Browsing by Author "Jjagwe, Ronald"

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    Contribution of R&D grants and investment to the commercialization of innovations in Uganda: Lessons from UNCST a science granting council
    (Informa UK Limited, 2024-11-09) Jjagwe, Ronald; Kirabira, John Baptist; Mukasa, Norbert
    The Government of Uganda (GoU) has prioritized Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI) in its pursuit of a knowledge-based economy. While scholars have identified a positive association between innovation investment and performance, the role of R&D grants and investment in the commercialization of innovations and their influence on innovation performance require further clarification. The objective of this study is to examine the contribution of R&D funding and investment to the commercialization of innovations in Uganda. A qualitative research method was employed using case study and interview approaches. This method involves gathering various types of evidence including document reviews, field visits, and interviews with key informants and focus groups. Data analysis was conducted by matching themes derived from document reviews, case studies, and interviews. The study findings highlight the need for GoU to prioritize institutional development, address structural problems to innovation input, promote talent flow, and rationally build regional knowledge value chains to improve innovation and commercialization efficiency. The Uganda National Council for Science and Technology (UNCST) must maintain momentum in gathering STI indicators to support the evidence-based formulation of effective STI policies. This study provides theoretical and policy-oriented insights by emphasizing the significance of R&D funding and investment in facilitating the commercialization of innovations in Uganda.
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    Innovation and Commercialization Characteristics of Techno-Business Firms in Uganda: An Overview of Firm Processes, Strategies, and Challenges
    (East African Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies, 2024) Jjagwe, Ronald; Kirabira, John Baptist; Mukasa, Norbert
    The role of techno-business firms in shaping the innovation and commercialization processes in Uganda has been the focus of extensive research and analysis. The objective of this study is to provide a comprehensive understanding of the contributions of techno-business firms to the innovation and commercialization landscape in Uganda. To accomplish this, qualitative and quantitative research methods were employed using interviews and observational approaches. These methods involve gathering evidence, including observations and interviews with techno-business entrepreneurs. By examining the various factors that influence the growth of these firms, such as their approaches to Research and Development (R&D), marketing, and partnerships, this study sheds light on the ways in which techno-business firms drive innovation and commercialization in Uganda. This study indicates that R&D and Intellectual Property (IP) protection are vital components of firms’ innovation and commercialization initiatives. The study underscores the importance of grants or subsidies as the primary financing mechanism for firm activities. The study highlights that product or innovation development depends on collaborative agreements, adjustments to current products, and internal idea generation. This study reveals innovation and commercialization disparities and proposes remedies to bridge these gaps. This ultimately fosters transformative growth by enhancing industrial production and strengthening the connections between techno-business firms and the industrial sector
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    The drivers and barriers influencing the commercialization of innovations at research and innovation institutions in Uganda: a systemic, infrastructural, and financial approach
    (Springer Berlin Heidelberg, 2024-10-22) Jjagwe, Ronald; Kirabira, John Baptist; Mukasa, Norbert; Amanya, Linda
    Research and innovation (R&I) institutions must commercialize their innovations to remain competitive in a knowledge-based economy. While R&I institutions in Uganda have the potential to drive socioeconomic development, a clear understanding of the commercialization pathway is lacking. This study aims to bridge this gap by analyzing the systemic, infrastructural, and financial factors that drive and hinder the commercialization of innovations at R&I institutions in Uganda. This study offers the first comprehensive examination of the systemic, infrastructural, and financial dimensions influencing innovation commercialization within Uganda's R&I ecosystem, presenting new empirical evidence on the prioritized barriers and drivers as perceived by key stakeholders. Employing a mixed-method approach, this study uniquely combines quantitative surveys with qualitative case studies and key informant interviews, enabling a nuanced understanding of the multifaceted drivers of and barriers to innovation commercialization in Uganda. The study employed the Delphi technique to identify consensus among key informants. The findings highlight the urgent barriers to address, including fragmented R&I ecosystems, inadequate support infrastructure, such as technology transfer offices, and significant gaps in innovation financing. These issues underscore the urgent need for targeted policy interventions. Based on our findings, we recommend the establishment of a national innovation fund, enhancement of public private partnerships for R&D infrastructure development, and formulation of a cohesive national policy framework to streamline commercialization processes at R&I institutions. This study provides policymakers with a data-driven foundation to craft targeted interventions aimed at removing the identified barriers, thereby catalyzing the commercialization of innovations in Uganda's R&I institutions.