The Innovation Challenge

Davos Newbies comments on a FT article about innovation in the Arab world:

A number of Arab countries are now pouring vast sums into research facilities. That’s all to the good, but without a deep-rooted culture of open, inquiring minds there is a danger that these countries will end up with magnificent complexes of buildings, a number of highly paid imported minds, and little else to show.

Food for thought for those in SSA that complain only about the lack of investment in research. All to often we do not recognize innovation when it stares us in the face. We complacently assuage ourselves with empty white elephant edifices that are are not self sustaining.