[go: up one dir, main page]
More Web Proxy on the site http://driver.im/
IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/bla/sajeco/v83y2015i3p390-410.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Innovation in Africa: Why Institutions Matter

Author

Listed:
  • Stephen Oluwatobi
  • Uchenna Efobi
  • Isaiah Olurinola
  • Philip Alege
Abstract
Given the role that innovation plays as an engine for economic development, we examined the enabling factor of institutions in Africa. Particularly, attention was given to determining the equivalent effects of institutional development on innovation. A sample of 40 African countries over the period 1996-2012 was employed, and our baseline equation was estimated using the system generalised method of moments (SGMM) estimation technique. The empirical result reveals that government effectiveness and regulatory quality are two institutional measures that have the most equivalent impact on innovation. The extent of impact is an indication that institutions matter, especially when considering innovation in Africa. Therefore, to advance the rate of innovation in Africa, improving frameworks to drive regulations and enhance government effectiveness is a necessary instrument. Having these in place, Africa will be able to catch up with advanced economies.

Suggested Citation

  • Stephen Oluwatobi & Uchenna Efobi & Isaiah Olurinola & Philip Alege, 2015. "Innovation in Africa: Why Institutions Matter," South African Journal of Economics, Economic Society of South Africa, vol. 83(3), pages 390-410, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:sajeco:v:83:y:2015:i:3:p:390-410
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1111/saje.12071
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Murphy, James T., 2002. "Networks, Trust, and Innovation in Tanzania's Manufacturing Sector," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 30(4), pages 591-619, April.
    2. Asiedu, Elizabeth, 2002. "On the Determinants of Foreign Direct Investment to Developing Countries: Is Africa Different?," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 30(1), pages 107-119, January.
    3. Elizabeth Asiedu, 2006. "Foreign Direct Investment in Africa: The Role of Natural Resources, Market Size, Government Policy, Institutions and Political Instability," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(1), pages 63-77, January.
    4. Augustin Kwasi Fosu, 2013. "Institutions and African Economies: An Overview," Journal of African Economies, Centre for the Study of African Economies, vol. 22(4), pages 491-498, August.
    5. Simplice A Asongu, 2013. "Modeling the future of knowledge economy: evidence from SSA and MENA countries," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 33(1), pages 612-624.
    6. Asiedu, Elizabeth & Lien, Donald, 2011. "Democracy, foreign direct investment and natural resources," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 84(1), pages 99-111, May.
    7. Subhayu Bandyopadhyay & Todd Sandler & Javed Younas, 2014. "Foreign direct investment, aid, and terrorism," Oxford Economic Papers, Oxford University Press, vol. 66(1), pages 25-50, January.
    8. Agbemabiese, Lawrence & Nkomo, Jabavu & Sokona, Youba, 2012. "Enabling innovations in energy access: An African perspective," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 47(S1), pages 38-47.
    9. Blundell, Richard & Bond, Stephen, 1998. "Initial conditions and moment restrictions in dynamic panel data models," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 87(1), pages 115-143, August.
    10. Tsun Se Cheong & Yanrui Wu, 2013. "Globalization and Regional Inequality," Economics Discussion / Working Papers 13-10, The University of Western Australia, Department of Economics.
    11. Guan, Jiancheng & Chen, Kaihua, 2012. "Modeling the relative efficiency of national innovation systems," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 41(1), pages 102-115.
    12. Richard Blundell & Stephen Bond, 2000. "GMM Estimation with persistent panel data: an application to production functions," Econometric Reviews, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 19(3), pages 321-340.
    13. Malik, Tariq H., 2013. "National institutional differences and cross-border university–industry knowledge transfer," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 42(3), pages 776-787.
    14. Oyelaran-Oyeyinka, Banji & Gehl Sampath, Padmashree, 2006. "Rough Road to Market: Institutional Barriers to Innovations in Africa," MERIT Working Papers 2006-026, United Nations University - Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (MERIT).
    15. Zanakis, Stelios H. & Becerra-Fernandez, Irma, 2005. "Competitiveness of nations: A knowledge discovery examination," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 166(1), pages 185-211, October.
    16. Chong Ju Choi & Carla C. J. M. Millar & Caroline Y. L. Wong, 2005. "Knowledge and Competition," Palgrave Macmillan Books, in: Knowledge Entanglements, chapter 0, pages 97-117, Palgrave Macmillan.
    17. Abdullahi Ahmed & Enjiang Cheng & George Messinis, 2011. "The role of exports, FDI and imports in development: evidence from Sub-Saharan African countries," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 43(26), pages 3719-3731.
    18. Catrinescu, Natalia & Leon-Ledesma, Miguel & Piracha, Matloob & Quillin, Bryce, 2009. "Remittances, Institutions, and Economic Growth," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 37(1), pages 81-92, January.
    19. Michael Peters, 1995. "Decentralized Markets and Endogenous Institutions," Canadian Journal of Economics, Canadian Economics Association, vol. 28(2), pages 227-260, May.
    20. Tebaldi, Edinaldo & Mohan, Ramesh, 2008. "Institutions-Augmented Solow Model And Club Convergence," MPRA Paper 10386, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    21. Todtling, Franz & Trippl, Michaela, 2005. "One size fits all?: Towards a differentiated regional innovation policy approach," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 34(8), pages 1203-1219, October.
    22. Pattit, Jason M. & Raj, S.P. & Wilemon, David, 2012. "An institutional theory investigation of U.S. technology development trends since the mid-19th century," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 41(2), pages 306-318.
    23. Evans Stephen Osabuohien & Uchenna Rapuluchukwu Efobi, 2013. "Africa's Money in Africa," South African Journal of Economics, Economic Society of South Africa, vol. 81(2), pages 292-306, June.
    24. Barbosa, Natália & Faria, Ana Paula, 2011. "Innovation across Europe: How important are institutional differences?," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 40(9), pages 1157-1169.
    25. Prashanth Mahagaonkar, 2008. "Corruption and Innovation: A Grease or Sand relationship?," Jena Economics Research Papers 2008-017, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena.
    26. Luca Anderlini & Leonardo Felli & Giovanni Immordino & Alessandro Riboni, 2013. "Legal Institutions, Innovation, And Growth," International Economic Review, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association, vol. 54, pages 937-956, August.
    27. Blind, Knut, 2012. "The influence of regulations on innovation: A quantitative assessment for OECD countries," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 41(2), pages 391-400.
    28. Paul M. Romer, 1994. "The Origins of Endogenous Growth," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 8(1), pages 3-22, Winter.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Simplice Asongu & Enowbi Batuo & Vanessa Tchamyou, 2015. "Bundling Governance: Finance versus Institutions in Private Investment Promotion," Working Papers of the African Governance and Development Institute. 15/051, African Governance and Development Institute..
    2. Simplice A. Asongu & Joseph Nnanna & Vanessa S. Tchamyou, 2020. "Finance, Institutions and Private Investment in Africa," Working Papers of the African Governance and Development Institute. 20/080, African Governance and Development Institute..
    3. Cong Minh Huynh & Vu Hong Thai Nguyen & Hoang Bao Nguyen & Phuc Canh Nguyen, 2020. "One-way effect or multiple-way causality: foreign direct investment, institutional quality and shadow economy?," International Economics and Economic Policy, Springer, vol. 17(1), pages 219-239, February.
    4. Alam, Ashraful & Uddin, Moshfique & Yazdifar, Hassan, 2019. "Institutional determinants of R&D investment: Evidence from emerging markets," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 138(C), pages 34-44.
    5. Ibukun Beecroft & Evans S. Osabuohien & Uchenna R. Efobi & Isaiah Olurinola & Romanus A. Osabohien, 2019. "Manufacturing Export and ICT Infrastructure in West Africa: Investigating the Roles of Economic and Political Institutions," Working Papers 19/098, European Xtramile Centre of African Studies (EXCAS).
    6. Federico Carril-Caccia & Juliette Milgram-Baleix & Jordi Paniagua, 2019. "Foreign Direct Investment in oil-abundant countries: The role of institutions," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 14(4), pages 1-23, April.
    7. Ludovic Feulefack Kemmanang & Jonas Juleo Dongmo Zamké, 2022. "Does the quality of institutions matter for foreign investment concentration in Africa? Understanding the controversial role of international aid," Review of Development Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 26(1), pages 354-374, February.
    8. Simplice Asongu & Christian Nguena, 2014. "Equitable and Sustainable Development of Foreign Land Acquisitions: Lessons, Policies and Implications," Working Papers of the African Governance and Development Institute. 14/038, African Governance and Development Institute..
    9. Asamoah, Michael Effah & Adjasi, Charles K.D. & Alhassan, Abdul Latif, 2016. "Macroeconomic uncertainty, foreign direct investment and institutional quality: Evidence from Sub-Saharan Africa," Economic Systems, Elsevier, vol. 40(4), pages 612-621.
    10. S K Gnangnon, 2022. "Effect of the Utilisation of Unilateral Trade? Preferences on Foreign Direct Investment Flows to Beneficiary Countries," Economic Issues Journal Articles, Economic Issues, vol. 27(1), pages 39-73, March.
    11. Simplice A. Asongu & Vanessa S. Tchamyou, 2015. "The Impact of Entrepreneurship on Knowledge Economy in Africa," Research Africa Network Working Papers 15/044, Research Africa Network (RAN).
    12. Asongu, Simplice & Nguena, Christian, 2014. "Equitable and Sustainable Development of Foreign Land Acquisitions: what have we learnt on policy syndromes and implications?," MPRA Paper 56808, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    13. Akhtaruzzaman, M. & Berg, Nathan & Hajzler, Christopher, 2017. "Expropriation risk and FDI in developing countries: Does return of capital dominate return on capital?," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 49(C), pages 84-107.
    14. Mehmet Pinar & Thanasis Stengos, 2021. "Democracy in the neighborhood and foreign direct investment," Review of Development Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 25(1), pages 449-477, February.
    15. Sèna Kimm Gnangnon, 2022. "Aid for Trade, export product diversification, and foreign direct investment," Review of Development Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 26(1), pages 534-561, February.
    16. Caroline T Witte & Martijn J Burger & Elena I Ianchovichina & Enrico Pennings, 2017. "Dodging bullets: The heterogeneous effect of political violence on greenfield FDI," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 48(7), pages 862-892, September.
    17. Gnangnon, Sèna Kimm, 2019. "Trade Policy Space and Foreign Direct Investment Inflows," EconStor Preprints 196149, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics.
    18. Simplice A. Asongu, 2017. "The Comparative Economics of Knowledge Economy in Africa: Policy Benchmarks, Syndromes, and Implications," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 8(2), pages 596-637, June.
    19. Tag, Mehmet Nasih, 2021. "Judicial institutions of property rights protection and foreign direct investment inflows," International Review of Law and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 65(C).
    20. Caroline Witte & Martijn Burger & Elena Ianchovichina & Enrico Pennings, 2014. "Political Violence and Greenfield Foreign Direct Investment in Natural Resources," Working Papers 2014/23, Maastricht School of Management.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:bla:sajeco:v:83:y:2015:i:3:p:390-410. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Wiley Content Delivery (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/essaaea.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.