In the global knowledge economy, intellectual property (IP) rights – and the innovations they are meant to spur – are important determinants of progress. But what does this mean for the nations of Africa? One view is that strong IP protection can facilitate innovation in African settings....

This work examines the current, relevant and complex problem of how companies can take an intellectual property lead within research and development collaborations. Special emphasis is placed on the early phases of the innovation process and the service industry sector, in which intellectual...