This is a proposal to hold a two-day workshop dedicated to several issues central to the future of the Innovation and Organizational Change program: 1) what are the most important and promising areas for innovation and organization research at this time; 2) what are the needs (if any) for new databases to enable more effective innovation and organization studies; and 3) what cross-disciplinary linkages appear most fruitful for investment in the short run. The workshop will yield insights into how best to enable the relevant research communities to address new federal priorities associated with the Science of Science Policy initiative and the American Competitiveness initiative.
Attendees will be editors and section heads from organizational, psychological, sociological and political science academic professional organizations. They include members of groups generally underrepresented in these sciences. These leaders are well positioned to offer NSF the broadest, most accurate, up-to-date perspective possible with regard to the current state of the relevant fields and the needs of the research communities.
The output of the workshop will be a white paper compiling the participant input. It will be used to inform IOC program strategies. Additionally, it will be used to inform interested members of the relevant scientific communities about promising directions for research that will advance the fields and serve national interests.