Innovation: A 21st-Century Imperative

The future success of companies, nations, and individuals depends on their ability to innovate. In our dynamic world, no organization or person can stand still and be successful. Nations spawn innovation by generating new knowledge and technologies through research, and by educating their citizens to understand this new knowledge and to move it to the markets as new products, processes, and services. The universal essentials are a strong base of talent, along with research and development coupled with a vibrant free market economy. Rising Above the Gathering Storm, a report from the National Academies, and the National Innovation Initiative from the Council on Competitiveness provide guidelines for maintaining the nation's capacity for innovation, yet scholars sense that the best models for successful innovation are changing due to globalization and the relentless progress of science and technology.