Shyama V. Ramani

Shyama Ramani's research focuses on the relationships between technology, innovation and their governance for inclusive development. Her career has revolved around three core themes: the impact of the national system of innovation on the creation of industrial competence; the use of patent and publications statistics as indicators of competitive position and comparative advantage for investment; and the creation of incentives for cooperation and coordination. Her methodology is varied, ranging from contextual analysis and case studies to the use of game theory for studying strategic problems related to innovation creation and diffusion. She is currently studying the role of technology and innovation to attain the Sustainable Development Goals, and the corporate social responsibility of firms with respect to innovation. Dr. Ramani holds a PhD in economics from Cornell University, USA. After the tsunami of December 2004, she founded a charity action-research unit ‘Friend in Need’, which she continues to run (www.friend-in-need.org). Its aim is to improve sanitation coverage and hygiene conditions in India. It is actively supported by the field participation of European and Indian students. She is a serial academic social entrepreneur who has also co-founded three other civil society organizations for social welfare (Technoconnexion, Ganga-Isere, Sti4Change). Under the COVID pandemic, she co-created another social enterprise called SITE4Sustainability to help practitioners and academics working on sustainability issues.