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The aim of the work is to identify and explore opportunities and challenges for nanotechnology commercialisation and to propose policy recommendations to address specific challenges in selected application fields. The key question is whether nanotechnology brings with it new and unique challenges for companies, challenges that may require new types of policy responses.
Activities in 2007-2008
The report on challenges in the business environment draws on company case study work and a survey of countries, both undertaken in 2008, and on previously existing reports and analyses. It identifies the origins and trends in the evolution of nanotechnology while also considering characteristics of the companies, the ways in which they are applying nanotechnology, and the challenges they are facing in commercialisation.
The work was also informed through an interim workshop on Companies and Business Environments in Helsinki, Finland, in October 2008, with participation by external experts, by those undertaking the case studies and by WPN delegates.
The case studies, supported by all the other data, indicate that there are challenges for companies in areas including research and development; human resources; finance; intellectual property; value chains and production; in public perception; and in aspects of environment, health and safety. The report provides insights into these challenges and indicates which areas are of most concern to the companies involved in the work as well as to policy.
Activities in 2009-2010
The aim for 2009 is to deepen the analysis of the case studies undertaken in 2008 and to explore with some companies in more depth the challenges and possible policy actions in selected sub-areas and/or applications. Areas being considered by WPN for this further qualitative work are bio- nanotechnology, materials and energy. Challenges which could be explored in greater detail include human resources; finance; value chains and production; and environmental, health and safety (EHS) issues.
This work will link to the proposed policy case studies in work on:
It would also be supported by the pilot survey proposed under the statistical framework for nanotechnology.
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