Thematic Research Groups (TRGs)

Thematic Research Group (TRG) on National Innovation Systems and Models

The TRG on Innovation System invites you to join this group and contribute to the research and practical activities of the group. For further contact, email your interest to *email address protected* or *email address protected*.

AGENDA AND VISION
The group will focus its activities and research on the following sub-themes:
• New Innovation Paradigms
• Innovation Policy
• Innovation Ecosystems
• Cross-country Comparisons of National Innovation Systems.
It will enhance discussion, debate, and cross-fertilization of ideas on the above topics by means of special events, workshops, and webinars; and will foster on theoretical developments and practical achievements by mean of research and implementation projects.

RESEARCH PROGRAMS
Fostering Urban Innovation Ecosystems
The research follows the work started in 2013 on Technology and Innovation Development. The current phase seeks the understanding of strategies and management practices capable of inducing the creation and/or consolidation of Innovation Ecosystem in Brazil. Research on the triple-helix approach and its variants are of great importance. They provide a better understanding for the role of innovation managers, coming from the public and private sectors, as well as for the role of local, regional, and Brazilian communities. The expected results are: i) production of knowledge in the form of papers containing analysis and recommendations for policies and tools to foster innovation ecosystems; ii) Masters and PhD direction focused on Innovation Ecosystems and Urban Environment; and iii) improvement of the university-industry relationship through project development with the public and private sectors. The research program unfolds in specific projects, and the most relevant in the last twelve months are:

1. Fostering the Western Territory of Paraná State in Brazil: the ITAIPU/PTI innovation ecosystem strategy
The research features a strategy for ITAIPU/PTI to conduct sustainable development involving sixty-four organizations in fifty-four cities, based on a case study methodology conducted during 2017. ITAIPU is the biggest energy generation company in the world, and its Technological Park (PTI) is the main stakeholder of the region. The strategy assumes that a regional innovation ecosystem is a competitive asset in the knowledge-based economy, fully or partially integrated within urban spaces, and capable of fostering regional and socioeconomic development. The strategy is constituted of five interrelated components: i) a strong commitment with sustainable development, ii) a common view for innovation ecosystems in Brazil, iii) a ground strategic level that focuses on the present needs of the region, iv) an upper strategic level, which aims to go beyond the current needs and focuses on new developments influenced by innovation capabilities, and v) technological platforms. The strategy intends to preserve the high commitment with the SDG, with special attention on Partnerships, Sustainable Cities and Communities, and Life and Land goals.

2. Application of S3 to the Brazilian Regional Context (part of the Sectorial EU-BR Dialogue Project)
Based on research conducted by Dominique Foray (École Polytechnique de Fédérale de Lausanne), this (sub) project concerns the study and adaptation of Smart Specialization Approach (S3) to the Brazilian context. The Smart specialization approach combines industrial, educational, and innovation policies to suggest that countries or regions identify and select a limited number of priority areas for knowledge-based investments, focusing on their strengths and comparative advantages (OECD). The S3 customized can become an important tool for the development of innovation ecosystems in Brazil. The project counts with the support of several entities of the Federal Government, as well as Federal and Local Support agencies.

3. Knowledge-based Urban Development and Urban Innovation Ecosystem
The need to foster public policies and strategies to promote the inclusion of cities and regions in the knowledge economy became permanent and crucial for urban planners. This research explores the relationship between Knowledge Based Urban Development (KBUD) and Innovation Ecosystems (IEs) in urban areas. A conceptual model, based on triangulation methods, is proposed and applied in four Brazilian ecosystems awarded for their performances. Recommendations emerge from the research, aiming to support the decision-making processes of innovation managers and urban planners, in order to obtain more integrated planning and thus encourage the emergence of urban innovation ecosystems in Brazil.

4. Urban Innovation Ecosystems and Sustainable Development: an Integrated Decision-Making Framework
A challenge for innovation managers, urban planners, and policy makers is providing well-adapted solutions to sustainably create, induce, and manage urban innovation ecosystems (UIEs). Typically, the design and induction of the UIE is poorly planned and focused on economic and, to a lesser extent, social achievements. We argue that a broader and integrated approach can help stakeholders achieve better results by means of integrated innovation performance indicators and sustainable development concepts. An integrated conceptual framework is proposed involving strategic, economic, sociocultural, environmental, and institutional perspectives. The framework emerged from a methodology described in the Handbook on Constructing Composite Indicators by the OECD and the problem-based research method. We employed the framework to evaluate the UIE located in Curitiba City in Brazil.

COMPARATIVE STUDY ON INNOVATION SYSTEMS
Innovation systems in these countries are acting like living organism changing and responding to the new environment challenges. They are evolving and catching up with developments in other systems of counties around the world. The phenomenon of the innovation system is taking the interest of everybody. After the popularization of triple helix concept, the need for the realignment of innovation systems has also emerged.
The THA Thematic Research Group on Innovation Systems and Models would like to invite collaboration from various chapters and countries to join the project on Comparative Study of Innovation System.

CALL FOR CONTRIBUTIONS
Edited Book on Triplehelixising Innovation Systems: Strategic Alignment of Academia, Industry and Government
Editors:
Mr Rahmat Ullah, PAKISTAN – *email address protected*
Professor Luiz Márcio Spinosa, BRAZIL – *email address protected*
Professor Emanuela Todeva, UK – *email address protected*

The Thematic Research Group on Innovation Systems and Models aims to promote research and publications on innovations systems and models. We invite chapters and research contributions on How to design innovation systems/ecosystem and models under philosophy to triple helix. The write-ups or contributions must discuss various components of innovations systems and models having elements of the triple helix approach.
The study will comprise articles that contribute to critical discussions of elements of the innovation systems and whole-system analysis representing countries and regions. The aim of this edited volume is to conduct a comparative study across participating countries. The analysis and comparison will help countries to learn from each other on designing innovation frameworks and models, monitoring policy impact, and dealing with the consequences of systems design.

We invite authors to join the studies.

Abstracts of papers and expressions of interest are invited for submission by 30 February 2018.
Final papers are expected by 30 May 2020.
Expected publication date is 30 December 2020.

Published by the Triple Helix Association – ISSN 2281-4515

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Thematic Research Group (TRG) on National Innovation Systems and Models