Boosting R&D funding in South Africa in the context of reindustrialization: a compendium of analytical briefs

Abstract

The main trends in South African R&D 2021/22 report provides a broad view of the national R&D landscape. In this companion publication we systematically explore specific issues related to R&D and innovation in South Africa in a set of analytical briefs. These draw on academic literature and interrogate the data on R&D topics relevant to current policy priorities, research interests and the global economic situation. They aim to stimulate critical conversations, and inform policy discussion on future ways forward. The briefs adhere to rigorous scientific methods, and have undergone subject matter expert review but are tailored to be accessible to both subject matter experts and non-experts. Innovation can exert a lasting influence on economic development, with R&D as a key innovation activity with potentially disruptive effects. However, the specific aspects of R&D that enable such impact, and the mechanisms and circumstances under which it occurs, remain unclear.