Gearing up: R&D and innovation capabilities in three South African state-owned enterprises

Abstract

State-owned enterprises (SOEs) are an integral part of South Africa's economic development. In recent years, there has been widespread public scrutiny concerning the public value of SOEs and their place in the economy. But what about their potential for generating new knowledge, delivering innovation and promoting economic transformation? Do SOEs have research, development and innovation capabilities and how can these be nurtured? The HSRC's Centre for Science, Technology and Innovation Indicators (CeSTII) studied three of these enterprises to find out.