A Culture of Innovation: A model for Qualitative Analysis at Universities and the Case Study of Civil Engineering Students at the Addis Ababa Institute of Technology

Innovation offers opportunities for modernization and development. In recent years it has become a buzzword in the world of NGO’s, IGO’s and governments in developing countries and is featured in the proposed UN Sustainable Development Goals. Different types of innovation are increasingly recognized, complicating the classic notion of innovation as a tool for high-tech advancements of the market. It is now possible to see the benefits of social innovations, user innovations and inclusive innovations emerging in both developed and developing countries. In this context the culture for innovation, as part of the knowledge ecology, becomes relevant. Innovation culture entails the discourse and behavior concerning innovation, but also underlying structures that influence and are influenced by this discourse and behavior. This paper introduces the notion of an innovation culture present in society as a factor with far-reaching influence on the way the innovation process takes shape among students and members of society. First, it presents a model that allows for the qualitative analysis of innovation culture in Universities. Second, the author presents a case study of civil engineering students at the Addis Ababa Institute of Technology in Ethiopia. The case study is discussed using preliminary findings as the project is not yet fully completed. Engineering students, being the future engineers and innovators of the country, articulate the nature of present and future innovative processes in the country and their University. A series of interviews and observation shows their understanding of innovation in relation to the goals and aims of the government. Findings show there are some challenges related to policy implementation that cause a discrepancy between goals and aims, and output. It shows the relevance of using the developed model and argues for further exploration of it to reveal the underlying structures in the innovation culture in place. By contextualizing these findings within broader development policy frameworks, this paper provides insight into what kinds of innovation are relevant and feasible and in what way these can be used to promote national development. Moreover, these findings contribute to a “rest-to-the-west” approach that supports local and national knowledge creation and can be used for future endeavors by NGOs, IGOs and government