Innovation models and interdisciplinarity in science, technology and innovation policy in Costa Rica

Purpose This paper aims to analyse innovation models and interdisciplinarity in science, technology and innovation (STI) policy in Costa Rica between 2015 and 2021. The core focus is to evaluate the public policy in light of the groundwork that sustains the designed and proposed actions. Design/methodology/approach The authors applied a qualitative approach to build a set of dimensions and conducted content-analysis of selected documents. The analysis encompasses all current STI public policy documents in Costa Rica, including the planning instruments of the Central Government and the National Policy on STI. Findings The main findings show that STI policy in Costa Rica is based on different innovation models, but the projects and instruments themselves show the predominance of the reductionist model. Innovation receives a residual role. In turn, interdisciplinarity is based on the concept of convergence, which limits disciplinary collaboration to the natural, physical and engineering sciences, minimising contributions from other fields of knowledge to an instrumental role in innovation processes. Practical implications The authors conclude that the interlinkage between open innovation models, the participation of diverse societal actors and the inclusion of an interdisciplinary perspective leads to inclusive and more democratic public policy, allowing more sectors and organisations to benefit from innovation processes. This would imply a greater reach and impact of the policy, conditions that translate into innovation achievements and a better return on public investment. Originality/value This paper contributes to current discussions on STI policy by studying the implications of the link among policies, innovation models and interdisciplinarity.

Coping With the Infodemic With Scientific Knowledge Management

The COVID-19 pandemic brought a challenge to the health area and generated an enormous amount of information, some accurate and some not, which made it difficult to locate reliable sources of information. Scientific knowledge has become the best way to mitigate this infodemiological process. Observatories are instruments to support decision making, seeking to integrate different sources of information and communicate the results using research methodologies such as the COVID-19 Scientific Evidence Observatory. Created by members of the research group Information in Science, Technology, and Innovation in Health, of the IBICT, it aims to meet the informational demands of the most varied audiences. Its development methodology involves a knowledge management team that uses the methodological rigor of the systematic literature review to seek, evaluate, synthesize, and enable access to reliable and qualified sources of information. It provides access to different sources of national and international information from the Kaleidoscope of Science.

National Innovation System: Construction in Progress

The article examines the evolution of the innovation system in Russia over the past years, based on international data. A comparative analysis of the strengths is carried out and development problems are shown, among which the main attention is paid to the low degree of connectedness of the main actors: science, education, the business sector and the state. In recent years, numerous state initiatives have been undertaken with the purpose to place Russia among the countries - world leaders in the field of science, technology and innovation. The strengths of Russia have been and remain the quality of human capital (secondary and tertiary education) and the knowledge creation (number of researchers, number of patents).Opportunities for transforming generated knowledge into innovative goods and services are limited by the low quality of regulatory and political institutions and weak interaction of individual elements of the innovation system

Drivers, Processes, and Outcomes of the STI and DUI Modes of Innovation: A Systematic Review

Two promising streams of research in innovation involve the innovation stemming from the interaction of multiple actors (i.e. innovation networks) and innovation modes [the modes focused on science, technology, and innovation (STI) and learning by doing, using, and interacting (DUI)]. However, scholars have not exerted much effort in cross-referencing these two literature streams. Following a protocol to conduct a systematic review of the literature, through Scimago journals ranking (Q1 and Q2 classification) available at the Web of Science and B-On databases, this study considered 44 articles for eligibility. Moreover, it systematically considers the key features of innovation emerging from DUI networks versus STI networks. Finally, it contributes to future innovation research by comprehensively reviewing the drivers, processes, and outcomes of the STI and DUI innovation emerging from networks.

Assessing Economic Security of the Russian Federation in Technological Field

The article studies elements of technological sphere, such as science, technology and innovation. Appraisal of economic security of Russia was conducted by using methodology of utmost crucial indicators. The most important indicators and their crucial values based on the principle ‘resources – results’ were selected, which gave an opportunity to estimate the efficiency of resource investment and their use. The author substantiated the threshold values for each indicator The method of utmost crucial values together with zoning by the degree of risk can allow us to identify the possibility of threat arising and understand their degree for spheres being investigated. During the analysis the standing of values in accordance with zone distribution was estimated and general trends were found out. On the basis of estimation the general dynamics of indicators was plotted in the form of indexes of economic security and on their foundation the integral appraisal of the condition of economic security in technological field was built. In conclusion the author stated the overall level of technological sphere and described threats to economic security of Russia.

Higher Education Management in Ecuador

Higher education is the last phase of the academic learning process, that is, the one that comes after the secondary stage. It is provided at universities, colleges or technical training academies. The education offered by higher education is at the professional level. The objective of the study was to analyze the management of Higher Education in the country and to describe the main activities of the institutions linked to these activities. The main results indicate that three institutions are the protagonists in management. The Secretariat of Higher Education, Science, Technology and Innovation (SENESCYT), the Council for Quality Assurance in Education (CACES) and the Council of Higher Education (CES). Higher education is one of the main drivers of societal evolution. Investing in education is vital to ensure a prosperous and competitive socioeconomic system. Higher education has a high responsibility to society: they are responsible for preparing the professionals of the future.