The underestimated role of universities for the Brazilian system of innovation

Vol. 31 No. 1 (2011)

Jan-Mar / 2011
Published January 1, 2011
PDF-English
PDF-English

How to Cite

Suzigan, Wilson, and Eduardo da Motta e Albuquerque. 2011. “The Underestimated Role of Universities for the Brazilian System of Innovation”. Brazilian Journal of Political Economy 31 (1):3-30. https://centrodeeconomiapolitica.org.br/repojs/index.php/journal/article/view/390.

The underestimated role of universities for the Brazilian system of innovation

Wilson Suzigan
Instituto de Geociências da UNICAMP‑IG/Unicamp.
Eduardo da Motta e Albuquerque
Centro de Desenvolvimento e Planejamento Regional – Cedeplar‑UFMG DPCT
Brazilian Journal of Political Economy, Vol. 31 No. 1 (2011), Jan-Mar / 2011, Pages 3-30

Abstract

Conventional wisdom usually underestimates the important role of public research institutes and universities in successful cases of Brazilian economy. History of science and technology institutions shows a long-term process of formation of these institutions and their interactions with industrial firms, agricultural producers or society. This paper investigates historical roots of successful cases of Brazil. First, we present the late onset of National Innovation System (NSI) institutions and waves of institutional formation in Brazil. Second, we describe the history of three ed successful cases, which spans from a low-tech sector (agriculture), a medium-tech sector (steel and special metal alloys), to a high-tech sector (aircraft). These findings present new challenges for present-day developmental policies.

JEL Classification: N; O3.


Keywords: interaction between universities and firms historical roots science technology