Which States Are Most Innovative?

The idea of trying to gauge a state’s "innovativeness" strikes some as a flawed exercise. The word innovation seems to connote success, but as everyone knows, some innovation leads to failure. Critics question the validity of crediting a state for being innovative just because it’s quick to jump on a new idea, regardless of the policy’s particular merits.

Still, the issue of state innovation has long interested political scientists and the subject is experiencing a resurgence among scholars. The underlying question is why some states are quick to adopt new policies while others usually hold back and let their neighbors test the waters. In order to be convincing, this type of analysis requires setting aside value judgments and simply looking at patterns of behavior.

By Melissa Maynard, Staff Writer

Full Story: http://www.pewstates.org/projects/stateline/headlines/which-states-are-most-innovative-85899431046