Innovation Systems from Below

Innovation systems research has long examined how markets and institutions shape innovation across different contexts. Yet this 'top-down' lens often overlooks the view from within: the firms and support organisations whose everyday strategies drive change. This book places these actors and their agency at the centre. Drawing on in-depth case studies of multinational enterprises and technology parks in Mexico and Brazil, it reveals how efforts to build capabilities, forge linkages, and adapt to constraints transform the wider system. Tracing the path from individual action to systemic change, it offers a fresh framework for understanding innovation in developing and middle-income contexts and beyond. Blending theory with grounded evidence, it provides clear insights for students, researchers, and practitioners in innovation management and policy.

Shows how innovation systems emerge from the ground up through the actions of firms and local actors Presents six case studies of multinational enterprises and technology parks in Mexico and Brazil Uncovers the mechanisms linking micro-level strategies to systemic innovation change

Autorentext

Juan Carlos Mondragón Quintana is a Lecturer in International Business Policy at the University of Bristol Business School, UK, where he also directs the BSc in International Business Management. A Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and the Economy of Francesco Academy, he previously gained 15 years of professional experience in the public and private sectors. His research explores innovation systems, multinational enterprises, data governance, and the role of business and education in shaping more inclusive and ethical forms of capitalism.

Inhalt

Chapter 1: Innovation Systems from Below: Analytical Orientation and Research Approach.- Chapter 2: Innovation Systems from Below: An Alternative Approach.- Chapter 3: Strategic Coupling and Innovation Capability Building at Natura.- Chapter 4: Embraer: Strategic Coupling at the Intersection of Aerospace and National Development.- Chapter 5: VWdM Strategic Coupling through Frugal Innovation and System Orchestration.- Chapter 6: Strategic Coupling Beyond the State: Cemex's Global Learning and Local Reinvention.- Chapter 7: Beyond the Firm: Institutional Bridging in Innovation Systems from Below.- Chapter 8: Applying the ISFB Framework: Mechanisms of Strategic Coupling and Institutional Bridging.- Chapter 9: Conclusions: Innovation from Below as Framework and Practice.