Transformative innovation policy approach to e-waste management in Ghana: perspectives of actors on transformative changes

Ghana, as in many African countries, is faced with the challenge of sustainably managing electronic waste (e-waste). The country has a legal framework and is in the process of developing a public policy for e-waste management. However, e-waste management remains a major challenge due to weaknesses in the country’s innovation and policymaking process that include inability to cater for the informal sector. This article argues that the current approach to innovation policymaking in Ghana would be inadequate in delivering the goal of sustainable e-waste management. We examine the country’s evolving e-waste management regime and the multiple perspectives of actors with respect to their perceived transformative changes and show that these perspectives and expectations are critical for an e-waste policymaking process. We conclude that policy processes adopted in developing countries for e-waste management should be guided by inclusive policymaking approaches that consider perspectives from informal actors to co-create solutions

Policy support for innovation at grass roots in developing countries: perspectives from Nigeria

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Exploration, mining and energy generation in Nigeria: exposure to organo-chlorinated compound and other chemicals — environmental and public health implications

As an oil producing Nation with large mineral deposits, coal is one source of energy generation in Nigeria. However, bye-products of these minerals as alternative energy sources include heavy soot, high emissions of greenhouse gases and resultant organo-contaminates, which are bye-products (i.e., wastes) of heavy machineries. These wastes constitute hazards to the environment and public health. Consequently, Nigeria faces the challenge of organic waste with reverberations and negative impacts on the social, political and economic development of the nation. In this paper we examine the exploration, mining and generation of energy in Nigeria and how the practices involved results in hazards that include exposure to Organo-Chlorinated Compound, Poly-Chlorinated Biphenyl (PCB), classified amongst a group of persistent organic pollutants (POPs). Drawing from empirical data captured, we analyze the environmental and public health implications of PCB and other chemicals such as mercury. Our findings reveal that environmental pollution from POPs and indeed chemical sources have increased in Nigeria, due mainly, to the expansion of urban, agricultural and industrial activities. We conclude by providing recommendations for the management and governance of POPs and address the policy implementations of the findings

Innovation for inclusive development, public policy support and triple helix: perspectives from BRICS

This paper investigates the role of innovation in (inclusive) development – subsequently referred to as innovation for inclusive development (IID) and the links to public policy in BRICS (Brazil, Russia India, China and South Africa) countries. To achieve this aim, the authors examine the roles played by Triple Helix actors (THA), namely university, industry and government in IID activities across BRICS countries, drawing on the national systems of innovation (NSI) framework. The findings indicate that: (1) significant gaps exist in literature useful in advancing our knowledge of innovation as a mechanism for inclusive development; (2) BRICS countries focus, mostly, on innovation in the broad sense, with less attention paid to IID, the essence of this paper. One reason for this gap may lie in the inability to conceptualize and theorize innovation as a mechanism for including the wider society in socio-economic and development activities, or the lack of appreciation of the potential roles that innovation can play in development; (3) there is absence of specific public policies and policy support for IID in BRICS; and, (4) paucity of empirical evidence needed to critically analyse and explain the roles that THA in BRICS play in innovation ecosystems

Comparing frugality and inclusion in innovation for development: logic, process and outcome

This paper sheds light on two main concepts applied to innovation for development: frugal innovation and inclusive innovation. Researchers often conflate these concepts when classifying or characterizing innovative endeavours in developing contexts. We argue however that these concepts are fundamentally different based on their philosophical orientations, i.e. frugality versus social inclusion, their respective innovation processes and outcomes. Based on an in-depth literature review, we develop a typology outlining these differences. We show that an inclusive innovation lens accentuates participation of marginalised actors and poverty reduction, while a frugal innovation lens highlights product design processes, business model innovation and resource use. Conceptual clarity on these differences has implications on how we characterise innovation in developing contexts in the academic, practitioner and policy spheres