Commerce wants public help on innovation
WASHINGTON (AP) - Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez said Monday the department is seeking public input to help an advisory committee, which includes top executives from Microsoft Corp. and Wal-Mart Stores Inc., develop proposals on how to better measure innovation in the economy.
'Innovation is a driver of our economy and we need to help policymakers and the business community better measure innovation for the purpose of developing appropriate public policy,' Gutierrez said in a statement.
Public comments on ways to improve innovation measurements must be submitted by May 11 and will be published on the committee's Web site.
In August, Gutierrez proposed convening a committee of business and academic experts to better understand the impact of American innovation on economic growth and productivity.
The committee is charged with improving how to better assess innovation, roughly defined as the design, invention and development of new or modified products and services that provide new value to customers or financial gains for a company.
The 15-member committee, which has met once in late February, includes Microsoft Chief Executive Steve Ballmer, International Business Machines Corp. Samuel Palmisano and Wal-Mart vice chairman John Menzer, among others.
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On the Web: http://www.innovationmetrics.gov/index.cfm
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