Recent scholarship underscores the importance of industry-universities collaboration as an important organizational form for knowledge creation within the national system of innovation (NSI), especially in stimulating new technologies. There are two broad assumptions underlying the establishment and management of universities. The first one is that universities are set up to perform certain well defined functions such as teaching, research and knowledge production and could remain outside the broad national, cultural and political influence. Second, and specific to the research function, the notion of research and development (R&D) without much attention to downstream activities that involve commercialization, limits the relevance of university research. This book based on sound empirical and theoretical scholarship advances considerably our understanding of these issues within a development context. We strongly recommend it to all those interested in the development debate.

This paper is an organizational study of a research and development institution in Nigeria. It takes biotechnology as its entry point in an attempt to describe the diversity and role of agents involved in the activities of a relatively successful government research institute the National Veterinary research Institute (NVRI). To understand the dynamics of innovation we analyze the interactions of its scientists with other critical agents in the national innovation system and how collaboration is underpinned by policies and institutions. We found that history, the state of internal infrastructure of the institute as well as the broader institutional environment influence considerably the collaborative arrangements for R&D and production within the sector and the Institute's relationship to other actors. The organization also succeeded in part because it adapted its competences to changing demand conditions of the system.

This research examined the existing traditional livestock system as well as modern livestock system. It centers on assessment of traditional small ruminant within the domestic environment of an under-developed economy. The study focuses on the small ruminants, because the large ruminants have been a subject of intense empirical policy studies whilst little data exist on Africa's small ruminants. In spite of this fact, Africa's supply of protein from large ruminants remains inadequate making it imperative for research at the scientific and policy levels to examine alternatives. The overarching reason for considering small ruminants is their considerable adaptability to the harsh tropical environment, and the relatively cheaper cost of production compared to large ruminants. This study covers the South western and Northern parts of Nigeria and we found that in the southwest, inspite of considerable market demand for small ruminants, farmers breed them largely for home consumption, and out of long held traditional beliefs rather than income generation. In the North, they breed livestock largely for commercial purpose thereby deriving a larger proportion of their income from it.