Utilisation of research in South Africa's research institutes

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT:The overarching aim of this study is to analyse what researchers in South Africanhigher education institutes and science councils mean by the term 'utilisation'. Inspecific terms, this aim is interpreted as determining what researchers mean whenthey indicate that their research findings are being utilised. The data used to conductthis analysis is taken from a national survey conducted to establish the extent to whichresearch findings in South Africa are utilised. The Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies -now called the Centre for Research on Science and Technology - conducted the surveyfor the National Advisory Committee on Innovation (NACI). This study for NACIinvolved a questionnaire survey of research being conducted with universities,technikons and science councils, and a telephone survey of a sample of research anddevelopment managers in 116 companies. As a researcher in the Centre, I played anactive role in this two-fold survey component of the research process. Besides codingthe questionnaire for the NACI survey, for the purposes of my study I did additionalcoding of the questionnaire data. This involved coding 1052 responses to an openendedquestion using a software package. After exporting this data to Microsoft Excel,I further coded the data into one of three categories: Mode 1, Mode 2 and acombination of Mode 1 and Mode 2. This 'new variable' created, formed part of thequantitative analysis since it was correlated with the following variables: the 'trigger'or 'driver' behind the research; the expected outcome of the project or study; thescientific field of the project; the project's or the study's science culture; the source offunding of the study, the modes of dissemination of the results and the intendedbeneficiary(ies) of the research.Results of the qualitative analyses reveal a profile for projects exhibiting features ofMode 1, Mode 2 or a combination of Mode 1 and Mode 2 knowledge utilisation. WithMode 1 we see that research was likely to be utilised within the discipline, wasconducted for the benefit of the researcher's peers and it expanded on existingknowledge - all indicating that Mode 1 knowledge utilisation is predominantlyassociated with fundamental research. With Mode 2 we see that research wasproduced primarily for its use value and included the user's interests - indicating thatMode 2 knowledge utilisation is predominantly applied, commissioned and/or strategic.Projects that exhibited both features of Mode 1 and Mode 2 were both indicative offundamental and applied research. Besides the quantitative analyses also showing thesame result mentioned above, it was also discovered that the majority of the projectsexhibited features of Mode 2, with one third of the projects exhibiting features of Mode1 and a small proportion of projects as comprising both modes of utilisation. This wasa very interesting finding because it is no longer just speculation that a shift isoccurring to more applied, strategic research. The analysis revealed that this shift is areality. The correlations of mode of utility with the seven other variables produced arange of results that expanded on the features of Mode 1 and Mode 2 type ofknowledge production and verified that each mode had qualities unique to itself.My recommendations to researchers in South African research institutes concernsconducting the type of research which will be more relevant to the needs of SouthAfrican society at large. To funding bodies and programmes of South Africa, thesuggestion is to become more informed about the dissemination and intendedutilisation strategies that they fund.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University