Global excellence at the expense of local diffusion, or a bridge between two worlds? Research in science and technology in the developing world

• Published in: Research policy Vol. 41; no. 4; pp. 756 - 769
• Main Authors: Barnard, H., Cowan, R., Müller, M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01.05.2012; Elsevier Sequoia S.A
• Subjects: Academic profession; Collaboration; Communities; Conduits; Developing countries; Developing country; Diffusion; Economic policy; Foundations; Innovation; Knowledge; Knowledge transfer; LDCs; Research programmes; Science and technology; South Africa; Studies; Tradeoffs; University research; Upgrading; South Africa; Research; Upgrading; Collaboration; Developing country; Science and technology
• ISSN: 0048-7333; 1873-7625
• DOI: 10.1016/j.respol.2011.12.002

Do world-leading researchers from developing countries contribute to upgrading locally, or do they disengage from the local context? The paper investigates the scientific collaborations of university-based science and technology researchers in the database of the South African National Research Foundation (NRF), and analyses the co-authorships of researchers who were ranked by the NRF during the 2001–2007 period. To establish the extent to which a researcher can access knowledge outside the South African academic science and technology research community, and share it inside that community, we develop a measure of ‘gatekeeping’. The evidence suggests that there is not a local/global trade-off in knowledge creation in academia in the developing world, and that the world-leading researchers in developing countries may play an especially important role as conduits of new knowledge in their country.