The Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC), on behalf of the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation, is calling on South African businesses to participate in two of its business innovation surveys, starting on 5 June 2025, across all nine provinces.
The South African Business Innovation Survey (BIS) and the Agricultural Business Innovation Survey (AgriBIS) will gather crucial data on how firms in the industry, services, and agriculture sectors are innovating.
“In a dynamic and challenging economic landscape, with rising input costs, funding constraints, and shifts in global trade dynamics, understanding how, why, and when businesses do not innovate is ever more vital.
“The data intends to support evidence-based policymaking and at the same time allow businesses to benchmark their innovation activity and outputs relative to their industry,” a statement issued by the council said.
According to the Executive Head of the HSRC’s Centre for Science, Technology and Innovation Indicators (CeSTII), Dr Glenda Kruss, South Africa has not made significant progress in transforming the structure of its economy to sustainably generate higher incomes and wealth for all.
“Economists propose the need for building dynamic sectoral clusters, which can link skills development, build technological capabilities such as design, testing, and prototyping, and support firms to pool resources, create economies of scale, and develop markets.
“Understanding South African firms’ innovation and technological capabilities provides critical data to inform collective action, towards public and private investment that can promote our own dynamic sectoral clusters,” said Kruss.
Businesses will be contacted to find out information about what innovations took place during the period 2022–2024, how innovations occur at the firm level, and what can be done to enhance innovation and production capabilities.
Department of Science, Technology and Innovation’s Chief Director for Science and Technology Investments, Kgomotso Matjila, leads the department’s team responsible for commissioning the surveys.
“To grow an inclusive economy in South Africa, that is also productive and competitive, we need to design and provide the right kinds of support to incentivise and stimulate innovation investments by firms. For this, our national innovation surveys are an essential source of evidence,” said Matjila.
Fieldwork for both surveys will be conducted by HSRC’s partner, Sigma Kairos Research and Consulting.
Their fieldworkers will contact business leaders and managers to complete the surveys online or via telephone interview.
The HSRC extends its sincere thanks in advance to the South African business community, as we all work together to expand innovative solutions to drive structural change and shape the future of South Africa’s economy. – SAnews.gov.za
