Returning now to a business reality on innovation, the model in Figure 2 reflects a more appropriate understanding of the processes and interactions that occur in new product or service development. This reflects the use of science and technology knowledge from wherever, at all stages in the life of a new development, with the main output of research to keep the ‘pantry shelves’ filled. This explains why for companies the main sources of new ideas (as seen in the South African Innovation Survey5) come from customers, suppliers etc. with little reference to science councils and universities as sources. The reasons are now obvious, that the conversion of research into usable technology requires involvement of many different skills and the need for partnerships and collaboration. The ‘chasm’ may justly be a reality, but mostly because those in research and government do not share business’s perspective. In our system of innovation we need a paradigm shift of understanding the roles of the different players and their strengths.
In developing countries, which we are for many situations, the companies may need help in assimilating new technology and its optimum use. Where do they find the support?
continued on page 22
IF ONE WAS TO LOOK AT THE REAL GRAND CHALLENGES OF SOUTH AFRICA, AND NOT WITH THE PERSPECTIVE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, WOULD ONE SUPPORT THE DECISIONS IN THE ‘TEN-YEAR INNOVATION PLAN’ ?
About the author:
Dr Neville Comins consults in the fields of Innovation Systems and Science Park Development.
Over the past 12 years he has been : - Founding CEO of The Innovation Hub - National Innovation Advisor, and later Chief Technical Advisor for COFISA - Interim Technical Advisor to Finnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the SAIS Programme in Namibia, Botswana, Mozambique and Zambia.
The Innovation Journal
September 2012 | Management Today 21
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