Title: How important are institutions for innovation and global competitiveness?

Authors: Emerson Gomes dos Santos; Alcides Barrichello; Rogerio Scabim Morano

Addresses: Escola Paulista de Política, Economia e Negócios, Universidade Federal de São Paulo – UNIFESP, Rua Oleska Winogradow, 100, 3 Andar, Sala 301, Jardim das Flores, 06110-295, Osasco, SP, Brazil ' Centro de Ciências Sociais Aplicadas, Universidade Presbiteriana Mackenzie, Rua Consolação, 930, 01302-000, São Paulo, SP, Brazil ' Instituto de Ciências Ambientais, Químicas e Farmacêuticas, Instituto de Ciência e Tecnologia, Universidade Federal de São Paulo – UNIFESP, Rua São Nicolau, 210, 4 Andar, Sala 41, Centro, 09913-030, Diadema, SP, Brazil

Abstract: Several studies show the importance of innovation to increase the competitiveness of countries. The literature indicates the existence of many factors that influence this relationship, including institutional ones. This study aimed to evaluate the influence of institutions on the countries' competitiveness. For this, data from 137 countries, present in the Global Competitiveness Report, published regularly by the World Economic Forum, and statistical mediation models were used. The results confirm the hypothesis that the institutions in the countries mediate the influence of innovation on global competitiveness. Therefore, the countries' institutional structure should receive more attention as a relevant factor for competitiveness and economic growth. This article contributes to the discussion on the role of the country's institutional environment for economic performance at the international level. The development of policies to improve national systems of innovation needs to deal with the institutional environment to help competitiveness.

Keywords: innovation; global competitiveness; institutions; mediation; World Economic Forum; WEF.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBIR.2023.130075

International Journal of Business Innovation and Research, 2023 Vol.30 No.4, pp.476 - 496

Received: 22 Jun 2020
Accepted: 02 Feb 2021
Published online: 05 Apr 2023 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article