| Abstract: |
The intensity of research and development (R&D) that is necessary to
accelerate innovation leading to economic growth is nuanced by industry needs
and the interplay of variables during pre-R&D, conduct of R&D, technology
transfer and commercialization, and the readiness of end-users. The
Philippines is behind comparator countries in terms of both public and private
investments in R&D. In the public R&D sphere, there are myriad wicked problems
that need to be solved to spur R&D investments: low budgets, complex
procurement rules, missing markets that hamper technology transfer, lack of
human resource complement, and lack of clear and coherent vision on how to
harness innovation to improve productivity. We recommend focusing on the
low-hanging fruits. There should be an articulated vision on what type of
innovation to focus on, complemented by policies to reform or relax
bottlenecks regarding budgetary and procurement processes. Government should
promote an R&D culture that prioritizes efficient and responsible data
sharing, provide clear rationale on the roles, scope, and limitations of
existing and proposed research centers, and harness digitalization to
streamline processes and to enhance synergies among the government, firms,
individuals, and research institutions. |