Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2004 / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The overarching aim of this study is to analyse what researchers in South African
higher education institutes and science councils mean by the term 'utilisation'. In
specific terms, this aim is interpreted as determining what researchers mean when
they indicate that their research findings are being utilised. The data used to conduct
this analysis is taken from a national survey conducted to establish the extent to which
research findings in South Africa are utilised. The Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies -
now called the Centre for Research on Science and Technology - conducted the survey
for the National Advisory Committee on Innovation (NACI). This study for NACI
involved a questionnaire survey of research being conducted with universities,
technikons and science councils, and a telephone survey of a sample of research and
development managers in 116 companies. As a researcher in the Centre, I played an
active role in this two-fold survey component of the research process. Besides coding
the questionnaire for the NACI survey, for the purposes of my study I did additional
coding of the questionnaire data. This involved coding 1052 responses to an openended
question using a software package. After exporting this data to Microsoft Excel,
I further coded the data into one of three categories: Mode 1, Mode 2 and a
combination of Mode 1 and Mode 2. This 'new variable' created, formed part of the
quantitative analysis since it was correlated with the following variables: the 'trigger'
or 'driver' behind the research; the expected outcome of the project or study; the
scientific field of the project; the project's or the study's science culture; the source of
funding of the study, the modes of dissemination of the results and the intended
beneficiary(ies) of the research.
Results of the qualitative analyses reveal a profile for projects exhibiting features of
Mode 1, Mode 2 or a combination of Mode 1 and Mode 2 knowledge utilisation. With
Mode 1 we see that research was likely to be utilised within the discipline, was
conducted for the benefit of the researcher's peers and it expanded on existing
knowledge - all indicating that Mode 1 knowledge utilisation is predominantly
associated with fundamental research. With Mode 2 we see that research was
produced primarily for its use value and included the user's interests - indicating that
Mode 2 knowledge utilisation is predominantly applied, commissioned and/or strategic. Projects that exhibited both features of Mode 1 and Mode 2 were both indicative of
fundamental and applied research. Besides the quantitative analyses also showing the
same result mentioned above, it was also discovered that the majority of the projects
exhibited features of Mode 2, with one third of the projects exhibiting features of Mode
1 and a small proportion of projects as comprising both modes of utilisation. This was
a very interesting finding because it is no longer just speculation that a shift is
occurring to more applied, strategic research. The analysis revealed that this shift is a
reality. The correlations of mode of utility with the seven other variables produced a
range of results that expanded on the features of Mode 1 and Mode 2 type of
knowledge production and verified that each mode had qualities unique to itself.
My recommendations to researchers in South African research institutes concerns
conducting the type of research which will be more relevant to the needs of South
African society at large. To funding bodies and programmes of South Africa, the
suggestion is to become more informed about the dissemination and intended
utilisation strategies that they fund. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doel van hierdie studie is om 'n analise te doen van die begrip
"navorsingsbenutting", soos verstaan deur navorsers binne die publieke Suid
Afrikaanse navorsing- en ontwikkelingsektor. Data wat verkry is van 'n landswye
ondersoek na die aanwending van navorsingsuitsette binne die publieke sektor, soos
onderneem deur die Sentrum vir Interdissiplinêre Studies, is geanaliseer. As 'n lid van
die navorsingspan wat die studie onderneem het, was ek aktief betrokke by die proses
wat onder meer 'n vraelys-ondersoek ingesluit het na navorsingsprojekte wat in swang
is aan SA universiteite, tegnikons en wetenskapsrade. Vir die doel van die studie het
ek 1052 response wat die resultaat was van 'n oop vraag in die vraelys in drie
kategorieë gekodeer naamlik Modus 1, Modus 2 asook Modus 3, 'n kombinasiekategorie
met die benaming "modus van aanwending".
Die kwalitatiewe analise het getoon dat in die geval van modus 1, die navorsing mees
waarskynlik binne die dissipline en tot die voordeel van die navorser se eweknieë
aangewend sal word en dat dit in die meeste gevalle 'n uitbreiding van bestaande
kennis behels - 'n aanduiding dat modus 1 navorsing hoofsaakilk verbind kan word
met fundamentele navorsing. In die geval van modus 2 blyk dit dat navorsing primêr
berus op die utiliteit- of aanwendingswaarde daarvan. Dit vertoon 'n noue verband
met die gebruiker se behoefte of belangstelling en is hoofsaaklik toegepaste, kontrak
of strategiese navorsing. Projekte wat aspekte van beide modi 1 en 2 vertoon, het
tegelykertyd gedui op fundamentele en toegepaste navorsing.
Die kwantitatiewe analise het aangedui dat die meerderheid projekte eienskappe van
modus 2 vertoon het, met 'n derde van die projekte wat eienskappe van modus 1
vertoon het. 'n Klein hoeveelheid projekte het aspekte van beide modi 1 en 2 vertoon.
Hierdie analise het aangetoon dat 'n verkuiwing inderdaad plaasgevind het vanaf
fundamentele na meer toegepaste en strategiese navorsing. Die korrelasie van die
modus van aanwending met sewe ander veranderlikes, het 'n reeks resultate tot
gevolg gehad wat die eienskappe van modi 1 en 2 verder uitgebrei het. Dit het ook
bygedra tot die bevestiging van die spesifieke eienskap van elke modus en unieke
aspekte van elke modus aangetoon. Aanbevelings word ten slotte gedoen met die oog op 'n keuse vir meer relevante
navorsing binne die publieke sektor gemeet aan die kriteria van die
navorsingsbehoeftes van die breër Suid Afrikaanse gemeenskap. Aanbevelings m.b.t.
disseminasie en navorsingsaanwendingstrategieë van navorsing wat deur
befondsingsliggame befonds word, word ook gemaak.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/50216 |
| Date | 12 1900 |
| Creators | Bowers, Leisl Joanne |
| Contributors | Mouton, J., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Sociology and Social Anthropology. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | xii, 149 p. : ill. |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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