Girma Zawdie

The triple helix perspective of innovation systems

Alongside the neo-institutional model of networked relations among universities, industries, and governments, the triple helix can be provided with a neo-evolutionary interpretation as three selection environments operating upon one another: markets, organisations and technological opportunities. How are technological innovation systems different from national ones? The three selection environments fulfil social functions: wealth creation, organisation control and organised knowledge production. The main carriers of this system – industry, government and academia – provide the variation both recursively and by interacting among them under the pressure of competition. Empirical case studies enable us to understand how these evolutionary mechanisms can be expected to operate in historical instances. The model is needed for distinguishing, for example, between trajectories and regimes.

Science parks and university–industry collaboration in Malaysia

Studies have shown that companies with university links usually have higher productivity rates than comparable companies that do not have such links. They are also better off in terms of market share, quality of products and services and cost competitiveness. Thus the link between firms and universities is considered fundamental to the concept of science parks. Science park firms are generally known to conduct more R&D than off-park firms apparently because of the close interaction with local universities. This gives firms the leverage to exploit the knowledge spill-over generated by universities. This paper is an attempt to examine the effectiveness of science parks as a strategy to promote university–industry collaboration in Malaysia. Its findings show a reasonably high level of interactions between the science park (on-park) and off-park firms, and local universities. Overall, science park firms have more links with universities than off-park firms, although the difference is not shown to be statistically significant.

From technology transfer to the emergence of a triple helix culture: the experience of Algeria in innovation and technological capability development

Based on the post-independence industrialization experience of Algeria, this paper explores the need for and the challenges and prospects of shifts of policies and strategies from central planning to decentralization and liberalization; from a heavy industry-dominated scenario to one dominated by SMEs; and from reliance on technology transfer to the development of a culture of innovation and technological learning. The paper highlights the business incubation system as an aspect of the triple helix model of innovation in which universities, industry, government and non-government organizations feature as principal actors in the national innovation system. The paper notes the need for both technology transfer and the development of the triple helix culture in developing countries. It also underlines the need for policy in developing countries to ensure that the former played only a residual role, while the latter took the lead in providing for the development of a culture of innovation. The culture of bureaucracy and institutional fragmentation has been a major factor militating against initiatives for technological capability development; and the conventional technology transfer practice has reinforced this culture. A major policy initiative is needed in developing countries to put the national system of innovation in place and remove the constraints on the development of the triple helix culture.

The triple helix strategy for universities in developing countries: The experiences in Malaysia and Algeria

This article addresses issues relating to the policy shift in developing countries aimed at making universities increasingly relevant to the socio-economic milieu by promoting the ‘triple helix culture’ as a sustainable basis for innovation and technological progress. The role of universities in creating, disseminating and sharing knowledge is highlighted. Using the experiences of Malaysia and Algeria, the article explores evidence to show the extent to which the triple helix system of relationships between university, industry and government could be expected to enhance the relevance of universities to developing countries as active agents of innovation and sustainable development. Copyright , Beech Tree Publishing.

Introduction to special issue: the emerging role of universities in socio-economic development through knowledge networking

This special issue explores the operationalization of the triple helix system in developing countries by examining the university-industry relationship and its implications for national and regional innovation systems. The five papers in this issue attempt to set in perspective the role of universities in capacity building in four developing countries (India, Mexico, Chile and Thailand). The papers are based on in-depth case studies drawing on system theories such as the national and regional systems of innovation, national innovative capacity, and the triple helix system. They draw useful lessons of policy import for university managers and higher education policy-makers, local government officials and regional industry associations. They also underline the importance of policy initiatives for networking and collaboration between industry, university and government agencies. The key factors that would need to be taken into account by policy-makers and university authorities in order to ensure continuing, effective, working relationships with industry are also highlighted. Copyright , Beech Tree Publishing.

The Role of Triple Helix for promoting social capital, industrial technology and innovation in the SME Sector in Thailand

This article aims to look into the Triple Helix system as a basis for promoting social capital formation, innovation and exchange of best practice. It argues that the process of industrial innovation will be limited where there is little or no scope for institutional development, networking and social capital development. The article also seeks to evaluate the performance of policy in Thailand, in terms of influencing the major actors of the Triple Helix to work together and contribute towards the development of the culture of networking, collaboration and sharing of best industrial practices using the case of a traditional but potentially creative industry—the Thai dessert industry.

Knowledge exchange and the third mission of universities: Introduction: the triple helix and the third mission – Schumpeter revisited

Joseph Schumpeter (1883–1950) is well known as an economist, among other things, for his seminal contribution explaining long-term economic growth in terms of innovation and technological progress. He identified innovation at the heart of upswings in the so-called ‘Kondratiev waves’ that profile socioeconomic development trends over long periods. He saw innovation as a dynamic process of ‘creative destruction’ in which new orders arise with the obliteration of the old. This process he attributed to the entrepreneur – the innovator who, in the Schumpeterian paradigm, would in effect count as a history maker. For all its significance as a landmark in the literature of innovation and economic development, Schumpeter’s contribution falls short of providing a theory of innovation. However, he has left behind a long-standing tradition of innovation studies to grapple with this shortfall. The quest continues in the form of innovation systems and evolutionary theory, in which the Triple Helix features as a strand.Joseph Schumpeter (1883–1950) is well known as an economist, among other things, for his seminal contribution explaining long-term economic growth in terms of innovation and technological progress. He identified innovation at the heart of upswings in the so-called ‘Kondratiev waves’ that profile socioeconomic development trends over long periods. He saw innovation as a dynamic process of ‘creative destruction’ in which new orders arise with the obliteration of the old. This process he attributed to the entrepreneur – the innovator who, in the Schumpeterian paradigm, would in effect count as a history maker. For all its significance as a landmark in the literature of innovation and economic development, Schumpeter’s contribution falls short of providing a theory of innovation. However, he has left behind a long-standing tradition of innovation studies to grapple with this shortfall. The quest continues in the form of innovation systems and evolutionary theory, in which the Triple Helix features as a strand. There is a Schumpeterian antecedent to the theme of this special issue, which portrays entrepreneurial universities as the powerhouse of innovation. The issue comprises contributions selected from the proceedings of the 7th Triple Helix International Conference on the relationship between universities, industry and government. The conference, hosted by the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow on 17–19 June 2009, focused on ‘The role of the Triple Helix in the global agenda for innovation, competitiveness and sustainable development’ and addressed the evolving role of universities as centres of knowledge production through teaching and research. How, for example, are universities positioned in relation to industry and government to impact on the economy, society and the environment and to address the contemporary global challenges of poverty, unemployment, environmental degradation and climate change? In other words, to what extent have universities managed to shed their long-standing ‘ivory tower’ image and engage in the pursuit of the Third Mission? Universities in many countries have come a long way from their traditional ivory tower stance to assume an increasingly dynamic entrepreneurial role by strategically connecting to key players in the wider economy. This development has led to the emergence of two interdependent concepts – the Triple Helix and the Third Mission. Together, these concepts define the role universities are expected to play in the process of innovation and sustainable development. Governments would, as a matter of policy, like to ensure by means of funding mechanisms that universities are positively

Triple helix in developing countries - issues and challenges

This special issue discusses the issues and challenges of triple helix in developing countries.

A Triple Helix Strategy for Promoting SME Development The Case of a Dried Banana Community Enterprise in Thailand

This paper examines the university–industry–government relationship as a mechanism for enhancing the efficiency and competitiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The case of a community enterprise producing dried banana products in the north of Thailand is used to demonstrate the significance of the Triple Helix model for business and technology development in SMEs. Government initiatives designed to promote innovation leading to price and quality competitiveness of the products of SMEs and community enterprises are explored and their effectiveness is discussed. In developing countries, where there are weak links and limited interactions between the institutional sectors of government, academia and industry, intermediaries play a crucial role in building networks to facilitate the transfer and exchange of knowledge. Effective network links would enable SMEs to have access to various sources of financial, knowledge, technology and market support. In Thailand, the Industrial Technology Assistance Programme (ITAP) plays an important intermediary role in identifying the needs of SMEs, accessing relevant knowledge and technology from universities and other sources of knowledge, and matching the demand of SMEs for knowledge/technology with the supply available from universities and research and development laboratories. The experience of the dried banana community enterprise discussed in this paper gives credence to the view that SMEs in developing countries such as Thailand would benefit significantly from technology policy based on the Triple Helix model and the proactive role of intermediary agencies such as ITAP.

Technological learning, efficiency and environmental performance in developing countries: survey of the Ethiopian experience

Technological learning is crucial for mitigating the environmental impact of production through efficiency drives. Its occurrence is, however, constrained by weak management and policy regimes that inhibit competition, capacity building and investment flows. Analysis of technical efficiency trends in the Ethiopian manufacturing industry, conducted using efficiency models developed by the authors, shows scant evidence of technological learning, and confirms the hypothesis that industrialisation in developing countries correlates positively with environmental neglect. The results also suggest that there is significant scope for improving the technical efficiency of production and, hence, the environmental performance of industry through technological learning. The implications of the findings for industrialisation strategies and for the sustainability of the built environment are discussed. The fact that control policies aimed at mitigating the environmental impact of production are rarely implemented effectively in developing countries heightens the case for technological learning as a strategy for improving the environmental performance of industrial production in these countries.