From the perspective of innovation policy, the core question raised by the emergence of the post-scientific society is what kind of NIS is required to support economic growth and wealth generation in this new world? Which elements of the current NIS continue to be needed, how should the current elements be modified to take account of the needs of the post-scientific society, and what new elements must be invented and put in place to strengthen the foundations of this new form of economic activity?

The most important part of the NIS is always the part devoted to preparing the next generation of people who can participate successfully through innovation, wealth, and job creation. In the post-scientific society, the demands on innovators are very great. They must have not only a core understanding of scientific and technical principles but an equally strong preparation in business principles, communications skills, multicultural understanding, a foreign language or two, human psychology, and one or more of the creative arts. Their education must emphasize making connections among ideas, people, organizations, and cultures, often across boundaries that no one has thought to try to cross before. Some contemporary observers point with great unease to the networked way of life of today’s young people. I would argue that, even as computer games helped to prepare the current generation of computer-literate Americans, so will their experience in building a hypernetworked world prepare them for the opportunities to come.