Using Big Data for Foresight: Scientometric and Semantic Analysis for South Africa

The South Africa 2030 Foresight study, utilizing big data analytics, aimed at advancing the national innovation system and enhancing knowledge generation capacity. This chapter presents outcomes from bibliometric and semantic analyses conducted by ISSEK HSE. Bibliometric analysis explored South Africa’s research competences, scientific capacity and global collaborators, revealing mature and emerging research areas. Semantic analysis through iFORA delved into large datasets, offering insights into emerging issues within each priority domain and thrust identified in the National STI Foresight. The study identified 7 STI domains and 25 thrusts through rigorous criteria, providing valuable evidence for strategic decision-making. This evidence-based approach combines bibliometric and semantic analyses to inform South Africa’s innovation and research objectives efficiently.