Entrepreneurship and innovation: public policy frameworks

The purpose of this paper is to identify and unravel the disparate views toward innovation prevalent within the economic community and to link them to the various public policy approaches. These various schools of thought, or ways of thinking about the economy in general and the role of entrepreneurship and innovation in particular, not only shape how innovation and entrepreneurial activity are valued, but also the overall policy debate concerning innovation and entrepreneurship. Unraveling of these views highlights the disparate way in which entrepreneurial activity leading to innovation is valued.     

Gangs and public policy

Research Summary Attention to gang issues has dramatically increased in the last several decades, both in the scholarly literature and in law enforcement. Despite widespread attention to the gang problem, researchers, police officers, and lawmakers have yet to agree on definitions used to characterize and understand the problem. This article summarizes the existing literature concerning the importance of accurately defining and classifying gang members, documents and analyzes state and federal gang legislation in the United States, and provides a detailed analysis of one state's system that might serve as a useful model for other states. Policy Implications Serious risks to public safety and civil liberties are associated with Type 1 and Type 2 classification errors regarding gang membership. The wide variation in state statutory definitions of “gang member” and in the construction and administration of gang databases presents major challenges for policymakers and academic researchers. This article addresses these challenges and argues that a more rigorous and unified system, based on one state's existing model, might be possible and could offer significant advantages in our efforts to address the delinquent and criminal behavior of gangs throughout the United States.     

Technology transfer: A public policy issue

Technology and the dissemination of information has become a public policy issue in the United States. This article examines the concept of technology transfer and the issue of exporting technological innovation by providing an historic overview of the process and the private and public sector's attitude towards the transfer of technology.     

Public preferences and the challenge to genetic research policy

Modern genetic research requires scientists to collect, store, and study DNA samples and health information from thousands of people. Longstanding policy allows researchers to use samples and information without a person''s informed consent as long as the person''s identity is protected. Under existing policy, researchers must neither disclose study results to interested research participants nor compensate people who contribute to genetic research. Research and ethics experts developed these policy approaches without input from the people whose contributions are essential to the genetic research enterprise. A growing body of evidence shows that many research participants and would-be participants disagree with the current policy approaches. For ethical and practical reasons, participants should have a greater role in determining how genetic research is conducted.     

Tobacco sampling, public policy and the law

Cigarette and snuff sampling is a rapidly growing form of tobacco promotion. This article advocates prohibiting tobacco sampling in view of the unique public health risk provoked by sampling. Smokers begin their smoking careers as children, and children are recipients of tobacco samples. Sampling encourages tobacco experimentation, which often produces an addiction similar to morphine and cocaine; the public is generally unaware of the extreme risk of addiction. A recent Supreme Court opinion (Posadas) makes it clear that cigarette advertising can be outlawed. Furthermore, Congress, through the Cigarette Labeling and Advertising Act and Smokeless Tobacco Education Act, has not preempted or removed the power of states to ban sampling.