A SYSTEMS APPROACH TO MANAGING R&D IN THE ROAD INFRASTRUCTURE SECTOR IN SOUTH AFRICA

Abstract

The importance of science and technology in South Africa in the next decade has \nbeen emphasised in the National R&D strategy, and a target expenditure of one \nper cent of GDP on R&D has been set. Research programmes in transport in the \n1990s did not yield the expected outcomes and impact due to severe \nfragmentation of the programmes and subsequent diminished funding and \noutput. Road authorities and the private sector expressed a need for the \nimprovement of the associated management processes. International work in \ntechnology management has focused mainly on linear models of managing the \ndevelopment of hard products for the consumer market. These models are not \nsuitable for the road building industry where the majority of the R&D programmes \nare aimed at the development of new knowledge, engineering methodology and \nassociated engineering solutions. In addition, the R&D process is complex with \nmany elements and interactions, and thus a simple linear management model is \nunlikely to yield the desired results. This thesis is aimed at the development of a \nsystems-based R&D management model and tools for road engineering and \nshows that their implementation has a significant impact on R&D outputs. \nThis study evaluated international best practice as well as the success and \nfailure factors of six local R&D programmes. A developmental research approach \nwas used to identify the problem, develop a solution and test the solution in a \nnumber of R&D programmes. The model is based on a systems approach, \ntaking aspects of cybernetics and complexity theory into consideration and is \nradically different from the linear approaches usually followed in the management \nof the development of consumer products. A set of analysis tools supporting the \nstrategic model was developed. These include a strategic needs determination \nprocess, the technology tree tool and a research effectiveness measurement \nsystem. The new conceptual model and the associated analysis tools were \nimplemented in four significant research programmes in the public sector, private \nsector and research organisations. The emphasis was on managing the synergy \nbetween the programmes in a holistic approach, thus enhancing the outcome \nand impact of the programmes. It is shown that the implementation of the \nmodels and tools had a significant effect on the R&D output from these research \nprogrammes. Finally, two protocols for the use of the model and tools were \ndeveloped and their use in the Labour-Intensive Construction field demonstrated.

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