Innovation Systems and Capabilities in Developing Regions

Willie Siyanbola is the Director-General/CEO of Nigeria's National Centre for Technology Management (NACETEM). He holds a PhD in solid state physics from the University of Sussex and received executive training at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. He is widely travelled and published. Abiodun Egbetokun is a Senior Research Officer in Technology, Innovation and Enterprise Studies at NACETEM and a doctoral student of innovation economics at the Friedrich-Schiller University, Jena, Germany. Boladale Adebowale is a Principal Research Officer NACETEM. Her PhD in technology and innovation management is from the University of Malaya. She has consulted for the World Bank, UNIDO etc on innovation and technological capabilities in sub-Saharan Africa. Olumuyiwa Olamade is a Chief Research Officer and the Director of a zonal office at NACETEM. He holds a PhD in technology management and has published several articles on the subjects of innovation and technological capabilities.

• 1: Innovation Systems and Capabilities in Developing Regions; Part I: Conceptual and Theoretical Contributions; 2: Systems of Innovation and Capability; 3: The Contributions of Quality Infrastructure to National Innovation Systems; Part II: Innovation Systems Case Studies; 4: Indian Innovation System; 5: Formation of Emerging Technological Innovation Systems in Iran; 6: Knowledge Transfer and the Biopharmaceutical Innovation System in Taiwan; 7: Urban Water Innovation Systems in Newly Industrialized Countries; Part III: Innovation, Technological Learning and Capabilities; 8: The Complexity of Innovation Capabilities Development; 9: How Firms Develop Technological Capabilities Through Acquisition of Foreign Technology; 10: Technological Discontinuity and Industrial Catch-up; Part IV: Learning and Interactions Within Systems; 11: Patent and Innovation; 12: Determinants of Public Research Organizations–Industry Interactions in Latecomer Pharmaceutical Research and Development; 13: Innovation and Social Capital in Small and Medium-sized Enterprises; 14: Networking Capabilities and Innovation in a Traditional Small-scale Agro-industry; 15: Learning Innovation and Technological Performance in the Nigerian and Malaysian Oil Palm Sector; 16: Conclusions and Implications for Policy and Practice

'Developing countries need a much deeper understanding of the process through which technology flows towards them, the way it is acquired and mastered, and its impacts in their domestic economies. They also need to rethink, redesign and upgrade their key science, technology and innovation institutions with a view to improve their effectiveness and efficiency, incorporating best practices from both developed and developing countries. This book goes a long way in this direction, and is edited by some of the most promising scholars from Nigeria. The book is highly recommended.' Jorge Niosi, University of Québec at Montreal, Canada 'Science, technology and engineering education and development are critical to transforming latecomer economies, often from primary commodity producing into knowledge based economies. For instance, the primary, mineral and agricultural based economy has proved to be a burden rather than a help to Africa. It is estimated that something like 268 billion dollars flows out of Africa, and hardly less than 30 billion comes to Africa. The economic structure that allows this gross outflow and inflow dynamics must be changed. It can be changed when works for capacity and competence building like this volume come out. I recommend highly this work that centres science, technology, engineering and innovation for economic development and transformation.' Mammo Muchie, SARChI Research Professor, IERI,Tshawne University of Technology, Pretoria, RSA