Hi tracy,

>Most innovated in the IT field typically was judged by the number of patent applications and export revenue from high technology. Has that changed?

In the IT world the US and Asia are definatelt great R&D countries. The problem might lie in the term innovation. As one of the links implies, how do you measure innovation? The way I look at it is that though one could do a lot of R&D and gain a lot of patents it does not really mean direct innovation for its citizens. And of course visa versa, if a country does not do a lot of research and/or inventions it does not mean it is not innovative. IOW, IMO, innovation means apply new technologies and methodologies, whether they were invented up here or somewhere else.

For example, the internet was not invented up here, but we have a very good infrastructure for internet, and a lot of services available to us over this internet. The same applies for video on demand, UMTS (high bandwidth wireless phone connections for various applications), etc. For a lot of (semi) governmental and comercial institues like phone, energy, mailorder we all could check our accounts, bills and orders online.

But of course innovation goes beyond scientifical applications and patents. If you look at the european union, one could look at it as an immobile incompetent, slow institute, but if you look at reality and compare the situation with one or two decades ago, you'll a lot of innovation on european politics as well. Of course the foremost and obvious one is the introduction of the euro, but there are other things like free trading zones, transparancy in the labor force. Of course the most difficult thing is to establish a eurpean constitution, but despite its difficulties of acceptance, we all know it will come sooner or later.

Innovation on infrastructure is something that is easily overlooked as it is ussualy done with known or on the eye very insignificant technologies. The netherlands, because of it neccesity has always been innovative on its water management. Stunning technologies? Not neccesarely, but that does not matter as long as it keeps us safe.

Walter,