South African innovation survey 2008: highlights

Innovation is receiving increasing attention in the development debate. The ability to introduce new technologies and organisational innovations is now seen in developing economies as a crucial element in the process of industrialisation and modernisation. It is through innovation that new products are introduced to the market, new production processes are developed and introduced, and organisational changes are made. The survey measures the innovation rate (i.e. the proportion of enterprises with innovation activities); the nature of innovation activities that enterprises undertake; the expenditure they incur on those activities; and the value they derive from new innovations. The survey also provides useful insights on perceptions of enterprises regarding the factors promoting or hampering innovation, sources of information and ideas for innovation as well as government funding support for innovation in the business sector, amongst others. National Innovation Surveys of the business sector are currently the main statistical instruments for measuring the level of innovation activity in countries. The survey results provide a basis for the better understanding of innovation processes and insights into the effects of innovation on the economy.