Title: Enhancing innovation performance in the Latin America and Caribbean region: evidence, proposals, and improvement strategies from the case of Brazil

Authors: Paulo Vinicius Petriz Maciel Monteiro; Fábio de Oliveira Paula; David Nunes Resende; Branca Regina Cantisano dos Santos e Silva; Carlos Eduardo de Andrade Lima da Rocha; Jorge Ferreira da Silva; Murilo de Alencar Souza Oliveira

Addresses: IAG Business School, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro – PUC-RIO, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Department of Economics, Management, Industrial Engineering and Tourism – DEGEIT, University of Aveiro – UA, Portugal ' IAG Business School, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro – PUC-RIO, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil ' GOVCOPP, ESTGA, University of Aveiro – UA, Portugal ' Faculty of Administration and Finance – FAF, Rio de Janeiro State University – UERJ, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; GOVCOPP, University of Aveiro – UA, Portugal ' Oswaldo Cruz Foundation – FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil ' IAG Business School, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro – PUC-RIO, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil ' Oswaldo Cruz Foundation – FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Abstract: The Global Innovation Index (GII) serves as a benchmark for assessing an economy's innovation performance and systems, as well as informing policies. Despite recent post-pandemic progress, the literature highlights Brazil's unsatisfactory innovation performance that needs improvement. This research investigates the factors that significantly impacted Brazil's innovation performance from 2011 to 2020 (pre-pandemic period), examining GII ranking data. The study highlights significant weak and strategic points for growth, outlined across four pillars, ten sub-pillars, and 34 indicators, emphasising the need to invest in enhancement across 'institutions', 'market sophistication', 'creative outputs', and 'human capital and research'. These insights guide stakeholders and policymakers, not only within Brazil's innovation system but also for others seeking to replicate this approach. Ultimately, the study recommends and suggests strategies and improvement actions aimed at fortifying and fostering a more conducive environment for innovation in the economy, as well as addressing relevant topics for future research.

Keywords: Brazil; Global Innovation Index; GII; innovation performance; innovation systems; Latin America and Caribbean; policymakers; public policies; pandemic; stakeholders; upper-middle income.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEED.2025.143598

International Journal of Education Economics and Development, 2025 Vol.16 No.1/2, pp.4 - 29

Received: 23 May 2023
Accepted: 25 Jul 2023
Published online: 02 Jan 2025 *

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