Learning in Local Systems and Global Links: The Otigba Computer Hardware Cluster in Nigeria

Conventional wisdom suggests to the fact that poor countries are unlikely to be host to a “high-technology” sector and doing so within the organization of small and medium enterprises. This paper examines an unusual phenomenon of industrial organization in an African setting; the emergence of a cluster of an information technology hardware cluster in a very late industrializing country, Nigeria. The evolution of the Otigba Computer Hardware Village (OCV) in Lagos, Nigeria has proceeded largely without direct support from the state and indeed within a decidedly hostile institutional and arid infrastructural environment. Yet the cluster has thrived, thus far, with institutional support of a local trade and manufacturing association. The study holds important lessons for late industrializing countries entering into a knowledge intensive sector.learning, innovation system, computer hardware, clusters

Rough Road to Market: Institutional Barriers to Innovations in Africa

Translating R&D and inventive efforts into a market product is characterized by significant financial skills, and the ability to overcome technical and instititonal barriers. Research into and translation of new technologies such as biotechnology products to the market requires even greater resources. This paper aims to understand the key factors that foster or hinder the complex process of translating R&D efforts into innovative products. Different pathways exist in developed countries such as firm-level efforts, the use of IPs, the spin-off of new firms that develop new products, or a mixture of these. Developing countries differ substantially in the kinds of instruments they use because of their considerably weaker institutional environment and for this reason our framework takes a systemic and institutional perspective. The paper comtributes to this issue by examining systemic institutional barriers to commercializing biotechnology in a develping context within a systems of innovation framework.research and development, biotechnology, commercialization, innovation, Africa, learning, institution building

Open innovation and innovation intermediaries in Sub-Saharan Africa

Science Granting Councils (SGCs) can perform effectively as influencers of national science technology and innovation (STI) policy, and mediators of partnerships with foreign development actors through tailoring partnerships to the development of capacity at the local level. Realities, resources, and constraints at the local level call for adaptation of current and future partnerships to their local contexts. This study explores the innovation intermediaries’ landscape in sub-Saharan Africa, considering Science Granting Councils (SGCs) as key. As well, it analyzes the need for systemic change in relation to innovation intermediaries and policy influencers in developing economies.Department of International Development (DFID)National Research Foundation (NRF) South Afric

Lessons from research-based public-private partnerships for African science granting councils : an analysis of experiences with PPPs in Africa

This study reviews public-private partnership (PPP) experiences in Africa, identifying challenges, bottlenecks and barriers to their implementation. Based on a systematic literature review and supplemented by interviews with representatives of 12 African science granting councils (SGC), the analysis allows for discussion of the role of SGCs in facilitating partnerships that help drive science-based innovation in African businesses and industries. This study situates itself within broader debates on long-term research and innovation initiatives for sustainable development.Department for International Development (DFID)National Research Foundation (NRF), South Afric

Systems of Innovation and Underdevelopment: An Institutional Perspective

This paper examines institutions and their role in supporting technical change as part of the development process, and asks how institutions shape the system of innovation (SI). The context of underdevelopment exhibits distinct system characteristics that differ markedly from those found under advanced economic conditions and as such deserves close empirical scrutiny. SIs differ significantly under the two sets of conditions, leading to uneven structural changes. The paper therefore explores what functions must be served by systems in developing countries in order to generate technical dynamism. To compare different contexts, it introduces the idea of a System of Learning Innovation in Development (SLID) that emphasizes individual and organizational competence building. The differences between “Advanced” Systems of Innovation (ASI) and two types of SLID are discussed. Infrastructure, one of the key components of institutions involved in development, is used as an illustration. The study found that dynamic SIs function best in a regime of high-quality infrastructure (telephone, Internet, computers and reliable electricity supplies). The case of sub-Saharan Africa serves to illustrate the point.Innovation, Innovation Policy, Capacity Building, Learning, Economic Development, Infrastructure, Sub-Saharan Africa

Networks and Linkages in African Manufacturing Cluster: A Nigerian Case Study

Employing survey data, this paper investigates the basis for long-term sustainable development of industrial clusters in Lagos, Nigeria. We compare these metropolitan clusters with the Nnewi cluster, located within a rural setting in a homogeneous ethnic community. The characteristics of clustering examined are: the forms and intensity of inter-firm linkages, including the formation of trade networks, and the role of business associations. We found a significant level of collaboration among firms in sharing utilities and modest forms of subcontracting non-core activities among Lagos firms, but this is less so at Nnewi. The Lagos clusters have relatively high proportions of educated manpower but this important asset is underemployed in a situation of low grow rate of demand for quality products. The firms at Nnewi on the other hand are owned by seem-illiterates who came from trading backgrounds into manufacturing. Networks such as Industry associations are playing vital roles as information providers and as links into the global market although the benefits are yet to fully manifest. Ethnic and kinship ties play a prominent role at Nnewi while social networks and non-family ties are more important in the Lagos clusters. This study suggests that non-economic factors exert profound influence on the evolving forms industrial organisations in late industrialisationIndustrial Clusters, Sustainable Development, Networks, Non-economic Factors, Nigeria

SMEs and New Technologies: Learning E-Business and Development

Recent empirical evidence across countries shows a substantial and increasing return to IT investment. New technologies open up opportunities for small firms to expand their markets beyond national borders. This books looks specifically at ICT adoption and learning trajectories in developing countries; a context characterized by skill deficiencies and weak institutional support. The authors employ a systemic theoretical framework and a variety of research techniques to present firm-level evidence on learning in firms in an Internet-based production environment. The book arrives at a typology of firms on the basis of technological capability and learning trajectories. It identifies systemic and institutional factors that foster the adoption of technologies and goes on to analyse these factors in a multivariate econometric framework. This book is an invaluable addition to the literature on small firms and economic development

A Systems Perspective on Inter-Firm and Organizational Collaboration in African Industry

Based on recent field survey data collected in three African countries, this study examines inter-firm and inter-organizational collaboration in African industry. Three sets of interactions were analyzed namely: firm-firm linkages, including user-supplier and subcontracting relationships; firm-university linkages; and firm-industrial association linkages. Employing univariate and multivariate analysis, we examined the channels and institutions for collaboration and tested three hypotheses. Collaboration with universities was expected to promote greater firm-level technical innovation resulting in greater output and product quality but little incidence of such collaboration was recorded. However, collaboration among suppliers of inputs, subcontractors and firms was found to have contributed to significantly better performancenetwork, networking, collaboration, industrial cooperation, industrial cooperatives, africa , industry, innovation