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Nanotechnology is the next big leap in
technology after the computer era. No
doubt, today, Nano is perhaps considered a statement and a symbol for the next jump
of innovation and technology, which almost always provides opportunities for risk takers
and entrepreneurs to completely change the rules
of the game and alter the existing structures of
power and influence. Since the 17th century
industrial revolution, it is in these crucial innovation
and technology areas that have enabled the western world to steadily lead the rest of the world,
giving it what it enjoys today – unlimited power
of leverage over the entire world.
The article look at both, a very broad level,
and at the level of countries and the educational institutions designed by them to try
and understand how these countries consistently dominate such periods of tremendous potential
for change. In the process, the article comes up
with some insights and possible changes at the institutional level for our country. This
article examines nanotechnology as an example of
how those countries in power today sustain their leadership through the symbiotic associations
of domestic institutions and a strategic
international vision which hold close the fundamental power
of innovation to generate entirely new industries.
No doubt, such changes are incremental and evolutionary in nature, but the paradox in
such incremental, as well as evolutionary, changes
is that it brings along with it both the creation
and destruction of jobs and in time define, new
rules of the game. So, even if 25% of the efforts
of nanotechnology take a concrete shape within the next two decades, the countries which are
the leaders in this field will create new games
with new rules. This is innovation, and the focus
of article is to look behind the institutional
structures and linkages worldwide that create an
ecosystem where innovation thrives, specifically on
the research and education institutions and their
inter linkages.
If we look back at the first half of the last century, we can see that the growth
and dominance of the information technology
industry by a country like the US is largely due
to government support and funding provided to it.
It is for this reason that we look at some of the shortcomings in this area in India which may
cost it the chance to be among the leaders in this
next generation of innovation. While one cannot
ignore the term coolie (by Bill Gates on his recent visit
to India) for our current IT industry employees,
the reality is even the best research brains had
always been drained and perhaps will continue to do
so. Given this constraint, the findings of the article
are presented, based on the nanotechnology institutions research study, funding initiatives
and knowledge networks around the globe. |
