UCLouvain Economics Seminar: Bernard Sincler-Desgagné

Measuring Innovation and Innovativeness:
A data mining approach

Bernard Sincler-Desgagné, HEC Montréal

This paper proposes a new approach to measure innovation and innovativeness. The suggested metrics build on Formal Concept Analysis, a systematic and concrete way to represent and treat knowledge, which lies at the interface of lattice theory and computer science. Such a representation can use both objective and subjective/qualitative data. It is primarily outputbased, but can also incorporate input and process considerations. It can be adapted to the specific needs of a country, region, industry or firm, but it can also be used for inter-entity comparison or benchmarking. Most importantly, it can reveal innovation patterns and direct innovation efforts.