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Presidential Address: Innovation in retrospect and prospect

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  • James A. Brander

Abstract

This paper asks whether innovation has slowed in recent decades. While there has been dramatic progress in information and communications technology, the recent record of innovation in the crucially important agriculture, energy, transportation, and health care sectors is cause for concern. The paper also considers whether the pace of innovation is sufficient to improve or even maintain living standards in the face of still rapidly growing population, global warming, and other challenges. I review the major market failures that lead to under‐provision of innovation and question whether current innovation policy, particularly patent policy, is effective in promoting innovation. Ce mémoire se demande si l’innovation a ralenti au cours des dernières décennies. Alors qu’il y a eu progrès dramatique dans les technologies de l’information et des communications, le dossier des innovations récentes dans des secteurs aussi importants que l’agriculture, l’énergie, le transport et la santé a de quoi nous donner du souci. Le texte se demande aussi quel rythme d’innovation pourrait suffire pour améliorer ou maintenir notre niveau de vie face à une population qui croît rapidement, aux changements climatiques, et aux autres défis. On passe en revue les principales faillites du marché qui ont pu engendrer une offre insuffisante d’innovation, et on se demande si la politique d’innovation, en particulier pour ce qui est de la politique des brevets, est efficace pour promouvoir l’innovation.

Suggested Citation

  • James A. Brander, 2010. "Presidential Address: Innovation in retrospect and prospect," Canadian Journal of Economics/Revue canadienne d'économique, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 43(4), pages 1087-1121, November.
  • Handle: RePEc:wly:canjec:v:43:y:2010:i:4:p:1087-1121
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1540-5982.2010.01607.x
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Jennifer F. Reinganum, 1985. "Innovation and Industry Evolution," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 100(1), pages 81-99.
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    Cited by:

    1. Bazhanov, Andrei V., 2022. "Extraction path and sustainability," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 76(C).
    2. Daniel Schwanen, 2011. "Go Big or Go Home: Priorities for the Canada-EU Economic and Trade Agreement," C.D. Howe Institute Backgrounder, C.D. Howe Institute, issue 143, October.
    3. Bazhanov, A., 2011. "The Dependence of the Potential Sustainability of a Resource Economy on the Initial State: a Comparison of Models Using the Example of Russian Oil Extraction," Journal of the New Economic Association, New Economic Association, issue 12, pages 77-100.
    4. Bazhanov, Andrei, 2011. "Зависимость Долгосрочного Роста Ресурсной Экономики От Начального Состояния: Сравнение Моделей На Примере Российской Нефтедобычи [The dependence of the potential sustainability of a resource econom," MPRA Paper 35888, University Library of Munich, Germany.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • O3 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights
    • Q2 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Renewable Resources and Conservation

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