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Rough Road to Market: Institutional Barriers to Innovations in Africa

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  • Oyelaran-Oyeyinka, Banji

    (UNU-MERIT)

  • Gehl Sampath, Padmashree

    (UNU-MERIT)

Abstract

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.

Suggested Citation

  • Oyelaran-Oyeyinka, Banji & Gehl Sampath, Padmashree, 2006. "Rough Road to Market: Institutional Barriers to Innovations in Africa," MERIT Working Papers 2006-026, United Nations University - Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (MERIT).
    • Handle: RePEc:unm:unumer:2006026
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    File URL: https://unu-merit.nl/publications/wppdf/2006/wp2006-026.pdf
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    Cited by:

    1. Acs, Zoltan & Virgill, Nicola, 2010. "Entrepreneurship in Developing Countries," Foundations and Trends(R) in Entrepreneurship, now publishers, vol. 6(1), pages 1-68, February.
    2. Stephen Oluwatobi & Uchenna Efobi & Isaiah Olurinola & Philip Alege, 2015. "Innovation in Africa: Why Institutions Matter," South African Journal of Economics, Economic Society of South Africa, vol. 83(3), pages 390-410, September.
    3. Boladale Abiola Adebowale & Banji Oyelaran-Oyeyinka, 2012. "University-Industry Collaboration as a Determinant of Innovation in Nigeria," Institutions and Economies (formerly known as International Journal of Institutions and Economies), Faculty of Economics and Administration, University of Malaya, vol. 4(1), pages 21-46, April.
    4. Gehl Sampath, Padmashree, 2006. "Indian Pharma Within Global Reach?," MERIT Working Papers 2006-031, United Nations University - Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (MERIT).
    5. Pérez-Castro, Miguel Ángel & Mohamed-Maslouhi, Miriem & Montero-Alonso, Miguel Ángel, 2021. "The digital divide and its impact on the development of Mediterranean countries," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 64(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    research and development; biotechnology; commercialization; innovation; Africa; learning; institution building;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O32 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Management of Technological Innovation and R&D
    • L65 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Manufacturing - - - Chemicals; Rubber; Drugs; Biotechnology; Plastics
    • O34 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Intellectual Property and Intellectual Capital
    • O17 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Formal and Informal Sectors; Shadow Economy; Institutional Arrangements

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