the not so smart economy ; sbp 27/6/2010

[bodyofevidence]

Colm Kearney, Professor of International Business at TCD, weighs in on the govts smart economy strategy in the Business Post.
sbpost.ie/commentandanalysis … 50110.html
and
irisheconomy.ie/index.php/20 … t-economy/

The government’s vision for Ireland’s knowledge society is commendable, but its strategy for science, technology and innovation defines the ‘smart economy’ too narrowly.

In addition to the specified priority areas, the arts, humanities and social sciences - as well as the sciences in general - also create new knowledge and underlie economic growth and the creation of sustainable high-quality jobs. Future innovations and sustainable job growth will involve all disciplines and the interactions between them in ways that we cannot foresee.

While there is merit in their recommendations for Ireland’s future, they ignore many areas of scholarship, knowledge and skills that are critical to Ireland’s future as a vibrant society with a sustainable economy.

These reports imply that a sub-set of the science disciplines together with computing and engineering constitute the ‘smart economy’.

This view is problematic from the perspective of scientists and mathematicians in the non-prioritised areas who question why certain sectors have been favoured.

From their discussions with colleagues around the world, it has become clear to them that other governments are prioritising similar smart economy sub-disciplines of science.

The risks inherent in such an approach have long been understood by analysts of industrial policy, many of whom question the wisdom of governments favouring some disciplines or sectors over others.

More generally, the reports imply that the arts, humanities and social sciences do not directly create knowledge, and so contribute little to the smart economy.

But the arts, humanities and social sciences do contribute directly to economic value and to the creation of high-skill, sustainable jobs. In the future smart economy, people will more than ever require knowledge, expertise and skills from the softer disciplines, as well as the hard sciences.

Exciting recent developments in research carried out by Irish academics illustrate this: a computer technologist has won an Oscar in cinematography; geneticists have traced the historic and cultural patterns of population migration; international business scholars have studied how cultural differences shape international trade and investment patterns.

High-tech firms increasingly seek people with a mix of knowledge and skills. For example, foreign language and communications skills are increasingly required alongside ‘harder’ computing and scientific skills.

These ‘smart economy’ firms need their employees to be creative and well-rounded individuals, who are able to deal with the complex problems they face every day in fast moving businesses like e-commerce and software development.

A sample of available jobs in Ireland advertised last week by well-known multinational and indigenous firms illustrates this

Ireland’s knowledge society must be broadly conceived. It will be inhabited by committed citizens who have access to a broad range of artistic, cultural and recreational opportunities in a sophisticated and tolerant society.

Given the right opportunities, the young people of Ireland will do us proud by staying at home and reminding us that harmony exists between anatomy and Allingham; biology and the bodhrán; chemistry and Coulter; Darwin and deValera.

pity nobody in government will give two seconds thought to the issues raised (and not just here)

[Open_Window]

Darwin and deValera