Weaknesses in policy to support technology diffusion: a study of additive manufacturing in South Africa

Abstract

Rapid and pervasive technology diffusion presents one of the more difficult challenges for innovation policy and South Africa is no exception. In this study, the diffusion of additive manufacturing (AM) in a single geographic cluster of the main manufacturing province was studied. It was established that adoption of AM within this cluster is slow with only 5% of the sample reporting lease or ownership of AM devices, and it is predicted using the Bass model that the market's full potential may only be reached by 2045. The majority of firms in the sample were either poorly informed or misinformed about the technology, reflecting a general weakness in terms of knowledge, learning and market understanding. Policy instruments in support of doing, using and interacting need to be considerably strengthened if further decline in the manufacturing sector of middle-income countries such as South Africa, is to be avoided.