• Biotechnology

Biotechnology

SPRU is one of the world leaders in policy research on science, technology and innovation (STI) and its wider economic, social and environmental implications.

Our objectives are:

• to advance understanding of the relationship between STI developments and society through pioneering multidisciplinary research
• to generate new empirical data, methods, concepts and theories which explain the role of STI in the economies of the world
• to deliver postgraduate training which provides the analytical and practical skills needed to understand and respond to the STI challenges of the future
• to advise those concerned with the development and implementation of science and technology policy and those seeking to manage science and technology in society
• to work with firms, policymakers, and civil society to develop the tools and techniques needed to manage STI for purposes of competitiveness, sustainable development and social well-being

Current research foci include: the strategy, structure and dynamics of innovating firms; complex product systems innovation (the understanding of complex industrial products, systems, constructs and networks); innovation in the built environment; systems of innovation and the consequences for national and European S&T policies; innovation in the biotechnology sector; the generation and distribution of information and knowledge (technology and infrastructure policy in the knowledge-based economy, science foresight, women in ICT, new knowledge indicators); the implementation of the Chemical and Biological Weapons treaties; WWW site has information on research programmes, publications, some full text output, links to the SPRU Library catalogue, and WWW links to related organizations.