Innovation is not a causal, linear process, but a dynamic and ever-changing network of actors connected by activities and linkages, according to a report from the Council of Canadian Academies. Despite this complexity, however, by identifying behaviors that feed firm innovation, regions can make informed decisions about high-tech economic development. In the report, the council identifies quantitative ways to measure the actual and potential impact of innovation investments, along with presenting a new firm-centric model of innovation ecosystems.

The Information Technology & Innovation Foundation (ITIF) released International Benchmarking of Countries' Policies and Programs Supporting SME Manufacturers — a new report that identifies and analyzes manufacturing support programs and practices for small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that have been implemented in ten foreign countries (i.e., Argentina, Australia, Austria, Canada, China, Germany, Japan, Korea, Spain and the United Kingdom), in addition to those of the United States. The authors, Stephen Ezell and Robert D.