Not the full picture: rethinking innovation measurement in South Africa

A key challenge for researchers and policymakers in South Africa is to find suitable ways to capture and measure innovation activities, including in the informal sector. A policy seminar held in Sweetwaters, a semi-rural area in KwaZulu-Natal on 27 March 2019, highlighted the complexity of responding to this challenge.

Authors

Publication Details

Journal
Human Science Research Council SA
Published
2026-05-23
DOI
https://doi.org/10.14749/32379558
Primary Topic
Innovation and Socioeconomic Development
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00
Controls
|||
ALL TIME
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
article

Not the full picture: rethinking innovation measurement in South Africa

Human Sciences Research Council
Human Science Research Council SA
Innovation and Socioeconomic Development
article

Not the full picture: rethinking innovation measurement in South Africa

Human Sciences Research Council
article en

Abstract

A key challenge for researchers and policymakers in South Africa is to find suitable ways to capture and measure innovation activities, including in the informal sector. A policy seminar held in Sweetwaters, a semi-rural area in KwaZulu-Natal on 27 March 2019, highlighted the complexity of responding to this challenge.

Human Science Research Council SA
Industry, innovation and infrastructure
Openalex Percentile: Top 4%
Innovation and Socioeconomic Development
DOIOpen Access PDFOpenAlex
AI Navigator

Ask Laika to Summarize, Analyze, and Connect papers live on the map.

Summarize Papers & Methodologies

Extract key findings, datasets, and comparative methods across publications.

Benchmark Rankings & Visual Analytics

Rank top research institutions, authors, funders, topics, and journals by Field-Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI) and paper volume with instant charts.

Connect Distant Disciplines

Bridge topological clusters on the map to find hidden collaborative intersections.

Not the full picture: rethinking innovation measurement in South Africa — Human Sciences Research Council · Human Science Research Council SA (2026) | TGRS Research Map | TGRS