Efforts in Measuring Research-Industry (R-I) Synergy within Emerging Economies –Empirical Views for Africa, Zimbabwe as a Case Study

This paper contextualizes the measurement of research-industry (R-I) synergy within the framework of Africa’s development aspirations namely: SADC Industrialization Strategy and Roadmap (2015-63); the AU Agenda 2063 as well as the UN Sustainable Development Goals. It buttresses the role of research and subsequent commercialization of output in economic development. The Zimbabwe mixed methods study and findings offer crucial lessons for Africa’s success. R-I synergy measurement and supportive theories such as Stage Gate ®, Triple Helix, Technology Diffusion, Systems Thinking and Policy Mix for Commercialising University Technologies are also covered by the paper further concretising the connection. The empirical evidence from Zimbabwe was obtained through a survey of 212 experts in both academia and in industry. Twenty Likert Scale Response (LSR) responses were analysed for both Research and Industry categories leading to indices for academia, industry and both. Using this Zimbabwe case, the R-I synergy was realized to be low 40%. Other African countries are reported to have even lower indices, measured at 20% and below. Empirical findings are also triangulated with key informant interview (KII) findings which supported the low index and reasons why it was low. What needs policy and statutory improvements relative to the quest for R-I synergy indices to go beyond 80% is also postulated. It is important to consider both resource limitations, personnel capacity and individual attributes in addressing low synergy. These broader improvements are exposed for wider deliberation by stakeholders across Africa.