Perspectives on strategic transformation drivers for national and supra-national policy delivery in the future internet and high-tech research & development

This study investigates an approach to create a more radical agenda setting for innovation in the high-tech environment of the Future Internet by practitioners involved in development of parts of the Future Internet meta-agenda. This is contextualised with policy objectives and actions at a high level (national or supra-national) institution such as the European Commission (EC).
The meta-agenda for the Future Internet is presented as a radical, pervasive, self-intelligent global technology infrastructure. However, much of the progress within EC research framework programmes has tended to be incremental or horizontal expansion (broadly the same level) in its nature which in effect contributes more to the production of knowledge, rather than facilitating radical forms of innovation. Without an increased rate of progress in radical innovation, the meta-goals set by the EC and its cluster groups will become increasingly difficult to attain.
Such ‘futures’ research demands engagement with, and enquiry of, ‘Future Internet’ communities, including technology, academic and key corporate contributors. The purpose of the second objective is to create a new model of understanding of the powers of influence for strategic agenda setting and delivery appropriate to national or supra-national innovation research policy.
The first strategic objective is a model or framework of understanding. This is to develop a strategic model for the understanding of the requirements in terms of process, players and relationships necessary for research agenda setting, and thereby identify possibilities for policy implementation approach in supra-national (or national) bodies such as the European Commission (top down approach). The challenge here is to create a better understanding of how to achieve radical or strategic change in major policy or meta-agenda objectives.
Core research questions posed sequentially in the first strategic objective, to virtual professional community (VPC) groups were:
1. What key broad areas are barriers Future Internet (FI) adoption?
2. What are the key structural knowledge areas for next stage development?
3. What are the key areas for short/med term next steps?
First strategic objective research questions covered in the structured questionnaire were then rated by practitioner participant’s assessment of the achievability and impact of the top issues emerging from the VPC groups in order to assess a combined ranking. The top ranked issues formed the innovation agenda.
Core research questions posed sequentially in the second strategic objective, to (VPC) groups were:
1. What are the influences from a national or supranational body (e.g. the EU/EC) in achieving the strategic goals or meta-agenda goals of a major high-tech concept such as the Future Internet?
2. Map the issues to areas of activity, power or excellence to form the components of a model of understanding with potential for use by relevant strategic management or leadership.
Second strategic objective research questions covered in the VPC groups were then cognitively developed by the author into a sense making framework and a conceptual model of understanding.