The Strathclyde Technology and Innovation Centre (TIC) in Scotland's innovation system.

Research and technology organizations (RTOs) have been the subject of recent interest because of the benefits they can bring to regional innovation systems. RTO functions must be tailored to their environments, but there has been little research into how these functions can be systematically deduced using the regional innovation system model as a normative reference. This paper examines the optimal functions of a new RTO in Scotland. An ex ante analysis based on three thematic areas (linkages, themes and services, and strategic capability) is used to consider how this RTO can optimally function in an innovation system with recognized structural weaknesses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]