By focusing on the national system of innovation, industry and other institutional CEOs will come to recognize the need for changes within their own institutions. It involves customers, engineers, technicians, design and production staff, accountants, scientists, marketing and communications staff, government affairs staff, and many others. To improve innovative capacity, firms must address a wide range of technological, human, cultural and organizational issues. Industry leaders need to apply their experience with innovation at the firm level to help strengthen Canada's national system of innovation. Only industry is capable of leading a sustained effort over several years.
Governments are too bound by the constraints of limited mandates.
Nor will they have the resources in coming years. Industry leaders know that in the long term, success of individual firms will depend on the effectiveness of Canada's innovation system. They will have to find the time to undertake this new and difficult challenge of how to increase the competitiveness of the various networks and alliances in which they participate. Restructuring Public Institutions for the New Global Economy Governments at all levels are facing severe financial constraints, and as a result are beginning the painful process of reinventing themselves. Publicly-funded institutions such as universities, schools and research organizations are reviewing their mandates as well as their modes of financing.