By editors Judith Sutz and Rodrigo Arocena

In the periphery, development processes have not made intensive use of innovation; this is a reason, among others, why innovation has been underdeveloped there. In highly industrialized countries, where innovation has been a pillar of their development processes, environmental damage and threats to privacy and democracy, fueled by innovations without civic guidance, raise serious concerns. The relation between innovation and development must change. It is, thus, a good time for future scholars now in their Ph.D. stage and for people who have devoted their lives to working on those issues to reflect on what those changes should be, which actors need to take the stage to foster them, and which organized actions can enable their occurrence. That is the aim of this book. Its chapters have been written by scholars from different countries, South and North, who present a plural approach.

Chapters in the first section of the book analyze fundamental issues, including the following. When dominant conceptions about development have failed, which alternatives can use better types of innovation for improving the quality of life, particularly of the more deprived populations? How can “deep transition” be fostered to cope with the lack of sustainability and social inequality, thus opening better possibilities for Humankind? Along with techno-productive innovations, which cultural, ethical, ecological, and educational innovations are needed?

In the second section, the chapters relate to grassroots innovation, social agency, and strategic options. The difficult and often neglected combination of autonomy and technology is discussed. Scarcity-induced innovations are studied with attention given to different civilizational trajectories. A combination of different strategies is presented to upgrade the productive structure of Latin America. The potential role of emotions for progressive changes is highlighted.

Chapters in the third section consider the possibilities for fostering development through national innovation policies. The changing role of the State is analyzed in relation to the emergence of global challenges and, more recently, of ideological and geopolitical conflicts. An adequate design of Science, Technology and Innovation policies is proposed in the context of the structural heterogeneity of Latin America. Socio-technical imaginaries that differ from prevailing ones are presented as a must for addressing developmental problems in Africa. Different national trajectories to latecomer industrialization in Southeast Asia are compared, with a focus on industrial policies.

‘This book uniquely demonstrates how different national realities determine the rate and direction of innovation and its development impact. It not only provides an academic view, but also valuable insights for those involved in designing innovation policies in different institutional contexts with the ultimate goal of promoting development.’
– Carlos Correa, Executive Director, South Centre, Geneva

The fourth section focuses attention on universities as fundamental institutions in developing processes. Developmental innovations are characterized as those that aim to solve societal problems sustainably, with emphasis on the needs of deprived groups, and the related role of universities is discussed. Deliberation is presented as a crucial capability for development, especially when dealing with “wicked” problems, and examples are given of how universities can contribute to dealing with them democratically.

The fifth section looks into the future of innovation and development. Special attention is given to the historical evolution of the National Systems of Innovation concept and its contribution to understanding actual world dynamics, characterized by deglobalization, techno-nationalism, and the emergence of artificial intelligence. Given that dominant development trajectories are reinforcing inequalities and deepening ecological crises, a reorientation of innovation’s ends and means that stresses the role of affected communities, plural value logic, and benefit sharing is sketched.

Innovation has suffered from the hype of incarnating the good that the future holds for us. A humbler appreciation of what different types of innovation can achieve may signal the efforts that should be pursued to make the best for driving innovation to serve development as a process that deserves the name. Hopefully, the arguments presented in this book may spur uncertainties, doubts, counterarguments, and, overall, the will to commit to a better understanding of the highlighted problems and to propose research agendas to address them. With that aim, the concluding chapter summarizes some elements for thinking about innovation and development in these difficult times.

Judith Sutz is a Retired Professor and former Academic Coordinator at the University Research Council.

Rodrigo Arocena is a Retired Professor of Science and Development at the Faculty of Sciences, University of the Republic, Uruguay.

A Research Agenda for Innovation and Development is available to purchase in hard copy or eBook format.

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