Mapping Innovation Diplomacy in Denmark and Sweden

Summary The aim of this article is to identify and map innovation diplomacy actions in Denmark and Sweden using the ‘functions of innovation systems’ approach. Based on Hekkert et al.’s seven key system functions (Marko P. Hekkert, Roald A. A. Suurs, Simona O. Negro, Stefan Kuhlmann and Ruud E. H. M. Smits, ‘Functions of Innovation Systems: A New Approach for Analysing Technological Change’, Technological Forecasting & Social Change 74 (4) (2007), 413-432), the article assess the role of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) in meeting governments’ innovation targets. The empirical analysis, including twelve semi-structured interviews with seventeen career diplomats, reveals the key initiatives that countries are taking in furthering their homeland’s innovation aims or ambitions. The study also asks whether the ‘diplomacy for innovation’ approach of both Scandinavian MFAs are consistent with the ‘whole-of-government’ and ‘whole-of-society’ approaches.

The Institutional Building of Science and Innovation Diplomacy in Latin America: Toward a Comprehensive Analytical Typology

Science and Innovation Diplomacy (S&ID) has emerged in recent years as a relevant scholarly movement and interdisciplinary research agenda internationally. This field is promoting a significant impact on the understanding of the cultural and political dynamics of Science, Technology and Innovation (ST&I), implementing initiatives from local to global level. Notwithstanding, S&ID is growing asymmetrically around the world, setting up over a particular configuration in the so-called Global South (GS) societies. In Latin America (LA), although S&ID is a recent, unequal and intra-nationally fragmented process, there are important achievements that have been able to create a favorable mix of approaches, agendas, and practices in this field. Addressing the scope of the special issue “Science Diplomacy and Sustainable Development: Perspectives from Latin America,” this article aims to present a comprehensive analytical typology to the study of the emerging experiences of S&ID in LA, catching the diversity of this research agenda. This is a qualitative merged method-based study, sustained by a literature review, documentary research, online data analysis, and typology building. We understand S&ID in LA as a tentative re-organization of different states and subnational actors around the study and institutionalization of the governance of contemporary transformations on the systems of ST&I.

Innovation Diplomacy in the Clinical Neurosciences

Clinical neuroscience diplomacy aims to influence the global policy environment for clinical neuroscience disorders (i.e., dementia, depression, and other mind/brain disorders) and bridges the disciplines of global brain health, global mental health, international affairs, management, law, and economics. Determinants of clinical neuroscience disorders include educational attainment, diet, access to health care, physical activity, social support, and environmental exposures, as well as chronic brain disorders and treatment. Global challenges associated with these determinants include large-scale conflicts and consequent mass migration, chemical contaminants, air quality, socioeconomic status, climate change, and global population aging. Given the rapidly advancing technological innovations impacting clinical neuroscience disorders, it is paramount to optimize the benefits and mitigate the drawbacks of such technologies.

Innovation Diplomacy: A New Concept for Ancient Practices?

Summary This essay questions the concept of innovation diplomacy to determine its true perimeter and its different dimensions. To this end, it quickly addresses the strong points of an argument that appeared in the second half of the 2000s and which establishes in a very general way a filiation, or even a succession, between science diplomacy and innovation diplomacy. A historical approach shows that what is called innovation diplomacy encompasses ancient practices at the crossroads of science, technology, economy and culture. It finds that innovation diplomacy can be understood only as a hybrid concept reflecting organisations and strategies rooted in older practices articulated to the challenges of the present time.

Revisiting Indonesia’s Economic Diplomacy in the Age of Disruption: Towards Digital Economy and Innovation Diplomacy

With the rise of digital technologies and innovation disrupting the economy, the global phenomenon challenged the current concept and strategies of “conventional” economic diplomacy that have increasingly gained importance in contemporary foreign policy, including Indonesia. In the meantime, the digital economy had been significantly growing as a potential driver of growth and an inclusive economy which becomes central in the Indonesian development agenda. A new or innovation-based economy such as the digital economy did not only become one of the priorities in national policies but also emerge to be an essential variable to the foreign policy of Indonesia amid diplomatic deficit. This research examines Indonesia’s economic diplomacy in optimizing the potential of digital and new economic activities in facing the challenges of digital disruption. By employing integrative diplomacy concept, this research argues that Indonesia’s government should pursue intermestic, comprehensive and integrative strategies in its economic diplomacy by integrating new economy through the construction of “innovation diplomacy.” This research finds that the existing economic diplomacy is strongly directed to “conventional” commercial diplomacy, while it gives insufficient space for a new economy to develop significantly, due to the absence of concept supporting the operation of innovation-focused economic diplomacy. Consequently, it is suggested that Jakarta urgently has to reconceptualize its economic diplomacy more strategically in order to achieve “diplomatic sophistication,” by way of constructing “innovation diplomacy” as a subset of economic diplomacy.

Brain health INnovation Diplomacy: a model binding diverse disciplines to manage the promise and perils of technological innovation

ABSTRACTBackground:Brain health diplomacy aims to influence the global policy environment for brain health (i.e. dementia, depression, and other mind/brain disorders) and bridges the disciplines of global brain health, international affairs, management, law, and economics. Determinants of brain health include educational attainment, diet, access to health care, physical activity, social support, and environmental exposures, as well as chronic brain disorders and treatment. Global challenges associated with these determinants include large-scale conflicts and consequent mass migration, chemical contaminants, air quality, socioeconomic status, climate change, and global population aging. Given the rapidly advancing technological innovations impacting brain health, it is paramount to optimize the benefits and mitigate the drawbacks of such technologies.Objective:We propose a working model of Brain health INnovation Diplomacy (BIND).Methods:We prepared a selective review using literature searches of studies pertaining to brain health technological innovation and diplomacy.Results:BIND aims to improve global brain health outcomes by leveraging technological innovation, entrepreneurship, and innovation diplomacy. It acknowledges the key role that technology, entrepreneurship, and digitization play and will increasingly play in the future of brain health for individuals and societies alike. It strengthens the positive role of novel solutions, recognizes and works to manage both real and potential risks of digital platforms. It is recognition of the political, ethical, cultural, and economic influences that brain health technological innovation and entrepreneurship can have.Conclusions:By creating a framework for BIND, we can use this to ensure a systematic model for the use of technology to optimize brain health.

Innovation and Industry 4.0 as a part of small state diplomacy

Innovation and Industry 4.0 are topical issues in the era of globalization in many countries around the world. The article focuses on the international practice of small states and the role of innovation as a topic of their foreign policy and diplomacy. The article aims to evaluate the position of the innovation theme in the portfolio of typical issues of diplomatic practice. The aim is to find out to what extent the attention is paid to innovation concerning the country’s economic diplomacy and what the prospects for further development are. In the first part, the text will focus on the theoretical definition of the theme of innovation and its anchoring in the diplomacy of small states. The second part introduces the situation from the practice of small states in a broader perspective and brings examples of successful integration of the innovation theme into the strategic plans of small states. The third part maps the contemporary trends and the presence of innovation diplomacy in Czech practice. Attention will be paid mainly to the national level, both from a strategic and instrumental point of view. Using a comparison of successful examples from abroad with the current situation in Czechia, it is possible to identify critical elements that can contribute to a better understanding of the topic by contemporary Czech practice.