Qatar as an innovation-driven society: the role of research and development

Launch Workshop on the Qatar R&D Survey: s2Four Seasons Hotel, Doha, Qatar

28 to 30 October 20123

Michael Kahn Research and Innovation Associates, South Africa

Qatar is on the move

• From ‘factor/efficiency-driven’ to ‘innovation-driven’ in two years

• What indicators reveal this change and what must we monitor going forward?

It’s all about innovation

Innovation is regarded as key to economic growth and societal well-being. Hence: • OECD Innovation Strategy (OECD, 2010), • China : Innovation will contribute to the ‘green and

harmonious’ development’ of a socialist society• USA: “Innovation is more important than ever. It is

the key to good-paying, private-sector jobs for the American people.”

Some evidence

How does the World Economic Forum categorization work?

Leaping across the categories

2013-14

2011-12

12 pillars of wisdom …

Innovation (both technological or non-technological) is the introduction into a market of a new or significantly improved good or service; or the implementation of a new or significantly improved production process, distribution method, or support activity for those

R&D is one of many innovation activities

Acquisition of machinery, technology & software

Observing & listening

Invention & prototyping

Collaborating

Financing ‘Borrowing’Staff training Organization & process

changeStaff mobility ConformanceReverse engineering Scientific publicationR&D IP protection

2,8% of GDP is USD 5 billion

• R&D led growth: – ‘give us (taxpayers) money; we’ll give you results’

• Statist (USSR, India, China < 1978) : Academies of Science + state laboratories

• Corporatist: (Japan, S Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, SA<1990, China > 1978) – government and industry combines – keiretsu, chaebols, mining houses define agenda, use state protection to develop niche technological competences.

• 1970s stagflation in West … how did the East succeed?

The Linear model for innovation

Innovation systems (OECD)

“Innovation policy … an amalgam of science and technology policy and industrial policy … knowledge in all its forms plays a crucial role in economic progress … innovation is a complex and systemic phenomenon. The systems approach to innovation shifts the focus of policy toward the interplay of institutions and the interactive processes at work in the creation of knowledge and in its diffusion and application. The term national innovation system has been coined to represent this set of institutions and these knowledge flows.”

An innovation System

UNIVERSITIES+

ACADEMIES?

BUSINESS

GOVT. DEPTS INSTITUTES &

MUSEUMS

S&T SERVICES

UTILITIES

PUBLIC

SECTOR

Regulatory, ethical & legal, environmental,

IPR

Cultural-

Political norms

Associations

EDUCATION

TRAINING

SKILLS DEV

STANDARDS

WORLD SYSTEM

S.O.E.sNGOs

INFORMAL

SECTOR

ECONO

MIC

SYSTEM

“The S&T system … (involves) three types of activities:• Generation of S&T Knowledge• Transmission of S&T Knowledge• Use of S&T Knowledge

The dynamics of the S&T system involves the flow from the site of the S&T knowledge generation to the site of the use, which requires a means of transmission to get from one site to the other, and capacities to transmit and to search and absorb.

The dynamics of S&T involves the linkages between actors (individuals or organizations), the buying of embedded knowledge, the hiring of employees with S&T expertise, theacquisition of codified knowledge, and the diffusion of S&T information. To facilitate discussion of the dynamics, there must be a means of classifying activities, linkages and outcomes.”Statistics Canada (1998)

What to measure?

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What we find ….

Source: UIS, November 2011

18Source: UIS, November 2011

19Source: UIS, November 2011

20Source: UIS, November 2011

[DOHA] Qatar has launched a national research strategy to facilitate its transition to becoming a knowledge-based economy.

The Qatar National Research Strategy aims to support the objectives of the Qatar National Vision 2030, which was launched in July 2008 to address the country's future economic, social and environmental development.

The new research strategy was unveiled last week (21 October) by Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, chairperson of the Qatar Foundation, at the opening of the foundation's 4th annual forum (21–23 October).

In her opening speech, Nasser highlighted the importance of building upon Qatar's human resources and scientific knowledge. She also stressed that Arab nations should work together to stand equal with their international counterparts in research and innovation.

"We have funded, so far, 78 research projects for 53 institutes in 12 Arab countries, with more than US$68 million," said Nasser. She added that since 2009, the Qatari government has been allocating 2.8 per cent of its GDP (gross domestic product) to promote research, technology and innovation.

SciDevNet 29 October 2012

Qatar Shell launches dialogue series to help build R&D capacity. Participants at ‘Qatar Shell Dialogues’.10:43 PM 5 June 2013

Qatar Shell Research and Technology Centre (QSRTC) has hosted the inaugural session of a series of workshops known as the “Qatar Shell Dialogues”.The series has been launched by the company to provide a platform to exchange ideas and knowledge across business, government and academia in support of various areas under the Qatar National Research Strategy.The inaugural event engaged prominent thought leaders from industry, government and academia in a focused dialogue to generate recommendations on how the energy industry could help bolster Qatar’s national research and development (R&D) capacity.

25Source: UIS, November 2011

26Source: UIS, November 2011

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So what is R&D?

Source: UIS, November 2011

Research and experimental development (R&D) comprises creative work undertaken on a systematic basis in order to increase the stock of knowledge, including knowledge of man, culture and society, and the use of this stock of knowledge to devise new applications.

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Let’s measure !