Title:
NATURAL RESOURCES AND RESEARCH COMPLEXITY IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

Authors:
ZOURMBA Blaise, Cameroon

Abstract:
The objective of this paper is to analyze the effect of natural resources on research complexity in 91 developing countries over the period 2000-2020. The results of the two-stage least squares (2SLS) estimation method show that dependence on natural resources negatively and significantly affects research complexity in developing countries. Furthermore, information and communication technologies, income, education and social dependency constitute the key determinants of research complexity. The results of this paper recommend that developing countries properly manage resource wealth with productive investments and the establishment of strong institutions to avoid a long-term curse. In addition, they must strengthen collaboration between industry and university, because scientific research presents itself as a niche of innovative ideas which, when implemented, will accelerate the process of export diversification in natural resource-intensive industries.