, 14 Sep 2010 04:00:00 +0000

Thanks to mobile broadband, new kinds of businesses are emerging and traditional businesses are redesigning their relationships with customers and clients. Whether it is renting a car for an afternoon, using energy efficiently in your home, or providing your doctor with timely information on your health, mobile broadband is empowering consumers with exciting new options. Just as importantly, mobile broadband is spurring the development of new applications and devices and creating new jobs in engineering and design. Around the world, the race is for new business opportunities. For U.S.

Beyond the Sound Bite

Wed, 08 Sep 2010 04:00:00 +0000

Will President Obama's economic proposals help produce a sustainable economic expansion? ITIF President and innovation expert Rob Atkinson discusses the key elements of public policy that can most effectively enable the US to achieve sustainable economic growth.

Leading Innovations in Healthcare Technology

Thu, 22 Jul 2010 04:00:00 +0000

Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) will offer remarks at the start of a conversation about innovations in health care. As implementation of the landmark health care reform law gets under way, an equally revolutionary change is shaping health care. Technologies are emerging that will radically change how we monitor and diagnose diseases, redefine our relationships to our doctors, make us healthier and extend our lives. The era of more precise, data-driven and effective health care has just begun and there are many questions to think about.

Open Forum on U.S. and OECD Innovation Policy

Wed, 21 Jul 2010 04:00:00 +0000

Around the globe and here at home policymakers are increasingly recognizing the critical importance of innovation and innovation policy. Not only has innovation become vitally important—for companies and countries alike—in gaining or retaining competitive advantage, innovation is key to solving a host of pressing societal challenges. Moreover, innovation policy is evolving to reflect changes in the innovation system and the increasingly sophisticated approaches of its practitioners.

Using IT to Create a More Sustainable World

Tue, 13 Jul 2010 04:00:00 +0000

From telepresence to smart meters, information technology (IT) is rapidly helping push the economy toward a more efficient, low-carbon future. But these tools are only the beginning. Join ITIF for a panel discussion with Dr. Bill Tomlinson, author of the recently published book from MIT Press Greening through IT: Information Technology for Environmental Sustainability to discuss specific examples of “green” uses of IT and how IT can be used to create more sustainable communities. Also participating on the panel will be John A.

Is America Suffering an Innovation Gap?

admin — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 04:00:00 +0000

According to some measures, America has fallen below Iceland as a leader in developing new technologies. What is the state of innovation in America today? What policies should the private sector, the government and the American university research system institute to ensure America remains a leader in innovation in the future? ITIF President, Rob Atkinson discusses the state of innovation in America today on the show Ideas in Action with Jim Glassman.

Book Discussion with Clyde Prestowitz: The Betrayal of American Prosperity

Wed, 30 Jun 2010 04:00:00 +0000

Please join ITIF on Wednesday, June 30 as Clyde Prestowitz, President of the Economic Strategy Institute, discusses his latest book, “The Betrayal of American Prosperity: Free Market Delusions, America’s Decline, and How We Must Compete in the Post-Dollar Era.”

Where Does the U.S. Really Stand in Broadband and Why?

Mon, 21 Jun 2010 04:00:00 +0000

Resolved: The US is lagging seriously behind other countries on broadband access and this is due primarily to a failure of U.S.

Comcast Ruling: Now What?

Tue, 01 Jun 2010 04:00:00 +0000

What's next for net neutrality? Just weeks after the DC Circuit Court's ruling in Comcast v.

Why Countries Need a Sectoral-Based Approach to Economic Growth

Mon, 24 May 2010 04:00:00 +0000

Castro Discusses Facebook on NPR's All Things Considered

dcastro — Sun, 23 May 2010 04:00:00 +0000

ITIF Senior Analyst Daniel Castro speaks with NPR's Guy Raz about recent changes on Facebook and the privacy implications on All Things Considered.

Atkinson Testifies Before Senate Committee on the Importance of Innovation in Clean Energy

admin — Thu, 20 May 2010 07:00:00 +0000

ITIF President Rob Atkinson testified before the Senate Finance Subcommittee on Energy, Natural Resources and Infrastructure, warning that the United States risks losing out on the economic benefits from the green energy revolution unless there is a coordinated effort by government to spur private-sector innovation.

ITIF Event: How IT is Driving the Self-Service Economy

Wed, 14 Apr 2010 07:00:00 +0000

From check-in kiosks in airports to tax preparation software, self-service technology has generated a wide range of benefits and savings for consumers, businesses and government. Over the long term, self-service technology will likely be a major force for growth in productivity and improved quality of life. And yet, policymakers and government leaders often fail to see this. At this event, ITIF will release a new report "Embracing the Self-Service Economy" that gives an overview of the benefits of self-service technology and the current trends in the field.

ITIF Event: The U.S. Can and Should Pick Winners

admin — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 14:46:46 +0000

Video from the ITIF debate "The U.S. Can and Should Pick Winners."

Internet Evolution: No Online Census in 2010

dcastro — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 07:00:00 +0000

The 2010 Census forms are arriving in mailboxes around the country. But why is there no option to submit your response online? ITIF Senior Analyst Daniel Castro explains on Internet Evolution.

Also, see ITIF's report from 2008 that found the Census Bureau would have saved at least $30 million had it included an Internet response option for 2010.

Health IT: Key Facilitator for Health Care Reform?

Fri, 26 Mar 2010 07:00:00 +0000

After President Obama signed into law landmark health care legislation ITIF and the House of Sweden hosted an event to discuss health IT in the U.S. and around the world.

Rob Atkinson appears on NPR "On Point"

Wed, 24 Mar 2010 07:00:00 +0000

Rob Atkinson explains the challenges and opportunities ahead in expanding broadband access across the country on National Public Radio’s On Point.

Five Q's with Rob Atkinson

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 07:00:00 +0000

ITIF President Rob Atkinson answers five questions on technology policy

ITIF Event: FCC Broadband Strategy Director Blair Levin & National Purpose Team

admin — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 08:00:00 +0000

Video from the ITIF event "FCC Broadband Strategy Director Blair Levin & National Purpose Team."

Video Blog: YouTube & Italy

admin — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 08:00:00 +0000

Rob Atkinson explains how the conviction of three Google execs in Italy will have a chilling effect on the Internet.

Interview: Preserving the Open Internet

lstewart — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 05:00:00 +0000

Andrew Keen, author of The Cult of the Amateur, interviews ITIF Senior Research Fellow Richard Bennett about net neutrality following the ITIF panel discussion Preserving the Open Internet: Is a Consensus Emerging?

Preserving the Open Internet: Is a Consensus Emerging?

Tue, 23 Feb 2010 08:00:00 +0000

Rough consensus is emerging on many of the issues raised in the FCC’s Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on Preserving the Open Internet, particularly those relating to transparency and disclosure, network management, and the value of helping latency-sensitive applications such as gaming and voice applications such as Skype.

The Impact of Offshore Manufacturing on Technology Innovation: Implications for U.S. Policy

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 08:00:00 +0000

Economists have long focused on how offshoring manufacturing can result in lower prices, as low wage nations are able to produce products more cheaply than in the United States. But until now, very little effort has been made to understand the impact of offshoring on innovation. However a new study by Carnegie Mellon Professor Erica Fuchs examines the impact of offshore manufacturing on innovation, using the photonics and automobile industries as case studies.

Explaining International Intelligent Transportation Systems Leadership

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 08:00:00 +0000

Until now, most advances in transportation relied on physical materials—more cement and steel. But going forward significant progress in surface transportation will depend increasingly on making the system more intelligent, through the use of sensors, computers and communication technology. In short, IT can play a key role in the safety, efficiency and convenience of transportation, including for cars, trucks and mass transit.

Info-Communism: A Progressive Path Forward or a Political and Intellectual Dead End?

Tue, 26 Jan 2010 08:00:00 +0000

In the last decade, an intellectual and political movement has emerged both here in the United States and Europe to challenge exclusive property rights over informational goods and promote the concept of openness in communication-information policy. The movement goes by various labels: the “commons” movement; “free culture”; the “openness movement”. Among the goals of the movement include: free software, creative commons and other forms of resistance to copyright; opposition to software patents; and (in some cases) publicly-owned broadband networks and extreme net neutrality proposals.

ITIF Event: Steal These Policies: Strategies for Combating Digital Piracy

Tue, 15 Dec 2009 08:00:00 +0000

In this event, participants discuss a new report documenting the current state of digital piracy and describing how innovative technology such as content identification can be used to reduce piracy. The report also outlines strategies for policymakers to combat this problem and call for more proactive government involvement in reducing piracy.

Comparing UK and U.S. Innovation Policy: A Discussion with Digby, Lord Jones of Birmingham

Mon, 14 Dec 2009 08:00:00 +0000

Over the last decade in particular the UK has put in place an array of innovative policies to boost national innovation and competitiveness, including the Science and Innovation Framework, a 10-year strategy launched in 2004 aimed at increasing R&D as a percentage of GDP. The Framework laid the groundwork for a series of initiatives, programs and funding schemes to support innovation throughout the UK.

Targeted Online Advertising: The Savior of the Web or Fundamental Threat to Privacy?

Wed, 09 Dec 2009 08:00:00 +0000

Behavioral advertising is seen as by some as the fuel that will power the next cycle of innovation for the Internet and by others as intrusive tracking of private citizens that should be severely restricted by government. As Congress considers legislation that would impact online advertising, a clear understanding of both sides of this issue is needed to enact positive reforms that both encourage innovation and protect consumers.

Leadership and the Innovation Economy: Finding the Political Will to Work Together

lstewart — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 05:00:00 +0000

Rob Atkinson discusses innovation policy with this panel at the 2009 Innovation Economy Conference.

Other panelists: Shirley Ann Jackson, President, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute; Steve Case, Co-Founder, America Online, Chairman and CEO, Revolution, and Chairman, the Case Foundation; U.S. Senator Mark Warner; U.S. Representative Bart Gordon; U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar; Moderator: James Fallows, National Correspondent for The Atlantic.

Video Blog: Why Doesn't the US Have Any Mobile Wallets?

Sat, 28 Nov 2009 08:00:00 +0000

Imagine being able to use your mobile phone to pay taxi and mass transit fare; use vending machines; make retail purchases; and check in at hotels. Every day, millions of citizens in Japan, S. Korea, and soon Singapore do so simply by waving their mobile phones in front of point-of-sale terminals using near-field communication or related technology. But, while the technology is readily available in the U.S., it will be some time before Americans can use their cellphones as mobile wallets.

The Netherland's Pay-Per-Use National Roads Plan

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 08:00:00 +0000

Dr. Joris Al, General Director of The Netherlands’ Centre for Transport and Navigation in the Ministry of Transport, will present on Holland’s bold new proposal for a nationwide pay-per-use road pricing program. Holland’s “Kilometerprijs ” (price per kilometer) program will replace fixed vehicle (ownership and gas) taxes to charge Dutch citizens by their annual distances driven, differentiated by time, place, and environmental characteristics.

ITIF Event: Is the U.S. Losing the Clean Tech Race?

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 08:00:00 +0000

A new report by the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation and the Breakthrough Institute, Rising Tigers, Sleeping Giant, is the first to thoroughly benchmark the clean energy competitiveness in four nations: China, Japan, South Korea and the United States.

Video Blog: America Has Much to Learn About Digital Piracy

admin — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 08:00:00 +0000

The US loses about $20 billion a year on pirated software, movies, and music. But public policy can help stem the tide of digital theft. For example, France has recently passed a 'three strikes and you’re out' law, whereby if after two warning letters an individual continues to download pirated software then his Internet access will be cut off. US policy makers should consider adopting similar policies.

ITIF Event: Explaining International Mobile Payments Leadership

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 08:00:00 +0000

In this event ITIF released a new report, Explaining International Mobile Payments Leadership that identifes the leading nations in mobile payments, explains why the United States lags so far behind, and offer a set of policy recommendations for how the federal government can take steps to speed the arrival and adoption of more sophisticated forms of mobile commerce transactions, better leveraging these increasingly powerful mobile communications devices.

ITIF Event: Policies for Boosting Broadband Demand

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 08:00:00 +0000

If the United States is to achieve the promise of the broadband revolution it will need to ensure that a much larger share of Americans are subscribers. And while policies to spur the deployment of broadband networks are important in achieving that goal, policies to spur adoption are even more important. In this event ITIF discusses the findings of a new study Demand-Side Programs to Stimulate Adoption of Broadband: What Works? by Professors Janice Hauge and James E. Prieger.

Falling Behind: U.S. Competitiveness in a High-Tech World

dcastro — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 05:00:00 +0000

Rob Atkinson gave a talk at New College on Tuesday, November 3, 2009 on "Falling Behind: U.S. Competitiveness in a High-Tech World."

ITIF Event: What Will the Internet of the Future Look Like?

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 08:00:00 +0000

Internet regulations pending in the United States can either facilitate or impede Internet evolution depending on detailed definitions of packet discrimination, traffic shaping, network management, and carrier business models. A panel of distinguished engineers share their views on the changes that must be made to Internet service to support such applications as pervasive networking, video-conferencing, immersive gaming, and telemedicine. This event discusses the tension between regulation and innovation in the Internet context.

What Will the Internet of the Future Look Like?

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 08:00:00 +0000

Internet regulations pending in the United States can either facilitate or impede Internet evolution depending on detailed definitions of packet discrimination, traffic shaping, network management, and carrier business models. A panel of distinguished engineers share their views on the changes that must be made to Internet service to support such applications as pervasive networking, video-conferencing, immersive gaming, and telemedicine. Join us for a discussion of the tension between regulation and innovation in the Internet context.

Video Blog: Americans’ Views of Internet Behavioral Targeting

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 07:00:00 +0000

A new poll shows that a majority of Americans don’t like behavioral targeting on the Internet, even when it’s done anonymously. But the poll is seriously flawed in that it did not ask Americans about the tradeoffs involved. If we are to make good public policy with regard to the Internet and privacy, it’s important to have a debate that explores all aspects of the issue. This poll failed to do that.

ITIF Event: WIRED for Innovation

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 07:00:00 +0000

ITIF Event: Enhancing Universities’ Role in Innovation

Wed, 07 Oct 2009 07:00:00 +0000

American universities play an important role in spurring technological innovation, job creation and U.S. economic competitiveness. But they can do more, especially if the federal government makes a more concerted effort to help universities commercialize and transfer new technologies. In this event ITIF discusses the issue with a panel of experts, including the presentation of a policy proposal by Krisztina Holly, Vice Provost for Innovation at USC.

ITIF Event: The Race to Innovate

Tue, 06 Oct 2009 07:00:00 +0000

The United States is losing ground quickly in the innovation sweepstakes to Japan, Denmark and other nations. There’s nothing mysterious about why: these and other nations have designed and funded federal policies to spur innovation, and we have not. The Fall, 2009 issue of Democracy: A Journal of Ideas features a symposium on “The Race to Innovate,” and examines what we should be doing in areas like finance, manufacturing, education, and creating new institutions that will help the private sector move forward.

ITIF Event: Benchmarking Leading Countries’ National Innovation Policies

Tue, 06 Oct 2009 07:00:00 +0000

ITIF Senior Analyst Stephen Ezell presents findings from the report, "Benchmarking Leading Countries’ National Innovation Policies", appearing in September’s Democracy Journal benchmarking national innovation policies and analyzing what the United States can learn from the worlds’ ten most innovation-forward countries.

ITIF Event: Designed for Change: End-to-End Arguments, Internet Innovation, and the Net Neutrality Debate

dcastro — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 07:00:00 +0000

Many advocates of strict net neutrality regulation argue that the Internet has always been a “dumb pipe” and that Congress should require that it remains so. A new report by ITIF Research Fellow Richard Bennett reviews the historical development of the Internet architecture and finds that contrary to such claims, an extraordinarily high degree of intelligence is embedded in the network core.

ITIF Event: Explaining International Health IT Leadership

Tue, 22 Sep 2009 07:00:00 +0000

This event releases a new ITIF study “Explaining International Health IT Leadership” that explores the lessons nations can learn from the global leaders in health IT adoption. The report helps answer the questions, “Which countries are leading in health IT adoption, what explains their success, and what lessons can the United States learn from these leaders?” ITIF will be joined by a panel of experts from some of the leading countries to discuss their experience with health IT.

ITIF Event: The Role of Digital Stimulus in the G-20

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 07:00:00 +0000

In this new report, ITIF describes current G-20 stimulus investments in IT and lays out how IT can lead to short-term job creation as well as long-term benefits. This event contains a panel of international experts to discuss the role of IT in supporting global economic recovery.

ITIF Event: Corporate Tax Reform for the Innovation-Based, Global Economy

Thu, 23 Jul 2009 07:00:00 +0000

ITIF Event: Structuring an Energy Technology Revolution

Mon, 20 Jul 2009 07:00:00 +0000

ITIF Event: The Role of Information Technology in Creating New Kinds of American High Schools

Thu, 16 Jul 2009 07:00:00 +0000

This event discusses a new ITIF report, How IT Can Enable 21st Century Schools with the report author, Tim McDonald and with Curtis Johnson of the Education|Evolving, a Minnesota- based group of thought leaders in education reform.

ITIF Event: White House Leadership on Innovation Policy: The Case for an Office of Innovation Policy

Wed, 24 Jun 2009 07:00:00 +0000

In an ITIF report to be released, Duke Law School professors Stuart Benjamin and Arti Rai propose that the Obama administration (or Congress, if Congress is willing) create an Office of Innovation Policy that would draw upon, and feed into, existing regulatory review processes but would have the specific mission of being the “innovation champion” within these processes.

The Cost of Privacy: A Debate on the Impact of Privacy Laws on Health IT Adoption

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 07:00:00 +0000

As the Obama Administration moves forward with plans to modernize health care by encouraging the use of electronic medical records (EMR), some parties continue to raise concerns about privacy. Strong privacy laws may help protect confidential patient information and encourage user acceptance. But strict privacy laws can also impose additional burdens on health care providers and may slow technology adoption.

ITIF Event: Is Cap and Trade Enough? Why Reducing Emissions Depends on Technology Innovation

Wed, 10 Jun 2009 07:00:00 +0000

As the House considers climate legislation, many have come to believe that regulations alone will result in a reduction of emissions. But energy and technology experts say a more explicit federal investment in technology is needed. Please join the Brookings Institution, the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, and the Breakthrough Institute to discuss the need for an explicit innovation policy to address the challenge of global climate change.

ITIF Forum: Fiber to the Library: Next-Generation Broadband for Next-Generation Libraries

Thu, 21 May 2009 07:00:00 +0000

ITIF discusses how “Fiber to the Library” (FTTL), as a national spearhead deployment project, could quickly deliver access to next-generation broadband. Is FTTL the biggest broadband bang for the stimulus buck? Don Means, originator of the 2-year-old FTTL campaign to provide next-generation broadband to every library, presents his proposal.

ITIF Event: Smart Roads, Smart Cars: How IT is Transforming Transportation

Thu, 14 May 2009 07:00:00 +0000

ITIF President Rob Atkinson discusses the findings from ITIF’s recent report Digital Quality of Life: Transportation that explores the impact of IT on transportation. In addition, ITIF will be joined by a panel of experts to discuss policies Congress and the Administration can consider to drive the use of IT to enhance mobility, increase transportation safety and make a positive impact on the environment.

ITIF Event: Progress and Innovation: Can We Restore Faith in the Future?

Thu, 30 Apr 2009 07:00:00 +0000

Most civilizations have looked back to a golden age when things were better. In contrast, America has emphasized self-improvement aimed at a vague, but much better tomorrow. Are we reverting to the older view of time? One that resists innovation and the notion of progress? Or can a “frontier” mentality and America’s innovation leadership be restored?

During this event award-winning scientist and science fiction writer David Brin to explore the issue.

ITIF & LSE Event: ICT’s Contribution to Britain’s Recovery

Wed, 29 Apr 2009 07:00:00 +0000

Dr. Atkinson and Dr. Liebenau of the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF) and the London School of Economics (LSE) to discuss a new joint report that analyses the role of information and communication technology (ICT) in aiding economic recovery in the UK.

ITIF Event: Copyright, Content and Class Action Lawsuits: A Debate on the Google Book Search Settlement

Tue, 21 Apr 2009 07:00:00 +0000

When Google began its initiative in 2004 to digitize 15 million books within a decade from university and public libraries, the project was met with immediate resistance by some authors and publishers who objected to the decision to include books still protected under copyright. The Association of American Publishers and the Authors Guild of America sued Google for copyright infringement while Google defended its Google Book Search service saying that the project should be considered fair use.

in silico: How IT is Changing Medical Research

Tue, 17 Mar 2009 07:00:00 +0000

Please join ITIF for a conversation with a distinguished panel of experts from some of the leading projects in this field to discuss how IT is shaping medical research. In addition, this event explores possible national strategies to advance these technologies for the benefit of all Americans.

ITIF Event: The Need for Speed: The Importance of Next-Generation Broadband Networks

Thu, 05 Mar 2009 08:00:00 +0000

ITIF releases a report on the need for next-generation broadband in the United States. The report will document how the transformative functionalities that next-generation broadband enables will unlock a wave of innovative new Web applications, delivering benefits to consumers, society, businesses, and the economy.

ITIF Event: The Atlantic Century: Benchmarking U.S. and EU Innovation and Competitiveness

Wed, 25 Feb 2009 08:00:00 +0000

Find out which countries are leading, and which are lagging, in the increasingly internationally-competitive, knowledge- and innovation-based global economy, in this event with ITIF releasing its findings from a new report, The Atlantic Century: Benchmarking U.S. and EU Innovation and Competitiveness.

ITIF Event: The Korean Strategy for Green Technology Development and Role of IT

Wed, 11 Feb 2009 08:00:00 +0000

Korea recently declared its ambitious vision for Low-Carbon Green Growth in order to deal with the climate change issue and create a new development paradigm.

Dr. Suk Joon Kim, President of the Korean Science and Technology Policy Institute (STEPI), discusses the new Korean low-carbon, green innovation strategy with a particular focus on the role of information and communications technology (IT) in the strategy. He will be joined by Dr. Jung Hyup, Senior Researcher, STEPI.

ITIF Event: Stimulus and Investment Effects of Temporary Reduced Taxes on Repatriation

Fri, 30 Jan 2009 08:00:00 +0000

ITIF Breakfast Forum Globalization and Technology Standards: The Case for Expanded U.S. Leadership

Tue, 13 Jan 2009 08:00:00 +0000

2008 State New Economy Index

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 08:00:00 +0000

In a report sponsored by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, ITIF employs 29 indicators to assess the extent to which the 50 state economies are structured according to the tenets of the New Economy. The changing economic landscape requires state economies to be innovative, globally-linked, entrepreneurial and dynamic, with an educated workforce and all sectors embracing the use of information technology.

ITIF Forum: Understanding Our Digital Quality of Life with Special Guest Craig Mundie, Chief Research and Strategy Officer, Microsoft

Thu, 02 Oct 2008 07:00:00 +0000

Please join us on October 2, 2008 for a special event to release this report featuring remarks from Craig Mundie, Chief Research and Strategy Officer for Microsoft and a briefing on the report from Rob Atkinson, President, ITIF.

ITIF Event: The Technology Imperative and The Role of Technology Policy In Driving Economic Growth with Dr. Gregory Tassey

Tue, 30 Sep 2008 07:00:00 +0000

Dr.

ITIF Conference: Innovation Economics for the Next Administration

Thu, 25 Sep 2008 07:00:00 +0000

As 2009 approaches with a new administration to take office, questions as to how to spur innovation will by necessity loom large on the policy agenda. Nonetheless, fresh thinking about how to craft an innovation-based economic policy, what innovation policies to implement and how to implement them effectively are in short supply. In this conference, ITIF and Silicon Flatirons will set forth both the conceptual framework and a set of specific policy proposals to raise the level of debate.

ITIF Forum: Is the U.S. Falling Behind in Science & Technology or Not?

Wed, 10 Sep 2008 07:00:00 +0000

Over the last several years a number of reports – headlined by Rising Above the Gathering Storm – have raised the alarm over the deteriorating state of U.S. science and technology (S&T) competitiveness and documented how the country is falling behind in key building blocks of the S&T base.

ITIF Forum: It’s Time to End The Broadband Policy Wars

Tue, 09 Sep 2008 07:00:00 +0000

In recent years, the debate over broadband policy has become a partisan war that makes it extremely difficult to have any sensible and analytically-based discussion of the critical issues in this policy area. In a new report, “Moving to a Post-Partisan Broadband Policy World,” ITIF calls for an end, or at least a serious de-escalation, of the conflict. Please join us for a release of the report and a discussion by panelists on all sides of the issue.

ITIF Event: Transformative Technologies in the Past, Present and Future: Implications for the U.S. Economy and U.S. Economic Policy

Tue, 15 Jul 2008 07:00:00 +0000

ITIF hosted a forum with noted economist Dr. Richard Lipsey, Professor Emeritus of Economics at Simon Fraser University. Dr. Lipsey discussed the findings from his the award winning 2006 book, Economic Transformations: General Purpose Technologies and Long Term Growth. , arguing that growth is powered principally by “evolutionary change” driven by technological revolutions that have regularly transformed our economic, social and political landscapes.

ITIF Forum: William Lewis, Unleashing the Power of Productivity at Home and Abroad

Tue, 06 May 2008 07:00:00 +0000

Despite the fact that most economists agree that increasing productivity is the most important goal for economic policy, few scholars have actually focused on what drives productivity and what governments can do. An exception to this is Bill Lewis, founding director of the McKinsey Global Institute and former partner at McKinsey & Company.

ITIF Forum: Explaining International Broadband Leadership

Thu, 01 May 2008 07:00:00 +0000

It’s hard to follow broadband policy without hearing almost weekly that the U.S. ranks 15th out of 30 OECD nations in broadband penetration. But understanding why the U.S. is behind is much harder. In this event, Rob Atkinson presents Explaining International Broadband Leadership, which examines OECD nations through in-depth case studies and statistical analysis. The report answers key questions, including:

ITIF-Brookings Event to Release Report Calling for a National Innovation Foundation

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 07:00:00 +0000

There is disturbing evidence that America’s innovation lead is shrinking. Moreover, expanded support for basic research and science education, while important, will not be enough to respond to this challenge. Without a more robust, targeted, and explicit federal innovation policy, U.S. competitiveness will continue to slip and economic growth will lag.

ITIF Forum: Services Sciences – A Key Driver of 21st Century Prosperity

Wed, 09 Apr 2008 07:00:00 +0000

If the U.S. economy and workers' wages are to grow robustly over the next several decades, the key will be to find better ways to enable innovation and achieve higher productivity gains in services sector, which accounts for 80 percent of the economy. Yet, even though services are central to our future, neither our technology and economic policies nor our higher education practices have kept up with the reality of continued growth in services, much of it in information-intensive and health-care related services.

ITIF Forum on Network Management

Wed, 12 Mar 2008 07:00:00 +0000

Network management refers to the maintenance and administration of the security, performance and reliability of large-scale computer and telecommunications networks to keep them operating efficiently. While all Internet service providers (ISPs) manage their networks in some way – such as blocking SPAM – they also may use network management tools to relieve congestion.

ITIF Forum: The Future of Voting

Thu, 06 Mar 2008 08:00:00 +0000

Despite heated debate about the security and accessibility of voting technology, at the end of the day all sides agree that they want better voting systems. But what will the voting systems of the future look like?

At this upcoming ITIF Forum, the lead scientists of two of the most innovative voting systems will unveil their most recent research and provide attendees the opportunity to participate in hands-on demonstrations of their technology. These voting systems represent the latest advances in voting system security and accessibility.

ITIF Forum: Opportunities and Barriers in Online Shopping

Fri, 22 Feb 2008 08:00:00 +0000

Americans are of two minds about e-commerce; they like its convenience, but they worry about issues like sending credit card information over the Internet.

ITIF Forum: How IT Can Help Fix America’s Ailing Construction Industry

Thu, 24 Jan 2008 08:00:00 +0000

Amid so much talk about the sub-prime mortgage mess, an overlooked problem continues to plague the housing industry, specifically, and the construction industry, generally: costs are spiraling out of control because the industry has not invested in technology, particularly information technology, to boost productivity.

ITIF Forum: Framing a National Broadband Policy

Tue, 22 Jan 2008 08:00:00 +0000

The broadband debate over the past year has focused largely on the fact that the United States has fallen behind other nations in broadband penetration. But the real issue is deciding what kind of proactive broadband policies the United States should implement.

FOW-VVSG: First Open Workshop on the “Voluntary Voting System Guidelines”

Thu, 06 Dec 2007 08:00:00 +0000

The Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF), the UMBC Center for Information Security and Assurance (CISA), VSPR , FairVote and the National Center for the Study of Elections (NCSE) will host an open forum for voting system researchers, election officials,

ITIF Forum: Improving Health Care: Why a Dose of IT May Be Just What the Doctor Ordered

Fri, 26 Oct 2007 07:00:00 +0000

Health information technology promises to transform and modernize our national health care system. President Bush has set a goal of establishing a national health information network by 2014, but currently most Americans do not even have an electronic health record. Congress is now considering legislation on how to ensure the American health care system benefits from IT.

ITIF Event: Building the Broadband Economy and Society

Fri, 19 Oct 2007 07:00:00 +0000

Ubiquitous deployment of high speed broadband services promises a host of economic and social benefits. At this forum, leading national experts will discuss not only how new “killer apps” in these areas can spur further broadband adoption, but how further broadband progress can spur economic growth, better and cheaper health care, and citizen empowerment and stronger engagement in civic life. However, realizing these benefits will require continued deployment and adoption of high-speed broadband and the right public policies to support that.

ITIF Forum on Proposed Free Trade Agreements with Peru, Panama, Colombia and Korea

Mon, 24 Sep 2007 07:00:00 +0000

Congress is currently considering several new free trade agreements with Peru, Panama, Colombia and Korea. This ITIF Forum featured commentary from a range of perspectives about the importance of these critical trade agreements in advancing American prosperity through increased economic integration.

ITIF Forum: Stop the Presses – How Paper Trails Fail to Secure e-Voting

Tue, 18 Sep 2007 07:00:00 +0000

Congress will soon consider H.R. 811 (Rep. Holt, D-NJ) “The Voter Confidence and Increased Accessibility Act of 2007” which would mandate that all direct recording electronic (DRE) voting machines have “voter-verified” paper audit trails. Many states will also vote on similar legislation this year. While the purpose of such legislation is to improve the security of our elections, the focus on paper trails is unjustified.

ITIF Forum: IP and Broadband Technology – Working for Public Safety

Mon, 23 Jul 2007 07:00:00 +0000

Over the past several years, Congress has funded improvements in public safety communications through grant programs at the Departments of Homeland Security and Commerce. Leading public safety organizations around the country are using these, and other grants programs, to pay for cutting-edge Internet Protocol (IP) and broadband technologies that deliver new and improved communications capabilities and interoperability.

ITIF Forum: The Rise of the New Mercantilists

Thu, 21 Jun 2007 07:00:00 +0000

Technology is a key area of competitive advantage for the U.S. economy. Yet, our lead is anything but secure as the global competition for technology-based jobs has intensified. Unfortunately, rather than compete fairly for these jobs, many nations have turned to a host of unfair and protectionist policies focused on systematically disadvantaging foreign, including U.S., technology companies in global competition. Without stronger U.S. actions to confront this new technology protectionism, future U.S. technology leadership is at risk.

ITIF Debate: Is the United States Falling Behind in Broadband?

Fri, 15 Jun 2007 07:00:00 +0000

Fueled by reports of America’s declining position in international broadband rankings, the debate over broadband policy has intensified in recent weeks. Some commentators have pointed to our falling rank as evidence of a problem that warrants a national broadband strategy. Others reject the premise that the rankings indicate a problem with broadband in the United States and worry that many regulations proposed in response to the lagging rankings would reduce investment in this critical infrastructure.

ITIF Policy Debate: Does Productivity Growth Still Benefit American Workers?

Wed, 13 Jun 2007 07:00:00 +0000

In the last few years many have argued that the middle class has not been receiving its fair share of economic growth. When this is contrasted with the rise in productivity, CEO pay and corporate profits, the natural conclusion is that the system is rigged and needs changing. As a result, the focus of many, particularly those on the left, has shifted from promoting growth, particularly productivity growth, to redistribution.

ITIF Policy Forum: The Gowers Review of Intellectual Property

Thu, 07 Jun 2007 07:00:00 +0000

The Gowers Review, published on December 6, 2006, confirmed the crucial importance of IP to the success of the United Kingdom in the global knowledge economy. The report, commissioned by the UK Chancellor of the Exchequer, recommended proposals on a wide range of policy issues surrounding copyright, patents, enforcement, and the fight against IP crime.

Patents Pending: Patent Reform for the Innovation Economy

afearon — Tue, 22 May 2007 04:00:00 +0000

Congress is in the midst of the patent reform debate. Recently introduced legislation “The Patent Reform Act of 2007” (S. 1145 and H.R. 1908), would provide significant needed reforms to the system. This ITIF event examined the issue of patent reform and discussed recommendations in a new ITIF paper, "Patents Pending: Patent Reform for the Innovation Economy."

The event featured remarks by Congressman Adam Schiff, 29th District, California, with presentations from Rob Atkinson, President of ITIF and Julie Hedlund, Senior Analyst with ITIF and the author of the new paper.

ITIF Policy Forum: Understanding the Japanese Broadband Miracle

Wed, 04 Apr 2007 07:00:00 +0000

According to OECD data compiled by ITIF, Japan is the world’s leader in broadband, with over 75 percent of homes (in NTT East territory) able to subscribe to 100 mbs fiber-to-the-home at very reasonable rates.

ITIF Forum: Digital Prosperity

Tue, 13 Mar 2007 07:00:00 +0000

Steve Bennett, CEO of Intuit, a leading provider of financial, accounting and tax preparation software, delivered the keynote address at the ITIF conference to release the new ITIF report, “Digital Prosperity: Understanding the Economic Impact of the IT Revolution.”

As primary author of the new report, ITIF President Robert Atkinson presented findings from “Digital Prosperity.”