Research and Analysis

The Innovation Institute carries out independent, nonpartisan studies on issues related to science, technology, competitiveness and economic development in the Commonwealth.

The principal purpose of these studies is to provide objective information and practical recommendations to decision makers in industry, academia, and government in order to effect needed policy changes and other reforms. The results of research and analytical work are summarized in publications written for diverse audiences and further disseminated through seminars, conferences and other activities as part of an integrated education program.

Super Cluster: Ideas, perspectives and updates from the Massachusetts life sciences industry reports on the activities of this vital sector of the state's economy. The study is published by PricewaterhouseCoopers and supported by the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative and the New England Healthcare Institute, and heralds the establishment of the Massachusetts Life Sciences Collaborative.

MassINC has published a report that was underwritten and overseen by the John Adams Innovation Institute titled Reconnecting Massachusetts Gateway Cities: Lessons Learned and an Agenda for Renewal.

This study examines 11 historic mill cities in Massachusetts – Brockton, Fall River, Fitchburg, Haverhill, Holyoke, Lawrence, Lowell, New Bedford, Pittsfield, Springfield and Worcester – and their struggles to transition from an industrial economy during the last three decades. Once powerful industrial engines for growth, these communities are now home to about 30 percent of all state residents living below the poverty. Unlike the metropolitan Boston region, these cities have not enjoyed a resurgence from the growing knowledge-based economy.

Index 2007

The Innovation Institute conducts independent, nonpartisan studies on issues related to science, technology, competitiveness, and economic development in the Commonwealth.

The principal aim of these studies is to provide objective information and practical recommendations to decision makers in industry, academia, and government in order to effect the needed policy changes and reform that can help spur economic growth and renewal. 

The cornerstone of this research and analytical work is the Index of the Massachusetts Innovation Economy. The Index, first published in 1997 and setting the national standard ever since, analyzes twenty economic indicators across ten key industry clusters for Massachusetts and its nine competing Leading Technology States (LTS).  In addition to the Index, the Institute has also authored studies focused on many component parts of the Innovation Economy including nanotechnology, research & development funding, e-health and improved healthcare service delivery, and other relevant issues.   

Other reports published by the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative on science, technology, innovation and economic growth in Massachusetts

	Wireless Learning Master Plan The Lilla G. Frederick Pilot Middle School Wireless Learning Master Plan presents a detailed roadmap that includes the rationale for anywhere/anytime wireless learning, the conditions required for success, and the specific actions needed to implement the plan.
Treatment Plan: High Tech Transfusion What if we could both improve the quality of medical care and decrease its costs by bringing 21st century technology to health care? If CPOE systems were operating in all acute care hospitals in Massachusetts, patient safety and the quality of patient care could be greatly improved, and costs could be substantially reduced. Yet now, in 2004, 70 percent of all Massachusetts hospitals — 46 institutions — do not have this essential technology.
	Federal Funding Scorecard Federal R&D investments represent one of the major underpinnings of the innovation economy, both nationally and in Massachusetts. The federal government supports almost 50% of the basic research conducted in the United States, and 26% of all R&D. The federal government supports over 35% of all R&D in Massachusetts, and federal R&D investments have been shown to induce additional private R&D investments. Federal R&D investments support continued development and expansion of existing clusters, and provide the seed investments which form the basis for development of new and emerging clusters.
Nanotechnology in Massachusetts Despite a widespread perception that investment-worthy nano firms are still few and far between, NSTI and MTC estimates that in 2002, the venture capital community invested nearly $20 million in Massachusetts nano-startups, narrowly defined (nanoscale technologies), and as much as $140 million in Massachusetts start-ups, more broadly defined (nanoscale technologies and related fields, such as biotechnology and semiconductors).