Beyond the ‘‘Charmed Circle’’ of OECD: New Directions for Studies of National Innovation Systems (original) (raw)
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Introduction: the meso-foundations of national innovation systems
Edward Elgar Publishing eBooks, 2000
Today, a high level of consensus exists regarding the importance of scientific progress and technological innovation for the growth and competitiveness of firms and for the improvement of national economic performance. Indeed, since the early 1970s the economics and management literature has paid special attention to two essential aspects of this phenomenon. The first concerns the formulation and revision of synchronic and diachronic models 1 in an effort to identify and explain the constitutive elements as well as the dynamics of technological change. The second concerns the identification and analysis of the macro-and micro-level factors influencing and conditioning the innovative performance of firms. Among these, the systemic approach to innovation has emerged during the 1990s as a particularly useful conceptual framework to understand the determinants and consequences of innovation in a useful way (Edquist 1997). The research works presented in this book deal with the analysis of various patterns of developing and using technology capabilities-encompassing the process of innovation in different national and sectoral contexts in Latin America and Europe. The first distinctive feature is that they explore the relationship between micro-and macro-level processes on a comparative basis, through the analysis of fairly heterogeneous cases. The commonalities lie in the level of observation. At the micro level, technology transfer, implementation and diffusion are considered as organizationally complex processes of knowledge flows and transformations, which pose crucial challenges in terms of the management of expertise (Fleck 1983) and sociotechnical alignment (Molina 1990, 1997). At the macro level, the main concern is usually the influence of structural conditions, such as national, regional and sectoral, social and technological contexts and the trends regarding these processes. Here the concepts of national innovation systems (NIS) and industrial
1 Innovation Systems and Development: what can we learn from the Latin American experience?1
2005
From the 1950s to the 1970s the central preoccupations of the international research and policy agenda was to come to terms with underdevelopment. During this period a theoretical frameworkstructuralism-shaped the debate on the issue. There are many differences within structuralism, but its contributors share the view that underdeveloped countries are significantly different from industrial advanced ones. Hence they could not follow the same "paths" towards development) Some authors even went beyond that arguing that one of the main causes of underdevelopment were structural inequalities in international economic and geo-political relations. Other consensual points of these writers were the understanding that (i) structural changes and specific knowledge and
Innovation and development: a revision of the Latin American thought
Academia Revista Latinoamérica de Administración , 2017
Purpose-The purpose of this paper is to review the contributions of what has been established as Latin American thought, as science, technology, and innovation (STI) in Latin America have been strongly related to development. Design/methodology/approach-The analysis method is based on the review of a group of Latin American and Latinoamericanista (Latin Americanist) authors who were selected on the basis of their contributions to the explanation and proposals of public policy related to STI. The following are some of the questions that guide the analysis. How much has STI in Latin American thought contributed to the development theory? Given the fact that there are other dominant mainstreams, can we say that Latin American thought is still relevant? Findings-The main conclusion of this work is that Latin American thought is still applied to current Latin American development discussions. This can be proven by the creation of particular concepts and analytical frameworks such as structural heterogeneity, development styles, authentic and spurious competitiveness, Sabato's Triangle, the centre-periphery model, and STI policy practices. Originality/value-This paper gathered contributions and categorised them into three dimensions: state participation (intensity, composition), industrialisation as the impulse for development, and instruments and public policy actions that can be implemented or have already been implemented.
Journal of Innovation Economics & Management, 2017
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The purpose of this paper is to analyse the Colombian National System of Science, Technology and Innovation through multiple theoretical approaches, and to contribute with recommendations related to the performance of the system. Using documentary analysis the system is described in its structure, strategies and objectives. There are pointed out some challenges Colombia has to face in order to succeed in its innovation and technology policies. It is argued that contextual policy frameworks must be raised to handle and improve the complex relationships and links inside the National System of Innovation. A flexible multi-scale approach for the construction of public policy can be useful to avoid rigid general policies, which could actually affect potential development paths. In this sense, approaches as the Latin American Structuralism are useful to understand the historical trajectories of developing countries and to provide contextualized guidelines for the systemic development of c...
Research on Innovation and Innovation Policy in Latin America: Perception and Practice of the Nexus
On the nature of the policy-making process The many stages following STI policy design to reach decision-taking are outside the reach of researchers. Beyond theory, when it comes to define policy we are all actors with our own interests, inertias, tramps, etc. Ideological, strategic, tactical, circumstantial and personal factors interplay in policy-making and priority setting. PM want fast and simple evidence, and ambitious STI plans to leave their imprint. Little interest in learning from previous strategies and instruments. Agenda problems: a change of government or unforeseen events may suddenly affect STI priority in the policy agenda. Research findings do not easily permeate when adverse to preconceived ideas, subjacent to some PM actions. On governability and governance The 'principal and agent' relation affect STI policy and the crucial articulation between public policies and instruments. Lack of consultation tradition of PM, and of citizens' participation in STI public issues. Low empowerment of STI ministry. PM demands are discretional; they are often addressed to privileged groups. Dialogue and meetings taking place between different actors are inefficient in terms of knowledge exchange. Difficulty of collectively building an articulated policy, encompassing other social actors than PM and researchers. Lack of articulation of macro, sectorial and STI policies. Ensuing inconsistency of instruments. Institutional restrictions. Lack of a specialised bureaucracy in STI, trained to taking into account research findings as inputs for policy design. Public agencies do not exchange information on the findings of the projects they finance, to improve policy design. Public policy decisions are frequently taken without information and knowledge. Limited and/or discretional diffusion of primary data obtained by public entities (surveys). Lack of development strategies whose long-term objectives require a focus on STI (e.g., structural change). External influences Latin American mimetic: solutions adopted in the North are replicated as if problems were identical in the South. International research networks influence the setting of local research agendas. Neo-liberal times left behind a remnant of supply based policy. Source: Based on 39 interviews to members of SSH research groups on innovation in Latin America, 2009-2010.
2009
The national system of innovations in the recent phase of globalization has undergone dramatic structural transformation. Innovations entails organizational as well as changes in the rules of the game. The history of economic development of the developing and newly industrializing economies shows that national systems of innovation have evolved keeping in view the most pressing requirements of the national economic development. The knowledge generation and transmission are the two essential characteristics of national innovation system that connects the users and producers of knowledge and also allows institutional arrangements to functions as a feedback system. The institutional arrangements are being altered substantially to allow capital to move freely across national borders on the one side and strict trade related intellectual property rights on the other. How these arrangements have affected the national system of innovation both in the developed and developing countries durin...
Problemas del Desarrollo. Revista Latinoamericana de Economía
Este artículo compara las políticas e instituciones de innovación en Latinoamérica con las economías e instituciones de los tigres de Asia Oriental y de Europa. Encontramos que hay nítidas diferencias en las políticas sobre recursos, priorización y organización de la ciencia y la tecnología entre Latinoamérica y las de los tigres, que tal vez ayuden a explicar el decepcionante desempeño económico de la región en las décadas recientes. El artículo sugiere que es necesaria una sistemática reorganización de la política de innovación en Latinoamérica. Las concordancias de los tigres sugieren que una similar reevaluación no solamente debe considerar niveles de recursos, sino también nuevos marcos institucionales para priorizar, coordinar y comercializar nuevas tecnologías generadoras de mayores beneficios para toda la economía y la sociedad.