CSIS Report Finds Tech, Innovation Partnership Opportunities In Developing Countries

"There are clear opportunities to accelerate and expand opportunity through innovation and technology around the world," finds a new report from the Washington, DC-based Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). And the United States - and any other developed country - would do well to position itself as a "partner of choice for developing countries that want to transform their economies through science, technology and innovation," it said. But strong intellectual property rights and a business-friendly environment are a necessity, it argues.

“There are clear opportunities to accelerate and expand opportunity through innovation and technology around the world,” finds a new report from the Washington, DC-based Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). And the United States – and any other developed country – would do well to position itself as a “partner  of choice for developing countries that want to transform their economies through science, technology and innovation,” it said. But strong intellectual property rights and a business-friendly environment are a necessity, it argues.

The 60-page report, entitled “Innovation-Led Economic Growth: Transforming Tomorrow’s Developing Economies through Technology and Innovation,” was released this week and is available here. The report was a project of CSIS and RTI International, “an independent, nonprofit research institute dedicated to improving the human condition,” headquartered in the United States.

“Although the specific nature of the opportunity varies by setting—Kenya, Malaysia, and Gujarat each had very different visions for their respective economic futures—there are common insights and approaches to promoting innovation-led economic growth around the world,” the report found, according to a release. “Transforming tomorrow’s developing economies through technology and innovation will not necessarily require huge investment but rather catalytic interventions, sustained partnerships, and long-term vision.”

Governments also have a clear role in defining a regulatory environment that encourages R&D commercialization. Strong intellectual property rights are critical,” said the report. “The OECD [Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, the wealthy country group] also points to the importance of mechanisms — like the Bayh-Dole legislation in the United States — that allow the “transfer, exploitation, and commercialization of public research results,” as a critical element of science, technology, and innovation policy.”
“Technology- and innovation-led economic growth is supported by a broader ecosystem of conditions,” it added. “Effective regulation, a modern intellectual property regime, a technology-based infrastructure, education and training programs that equip a workforce with appropriate skills, and a culture that values and celebrates the risk taking inherent in innovation are all important elements in an effective innovation ecosystem.”
“It is crucial that countries enforce laws and create incentives — including in firm formation and dissolution, land rights, and intellectual property — that empower innovators to succeed not just in their home country but in the international market,” it said.

The report details the high-quality education graduates from Kenya’s universities have, but they often leave the country for better opportunities, something it talks about how to address.

“Basic policy around business formation, bankruptcy, and intellectual property could also be strengthened to provide a more business-friendly environment,” the report states.

In Malaysia’s case, it said, “Competition from Singapore, a neighbor that is highly developed, should motivate Malaysia to ease regulations and strengthen intellectual property laws, streamline the research process, and provide incentives for companies to locate research facilities in Malaysia.”

For Guayarat, India, the case study hails the successful business-friendly model of the state, but does not mention intellectual property rights.

 

 

Image Credits: CSIS

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