This book analyzes innovation within the setting of Latin America,which is one of the most dynamic business regions in the world. The objective throughout the book is to narrow down different innovation definitions, explore the need for training innovation professionals, elaborate strategies and enunciate best practices for ensuring its delivery, and review innovation and knowledge transfer projects.

Innovation is discussed from different perspectives in a series of articles written by a diverse group of policy makers, academics and practitioners.The authors present a rich number of cases studies such as the Monterrey International City of Knowledge Program (MICK), the JELARE cooperation project of European and Latin American universities around renewable energy, among others.

The book is arranged into sections, each with separate academic and practitioner focused chapters:

  • Innovation in practice and practicing
  • Nuances in entrepreneurial and innovative activity
  • Generating innovation through knowledge exchange
  • Use of intellectual property in Latin America higher education institutions
  • Fostering innovation and global competitiveness
  • Socioeconomics of digital ecosystems research
  • Disseminating innovation by improving individual capabilities;
  • Vertical integrative innovation;
  • Lessons learned from innovation practice specifically in the Latin American arena

In the first section, the book presents a proposed a conceptual framework of management of and for innovation, which helps to get an overall view of the interplay between innovation systems, processes and people. The second chapter explores entrepreneurial activity involving innovation across nations, regions and sector and argues for the importance of nuance in studies that underpin policy development.

Third chapter highlights key aspects of knowledge exchange from three cases. In the fourth chapter, the author points out that higher education institutions must not disregard the importance of the IPR system as one of several tools to promote innovation and entrepreneurship.

The next chapter presents the key findings of two project surveys that were carried out in the renewable energy sector. In the sixth chapter, the book reviews the actions taken at regional level in the state of Nuevo Leon, in Mexico, for the establishment of new policies designed to accelerate the development of a knowledge society. The following chapter is intended to analyze the link between theoretical and policy-oriented digital ecosystems. The eighth chapter takes an in-depth look at the fundamental components of the innovation systems, that is individual capabilities.

The final chapter goes through study cases in Colombia that have been successful in the generation of innovation as well as in the integration of sector of society that have traditionally been marginalized of research activity.

About the Book

The writer’s intention is to demonstrate that innovation can flourish in Latin America, if societies are willing to adopt certain thinking and practices. The book is intended for policy makers, practitioners and post-graduate students, who seek to analyze innovation from a regional perspective and its social implications, in this case Latin America.

Edited by Mark Anderson, David Edgar, Kevin Grant, Keith Halcro, Julio Mario Rodriguez Devis and Lautaro Guera Genskowsky.

Publisher: Gower Publishing Co.

Publication Date: December 28, 2013

Formats: Hardback; Kindle. To order, please visit Amazon

About the author

Jesús MascareñoJesus Mascareño, is an innovation consultant specialized in innovation ecosystems, disruptive innovation and corporate strategy. He has worked with public and private innovation centers in Europe and Latin-America. Currently he leads the innovation practice at On-strategy for Latin-America, is professor of innovation management at Universidad Panamericana and mentors high-impact entrepreneurs at Endeavor México. Jesus has a MBA degree from Linköping University and studied International Business at Harvard University.