ABSTRACT
This chapter examines an important dimension of innovation system, which is the nature, structure and dynamics of collaborations among firms, and between firms and other organizations in three African countries: Nigeria, Kenya and Zimbabwe. It compares collaboration across these countries to map the pattern, if any, of existing networks. The chapter uses discriminant analysis to measure the impact of the various variables on performance indicators. Collaboration between firms and external agents is determined by a number of internal and external characteristics. Collaboration between systems actors is fundamentally a flow of information and knowledge exchange which may take several forms. The first entails inter-firm flows of knowledge and skills in a user-producer relationship, through the movement of skilled staff from one firm to another, sub-contracting, joint ventures, franchise, and supplier-customer relations. Second, there are firm-organizational interactions in which public agencies, such as technology development centres of different varieties across countries and public Research and Development laboratories, are the central actors.
