pre-feasibility assessment report - Innovationeasterncape.co.za

African Development Economic ConsultantsADECThe Mandela NameIt is highly recommended that the R&D park be named after NelsonMandela. Obviously, the location within Nelson Mandela Bay Metropole is oneclear reason for assuming this name. Also obvious is the potential for access,affiliation, and collaboration with Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University(NMMU) which lends its name as well to the park. Finally, and most importantly,Nelson Mandela is a person recognised worldwide for his achievements and forhis character as a human being. The park must be competitive with R&D parksworldwide. As such, the name of the park would be instantly recognizableworldwide if associated with this great man. Administrators at NMMU havenoted that Mandela’s name is equated with a high ethical standard. As such,associating the R&D activity of this park with Nelson Mandela helps to promotethe park as a centre for great leadership and innovation.It is also recommended that the park be oriented as Research andDevelopment (or Research and Technology Development) rather than as a“Science” park. In order for the park to be successful, more will occur thanscience alone at this location. There is no reason that the park must conform toa specific set nomenclature in name or purpose. The more specific the name ofthe park to its core strengths, the more marketable it will be to potentialinvestors. Many R&D parks are now oriented to a specific category of productdevelopment, for example.The Importance of University AffiliationThe NMMU orientation or affiliation will be an imperative for marketing thisR&D Park. In the United States and other countries, local economicdevelopment agencies and universities have determined that universityaffiliatedR&D parks are a key approach for effecting collaboration, innovation,and eventually, job creation. They have also determined that private sectortake-up, collaboration, and investment in such parks occurs more effectivelyand rapidly when there are direct opportunities for binding intellectual propertycontracts developed between institutions, their scientists and private companiesseeking commercialisation of products. Many universities and other institutionshave attracted private investors to locate in their parks by allowing proprietaryaccess to specific research activities. It is the proprietary nature of theserelationships that has promoted collaboration and investment. Without suchrelationships, it is much more difficult, and often impossible, to convince privateinvestors to locate their product development and commercialisation functionsin such parks.The university also has an interest in marketing the R&D Park. For one,the park will increase the prestige and overall image of the university. By doingso, the university is better equipped to attract not only high-calibre students butalso to recruit the best faculty and researchers within key fields for which theuniversity has certain inherent strengths. The attraction and recruitment of topresearchers will, in turn, enhance and increase the potential for the R&D Parkitself to succeed. Second, the park can provide an opportunity for leveraging103 Algernon Road, Norwood (Johannesburg). Tel (011)728-1965 / 6690 Fax (011)728-8371Adec@ADEC1.com. Suite 131, Private Bag X5, Norwood 2117 SOUTH AFRICA 85