Graduation Year

2017

Publication Date

4-28-2017

Abstract

In 2014 Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS), ratified the "Cape Town Declaration," which recognized the "paramount importance of science, technology and innovation (STI) for human development." This declaration not only represents the growing importance of STI policy just in the BRICS states, but highlights the emergence of STI as a precondition of modem economic growth. This paper examines the significance of state STI policy as an increasingly important facet of strategic economic and state development in today's globalizing world. Additionally, this paper offers a comparative analysis of STI strategies in three BRICS countries. The research supports two major conclusions. First, in today's globalizing world, the capacity of the state, and implementation of effective STI policies, both play fundamental roles in enabling economic growth in developing countries. Second, a comparative analysis ofBRICS STI policies provides empirical examples ofhow specific strategies can effectively, or ineffectively, contribute to economic growth and overall state development. In this comparative analysis, it is clear that despite each country's commitment and intent to build STI capacity, historical and political context are influential in determining the successful implementation of effective STI policy in any given country.

Disciplines

International and Area Studies

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