Unpacking the Role of Industry Associations in Diffusion and Governance of Health Innovations in Developing Countries

Investigators

Theo Papaioannou, The Open University (Principal Investigator)
Dinar Kale, The Open University
Julius Mugwagwa, The Open University
Andrew Watkins, The Open University

Funding

Funding is gratefully acknowledged from The Leverhulme Trust. All content on this page is the sole responsibility of the project investigators.

Grant period: 1 October 2013-30 September 2015

Summary

This project tries to get inside the black box of innovation and politics, researching whether and in what ways biopharmaceutical associations in developing countries promote technological capabilities and effective governance of health innovation. The overarching aim is to produce a theoretically embedded, empirically-grounded, and policy relevant analysis of the role of biopharmaceutical associations in knowledge diffusion and governance. Social scientific research has a gap in understanding this role in developing countries. The activities of biopharmaceutical associations are a persistent blind spot. In this research project, the focus is on India and South Africa.

The main objectives are:

• To advance understanding of the under-researched role of pharmaceutical industry associations in diffusion and governance of technological innovation and knowledge.
• To make a detailed investigation of the practical impact of this role on health delivery in developing countries.
• To compare the distinct innovation and governance capabilities of industry associations in emerging biopharmaceutical powers.
• To provide high quality academic and policy outputs.

Publications 

Watkins, Andrew; Papaioannou, Theo; Mugwagwa, Julius; and Kale, Dinar (2015). National innovation systems and the intermediary role of industry associations in building institutional capacities for innovation in developing countries: a critical review of the literature. Research Policy, 44(8), pp. 1407–1418.
 
Papaioannou, Theo; Watkins, Andrew; Kale, Dinar; and Mugwagwa, Julius (2015). Industry associations, health innovation systems and politics of development: the cases of India and South Africa. Business and Politics, 17(2), pp. 253–289.
 
Papaioannou, T; Watkins, A; Mugwagwa, J; and Kale, D (2015) ‘Industry Associations and the Changing Politics of Making Medicines in South Africa’ in M Mackintosh, G Banda, W Wamae and P Tibandebage (eds) Making Medicines in Africa, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
 
Papaioannou, Theo; Watkins, Andrew; Mugwagwa, Julius; and Kale, Dinar (accepted). To lobby or to partner? Explaining the shifting political strategies of biopharmaceutical industry associations in South Africa and India. World Development (in press).

Policy Briefs

Papaioannou, T; Watkins, A; Mugwagwa, J; Kale, D (2014) ‘The Changing Role of South African Bio-pharma Industry Associations and Implications for Development of Healthcare Innovation Capacities’, Innogen policy briefing.
 
Papaioannou, T; Watkins, A; Kale, D; Mugwagwa, J (2014) ‘The Role and Potential of Indian Bio-pharma Industry Associations in Strengthening of Healthcare Innovation Capacities’, Innogen policy briefing.

Conference Presentations

Kale, D; Watkins, A; Mugwagwa, J; and Papaioannou, T (2015) ‘Why Industry Associations Matter in Development of Healthcare Industries in Emerging Countries? Evidence from Indian Biotechnology and Medical Device Industries’ 13th International Globelics Conference, Havana, Cuba 23-25 September.
 
Kale, D; Mugwagwa, J; Papaioannou, T; and Watkins, A (2015) ‘Why Industry Associations Matter? Evidence from Indian Healthcare Industries’ Atlanta Conference on Science and Innovation Policy, Atlanta, USA 17-19 September.   
 
Papaioannou, T; Watkins, A; Mugwagwa, J; and Kale, D (2014) ‘To Lobby or to Partner? Explaining the Shifting Political Strategies of Biopharmaceutical Industry Associations in South Africa and India’ The Development Studies Association (DSA) Annual Conference, London 1 November.
 
Papaioannou, T; Kale, D; Mugwagwa, J; and Watkins, A (2014) ‘The Role of Industry Associations in Health Innovation and Politics of Development: the Cases of South Africa and India’ 15th International Schumpeter Society Conference: Foundations of Economic Change – Behaviour, Interaction and Aggregate Outcomes. Jena, Germany 27-30 July.
 
Watkins, A; Papaioannou, T; Kale, D; and Mugwagwa, J (2014) ‘National Innovation Systems, Developing Countries, and the Role of Intermediaries: A Critical Review of Literature’ 15th International Schumpeter Society Conference: Foundations of Economic Change – Behaviour, Interaction and Aggregate Outcomes. Jena, Germany 27-30 July.

Contact

Dr Theo Papaioannou.