Why is there a research gab between developed countries and developing countries ?
Any ideas?
Anthony Baidoo, Ghana-Africa
Inability to believe in ourselves and our capabilities. Refusal to promote our products and carefree attitudes of our leaders
Many thanks respect RG scholars for contributing to the enrich the discussion.
They are doing theirs in their own way and we are doing ours with respect to our peculiar problem(s). Research gap in what sense are we saying here sir?
The difference is that there is a significant difference in the potential of these countries and the type of equipment available to the researchers,and because developed countries are looking for solutions to problems bigger than the problems developing countries are trying to solve.
developing countries have no basic infrastructure of science in the country. everything is imported, PhD degree, Syllabus, chemicals, instruments, almost every thing.
I agree with Alhayany; the difference is the resources researchers in the developed countries are exposed to.
Why is there a research gap between developed countries and developing countries ?
This includes:
I would contextualize the notion of gap. While the access to resources may be limited, therefore limiting the oppotunities to do research,it does not imply other limitations or gaps. A great discovery may take place precisely because of such conditions. Also, access to resources/funding may limit fields such as paticle physics, but not mathematics.
The sociocultural diacritics of developing and developed countries differ, thus, explaining the variance in the research gaps
The answer is clear from the question because the first is advanced and the second is developing
Funny as it may sound, over-dependence on religion is equally a major problem. Citizens of most developing countries are too attached to religion as a panacea to their economic problems than reliance on the outcomes of scientific research as a way out.
Consequently, research results are abandoned to the mere belief that "prayers" and other forms of "religious sacrifice" can solve all sorts of problems, negating hardwork and research suggestions. This is a major reason why research is not appreciated in most developing nations.
I would even go further based on Edwin excellent response. If we look at academics in general, their incentives to engage in research is driven by particular factors one being the stereotype of what is acceptable funding sources for research. Many academics will turn down finding sources from military agencies due to objections of one final outcome of their research (even though it may ave more success under the alternative helpful outcome to society). Other sources such as corporate investment are turned down due to pressures of delivery. While this occur in all countries , my opinion is that it will be a greater disincentive for potential researchers who view their circumstances as limited in developing countries. But it is also my belief that determined researchers in developing countries make marvelous contributions irrespective of their circumstances and should not be taken under the heading of research gap. A more descriptive and fair heading would be funding gap or cultural biases leading to limited research opportunities.
The problem is determined by the lack of optimal management of research work, and the lack of input and output identification for that process, which is the case in most developing countries. As for equipment, technology and the necessary funds, I think it has become the rod on which we rely for the purpose of not falling and become an ugly excuse to justify the failure of those countries. Countries such as Malaysia, Singapore, the UAE and others are from the third world countries. Look where they are now. Singapore, which was over 60 years ago from poor countries and does not have the resources to live, where it is now, because it has the wise leadership that respects human rights and the rational development plans.
I like this question because I have asked it over and over myself and found the answer from my travels and interactions.
The major reason is FUNDING. Developed countries have lots of funding opportunities to my amazement..... If developing countries have such funding, there would be no gap.
Intellectual capacity and capability knows no region, colour or race.... It's all about the platforms available for research in each region.
The developed countries have been doing better compared with developing countries in following aspects:
1. Their nation wide research funds are quite high
2. Their infrastructural facilities are all well developed. They are stinking rich in all types of resources
3. The minds of the researchers are fully independent and flexible with broad open mind as they don't have any fear of political environment.
4. They don't have hassles and that's the reason they are more professional in their approach
5. Their educational background is comparatively sound.
These aspects are responsible in bringing gap between the developed and developing countries. That is the precise reason, the countries are called- Developing (not yet fully developed)
Dear Anthony Baidoo, developed Countries are sovereign states whose economy have highly progressed and possesses great technological infrastructure, as compared to other nations. On the other side, developing countries are characterized with low industrialization and low human development index. As you can see, developed countries provides free, healthy and secured atmosphere to live whereas developing countries lacks these things.
To directly associate this with your question, for doing research human development, resources and facilities are critically important. These resources, facilities and financial related issues are more secured in developed countries when compared with the developing countries that are facing very serious problem facilities, resources, finances, etc for implementing their research and development activity.
Due to these important factors, the research and development gap between developed and developing countries are still very wide.
It is because of lack of resources, lack of proper mentors & guides, and more importantly, in an economy where qualified professionals are in short supply, the business & government take away the best people, if they have not already migrated to developed countries research establishments. So developing countries have to manage with average or below average researchers, and there output is also average.
Many thanks to you all respected RG Schlars for enriching the debate
Best regards
Anthony
Developing countries lack the funds and infrastructure for research
There is no Gap at all. Primary research is carried out in the developing world and the funding comes from the developed world and publications are coming out that way
because of differences in priorities in each region of the world, not all regions have the same possibilities of investing in research, that is the main reason why many young researchers migrate
There are a number of causes including poverty, lack of care and understanding of the importance of research by politicians, all of which boil down to poor research funding in developing countries
According to the differences in the context and the condition of both types of countries.