Rethinking innovation policy in India; Grand challenges in the energy transition; Eps 37,38,39 of Everything is Everything
Rethinking innovation policy in India
Rethinking innovation policy in India: Amplifying spillovers through contracting-out, by R. A. Mashelkar, Ajay Shah and Susan Thomas, XKDR Working Paper 32, March 2024.
At independence, India committed itself fully to foster, promote and sustain the creation of science and scientific research in all aspects. In this paper, we present first principles reasoning on the case for state action, and the optimal mechanisms for using taxpayer resources, to fulfill this commitment. We argue in favour of a reorientation of public spending on innovation: away from building vertical government organisations, and in favour of a contracting-out strategy. Such a strategy would induce knowledge and capabilities in the society, and through this, induce greater gains for the people of India. We present a preliminary sketch of the path to implementation.
Grand challenges in the energy transition
Akshay Jaitly and I have a column in the Business Standard on Monday, where we show the classification scheme in our head for the three big puzzles of the energy transition. We think they are: (a) The role of the union and the role of state governments; (b) The engagement with the rest of the world and (c) The lines between the state and the market economy.
Eps 37,38,39 of Everything is everything
Ep37, From imperial to adaptive firms. On firms, also see episodes 34 and 22.
Ep38, Poker and life.