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Abstract
In the context of COVID-19, universities, national innovation systems (NIS) and global value chains (GVCs), this paper explores systemic barriers (trends and factors) that influence digital learning innovation (DLI) in Africa. The study used the PRISMA framework and Scopus data for a systematic literature review (SLR) and a bibliometric analysis spanning 2000–2021. It also mapped universities globally and in Africa based on Webometrics (Jan 2022) and the Global Innovation Index (Feb 2022) data using a typology. A broad SLR on digital learning extracted two African samples of 2,640 and 4,669. A narrow SLR on DLI, Innovation Systems (IS) and Innovation Barriers (IB) extracted 221 studies. The broad SLR showed that Africa (with the exception of South Africa continentally and Kenya regionally) lags globally in digital learning literature. It also identified country, affiliation (university) and funding sponsor as three possible factors that influence DLI. The narrow SLR revealed a gap in the literature on DLI – IS – IB and a low emphasis on GVCs. From the literature, this paper proposes a conceptual model spanning DLI – IS – IB and a typology of systemic barriers to inform future research. It also provides unique empirical data to inform DLI and GVC focused public policies.
Acknowledgements
This manuscript has been produced based on a conference paper submission (Ouma-Mugabe and Mbaya Citation202222) and a PhD Manuscript currently under development (Mbaya forthcoming23).
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.
Notes
1 A 16 February 2023 webinar presentation by Prof. Oluseye Jegede also discusses Asian case studies that include China and South Korea in the context of Global Value Chains. See: https://africalics.org/event/webinar-series-on-industrialising-through-global-value-chains-what-africa-can-learn-from-east-asia-and-latin-america/.
2 The perspective of Africa and Global Value Chains was also explored extensively in a webinar series entitled “Putting Africa First.” The six-part series brought together the books authors, Prof. Mammo Muchie, Prof. Bengt-Åke Lundvall and Prof. Peter Gammeltoft to discuss the book 20 years later. The first part is available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_MDd1txQdU.
3 PRISMA stands for Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta Analyses.
4 Refer to PDF files in consolidated database: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1P8J9n8xgn1Y1ERDmpG6QvJYfejLgh3mz?usp=drive_link
5 Refer to MS Excel Spreadsheets and PDF files consolidated database: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1P8J9n8xgn1Y1ERDmpG6QvJYfejLgh3mz?usp=drive_link
6 1,679 records.
7 1,686 records.
8 66 records.
9 1,683 records.
10 64 records.
11 1,236 records.
12 1,163 records.
13 1,163 records.
14 43 records.
15 Chesbrough, H. Citation2010. “Business Model Innovation: Opportunities and Barriers.”
16 Morgan, K. Citation1997. “The Learning Region: Institutions, Innovation and Regional Renewal.”
17 Strayer, J. F. Citation2012. “How Learning in an Inverted Classroom Influences Cooperation, Innovation and Task Orientation”; Alavi, M., and D. E. Leidner. Citation2001. “Research Commentary: Technology-Mediated Learning—A Call for Greater Depth and Breadth of Research”; Macfadyen, L. P., and S. Dawson. Citation2012. “Numbers Are Not Enough: Why e-Learning Analytics Failed to Inform an Institutional Strategic Plan.”
18 Cooke, P. 2007. “Regional Innovation Systems, Asymmetric Knowledge and the Legacies of Learning”; Maskell, P., and A. Malmberg. Citation2007. “Myopia, Knowledge Development and Cluster Evolution”; Freeman, C. 2002. “Continental, National and Sub-national Innovation Systems -Complementarity and Economic Growth.”
19 Source: Webometrics accessed on February 2nd, 2022 https://www.webometrics.info/en. Note Webometrics ranking is most relevant for the comparative exercise when compared to other rankings (QS, RUR and uniRank) given the methodology used. Webometrics emphasizes technology and uses website data which represents a good proxy for digital learning. The total number of universities across the four ranking databases varies from 25,000–31,000. The chapter chooses to go with the upper range and refers to Higher Education Institutions which may also include Polytechnics, Technical and Vocational institutions.
20 ibid.
21 Mbaya, Martin; Mugabe, John. 2023. “Systemic Barriers to Digital Learning Innovation in Africa: The Case of Strathmore University and Kenyatta University within the Kenyan National Innovation System.” Virtual conference presentation in Warsaw, Poland, on 15 November 2023, at ABIS Colloquium 2023 - Navigating Multiple Transitions. https://www.abis-global.org/blog/22nd-abis-annual-colloquium-2023.
22 Mbaya, Martin; Mugabe, John 2022 Systematic Literature Review on Systemic Barriers to Digital Learning Innovation in African Universities, Paper presented at 5th AfricaLics Conference in Yaounde, Cameroon.
23 Mbaya, Martin, PhD Dissertation (expected September 2024) supervised by Prof. John Ouma-Mugabe at the University of Pretoria Graduate School of Technology Management titled, ‘Systemic Barrier to Digital Learning Innovation: Comparative Case Studies’.