REDESIST -

Research activities on innovation systems and inclusive development

Globelics network has been increasingly addressing in its research agenda the analysis of two worrying global challenges: the environmental crisis and the rising social inequalities.   The RISSI Project will be closely linked with the later concern. Building upon the research results of the BRICS Project, the efforts now will focus on improving the analytical linkages between innovation system framework and inclusive development challenges. The main goal is to improve the knowledge-base on innovation systems searching for alternatives that may contribute to reduce poverty and promote social inclusion.

According to national possibilities, local panels will be organized bringing together local actors that took part of the case studies in order to present the main findings of the research and discuss policy recommendations with policy makers and other key local actors.

Since the characteristics, the interactions, and the learning processes that take place among these informal or micro/small scale actors may differ dramatically from the medium and large enterprises, it is important to develop a methodological framework capable to identify their specific innovative and learning dynamics. Better studying these specificities is an important step to understand how to transform marginal innovative activities into innovation systems that are sustainable and have wider socio-economic impact.

Some research questions to be investigated by the case studies are: How to link the informal and formal sectors to transform marginal innovative activities into inclusive innovation systems with wider impact? What kinds of partnerships could be formed during this process? How to integrate the (doing-using and interacting) DUI-based innovation of informal enterprises with the (science-technology and innovation) STI-based innovation by government and formal economic system? What kinds of networks are needed? What role could governments play? 

It is expected that the conceptual and empirical work to be developed by the RISSI Project will contribute to enabling a more coherent understanding of how the innovation systems in selected developing countries can contribute to improving livelihoods and achieving to objectives of more inclusive development. Particular attention will be given to policy implications and recommendations based on project findings.