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Innovation and Development Studies Theory

The field of African innovation and development studies is a multi-disciplinary field that utilises theories and concepts from economics, sociology, history, geography, politics, policy and gender studies amongst others. The work conducted in this field can be separated into five main categories. 

Theoretical conceptual approaches

The key materials relating to these categories are outlined below.

 

 Core/ field shaping materials

 Focused on the African contexts

 System thinking

  1. Lundvall, B. Å., Joseph, K. J., Chaminade, C., & Vang, J. (Eds.). (2011). Handbook of innovation systems and developing countries: building domestic capabilities in a global setting. Edward Elgar Publishing.
  2. Soares, M. C. C. (2014). BRICS: National Systems of Innovation. J. E. Cassiolato (Ed.). Routledge.
  3. Göransson, B., Brundenius, C., & Aguirre-Bastos, C. (Eds.). (2016). Innovation Systems for Development: Making Research and Innovation in Developing Countries Matter. Edward Elgar Publishing.
  4. Lundvall, B. Å. (2016). National innovation systems and globalization. The Learning Economy and the Economics of Hope, 351.
  5. Suseno, Y., & Standing, C. (2017). The Systems Perspective of National Innovation Ecosystems. Systems Research and Behavioral Science, 35(3), 282–307. doi:10.1002/sres.2494.
  6. Fagerberg, J. and Sapprasert, K. (2011) ‘National Innovation Systems: the emergence of a new approach’, Science and Public Policy 38: 669-679. DOI: 10.3152/030234211X13070021633
  7. Nelson, R.R., (1993) National Innovation Systems: A Comparative Study, Oxford University Press: New York
  1. Perrot, R., & Sanni, M. (2018). Building low-carbon energy innovation systems in Africa.
  2. Muchie, Mammo. (2003). Re-thinking africa’s development through the national innovation system. Putting Africa Frst: The Making of African Innovation Systems. 43-61.
  3. Larsen, K., Kim, R. and Theus, F. eds., 2009. Agribusiness and innovation systems in Africa. World Bank Publications.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Firm level production and innovation/ innovation management

  1. Chen, Jin & Viardot, Eric & Brem, Alexander. (2019). Innovation and innovation management. 10.4324/9781315276670-1.\
  2. Valdez-Juárez, L. E., García-Pérez de Lema, D., & Maldonado-Guzmán, G. (2016). Management of knowledge, innovation and performance in SMEs. Interdisciplinary Journal of Information, Knowledge, and Management, 11, 141-176.
  3. Walker, R. M., Chen, J., & Aravind, D. (2015). Management innovation and firm performance: An integration of research findings. European Management Journal, 33(5), 407-422.
  4. Damanpour, F., & Aravind, D. (2012). Managerial innovation: Conceptions, processes, and antecedents. Management and organization review, 8(2), 423-454.
  5. Schilling, M. A., & Shankar, R. (2019). Strategic management of technological innovation. McGraw-Hill Education.
  6. Tidd, J., & Bessant, J. R. (2018). Managing innovation: integrating technological, market and organizational change. John Wiley & Sons.
  1. Egbetokun, A., Atta-Ankomah, R., Jegede, O. and Lorenz, E., 2016. Firm-level innovation in Africa: overcoming limits and constraints.
  2. Barasa, Laura & Knoben, Joris & Vermeulen, Patrick & Kimuyu, Peter & Kinuthia, Bethuel. (2017). Institutions, resources and innovation in East Africa: A firm level approach. Research Policy. 46. 280-291. 10.1016/j.respol.2016.11.008.
  3. Avenyo, Elvis & Konte, Maty & Mohnen, Pierre. (2020). Product innovation and informal market competition in sub-Saharan Africa: Firm-level evidence. Journal of Evolutionary Economics. 10.1007/s00191-020-00688-2.

Capabilities, competences, skills, training, learning, knowledge

  1. Oyelaran-Oyeyinka, B. and Sampath, P.G., 2009. Latecomer development: innovation and knowledge for economic growth (Vol. 75). Routledge.
  2. Illeris, K. (2011). Workplaces and learning. The SAGE handbook of workplace learning, 32-45.
  3. Lundvall, B.Å., (1992) National Systems of Innovation – Toward a Theory of Innovation and Interactive Learning, Pinter: London.
  4. Lall, S. (1994) ‘Technological capabilities’ in: Solomon, J.J. et al (eds.) (1994) The Uncertain Quest: Science, Technology and Development. Tokyo: UN University Press.
  5. Buciuni, G. (2019). The Elgar companion to innovation and knowledge creation.
  6. Bathelt, H., Cohendet, P., Henn, S., & Simon, L. (Eds.). (2017). The Elgar companion to innovation and knowledge creation. Edward Elgar Publishing.
  7. Figueiredo, P.N. and Piana, J. (2018) ‘Innovative capability building and learning linkages in knowledge-intensive service SMEs in Brazil’s mining industry’, Resources Policy, 58, pp. 21-33. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resourpol.2017.10.012
  8. Manuti, A., Pastore, S., Scardigno, A. F., Giancaspro, M. L., & Morciano, D. (2015). Formal and informal learning in the workplace: a research review. International journal of training and development, 19(1), 1-17.
  9. Marhuenda-Fluixá, F. (2018). Learning at work: Researching personal development and competence building in work integration companies. Educar, 54(2), 0491-509.
  1. Egbetokun, A. A. 2015. “Interactive Learning and Firm-Level Capabilities in Latecomer Settings: The Nigerian Manufacturing Industry.” Technological Forecasting and Social Change 99: 231–241. doi: 10.1016/j.techfore.2015.06.040.
  2. Ahmed, A., 2017. Managing knowledge and innovation for business sustainability in Africa. In Managing Knowledge and Innovation for Business Sustainability in Africa (pp. 3-12). Palgrave Macmillan, Cham.

Policy and politics

  1. Oloruntoba, S. O., & Muchie, M. (Eds.). (2018). Innovation, Regional Integration, and Development in Africa: Rethinking Theories, Institutions, and Policies. Springer.
  2. Edler, J., & Fagerberg, J. (2017). Innovation policy: what, why, and how. Oxford Review of Economic Policy, 33(1), 2-23.
  3. Narimani, M., & Hosseini, J. (2019). The Theoretical Foundations of Science, Technology and Innovation Policy from the View of Economic Schools. Journal of Science and Technology Policy, 11(2).
  4. Borrás, S., & Edquist, C. (2019). Holistic Innovation Policy: Theoretical Foundations, Policy Problems, and Instrument Choices. Oxford University Press.
  5. De Coninck, H., & Sagar, A. (2015). Making sense of policy for climate technology development and transfer.
  6. Amankwah-Amoah, J. (2016). The evolution of science, technology and innovation policies: A review of the Ghanaian experience. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 110, 134-142.
  7. Farnen, R. F., & Sunker, H. (Eds.). (2016). The politics, sociology and economics of education: interdisciplinary and comparative perspectives. Springer
  1. Banji Oyelaran-Oyeyinka (2014) The state and innovation policy in Africa, African Journal of Science, Technology, Innovation and Development, 6:5, 481-496, DOI: 10.1080/20421338.2014.983731.
  2. Phiri, M.Z., Molotja, N., Makelane, H., Kupamupindi, T. and Ndinda, C., 2016. Inclusive innovation and inequality in South Africa: a case for transformative social policy. Innovation and Development, 6(1), pp.123-139.

 

 

Gender

  1. Blake, M. and Hanson, S. (2005). Rethinking Innovation: Context and Gender. Environment and Planning. 35: 681-701.
  2. Ann N. Kingiri (2013) A Review of Innovation Systems Framework as a Tool for Gendering Agricultural Innovations: Exploring Gender Learning and System Empowerment, The Journal of Agricultural Education and Extension, 19:5, 521-541
  1. Iradukunda, F., Bullock, R., Rietveld, A., & van Schagen, B. (2019). Understanding gender roles and practices in the household and on the farm: Implications for banana disease management innovation processes in Burundi. Outlook on Agriculture, 48(1), 37-47.
  2. Bergman Lodin, J., Tegbaru, A., Bullock, R., Degrande, A., Nkengla, L. W., & Gaya, H. I. (2019). Gendered mobilities and immobilities: Women’s and men’s capacities for agricultural innovation in Kenya and Nigeria. Gender, Place & Culture, 26(12), 1759-1783.
  3. Bullock, R., & Tegbaru, A. (2019). Women’s agency in changing contexts: A case study of innovation processes in Western Kenya. Geoforum, 105, 78-88.
  4. Kingiri, A. N. (2013). A review of innovation systems framework as a tool for gendering agricultural innovations: exploring gender learning and system empowerment. The Journal of Agricultural Education and Extension, 19(5), 521-541.

Others

  1. Hall, B.H. & Rosenberg, N. (eds.) (2010) Handbook of the Economics of Innovation, Amsterdam: North Holland
  2. Fagerberg, J., Verspagen, B. (2009). ‘Innovation Studies – the emerging structure of a new scientific field’, Research Policy 38: 218-233.
  3. Kulichenko, A. (2020). Theories of innovation development: application in higher medical education. Scientific Journal of Polonia University, 38(1-2), 150-156.
  4. Dekker, E. (2020). Book Review: Jason Potts Innovation Commons: The Origin of Economic Growth, Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press. ISBN: 9780190937508.
  5. Epicoco, M. (2020). Technological revolutions and economic development: endogenous and exogenous fluctuations. Journal of the Knowledge Economy, 1-25.
  6. Garasymiv, T. Z., Pavliv-Samoyil, N. P., & Hodiak, A. I. (2020). Legal Science Methodology through the Lens of Legal Thinking Innovations. 
  7. Journal of Advanced Research in Law and Economics, 11(4 (50)), 1145-1152
  1. Edquist, C. (2010). Systems of innovation perspectives and challenges. African Journal of Science, Technology, Innovation and Development, 2(3), 14-45.
  2. Mugo, J. G. (2012). The effect of financial innovation on the growth of micro-finance Institutions in Kenya (Doctoral dissertation, University of Nairobi).
  3. Nyemba, W. R., Chikuku, T., Chiroodza, J. R., Dube, B., Carter, K. F., Ityokumbul, M. T., & Magombo, L. (2020). Industrial design thinking and innovations propelled by the Royal Academy of Engineering in Sub-Saharan Africa for capacity building. Procedia CIRP, 91, 770-775.
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