[/floatl]AFX: Japan the world's most innovative country
Japan is the world's most innovative nation, followed by Switzerland, the US and Sweden, according to a new study from the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU). The study, sponsored by US-based Cisco Systems Inc, ranked 82 economies based on their level of innovation in 2002-06 and predicted how the ranking would change in 2007-11. Over the next four years, the top four will maintain their positions, according to the forecast...The findings were based on a survey of 485 senior executives worldwide on their opinions regarding innovation, as heightened global competition is forcing governments and companies to find new ways to increase productivity, and this is creating renewed interest in the need to innovate. It reveals that there is no single, best formula for successful innovation. The countries at the top of the ranking are large and small; some value rote learning, while others emphasize spontaneity. All the leading nations stress the use of government policies to encourage innovation, along with education systems that produce large numbers of scientists and engineers...more...
