Role of Patents in Promotion of Innovation: A Case Study of Research and Development Institutions in Botswana

Abstract

This study explores the use of the patent system by R&D institutions in Botswana as a vehicle to promote innovation amongst researchers. Utilisation of patent system in recent times has been identified as one of the key linchpins for economic development. In this study, research institutions in Botswana were used as a case study. The three institutions selected for this study had a total of 145 researchers and from this population 58 researchers were selected using purposive sampling technique. Both open ended and close ended questionnaire and document analysis were used as data collection instruments. A total of 38 responses were received from the respondents which formed the basis for analysis, interpretation and discussion. The study reveals that patenting in R&D institutions in Botswana is significantly low as validated by patent statistics obtained from the national IP office. Additionally, both innovation and IP awareness level are relatively low and some of the challenges that have been identified to be impeding delivery of research outputs include budgetary constraints, lack of skilled manpower, poor remuneration package and weak linkage between academia, government and the industry. Moreover, low IP awareness level and lack of institutional policy frameworks are further challenges pointing towards the root cause for lack of patenting and commercialisation of research outputs. The study recommends that government should play a leading role and devote more funding to research activities for the institutions to be more innovative. Linkages between academia, government and the industry should be expanded to ensure that research undertaken is pertinent to industrial needs. Awareness campaigns on IP in general should be intensified and the national IP office should be the driving force for these campaigns.