The complexity of systems requires new methods and innovative tools for monitoring and collecting data regarding both actors and interactions between them. Our research focuses on

• the detection and interpretation of changes in the technological environment of companies as well as countries that are crucial for the sustainable development,
  
• sustainable development indicators which can be used in respective decision support systems and for developing evaluation guidelines aiming at the improvement or implementation of sustainable management methods,
  
• the observation and assessment of science and technology dynamics to identify frontier research that is important for future product and process innovation in general and to identify specific technologies that are crucial for interconnecting two or more fields of technologies.

Innovative monitoring and data-mining tools are applicable in many areas, e.g. research, technology development and innovation, regional development, and climate impact research. Research in these areas will benefit from innovative data-mining methods such as semantic web search or interactive data exploration.