The rise and expansion of organized scientific research has led individuals to become accustomed to an unceasing delivery of new scientific results and technical improvements that resolve even seemingly unsolvable problems. This timely book examines how science-based research and innovation is designed, implemented and applied in developing countries in support of development and poverty alleviation. The expert contributors trace and compare the emergence of National Innovation Systems (NIS) in four developing countries - Bolivia, Mozambique, Tanzania and Vietnam. Dedicated chapters on each country identify the main structural and organizational problems for improving the relevance and quality of research output for the productive sector, and conclude by offering suggestions on how the process of applying research outputs and innovations in support of development goals can be improved. Scholars and students of development, innovation and related subjects will find this book to be useful with its focus on national innovation systems. It will also be of interest to policy advisors, decision-makers and other practitioners involved in development issues.

The environmental imperative exerts strong pressure on polluting industries in the industrialised countries. Environmentally-friendly technologies are available but often at prohibitive costs. Using evidence from the copper industry, this book addresses the question of how polluting industries in developing and transition economies have responded to this challenge. Technological Change and the Environmental Imperative considers the extent of the success of polluting industries in becoming cost-efficient whilst acquiring less polluting technologies, in the face of fierce competition. The authors also discuss what has been the impact of privatisation on this process and what lessons have been learnt. Against this backdrop, and drawing on case material from Chile, China, Peru and Russia, the book goes on to assess the latest technological breakthroughs, and their possible future impact on cost efficiency and the environment. International organisations, policymakers and industry analysts concerned with environmental issues will find this book of great fascination as will academics and researchers in the fields of development studies, transition economies and environmental studies.

This book examines the ways in which universities can play a crucial role in inclusive development, social innovation and social entrepreneurship. It aims to prove the importance of inclusive development and inclusive innovation on economic growth and demonstrate the ways in which universities can be pioneers in this area through initiatives in social responsibility and social innovation. For example, providing access to a university education without discrimination of race, gender, income status, or other factors would help to diminish the increasing income differentials currently being experienced in many countries, especially in the developing world. The research and studies included in this book provide insight into possible actions that can be taken by universities and public and private shareholders in inclusive development, social innovation, social entrepreneurship and overall regional economic and social development. Innovation is currently considered to be the most important and dynamic factor explaining growth and development. At the same time, the traditional view considering innovation as having to be commercialized at any price is being challenged. Lately, there has been growing interest in innovation in the public sector, particularly with respect to social innovations designed to reduce income inequality. To address these concepts, constant exchange of ideas and information between research groups became necessary. UniDev (Universities in Development - the Evolving Role of Academic Institutions in Innovation Systems and Development) is an international research group with researchers in twelve countries interested in the role of universities in development. This book features the results of research performed by eleven research groups from UniDev country communities, presenting in-depth and comparative case studies from universities around the world, including Latin America, Northern and Eastern Europe, and sub-Saharan Africa. This title will be of interest to students, academics, researchers, and policy makers interested in the role of universities in development, social innovation and social entrepreneurship.

This book examines the ways in which universities can play a crucial role in inclusive development, social innovation and social entrepreneurship. It aims to prove the importance of inclusive development and inclusive innovation on economic growth and demonstrate the ways in which universities can be pioneers in this area through initiatives in social responsibility and social innovation. For example, providing access to a university education without discrimination of race, gender, income status, or other factors would help to diminish the increasing income differentials currently being experienced in many countries, especially in the developing world. The research and studies included in this book provide insight into possible actions that can be taken by universities and public and private shareholders in inclusive development, social innovation, social entrepreneurship and overall regional economic and social development. Innovation is currently considered to be the most important and dynamic factor explaining growth and development. At the same time, the traditional view considering innovation as having to be commercialized at any price is being challenged. Lately, there has been growing interest in innovation in the public sector, particularly with respect to social innovations designed to reduce income inequality. To address these concepts, constant exchange of ideas and information between research groups became necessary. UniDev (Universities in Development - the Evolving Role of Academic Institutions in Innovation Systems and Development) is an international research group with researchers in twelve countries interested in the role of universities in development. This book features the results of research performed by eleven research groups from UniDev country communities, presenting in-depth and comparative case studies from universities around the world, including Latin America, Northern and Eastern Europe, and sub-Saharan Africa. This title will be of interest to students, academics, researchers, and policy makers interested in the role of universities in development, social innovation and social entrepreneurship.

In September 2010, the Cuban government decided to embark on an economic reform program, unprecedented after the Revolution in 1959. This opened up opportunities for Cuban economists and scholars to participate in the development of the reform program. Thanks to grants from SSRC (Social Sciences Research Council, New York) and the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, several researchers from the Cuban think tank CEEC (Center for Studies of the Cuban Economy, Havana) got an opportunity to visit countries that could be of interest for the reform process, notably Vietnam, but also Brazil, South Africa and Norway. The result of these field visits and a subsequent workshop involving contributions from Cuban as well as non-Cuban scholars, this volume showcases unprecedented new insights into the process and prospects for reform along many dimensions, including foreign direct investment, import substitution, entrepreneurship and business creation, science and technology development, and fiscal policies. The resulting analysis, in a comparative perspective, provides a framework for future research as well as for business practice and policymaking.

In September 2010, the Cuban government decided to embark on an economic reform program, unprecedented after the Revolution in 1959. This opened up opportunities for Cuban economists and scholars to participate in the development of the reform program. Thanks to grants from SSRC (Social Sciences Research Council, New York) and the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, several researchers from the Cuban think tank CEEC (Center for Studies of the Cuban Economy, Havana) got an opportunity to visit countries that could be of interest for the reform process, notably Vietnam, but also Brazil, South Africa and Norway.

The result of these field visits and a subsequent workshop involving contributions from Cuban as well as non-Cuban scholars, this volume showcases unprecedented new insightsinto the process and prospects for reform along many dimensions, including foreign direct investment, import substitution, entrepreneurship and business creation, science and technology development, and fiscal policies. The resulting analysis, in a comparative perspective, provides a framework for future research as well as for business practice and policymaking."

Globalization, the information age, and the rise of the knowledge-based economy are significantly transforming the way we acquire, disseminate, and transform knowledge. And, as a result, knowledge production is becoming closer and more directly linked to economic competitiveness. This evolution is also putting new and urgent demands on academic institutions to adjust to the changing needs of society and economy. In particular, there is growing pressure on the institutions of higher education and research in developed economies to find and affirm their new role in the national innovation system. Their counterparts in developing economies need to define their role in supporting emerging structures of the innovation system. This book examines the role of universities and national research institutes in social and economic development processes. Featuring contributions that showcase initiatives and innovations from around the world, including China, Eastern Europe, Latin America, Scandinavia, Southeast Asia, sub-Saharan Africa, and Western Europe, it offers timely insight that will be of interest to policymakers, university administrators, economic and social leaders, and researchers alike.

La mondialisation, l re de l information et l essor de l conomie du savoir transforment profond ment les modalit?'s d acquisition, de diffusion et de transformation du savoir. Il s ensuit que la production du savoir a graduellement davantage voir avec la comp titivit conomique et y est plus directement li e. Ce nouvel tat de fait signifie galement que les universit?'s se sentent de plus en plus pouss es s adapter aux besoins de la soci t et de l conomie, qui voluent sans cesse. En particulier, des pressions croissantes s exercent sur les tablissements d enseignement sup rieur et de recherche des pays industrialis?'s pour qu ils d finissent et affirment leur nouveau r le au sein du syst me national d innovation. Les tablissements des pays en d veloppement, quant eux, sont appel?'s d finir le r le qu ils joueront afin de soutenir les structures mergentes du syst me d innovation. Ce livre examine le r le des universit?'s et des instituts de recherche nationaux dans le d veloppement conomique et social. En r unissant des textes rendant compte d initiatives et d innovations dans diverses r gions du monde, notamment en Chine, en Europe de l Est, en Am rique latine, en Scandinavie, en Asie du Sud-Est, en Afrique subsaharienne et en Europe de l Ouest, l ouvrage brosse un tableau qui est d actualit et qui int ressera tant les responsables des politiques et les administrateurs d universit?'s que les leaders conomiques et sociaux et les chercheurs. Bo G ransson et Claes Brundenius sont tous deux affili?'s au Research Policy Institute de l Universit de Lund, en Su de. M. G ransson est professeur agr g et coordonnateur du programme LEAP4D, et M. Brundenius est professeur honoraire.

La mondialisation, l'ere de l'information et l'essor de l'economie du savoir transforment profondement les modalites d'acquisition, de diffusion et de transformation du savoir. Il s'ensuit que la production du savoir a graduellement davantage a voir avec la competitivite economique et y est plus directement liee. Ce nouvel etat de fait signifie egalement que les universites se sentent de plus en plus poussees a s'adapter aux besoins de la societe et de l'economie, qui evoluent sans cesse. En particulier, des pressions croissantes s'exercent sur les etablissements d'enseignement superieur et de recherche des pays industrialises pour qu'ils definissent et affirment leur nouveau role au sein du systeme national d'innovation. Les etablissements des pays en developpement, quant a eux, sont appeles a definir le role qu'ils joueront afin de soutenir les structures emergentes du systeme d'innovation. Ce livre examine le role des universites et des instituts de recherche nationaux dans le developpement economique et social. En reunissant des textes rendant compte d'initiatives et d'innovations dans diverses regions du monde, notamment en Chine, en Europe de l'Est, en Amerique latine, en Scandinavie, en Asie du Sud-Est, en Afrique subsaharienne et en Europe de l'Ouest, l'ouvrage brosse un tableau qui est d'actualite et qui interessera tant les responsables des politiques et les administrateurs d'universites que les leaders economiques et sociaux et les chercheurs. Bo Goeransson et Claes Brundenius sont tous deux affilies au Research Policy Institute de l'Universite de Lund, en Suede. M. Goeransson est professeur agrege et coordonnateur du programme LEAP4D, et M. Brundenius est professeur honoraire.