Evolution of Innovation Indicators in Peru

Abstract

A country's economy, in terms of productivity, poverty reduction and sustainable development, is related to its progress in innovation; therefore, it is of special interest to analyze and compare the indicators that measure innovation capacity. This study examines the evolution of innovation in Peru in recent years. A systematic search was conducted for data related to innovation indicators from the competitiveness rankings of the World Economic Forum, Ricyt, Indecopi, Sunedu, OECD, Concytec, Consejo Privado de Competitividad, among other organizations that evaluate global or regional performance. The results indicate that, during the last decade, Peru has shown some improvements in innovation; the number of patents granted has shown sustained growth, especially in universities; however, most of the indicators have not shown regular behavior, and some even showed drops. Likewise, Peruvian performance is still limited, especially when compared to other countries in the region such as Chile and Colombia, South American partners in the Pacific Alliance. In conclusion, despite Peru's remarkable macroeconomic growth in recent years, as well as the increased budget allocated to STI, the legal framework for intellectual property, the PCT system, university reform with research incentive policies, among other factors, Peru's performance in innovation has not reached the expected values, nor has it shown sustained and regular growth.