Title: A schema to describe mechanisms of the co-evolution of global value chains and systems of innovation

Authors: Telmo Ghiorzi

Addresses: Brazilian School of Public and Business Administration (EBAPE), Getulio Vargas Foundation (FGV), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil

Abstract: Global value chains (GVC) and systems of innovation (SI) are concepts developed based on distinct theoretical frameworks. However, recent researches suggest that they co-evolve and that the quality of the SI influences upgrading in GVC. In spite of evidences of this co-evolution, the mechanisms by which it happens are not yet fully understood nor described. Building on a framework outlining the interactions of SI, GVC and technological capabilities of firms, this article proposes a schema by which the functional approach of SI is used to describe the mechanisms of these interactions. The proposed schema is applied to the Brazilian oil and gas sector to illustrate some conceptual aspects of the co-evolution of GVC and SI and how it can contribute to firms' strategy formulation and innovation policy making.

Keywords: global value chains; GVC; governance; upgrading; systems of innovation; functional analysis; oil and gas.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTLID.2019.106590

International Journal of Technological Learning, Innovation and Development, 2019 Vol.11 No.4, pp.291 - 310

Received: 25 Jul 2019
Accepted: 17 Sep 2019
Published online: 15 Apr 2020 *

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