“What is innovation and why it cannot be put into production?” - the second seminar of the Institute of Physics and High Technologies

The second seminar of the Institute of Physics and High Technologies on “What is innovation and why it cannot be put into production?” was held on January30. The lecturer is a leading researcher in the Centre “Kazakhstan studies” at the University “Turan-Astana” Kairbek S. Nagumanov.

It is believed that the notion of innovation was first introduced by Austrian economist J. Schumpeter in 1912. A century has passed, and there is still no a clear, unequivocal answer to the notion. A great variety of definitions, which can be found in the literature and on the Internet, can be reduced to a short: innovation is the embedded innovation. “A foreign body is embedded. Innovation cannot be alien, rejected by body in order to accelerate the development of human society. And if we, for all the efforts, unable to build an innovative economy, the reason is that there is no true understanding of innovation”, said Kairbek Nagumanov.

“The problem is that scientists-“innovators” are the swimming instructors, who have never experienced water even with toes of the feet. However, from the coast they try to explain and teach others how to swim! –the lecturer continues. -None of them has the experience, the practice of innovation! Therefore, there are a lot of artificial… superficial judgments on innovation without deep reflection on the problem ".

To remedy this shortcoming, it is necessary to recall the force that drives human society. Even in the eighteenth century French philosopher C. Helvetius wrote: “If the physical world is subject to the law of motion, the spiritual world, however, is the subject to the law of interest. On Earth there is an all-powerful sorcerer, who changes shape of any object in the eyes of all beings. Therefore the essential definition of innovation must be expressed through interests”, said Kairbek Nagumanov.

However, in the opinion of the speaker, the most important – the source – point of innovation is to select the area of interest. It is known from the Physics that it is senseless to talk about the traffic system in space without reference. Talking about innovation is as pointless until the same reference system is installed. Space interests are set by inequalities:

Кu ≥ К extra.;

Cu ≤ C extra;

tu ≤ t extra,

where K extra is the lowest allowable level of quality; (C) extra – maximum allowable level of cost t extra - maximum execution time.

Thus, innovation is constructive, technological, organizational, managerial and any other implemented solution for increasing the degree of compliance of a product with the interests of the consumer.

Instructor presentation can be found here.

Listen to the questions, answers and discussion here.

As we have informed, the Institute of Physics and High Technologies holds a series of seminars on the science and innovation management, as well as the role of mentality and cultural characteristics of the population in scientific and technological development. Next, the third workshop will take place on February 3. Don't miss out!