ABSTRACT Combining insight from strategic management, evolutionary economics and latecomer capabi... more ABSTRACT Combining insight from strategic management, evolutionary economics and latecomer capability literatures, this paper analyses the relationship between interactive learning and capabilities in a sample of Nigerian manufacturing firms. A distinction is made between formal and informal modes of interactive learning. Results from multivariate probit estimations show that both modes are positively associated with firm-level capabilities but informal interactions dominate. These results have some implications for policy and practice. Firms may become more capable of innovating if they connect with externally-generated knowledge. However, the apparent difference in importance of formal and informal linkages suggests that the choice of how and when to form linkages is non-trivial. It also suggests the need for broad-based policies to nurture both types of linkages.
The pooled cross-sectional dataset (1359 firms in total) available for download has some specific... more The pooled cross-sectional dataset (1359 firms in total) available for download has some specific features: * The dataset includes data from wave 1 (2005-2007) and wave 2 (2008-2010) of the Nigerian innovation surveys. * The year variable identifies the different survey waves. Wave 1 was completed in 2008 and wave 2, in 2011. * The service variable sorts the observations broadly into manufacturing and services. * The id variable identifies each unique firm. Repeatedness was ignored because repeated cases are only about 2.5%. * As much as possible, variables have been matched across the two waves. * Due to coding changes and some inconsistencies in the survey instrument, a few variables could not be matched. * Any variable that could not be matched is retained in its original form. * Some of the variables have notes attached to them. The notes are consistent with what is in the accompanying codebook.xls * Item numbering on the questionnaire for the two waves are not consistent. Thus,...
Primary Track Number: Track 19 Secondary Track Number: Track 16 The reason why the leading econom... more Primary Track Number: Track 19 Secondary Track Number: Track 16 The reason why the leading economies of the world today are the ones with the strongest industrial bases is not unconnected with the capability of their industrial sectors to innovate. It is therefore important for any nation to establish the strengths and weaknesses of its industrial sector with a view to designing appropriate policies and structures to initiate and sustain growth. The literature is abundant on the level of interaction among the various elements of Nigerias National Innovation System (NIS) (e.g. Oyewale, 2003; Oyebisi et al, 1996; Ilori et al, 2000) and the factors influencing the generation and successful adoption or non-adoption of industrial innovation by Nigerian firms (e.g. Adjebeng-Asem, 1995; Oyelaran-Oyeyinka et al, 1996). However, not much has been done in understanding the technological behaviour of manufacturing enterprises, especially in terms of their propensity to innovate and what factor...
This paper focuses on the potentials of the internet in facilitating research in Nigerian univers... more This paper focuses on the potentials of the internet in facilitating research in Nigerian universities. We assess the readiness of undergraduates in Nigerian tertiary institutions to deploy the internet for research purposes. The data provides evidences on the capacities and capabilities of the existing facilities, human resources and the readiness of the entire stakeholders to use internet facilities for research and development. We observe that there is a gender difference in internet use and thus adequate attention should be paid to ensuring equal access between male and female students. The study also establishes that the present level of capabilities for internet-assisted research is encouraging and that improving internet facilities in our universities will enhance academic research in Nigerian tertiary institutions if strategically embarked upon. The study reveals, contrary to expectations, that access to personal computers has little to do with students’ readiness for intern...
The existing linkages between Nigerian universities, research institutes, industries and governme... more The existing linkages between Nigerian universities, research institutes, industries and government is ad hoc and hence research products and innovations have suffered neglect. Potential viable researches remain in the laboratory without getting to the potential users (the private sectors, entrepreneurs and industrialists) who could take such to the market for the benefit of all. It has been established that even within these stakeholders (for example university to university linkages and networking) are not properly organized or non-existent. Often times, universities carry out research in isolation from each other, leading to duplication of efforts and waste of research resources. In another occasion Universities fail to meet the knowledge and skills needs of the economy because of inappropriate academic programs, lack of dynamic curricula and weak research collaboration with the private sector. Now that there is a current move by these institutions to generate sustainable income ...
International Journal of Computing and ICT Research
This paper focuses on the potentials of the internet in facilitating research in Nigerian univers... more This paper focuses on the potentials of the internet in facilitating research in Nigerian universities. We
assess the readiness of undergraduates in Nigerian tertiary institutions to deploy the internet for
research purposes. The data provides evidences on the capacities and capabilities of the existing
facilities, human resources and the readiness of the entire stakeholders to use internet facilities for
research and development. We observe that there is a gender difference in internet use and thus
adequate attention should be paid to ensuring equal access between male and female students. The
study also establishes that the present level of capabilities for internet-assisted research is encouraging
and that improving internet facilities in our universities will enhance academic research in Nigerian
tertiary institutions if strategically embarked upon. The study reveals, contrary to expectations, that
access to personal computers has little to do with students’ readiness for internet-assisted research.
Specific policy implications are drawn for relevant stakeholders.
ABSTRACT A positive relationship between firms' networking activities and innovativeness ... more ABSTRACT A positive relationship between firms' networking activities and innovativeness has been consistently established in the literature on innovation. However, studies considering different innovation types, and on developing countries are scarce. This paper addresses questions concerning the relationship between networking strategies and innovativeness of firms, using innovation survey data on Nigerian firms. Quantile regression is applied to trace the link between portfolio size and innovation at different levels of innovative success. The results show a positive relationship between a firm's innovation performance and the size of its networking portfolio. This relationship varies across different innovation types and with increasing innovation performance. The findings suggest that the widely accepted portfolio approach to external search for knowledge is not necessarily always the best—its utility depends on the firm's current level of innovative success. This poses a challenge for open innovation.
International Journal of Technology, Policy and Management, 2014
ABSTRACT Taking the pioneer efforts made in Nigeria as a case, this paper discusses the challenge... more ABSTRACT Taking the pioneer efforts made in Nigeria as a case, this paper discusses the challenges associated with undertaking R&D surveys in a developing country. The 2006/2007 survey of R&D activities in Nigeria was carried out in both the higher education and government sectors, using the Frascati Manual as guide. In all, 75 universities and 62 research institutes were surveyed with an overall response rate of 73.8%. Among several, the adaptation of definitions and methodologies prescribed in the Manual - designed with developed economies in mind - was a major challenge. We conclude that for R&D indicators to become more relevant for economic policy in developing countries survey methods and indicators should be adapted or new ones developed to reflect the local realities of STI systems. Agriculture, informal economy and indigenous knowledge are three important aspects of African system that S&T indicators, to date, do not cover.
With a land area of 910,768 sq. km, population estimate of 150 million people and GDP-growth rate... more With a land area of 910,768 sq. km, population estimate of 150 million people and GDP-growth rate of 6.9% per annum (2006 est), the centrality of effective public transportation in Nigeria is readily seen. In this regard, rail transportation offers much potential because of its relative safety, reliability, lower cost to the users and being singularly capable of transforming the national economy through mass movement of people, goods and services. Within this context, the demand for an effective railway system, and the enormous ...
Cooperation can benefit and hurt firms at the same time. An important question then is: when is i... more Cooperation can benefit and hurt firms at the same time. An important question then is: when is it better to cooperate? And, once the decision to cooperate is made, how can an appropriate partner be selected? In this paper we present a model of inter-firm cooperation driven by cognitive distance, appropriability conditions and external knowledge. Absorptive capacity of firms develops as an outcome of the interaction between absorptive R&D and cognitive distance from voluntary and involuntary knowledge spillovers. Thus, we offer a revision of the original model by Cohen and Levinthal (Econ J 99(397):569–596, 1989), accounting for recent empirical findings and explicitly modeling absorptive capacity within the framework of interactive learning. We apply that to the analysis of firms’ cooperation and R&D investment preferences. The results show that cognitive distance and appropriability conditions between a firm and its cooperation partner have an ambiguous effect on the profit generated by the firm. Thus, a firm chooses to cooperate and selects a partner conditional on the investments in absorptive capacity it is willing to make to solve the understandability/novelty trade-off.
ABSTRACT Combining insight from strategic management, evolutionary economics and latecomer capabi... more ABSTRACT Combining insight from strategic management, evolutionary economics and latecomer capability literatures, this paper analyses the relationship between interactive learning and capabilities in a sample of Nigerian manufacturing firms. A distinction is made between formal and informal modes of interactive learning. Results from multivariate probit estimations show that both modes are positively associated with firm-level capabilities but informal interactions dominate. These results have some implications for policy and practice. Firms may become more capable of innovating if they connect with externally-generated knowledge. However, the apparent difference in importance of formal and informal linkages suggests that the choice of how and when to form linkages is non-trivial. It also suggests the need for broad-based policies to nurture both types of linkages.
The pooled cross-sectional dataset (1359 firms in total) available for download has some specific... more The pooled cross-sectional dataset (1359 firms in total) available for download has some specific features: * The dataset includes data from wave 1 (2005-2007) and wave 2 (2008-2010) of the Nigerian innovation surveys. * The year variable identifies the different survey waves. Wave 1 was completed in 2008 and wave 2, in 2011. * The service variable sorts the observations broadly into manufacturing and services. * The id variable identifies each unique firm. Repeatedness was ignored because repeated cases are only about 2.5%. * As much as possible, variables have been matched across the two waves. * Due to coding changes and some inconsistencies in the survey instrument, a few variables could not be matched. * Any variable that could not be matched is retained in its original form. * Some of the variables have notes attached to them. The notes are consistent with what is in the accompanying codebook.xls * Item numbering on the questionnaire for the two waves are not consistent. Thus,...
Primary Track Number: Track 19 Secondary Track Number: Track 16 The reason why the leading econom... more Primary Track Number: Track 19 Secondary Track Number: Track 16 The reason why the leading economies of the world today are the ones with the strongest industrial bases is not unconnected with the capability of their industrial sectors to innovate. It is therefore important for any nation to establish the strengths and weaknesses of its industrial sector with a view to designing appropriate policies and structures to initiate and sustain growth. The literature is abundant on the level of interaction among the various elements of Nigerias National Innovation System (NIS) (e.g. Oyewale, 2003; Oyebisi et al, 1996; Ilori et al, 2000) and the factors influencing the generation and successful adoption or non-adoption of industrial innovation by Nigerian firms (e.g. Adjebeng-Asem, 1995; Oyelaran-Oyeyinka et al, 1996). However, not much has been done in understanding the technological behaviour of manufacturing enterprises, especially in terms of their propensity to innovate and what factor...
This paper focuses on the potentials of the internet in facilitating research in Nigerian univers... more This paper focuses on the potentials of the internet in facilitating research in Nigerian universities. We assess the readiness of undergraduates in Nigerian tertiary institutions to deploy the internet for research purposes. The data provides evidences on the capacities and capabilities of the existing facilities, human resources and the readiness of the entire stakeholders to use internet facilities for research and development. We observe that there is a gender difference in internet use and thus adequate attention should be paid to ensuring equal access between male and female students. The study also establishes that the present level of capabilities for internet-assisted research is encouraging and that improving internet facilities in our universities will enhance academic research in Nigerian tertiary institutions if strategically embarked upon. The study reveals, contrary to expectations, that access to personal computers has little to do with students’ readiness for intern...
The existing linkages between Nigerian universities, research institutes, industries and governme... more The existing linkages between Nigerian universities, research institutes, industries and government is ad hoc and hence research products and innovations have suffered neglect. Potential viable researches remain in the laboratory without getting to the potential users (the private sectors, entrepreneurs and industrialists) who could take such to the market for the benefit of all. It has been established that even within these stakeholders (for example university to university linkages and networking) are not properly organized or non-existent. Often times, universities carry out research in isolation from each other, leading to duplication of efforts and waste of research resources. In another occasion Universities fail to meet the knowledge and skills needs of the economy because of inappropriate academic programs, lack of dynamic curricula and weak research collaboration with the private sector. Now that there is a current move by these institutions to generate sustainable income ...
International Journal of Computing and ICT Research
This paper focuses on the potentials of the internet in facilitating research in Nigerian univers... more This paper focuses on the potentials of the internet in facilitating research in Nigerian universities. We
assess the readiness of undergraduates in Nigerian tertiary institutions to deploy the internet for
research purposes. The data provides evidences on the capacities and capabilities of the existing
facilities, human resources and the readiness of the entire stakeholders to use internet facilities for
research and development. We observe that there is a gender difference in internet use and thus
adequate attention should be paid to ensuring equal access between male and female students. The
study also establishes that the present level of capabilities for internet-assisted research is encouraging
and that improving internet facilities in our universities will enhance academic research in Nigerian
tertiary institutions if strategically embarked upon. The study reveals, contrary to expectations, that
access to personal computers has little to do with students’ readiness for internet-assisted research.
Specific policy implications are drawn for relevant stakeholders.
ABSTRACT A positive relationship between firms' networking activities and innovativeness ... more ABSTRACT A positive relationship between firms' networking activities and innovativeness has been consistently established in the literature on innovation. However, studies considering different innovation types, and on developing countries are scarce. This paper addresses questions concerning the relationship between networking strategies and innovativeness of firms, using innovation survey data on Nigerian firms. Quantile regression is applied to trace the link between portfolio size and innovation at different levels of innovative success. The results show a positive relationship between a firm's innovation performance and the size of its networking portfolio. This relationship varies across different innovation types and with increasing innovation performance. The findings suggest that the widely accepted portfolio approach to external search for knowledge is not necessarily always the best—its utility depends on the firm's current level of innovative success. This poses a challenge for open innovation.
International Journal of Technology, Policy and Management, 2014
ABSTRACT Taking the pioneer efforts made in Nigeria as a case, this paper discusses the challenge... more ABSTRACT Taking the pioneer efforts made in Nigeria as a case, this paper discusses the challenges associated with undertaking R&D surveys in a developing country. The 2006/2007 survey of R&D activities in Nigeria was carried out in both the higher education and government sectors, using the Frascati Manual as guide. In all, 75 universities and 62 research institutes were surveyed with an overall response rate of 73.8%. Among several, the adaptation of definitions and methodologies prescribed in the Manual - designed with developed economies in mind - was a major challenge. We conclude that for R&D indicators to become more relevant for economic policy in developing countries survey methods and indicators should be adapted or new ones developed to reflect the local realities of STI systems. Agriculture, informal economy and indigenous knowledge are three important aspects of African system that S&T indicators, to date, do not cover.
With a land area of 910,768 sq. km, population estimate of 150 million people and GDP-growth rate... more With a land area of 910,768 sq. km, population estimate of 150 million people and GDP-growth rate of 6.9% per annum (2006 est), the centrality of effective public transportation in Nigeria is readily seen. In this regard, rail transportation offers much potential because of its relative safety, reliability, lower cost to the users and being singularly capable of transforming the national economy through mass movement of people, goods and services. Within this context, the demand for an effective railway system, and the enormous ...
Cooperation can benefit and hurt firms at the same time. An important question then is: when is i... more Cooperation can benefit and hurt firms at the same time. An important question then is: when is it better to cooperate? And, once the decision to cooperate is made, how can an appropriate partner be selected? In this paper we present a model of inter-firm cooperation driven by cognitive distance, appropriability conditions and external knowledge. Absorptive capacity of firms develops as an outcome of the interaction between absorptive R&D and cognitive distance from voluntary and involuntary knowledge spillovers. Thus, we offer a revision of the original model by Cohen and Levinthal (Econ J 99(397):569–596, 1989), accounting for recent empirical findings and explicitly modeling absorptive capacity within the framework of interactive learning. We apply that to the analysis of firms’ cooperation and R&D investment preferences. The results show that cognitive distance and appropriability conditions between a firm and its cooperation partner have an ambiguous effect on the profit generated by the firm. Thus, a firm chooses to cooperate and selects a partner conditional on the investments in absorptive capacity it is willing to make to solve the understandability/novelty trade-off.
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assess the readiness of undergraduates in Nigerian tertiary institutions to deploy the internet for
research purposes. The data provides evidences on the capacities and capabilities of the existing
facilities, human resources and the readiness of the entire stakeholders to use internet facilities for
research and development. We observe that there is a gender difference in internet use and thus
adequate attention should be paid to ensuring equal access between male and female students. The
study also establishes that the present level of capabilities for internet-assisted research is encouraging
and that improving internet facilities in our universities will enhance academic research in Nigerian
tertiary institutions if strategically embarked upon. The study reveals, contrary to expectations, that
access to personal computers has little to do with students’ readiness for internet-assisted research.
Specific policy implications are drawn for relevant stakeholders.
assess the readiness of undergraduates in Nigerian tertiary institutions to deploy the internet for
research purposes. The data provides evidences on the capacities and capabilities of the existing
facilities, human resources and the readiness of the entire stakeholders to use internet facilities for
research and development. We observe that there is a gender difference in internet use and thus
adequate attention should be paid to ensuring equal access between male and female students. The
study also establishes that the present level of capabilities for internet-assisted research is encouraging
and that improving internet facilities in our universities will enhance academic research in Nigerian
tertiary institutions if strategically embarked upon. The study reveals, contrary to expectations, that
access to personal computers has little to do with students’ readiness for internet-assisted research.
Specific policy implications are drawn for relevant stakeholders.