Science, Technology And Innovation Research Articles

Roles of innovation in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals: A bibliometric analysis

As we approach the midpoint of the Agenda 2030 programme, scientists are increasingly reliant on innovative solutions to help bring us closer to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This study aims to analyse the intellectual structure of academic literature on the SDGs, Innovation, and Science, Technology and Innovation (STI).Using a database of 544 English-language publications from Scopus and Web of Science published between 2015 and 2023, we employ a three-pronged approach comprising bibliometric analyses, SDG mapping and text-mining techniques. Our findings indicate that innovations in one cluster defined in the analysis display economic, social and environmental dimensions. Furthermore, the underlying roles of innovation in the literature are found to relate to promoting sustainable development, driving economic growth, enhancing enterprise performance and strengthening policies. Within the sample literature, all 17 goals were identified by the SDG Mapper. Among the 5Ps (People, Planet, Prosperity, Peace and Partnerships), there was a clear preponderance of articles on Prosperity. The text mining of titles and abstracts indicates that the term “sti” is less commonly associated with the SGDs than “innovation”. However, there is some evidence that the term “innovation” is used in titles and abstracts to attract a broader audience. Our study highlights research gaps and identifies opportunities for future studies.

Developing technology policy in Africa

This article suggests a revised perspective for technology policies in Africa, one that focuses more on the direct facilitation of economic production at domestic levels. Up until now there has been a strong tendency for public investment in science, technology and innovation (STI) to be confined to national science councils and higher education bodies with little direct impact on national production. The article argues that STI investment as conventionally understood needs to be supplemented by policies that stress facilitation of its use, an argument also made strongly by a recent World Bank publication and indirectly by UNCTAD in its recently published report on African development. This is likely to be especially important in small-scale and informal sectors and will certainly require support on the part of local and national governments (and aid related bodies). Hopefully we will then begin to enjoy a scenario in which the gross financial inequalities that have beset Africa for so long will begin to be modified to the ultimate benefit of all.

The transformation of science, technology and innovation (STI) policy in Japan

ABSTRACT This note sketches the evolution and growing centrality of Japan’s science, technology and innovation (STI) policy over the past quarter century, from the Basic Law on Science and Technology in 1995 to the new Science, Technology and Innovation Basic Law in 2020. It highlights: the shift from a primary emphasis on economic value and competitiveness to encompass social needs, resilience and sustainability; the growing importance of mission-oriented innovation policy (MOIP); the consequent need for new coordination mechanisms across government and at different levels, from local to international; the need for continuous evaluation and adjustment mechanisms as opposed to post-project/programme evaluation; and the need for human resources for these. The Strategic Innovation Programme (SIP) Automated Driving Project is described as a pioneering model of cross-ministerial MOIP, and key challenges for the forthcoming 7th STI Basic Plan (2026–30) are identified.

Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) and Startup Ecosystem in Vietnam

Research on science, technology and innovation policy (STI policy) in Vietnam has mainly focused on the role of government and business—the two main groups of social actors shaping the development of the Government. From the cultural perspective of STI policy, the article analyses the interactions between four policy cultures representing four groups of social actors (academic, state, business and civil society) that affect the formation and development of STI policy in Vietnam through four stages of development. From there, the article provides a general picture of the role of four groups of policy actors involved in the policymaking process, considering aspects including: (a) the nature of the policy; (b) policy objectives; (c) policy makers; (d) policy instruments; (e) policy specificity and (f) group of agents representing policy culture. Next, the article analyses the formation and development of an innovation-based startup ecosystem that represents the concerns of a third policy culture—an economic policy culture. Finally, the article proposes some initial recommendations to promote the interaction between the components of the STI ecosystem, especially those related to the innovation-based startup ecosystem.

Bringing Fences Down: The Role of Critical Innovation Studies in Engaging STS with Innovation and the Contribution of Benoît Godin

Innovation has constituted a subject of key interest for quite some time. However, only a few fields and scholars have embraced the challenge of finding ways to deconstruct our contemporary society’s most recurrent mantra. Questioning the “pro-innovation bias”, the assumption that innovation “is always good” and without undesirable consequences, is what critical studies of innovation (as a new research agenda) are trying to achieve. These critical studies might redeem the study of innovation for the STS interdisciplinary field by merging different critical perspectives. This emerging niche aims to reach beyond the techno-economic understanding of innovation, pointing a path of learning along cross-disciplinary and more critical, historical, and qualitative-based approaches to innovation phenomena – adopting as our example here the intellectual legacy of Benoît Godin (1958–2021). Godin’s work, together with other colleagues, opens up many avenues for engaging STS with innovation, and the appeal for a much-needed critical stance on science, technology and innovation (STI) ‘political’ phenomena – analysing discourses, policy narrative(s), theories, dissecting different kinds of models, etc. Our aim is to demonstrate how critical innovation study could be crucial and fascinating to an STS scholar, adopting as reference the intellectual work of Benoît Godin – whose lessons teach us how to work on a historical and discursive methodology – that studies STI policies by embracing their intellectual and conceptual histories.

STI historiography and the institutionalization in Dutch East Indies colonial period (1778–1941)

Purpose This paper aims to discuss the emergence of science, technology and innovation (STI) institutions in Indonesia during the Dutch East Indies colonial period in 1778–1941. The emergence of these institutions reflected the dynamics of science and technology development and innovation in that era. Design/methodology/approach This paper navigates a historiographical approach. Data collection techniques use “secondary data research,” with archival investigation published by official sources in the Dutch East Indies in the 18th and 19th centuries as well as other reference sources, and data analysis techniques use “supplementary analysis.” Findings This research indicates that the STI institution during the Dutch East Indies colonial period was formed to maximize the natural resources of the Dutch East Indies. The STI institution at that time was constructed as part of Buitenzorg’s Plantentuin the lands, plantations, solutions for health, astronomy, geology, forestry and culture. Research limitations/implications The limitations of this research, as well as future research. Relying too much on “secondary data” is a limitation of this study. Therefore, it is necessary to collect primary data through in-depth interviews with historical scientists studying STIs in Indonesia in future research. Originality/value This study, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, considered the first study, reveals the dynamics of STI in Indonesia during the Dutch East Indies colonial era by examining the dynamics of the institution. In addition, this study succeeded in dividing five institutional STI clusters in the Dutch East Indies Colonial period 1778–1941, namely, units/institutions formed as part of Planuntungin te Buitenzorg; units/institutions formed based on plantations, initiated by private plantations to find solutions to the pests and diseases that attack their crops; units/institutions formed to seek solutions in the health sector; units/institutions formed based on astronomy, geology and forestry; and units/ institutions regarded as scientific councils/associations.

The process of paradigm change: the rise of guided innovation in China

This article offers a new framework for understanding the beliefs behind science, technology and innovation (STI) policy. Building on recent research that has identified several distinct ‘policy paradigms’ in STI policy, it explains how these paradigms may be understood as hierarchical belief systems, and it identifies different variants within each paradigm. The article then illuminates one means through which countries may transition from one paradigm to another in this domain, focusing on the international diffusion of the ‘innovation systems policy’ paradigm after the 1980s. The article emphasizes how local ideology regarding state intervention in the economy shapes how the new paradigm is localized in the receiving state. To probe the plausibility of this theory, the article presents an in-depth case study focused on China’s reception and localization of the innovation systems policy paradigm in recent decades.

Global UN 2030 agenda: How can Science, Technology and Innovation accelerate the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals for All?

The adoption of 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs) with 167 targets by the United Nations member states in 2015 emphasizes the critical role of science, technology and innovation (STI) in addressing sustainability challenges, including poverty, hunger, health, employment, climate change and energy. However, STI plays a limited role in the context of the global agenda of 2030 and for achieving SDGs in low- and middle-income countries. The perspectives of relevant stakeholder groups (i.e., policymakers, academia, donors, private sector, and non-governmental organizations) were assessed through an international survey on the role of STI in tackling SDG challenges in three main themes: agriculture, health, energy, and environment. Our findings reveal that human resource capacity on STI is still fragile in many developing countries, including some middle-income economies, suggesting that to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 1, 2, 3, 7, and 13, it is necessary to strengthen the educational system, increase investment in research and development programs, implement staff retention policies, foster collaboration, and provide adequate infrastructure and expertise for the required skills and competencies to promote cooperation in science, technology, and innovation (STI).

Experts, stakeholders, technocracy, and technoeconomic input into energy scenarios

This paper confronts the broad question of the nature and quality of the contributions of experts, stakeholders, and the wider public to the development of detailed techno economical inputs used in scenario analyses used for discussions and decisions on the green energy transition and science, technology and innovation (STI) policies in general. The study focuses on stakeholder inclusion in developing the Danish Energy Agency's technology catalogues. The technology catalogues forecasts technoeconomic data up to 2050. The study reviews some well-recognised issues related to the inclusion of experts and stakeholders. The study contributes three new insights. First, a better understanding is developed of how expert and stakeholder inclusion in developing front-end inputs for energy models and scenarios aligns expectations and builds a shared understanding of detailed technoeconomic data. This shared understanding establishes a level playing field for wider public debate on visions for the future energy system. Second, a pragmatic approach is demonstrated for stakeholder inclusion in contexts – such as developing technology catalogues – with limited resources and only a few actors available for consultation. Third, the paper presents the argument that the concept of technocracy can bring useful insights for analysing expert and stakeholder inclusion in longterm energy planning.

Analysis of science, technology and innovation (STI) policies of India from 1958 to 2020

Analysis of science, technology and innovation (STI) policies of India from 1958 to 2020

Innovation and Development in Sub-Sahara Africa: The Role of Institutional Development and Inter Alia

Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) is gradually seen by countries in Sub-Sahara African as the engine for economic growth and general uplifting of the standard of living. As a result, Innovation is embraced but institutional weaknesses hinder the required outcome. This paper's aim is to examine the connection between innovation and development in sub-Saharan Africa while considering the function of institutes and other elements. This is in light of the fact that institutions act as the lubricant for progress. The Middle East and North Africa are not included in the scope of the paper, which largely focuses on sub-Saharan African nations. Some western nations and developing economies are, nonetheless, occasionally used as comparison points. We analyze data from reputable organizations like the World Bank, Polity IV, and considering a gauge of innovation and GDP per capita, the quantity of scientific publications published as a proxy for development, the Economic Freedom of the World Project will evaluate a panel of 22 economies in sub-Saharan Africa (EFW). Our results from the POLS and GMM IV regression show, among other things, that innovation has a favorable impact on the development of Africa, even though the impact looks insignificant. Although the majority of the nations in the county have established institutional frameworks for science, technology, and innovation (STI), evidence suggests that the slow rate at which innovation contributes to national development is due to obstacles in the design and implementation of STI policies. The outcome highlights the region's little advancement in the technology-capability indicators. To establish and execute STI policies in the region, a lot more has to be done in the area of collaboration between public entities and parastatals.

Research, Development and Innovation Management Process to Generate Aerospace Defence Technologies

The research proposes the analysis of technology management and innovation model, from the experience of twenty Colombian researchers, from a Research, Development and Innovation Centre related to aerospace and defence issues, such as, objective of RDI in defence, the ideation process, the process of developing science, technology and innovation (STI) projects, the organizational structure for RDI, the availability of public and private resources, the project financing process, the corporate willingness to adopt technologies, the support process for the technologies developed and the transfer of results were reviewed. The research was developed under the qualitative method, carrying out a descriptive and non-experimental analysis under an empirical phenomenological design, using interviews as a research instrument. As a result, it was possible to identify parameters to enhance and improve RDI capabilities in aerospace defence projects and generate a spillover effect on other actors, identifying relevant aspects to strengthen.

Integrasi Model DIKW (Data-Information-Knowledge-Wisdom) dalam Ilmu Falak Berasaskan Kerangka Sains Islam

The interconnection of astronomy with various fields of knowledge and different intellectual outcomes in today’s digital era is becoming more apparent. The contemporary advancement of science, technology and innovation (STI) has been the most important catalyst of the interconnection, which is now concentrating on the integration level. Among the current intellectual outcome integrated into astronomy is the DIKW model. The problem is that the integration brings the values derived from the determinism of positivist science and the indeterminism of post-positivist science. It is due to the weakness of the integration process, which is not based on any scientific framework that concerns the values. As such, the main objective of this research is to address the weakness by studying the integration of the DIKW model into astronomy based on the Islamic science framework. Data collection for this study is through library research, while data analysis methods employed inductive, deductive and comparative methods. As a result, the framework of Islamic science was formulated consisting of three components, namely (i) knowledge methodology, (ii) nature’s essence and occasionalism, and (iii) knowledge classification. Thus, the framework addresses the determinism of positivist science through the understanding of occasionalism. Meanwhile, the unguided combination of knowledge caused by the indeterminism of post-positivist science can be organised through a knowledge classification component. The classification guides the difference between Shariah’s complied and praised knowledge from rejected and reprehensible knowledge.

Overcoming Policy and Practice Fragility and Enhancing Security of Science, Technology and Innovation Educational Achievement for Females in Uganda

The Sustainable Development Goals 2030 (SDG 4 and 5) provide for the attainment of quality education for all, including women. Africa Agenda 2063, Uganda Vision 2040, the Third National Development Plan (NDP III) similarly all provide unequivocal reiterations on the need for the provision of quality inclusive education that will drive national socio-economic transformation. This is particularly envisioned through a robust science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education that fosters relevant science, technology and innovation (STI) knowledge, skills, values, attitudes and competences to constitute the epicentre of the transformation. Promoting the achievement of women in equal measure to men in STEM and STI is critical to the socio-economic transformation agenda. However, there exist gaps in the policy framework and the implementation of STEM education that undermine STI educational achievement, especially for women. This conceptual paper is aimed at examining the fragility of legal and policy frameworks for STEM/STI education and the strategies for enhancing STI educational achievement for females in the Ugandan context. We argue that strengthening the policy implementation of gender-responsive STEM/STI education is a precursor of socio-economic transformation of nations and the entire world. The paper adopts a semi-systematic literature review methodology to examine legal and policy documents for strengths, flaws and implementation gaps with the aim of recommending strategies for enhancing STEM/STI educational achievement for females in Uganda.

Transition to the Fourth Industrial Revolution: Africa’s Science, Technology and Innovation Framework and Indigenous Knowledge Systems

Abstract Despite elaborate efforts at Science Technology and Innovation (STI) policy enunciation, Africa has yet to optimally engage with how best to locate and position Indigenous or traditional knowledge (IK/TK) and its stakeholders in the new and emergent technological dynamics often designated as the fourth industrial revolution (4IR) and its bioeconomy components. Given the disconnect over IK/TK systems in African STI policy instruments, the paper argues for a deliberate Indigenous knowledge sensitive continental STI strategy without excluding integral opportunities in other realms such as intellectual property. Such approach to STI is necessary to ensure that Africa is well positioned to leverage and optimise its factor endowments in Indigenous knowledge and underlying systems for its production. Indigenous knowledge is crucial for continental Africa’s participation and ability to benefit from all facets of knowledge production under the 4IR innovation ecosystem. The significance of Indigenous knowledge and its ramification for STI in Africa continues to resonate in the context of the push for equitable access to the benefits of science, technology and innovation especially taking into account the bioeconomy adjunct of the 4IR.

RAICEX: A Successful Story of the Spanish Scientific Diaspora.

RAICEX (Red de Asociaciones de Investigadores y Científicos Españoles en el Exterior), the Network of Associations of Spanish Researchers and Scientist Abroad, consists of more than 4,000 Spanish researchers distributed in 18 countries in 5 different continents. RAICEX was established in July 2018 by 15 foundational members: the associations of Spanish Researchers in the USA, México, Ireland, Sweden, Denmark, France, Italy, Japan, Australia, China, UK, Germany, Switzerland, Belgium, and Norway. Since then, 3 more associations have joined: Emirates, Netherlands and South Africa. RAICEX was born with the main goal: “promoting the exchange of experiences and knowledge between Spanish researchers and scientists abroad and all the stakeholders of the Spanish System of Science, Technology and Innovation (SECTI), serving as an advisory body, information channel and catalyst for international relations in scientific matters, contributing to the progress of science.” Their main objectives are: (1) to provide support to researchers and scientists in mobility and personal development, offering training, information and guidance, as well as providing contact with all the other associations that make up the global network; (2) to disseminate and give visibility to the value of Science and the work of researchers and scientists, promoting communication of the advances of knowledge in all areas of society; (3) to promote international relations and cooperation between researchers / scientists and public and private organizations, from a global perspective; (4) to share the acquired knowledge and experience in different research and science systems abroad to advise, provide feedback and contribute to the progress of the whole SECTI. In this Case Study a particular scenario of the Spanish scientific diaspora, including history, reasons for going abroad, and consequences for the Spanish R&D system, shall be introduced to readers. The impact that RAICEX and its foundational members have had in the Spanish National System since the creation of the first community in the UK by 2012 will also be discussed. RAICEX's activities range from providing advice to newcomers and carrying out science dissemination, to becoming an advisory body to governments and institutions. The Spanish scientific diaspora is an extensive network committed to cooperation and brain connection.

The financing of innovation policies in Brazil between 1999 and 2016: political economy, institutions and financial cycles

ABSTRACT The main objective of the present paper is to provide the reasons behind the rise and fall of resources for innovation policies in Brazil between 1999 and 2016. The paper also intends to provide a broad map of the financial relations between funding sources and financial agents in the Brazilian National System of Innovation (NSI). In order to do that, the paper uses mixed methods: a historical approach to cover the motivations of the political economy; principles of network analyses to map the institutional relations between funding sources and financial agents; and economic theory to understand the determinants of the cash flows that finance science, technology and innovation (STI) policies. The institutional arrangement of the Brazilian NSI led the financial cycle to rely, on a general level, on GDP dynamism; the strategy of selected public bodies; on the federal budget decision process; and on the external economic cycle. Between 2003 and 2014, political struggles led to economic policies that favoured GDP growth and public spending, while the opposite occurred from 2015 onwards. In general, institutions were not equipped to protect the financial resources from the political changes of the mid-2010s.

Public Engagement Improvement in STI Policies: Challenges and Solutions

Studies show that actors who are directly involved with science, technology and innovation (STI), such as scientists and managers, are more likely to participate. Therefore, policy documents, as an important guiding factor, need to emphasize the engagement of various stakeholders. On the other hand, due to the need for innovative models in public engagement, social innovation has provided new ways to promote it. Therefore, this study aims to strengthen public engagement in STI policies through social innovation in Iran. In order to data gathering, questionnaires, interviews, document analysis and literature review were used in different stages of the research. In the first step, after interviewing experts on the dimensions and components of public engagement in STI, in the context of macro-policy documents, a model was extracted using thematic analysis and fuzzy delphi techniques. Then, in the second step, this study identified the statements related to public engagement in STI in macro-policy documents using quantitative content analysis, and thus the degree of attention to public engagement in STI macro-policy documents was determined. In the next step, this study sought to find solutions to its weaknesses in STI by examining the opinions of knowledgeable people about public engagement methods. Then, these solutions were evaluated in terms of their relevance to the Iranian context and social innovativeness, and finally, the selected solutions were ranked by Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) method.

Strengthening top–down design? Mapping science, technology and innovation policy developments in China in the age of COVID-19

ABSTRACT In the COVID-19 era, science, technology and innovation (STI) dynamics witness fundamental changes as the global expansion of government mission-oriented STI policies emphasises political stability, environmental sustainability and social inclusiveness. How does this global directionality affect China, a country known for its strong leadership in setting strategic STI policy directions? By performing a content analysis of 1,268 STI policies issued by the Chinese government before and after the pandemic started in 2020, we document the country’s latest attempts of top–down design of STI dynamics that use import and export barriers to restrict the flows of STI activities while crack down on the country’s effervescent STI scene to control what Chinese enterprises see and do, at both the national and local government levels. This increasing protectionist and interventionist tendency is a legacy of the U.S.-China trade war era when China was forced to ensure that its domestic technological progress could continue independently of the global market. However, to achieve such independence, we suggest that the country needs to restructure its demand-side, supply-side and environmental-side STI policy instruments to create a more efficient market space for techno-entrepreneurship, as it is hard to shore up political control without damping bottom–up entrepreneurial vigour.

Inequalities for Women in Science, Technology and Innovation

There is still a tangible inequality between men and women in many areas of daily life around the world, including professional fields and educational careers. The objective of this study was to analyze the different inequalities in Europe and third countries in America, Asia and Africa regarding the involvement of women and men in education and employment. This study focused on the areas related to Science, Technology and Innovation (STI), three of the most relevant and important areas for the future development of society. The study presented in this paper started with the initial question: "Are there inequalities between women and men in the fields of Science, Technology and Innovation?" This question was followed by an in-depth examination of datasets and studies on women and men who are learning, working, or hold leadership positions in the STI fields. Data and numbers were collected on the workforce, students in higher education, and professional fields. These served to determine and verify the state of the art for women in the fields of STI. Based on the results, presented in the paper, statements can be made regarding inequalities for women in the field of STI. Several efforts are being made in order to promote gender equality in STI. In fact, this has become a strategic issue in Europe, since the Council of the European Union, in its conclusions, invited the Commission and the Member States to consider including the gender perspective within the policy dialogues in bilateral and multilateral agreements with third countries in the STI area.  Moreover, several initiatives have been implemented in recent years as part of the strategy for the European Research Area to promote gender equality in research and innovation. One of these initiatives is the Gender STI project, a European research-funded project that aims to integrate gender perspectives in STI into dialogues between Europe and third countries. As part of the initial activities of the project, this study aims to build a deep understanding on the current status of gender equality in STI in these regions and how the gender perspective is currently addressed in policy dialogues.