Title: Technology foresight for the Netherlands: strategic technologies and the knowledge infrastructure to support them

Authors: Warren E. Walker, S. Adnan Rahman, Mari Poyhonen Robert W.I. van der Lande

Addresses: RAND Europe, Newtonweg 1, 2333 CP Leiden, The Netherlands. RAND Europe, Newtonweg 1, 2333 CP Leiden, The Netherlands. RAND Europe, Newtonweg 1, 2333 CP Leiden, The Netherlands. PricewaterhouseCoopers, P.O. Box 30715, 2500 GS The Hague, The Netherlands

Abstract: The development and use of technologies is believed to be a driving force in national economic prosperity. Determining which technologies are of strategic importance for a national economy and what knowledge infrastructure is needed to support the development and use of these technologies, however, is a very complex task. This paper describes a project that was carried out for the Netherlands Ministry of Economic Affairs. The project|s objectives were to determine which technology fields are likely to be of strategic importance to Dutch industry in the near term, and to investigate whether sufficient knowledge build-up is taking place in those fields. Through a process that used quantitative measures, qualitative measures, expert judgment, and extensive interviews, 15 technology fields were identified that are key to the success of the Dutch economy as a whole. Further investigation identified issues and insights regarding possible gaps or problems related to the adequacy of the supply of knowledge about these technologies to meet the demands of industry. Observations were also made about issues related to research and education across these technology fields.

Keywords: technology foresight; strategic technologies; knowledge infrastructure; university research.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTPM.2001.001741

International Journal of Technology, Policy and Management, 2001 Vol.1 No.1, pp.9-28

Published online: 18 Aug 2003 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article