4. NATIONAL INNOVATION SYSTEM
4.7 COMPONENTS OF NATIONAL SYSTEM OF INNOVATION AND THEORIES This section reviews literature on the identified components of the NSI and related theories within This section reviews literature on the identified components of the NSI and related theories within
4.7.5 NSI Performance Measurement and Evaluation (Item X)
This research shares a similar view with the SA DST Ministerial Review Committee (2012:83) that robust instruments for NSI performance measurement and evaluation are required for an effective management information system (MIS)/policy management information system (PMIS).
In this research context, a MIS/PMIS provides the people, policies, procedures, systems (manual or computer-based) to accomplish the basic tasks involved in policy objectives, work definitions, communication, scheduling, budgeting, baseline, monitoring/reporting, quantitative and qualitative analysis and corrective action (Thoms & Kerwin, 2004:1016).
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An MIS maybe viewed as the primary vehicle developed as part of the policy plan for integrating policy parameters with the strategic direction, as well as the infrastructure which provides a repository of information used to keep stakeholders informed about the policy progress (Jaafari, 2004:309; Cleland & Ireland 2007:297. Figure 4.7.5-1 is a sample MIS relevant in an NSI design.
Figure 4.7.5-1: Proposed management information system and information subsystem Source: Adapted from Cleland and Ireland (2007:297)
Furthermore, Figure 4.7.5-1 can be utilised in assessing policy and programmes impacts, alongside other effects such as scientific progress, economic and policy impacts (Harayama & Nitta, 2011:13). Although the series of R&D, innovation surveys and policy recommendations by the White Paper on S&T (2006) have been implemented, the MIS/PMIS requirements of the NSI nevertheless, remain poorly served (SA Ministerial Review Committee, 2012:83). In South Africa, there are many databases, but little information in the public domain, resulting in a lack of coordination of S&T information and indicators, as well as the inevitable duplication and gaps.
This research proposes some categories of MIS, which can be used as a source of information for the South African NSI, indicated in Table 4.7.5-1. The argument is in the favour of the development of decision-support tools such as STI observatories for policy-making based on evidence-based information for strategic analysis. The SA DST Ministerial Review Committee
Control Subsystem- Establishing standards Corrective action
Human Subsystem- reconfiguration internal /external NSI stakeholders
Information Subsystem- computer based
software
Facilitative Organizational Subsystem-NSI based to matrix Cultural Subsystem-
manage and transform stakeholders norms,
values, attitudes Planning
Subsystem- development of
integrated reconfiguration
plans
Management NSI Information
Systems
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(2012:160) also proposes that tools can be used for designing and implementing effective SD policies and action plans, and for assessing the efficacy and impact of existing STI policies.
Table 4.7.5-1: Proposed categories of MIS as a source of information for the NSI
CATEGORIES OF PMIS AS A SOURCE OF INFORMATION
Organisational guidance or support information in the MIS could be:
- Policy manual.
- Policy management methodologies.
- Organisational policies for Policies.
- Organisational procedures for Policies.
- Organisational briefings on Policies capabilities and implementation.
Historical information in the MIS could be:
- Files from other Policies that contain performance data and best practices.
- Proposal, quotes, and bids on the Policies.
- Policies plans from prior Policies.
- Marketing presentation for the policy.
Old files from the current project that are no longer needed for the policy’s on-going work could contain:
- Old or suspended materials (Schedules, expenditures, briefings, plans).
- Records of former policy team participants.
- Closed out contracts or closed invoices.
- Inactive files for correspondence.
- Suspended policies, procedures, standards, and decision papers.
Current policy information in the MIS could be:
- Contracts for easy access by the project manager.
- Project charter.
- Specifications on the project products.
- Statement of work.
Drawings, schematics, and illustrations related to the project:
- Schedules.
- Budgets.
- Risks.
- Communication plans.
- Risk plans.
- Risk assessments.
- Policy correspondence.
- Policy internal policies and procedures.
- Approved vendor list.
- Names and addresses of key organisational people.
- Functional or operational plans prepared by the functional departments.
- Policy diary and Briefings.
- Standards.
- Time cards for policy team.
- Issue log and Action item log - Lessons learned.
Source: Cleland and Ireland (2007:303)
The development of decision-support tools presented in Table 4.7.5-1 requires close cooperation among the NSI actors. The DST has officially designated organisations such as the CeSTII to fulfil an observatory role, which constitutes a key infrastructural component within South Africa’s NSI.
South Africa has an estimated 14 000 remote and distributed sensing and measuring devices.
However, the data collection and storage methodologies used for the devices are in the main archaic and ineffective.
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In the proposed South African Office of Research and Innovation Policy (ORIP), soon-to-be- available decision-support tools such as the Research Information Management System (RIMS) will provide appropriate linkages and collaborative initiatives with other tools such as the Higher Education Management System (HEMIS) and NEXUS in the NRF. In South Africa, NACI collates existing information into the S&T Indicator series, but adds very little in the way of further analysis. This research is of the view that the NSI knowledge infrastructure will be improved by the RIMS, once fully implemented (Ministerial Review Committee, 2012:85-88). The RIMS will provide an integrated real-time information (capture data and produce reports on research inputs, outputs and processes) on South Africa’s current highly fragmented R&D activities of publicly- funded institutions (HEI and science councils) and provide specific indicators to monitor the overall performance of the part of the NSI (SA DST Ministerial Review Committee, 2012:88-89).
The HEMIS decision-support tool is the successor to the South African Post-Secondary Education (SAPSE) system. In conjunction with the Research Outputs Database (ROD), HEMIS is central to the relationship between the DHET and the HEIs, as the means for determining subsidy payments.
However, at present, the HEMIS is not resourced to provide such services and resources and has less than a handful of dedicated staff. Therefore, this research shares a similar view with SA Ministerial Review Committee (2012:83-161) that HEMIS and the ROD databases should be made available to policy analysts, academic, researchers and students to gather data and information.
The ability to rate research groups is another key dimension that is missing in the current South African NSI MIS/PMIS. The current global practice is to rank individual researchers, of which South Africa is one of few countries that undertakes the ranking. However, the rise of multidisciplinary and trans-disciplinary research adds to this research case for the development of a different system of appraisal that recognises the myriad forms of academic and research excellence. The Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf, 2010) has made much progress in setting up the DST-subsidised, free-online, fully-indexed electronic publication platform, SciELO- South Africa, designed to render a large part of the content of South Africa's scholarly journals visible worldwide in order to increase access to information infrastructure and enhance collaboration.
In South Africa, some decision-support tools such as the National Research and Education Networks (NRENs), the public-sector networks, South African National Research Network (SANReN) and the Tertiary Education and Research Network of South Africa (TENET) have been problematic since conception. For instance, even though increasingly addressing much of the
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national connectivity demands, SANReN has limited its usefulness because it does not have a fast link internationally. As a step in the right direction, the intelligent use of the NRENs can make a big difference in standardisation and common access to information.