Innovation and social development: A challenge for Latin America.

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to propose elements for decision-making regarding S&T cooperation at the hemispheric level. This field appears to differ from others in three defining aspects that require special analysis. The first is that this topic has had little presence on the political agenda for regional cooperation (as demonstrated by the publications produced by relevant organizations) and on the decision-making processes that lead to the formulation of innovative policies in the countries of the region. The second aspect is that this field has not been sufficiently studied for policy implementation purposes to allow for adequate analysis. In fact, whether in the area of ​​recent Latin American thinking on science and technology policy and management, which has had an impact on the formulation of national S&T and cooperation policies, or in the current international literature on innovation and competitiveness, the innovation/social development interface has clearly been relegated to a secondary role.