The book explores the challenges faced by contemporary science, highlighting the pressures of high expectations, resource limitations, and the balance between competition and collaboration. It delves into the concept of 'research excellence,' which significantly influences the decisions of universities and funding bodies, shaping scientists' research approaches and career paths. As these dynamics evolve, the perception and execution of scientific work are undergoing significant transformation.
This book describes Africa’s position within the current industrial global setting and analyses the recent performance of African manufacturing relative to that of other developing regions. It stresses the rapidly changing technological challenges faced by African economies and Africa’s poor response to the threats posed by other developing regions such as East Asia. This analysis is based on the examination of a set of drivers of competitiveness related to technology, skills and foreign direct investment. With some exceptions for the two outliers (South Africa and Mauritius), African scores in all these indicators are far behind the international dynamics. The observation of these drivers suggests that the basic problem of African industry lies not in the investment climate (which can certainly be improved) or in gaining market access to rich countries but in the low level of its industrial capabilities. It concludes with a set of policy options, enhancing the role of the international community and the need to improve the effectiveness of African ‘national learning systems’. This book points out the urgency of reconsidering current African industrial strategy and evolving a new strategy focused on building capabilities.