2. Strategic Overview The work of the Department is mainly guided by the White Paper on Science and Technology, which introduced the concept of the National System of Innovation (NSI). The NSI concept is an enabling framework for the development of science, technology and innovation at national level. Key strategies such as the National Research and Development Strategy (NRDS) and in particular, the Ten-Year Innovation Plan (TYIP) seek to contribute to the transformation of the South African economy into a knowledge-based economy.