Title: Innovation and commercialisation in the Canadian bioproducts industry

Authors: Pamela Laughland; John Cranfield; David Sparling

Addresses: Ivey School of Business, University of Western, Ontario London, ON N6A 3K7, Canada. ' Department of Food, Agricultural and Resource Economics, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada. ' Ivey School of Business, University of Western, Ontario London, ON N6A 3K7, Canada

Abstract: Industrial biotechnology is an emerging industry in which firms are developing novel alternatives to petroleum-based goods. Canadian-based firms have an opportunity to capitalise on the availability of biomass from Canadian agriculture and Canada's broad resource base. However, complexity of the product development process coupled with immaturity of this industry means little is currently known about these firms, their innovation activities and decision making. This study uses data from the 2003 and 2006 bioproduct development surveys to examine the Canadian bioproducts industry, focusing on factors conducive to innovative activity for bioproduct producing firms. Several factors are important in facilitating innovation, such as intellectual property, collaborations, focus on bioproducts relative to other business activities, the dominant product type and region in which the firm operates.

Keywords: innovation; commercialisation; bioproducts; Canada; industrial biotechnology; industrial biotech; biomass; agriculture; bioproduct development; intellectual property; collaboration.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBT.2012.050238

International Journal of Biotechnology, 2012 Vol.12 No.3, pp.123 - 156

Accepted: 18 Jul 2012
Published online: 30 Oct 2014 *

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