Canon: Approach to Innovation

This is in contrast to Samsung in my previous posting, from the Financial Times regarding Canon:

"Technology has become too complex for Canon to develop everything in-house and it is expected to make more acquisitions... the company’s chief financial officer said in an interview with the Financial Times.

“We can no longer cover everything with our own technology so we need alliances and tie-ups,” said Toshizo Tanaka.

His comments highlight how the traditional model for Japanese electronics companies of relying solely on internal research and development has broken down.

Canon is likely to make acquisitions rather than license technology, however, in order to differentiate its products.

“If [technology] is not closed then others can make similar devices,” Mr Tanaka said."

This is still a traditional model.  Opportunities remain in the areas of customer/consumer driven innovation, driving supplier/partners to invest in R&D and/or introduce new invention into existing products, academic research tie-ups, etc.

Samsung: Investment on R&D

From the Financial Times:

"Samsung Electronics yesterday unveiled a Won26,000bn ($23bn) investment plan, its biggest to date, as the world’s largest technology company by sales looks to cement its leadership in semiconductors and flat panel displays.

The total investment for this year, which includes Won8,000bn (~$7bn) for research and development, ...

Samsung’s spending this year will be bigger than the combined investments of Intel, IBM and Sony, according to Bloomberg data."

CEO Opening - Pakistan ICT R&D Fund

Pakistan's Ministry of Information Technology has opened up the position for the CEO (of National ICT R&D Fund) to lead its roughly $35m for information and communication technology, see details here.  Of interest to my readers would be the Centers of Innovation RFPs in multiple sectors here.  A good beginning!

USA returning to focus on Science and Technology

"Most scientists consider the last eight years a tough era in Washington. But President-elect Barack Obama's reported picks for Secretary of Energy and EPA administrator and the creation of an "energy czar" signal a return to scientific principles in the decision-making process at the federal level."

States the Wired article "Science Born Again in the White House, and Not a Moment Too Soon" here. The new administration coming to the White House has selected a good and balanced set of individuals given their resumes.

Yet one thing should not be over looked that the current administration has pumped (or dumped based on your preference) funding into R&D via the intelligence services. As always the results of these inventions will spring new businesses in years to come when the successful or failed innovations are not a national security concern and can be made public.

USA: Political Changes Impact Science

Here are a few articles that share the extent of funding cuts on education and scientific research in the US in the past few years:

• "Federal budget impact on Fermilab"
• "Cutbacks Impede Climate Studies"
• "Nuclear Waste Funding Slashed..."
• "House Budget Committee" - Report

With the change in the political landscape in the USA, the Science Magazine published an article stating that there is good news for research in science, see here.