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The Role of University Academic Innovations in Agriculture and ICT to the Country’s Economic Transformation (A Case of Kapasa Makasa University)

Received: 7 November 2023     Accepted: 5 December 2023     Published: 7 March 2024
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Abstract

In the recent past, Zambia has seen an increase in the number of institutions of higher learning and Kapasa Makasa University is one such Institution. Kapasa Makasa University (KMU) being the only public university in Muchinga province has put research and innovation at the helm of its daily academic activities. As a result the institution has between 2019 and 2021 developed a number of innovations, which if fully exploited by the government and private sector can have the potential to contribute significantly to the economic transformation of the country. In trying to actualize the implementation of these innovations, Management engaged various stakeholders in the industry to determine whether or not they can help to commercialize these innovations. As its motto state “Learn to Innovate”, KMU has put so much emphasis on innovations in the areas of ICTs and Agriculture which if well enhanced can help to contribute significantly to the economic transformation of the nation. Against this background the current study seek to investigate the role of university academic innovations in to the country’s economic transformation. To this effect a descriptive survey was conducted on the university population involving members of academic staff and students to determine the evolving role of university academic innovations on the country’s economic transformation. The results established that lack of deliberate academic policies aimed at commercializing innovations, inadequate stakeholder’s engagement (government and private sector), and lack of proper communication of innovation successes across internal and external audiences as well as limited financial resources are the main factors that hinder the innovations in universities from contributing to the country’s economic transformation. Based on the findings the study recommends that there is need to create strong partnership between the university, government and the industry in order to further develop and commercialize the innovations in university. In addition, the university authorities need to create academic policies that are aimed at commercializing innovations as well as deriving a proper and well-coordinated mechanisms to communicate the innovations to both internal and external audiences. Finally the study also concludes that university management need to adequately fund innovations in the institutions if they are to make a positive impact to the economic transformation of the country.

Published in International Journal of Business and Economics Research (Volume 13, Issue 1)
DOI 10.11648/j.ijber.20241301.12
Page(s) 13-20
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Innovations, Economic Transformation, Collaboration, Funding, Universities

References
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  • APA Style

    Chimanga, K., Chaamwe, N. (2024). The Role of University Academic Innovations in Agriculture and ICT to the Country’s Economic Transformation (A Case of Kapasa Makasa University). International Journal of Business and Economics Research, 13(1), 13-20. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijber.20241301.12

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    ACS Style

    Chimanga, K.; Chaamwe, N. The Role of University Academic Innovations in Agriculture and ICT to the Country’s Economic Transformation (A Case of Kapasa Makasa University). Int. J. Bus. Econ. Res. 2024, 13(1), 13-20. doi: 10.11648/j.ijber.20241301.12

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    AMA Style

    Chimanga K, Chaamwe N. The Role of University Academic Innovations in Agriculture and ICT to the Country’s Economic Transformation (A Case of Kapasa Makasa University). Int J Bus Econ Res. 2024;13(1):13-20. doi: 10.11648/j.ijber.20241301.12

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  • @article{10.11648/j.ijber.20241301.12,
      author = {Kashale Chimanga and Nchimunya Chaamwe},
      title = {The Role of University Academic Innovations in Agriculture and ICT to the Country’s Economic Transformation (A Case of Kapasa Makasa University)},
      journal = {International Journal of Business and Economics Research},
      volume = {13},
      number = {1},
      pages = {13-20},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ijber.20241301.12},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijber.20241301.12},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijber.20241301.12},
      abstract = {In the recent past, Zambia has seen an increase in the number of institutions of higher learning and Kapasa Makasa University is one such Institution. Kapasa Makasa University (KMU) being the only public university in Muchinga province has put research and innovation at the helm of its daily academic activities. As a result the institution has between 2019 and 2021 developed a number of innovations, which if fully exploited by the government and private sector can have the potential to contribute significantly to the economic transformation of the country. In trying to actualize the implementation of these innovations, Management engaged various stakeholders in the industry to determine whether or not they can help to commercialize these innovations. As its motto state “Learn to Innovate”, KMU has put so much emphasis on innovations in the areas of ICTs and Agriculture which if well enhanced can help to contribute significantly to the economic transformation of the nation. Against this background the current study seek to investigate the role of university academic innovations in to the country’s economic transformation. To this effect a descriptive survey was conducted on the university population involving members of academic staff and students to determine the evolving role of university academic innovations on the country’s economic transformation. The results established that lack of deliberate academic policies aimed at commercializing innovations, inadequate stakeholder’s engagement (government and private sector), and lack of proper communication of innovation successes across internal and external audiences as well as limited financial resources are the main factors that hinder the innovations in universities from contributing to the country’s economic transformation. Based on the findings the study recommends that there is need to create strong partnership between the university, government and the industry in order to further develop and commercialize the innovations in university. In addition, the university authorities need to create academic policies that are aimed at commercializing innovations as well as deriving a proper and well-coordinated mechanisms to communicate the innovations to both internal and external audiences. Finally the study also concludes that university management need to adequately fund innovations in the institutions if they are to make a positive impact to the economic transformation of the country.
    },
     year = {2024}
    }
    

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  • TY  - JOUR
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    AU  - Kashale Chimanga
    AU  - Nchimunya Chaamwe
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    AB  - In the recent past, Zambia has seen an increase in the number of institutions of higher learning and Kapasa Makasa University is one such Institution. Kapasa Makasa University (KMU) being the only public university in Muchinga province has put research and innovation at the helm of its daily academic activities. As a result the institution has between 2019 and 2021 developed a number of innovations, which if fully exploited by the government and private sector can have the potential to contribute significantly to the economic transformation of the country. In trying to actualize the implementation of these innovations, Management engaged various stakeholders in the industry to determine whether or not they can help to commercialize these innovations. As its motto state “Learn to Innovate”, KMU has put so much emphasis on innovations in the areas of ICTs and Agriculture which if well enhanced can help to contribute significantly to the economic transformation of the nation. Against this background the current study seek to investigate the role of university academic innovations in to the country’s economic transformation. To this effect a descriptive survey was conducted on the university population involving members of academic staff and students to determine the evolving role of university academic innovations on the country’s economic transformation. The results established that lack of deliberate academic policies aimed at commercializing innovations, inadequate stakeholder’s engagement (government and private sector), and lack of proper communication of innovation successes across internal and external audiences as well as limited financial resources are the main factors that hinder the innovations in universities from contributing to the country’s economic transformation. Based on the findings the study recommends that there is need to create strong partnership between the university, government and the industry in order to further develop and commercialize the innovations in university. In addition, the university authorities need to create academic policies that are aimed at commercializing innovations as well as deriving a proper and well-coordinated mechanisms to communicate the innovations to both internal and external audiences. Finally the study also concludes that university management need to adequately fund innovations in the institutions if they are to make a positive impact to the economic transformation of the country.
    
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Author Information
  • Department of Information Technology, Information Systems, Kapasa Makasa University, Chinsali, Zambia

  • Department of Information Technology, Information Systems, Copperbelt University, Kitwe, Zambia

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