REDESIST -

RISSI Planning Workshop

The Institute for Economic Research on Innovation (IERI) of the Tshwane University of Technology convened and hosted in the city of Tshwane, South Africa, from March 28 to 29, 2012, a planning meeting for the RISSI Project. 
     
It brought together representatives of the research network from Brazil, South Africa, India and China, as well as researchers from the Uruguay, Mozambique, Namibia and Thailand that joined the RISSI research network. The idea was to discuss the following issues:

§  The methodological framework to carry out case studies in RISSI
§   Project
§  Selection of the case studies 
§  The eighteen-month project agenda – planning & sharing responsibilities
§  The composition of national research teams 
§  Organizational matters

The workshop discussed the methodological framework, taking as a starting point the Local Innovation and Production System (LIPS) approach.  The debates focused on how to use (and adapt) LIPS methodology to analyse productive and innovative systems with high levels of informality. The methodological outline resulting from the South African meeting will be systematized later and used by the RISSI Project to carry out case studies on local experiences of innovation for inclusive development. The referred case studies intend to gather empirical evidence to subsidize policy recommendations in the area. 

In addition, the workshop discussed the priority areas in which the case studies will be developed. The case studies will address local innovation systems essential to improving livelihoods and that have (or may have) an effective impact on social inclusion. The criteria for the case studies selection will take into account among other aspects the protagonist role of the women.  The research team have already proposed some specific case studies, which will be revised and jointly selected by the RISSI research group. 

Finally, the workshop examined in detail the RISSI research project and agenda for the eighteen-month project period, as well as organizational matters, including the set up of a coordination committee, the sharing of responsibilities, among other relevant issues. Workshop program and presentations are available to download.