Sustainable R&D and innovation system comparisons of India, Russia, Mexico and Turkey

Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to define and measure the outputs of a specific kind of innovation system, namely a sustainability-oriented innovation system (SoIS) for India, Russia, Mexico, and Turkey, with a view to compare and draw best practises for other emerging economies.Design/methodology/approachIn a mixed methods design, the research work combines qualitative assessments based on support mechanisms with quantitative analyses based on the outputs of papers and patents in a set of 25 main keywords and related patent codes.FindingsThe SoIS for the four countries are defined based on 40 support mechanisms in the six main activities or functional dynamics of innovation systems. In an 11-year timeframe between 2003 and 2014, the output analyses consisted of 42,812 papers in the Scopus database and 3,483 patents in the World Intellectual Property Organization PatentScope database. Best practices were further identified and used to make a set of five key recommendations toward activating SoIS.Practical implicationsThe synergy of each functional dynamic is necessary to maximize the outputs of SoIS and transform knowledge into societal benefit for sustainable development. Best practises include dedicated research initiatives in sustainability priorities.Originality/valueThe paper bridges a gap in developing and applying a method to identify, compare, and measure the performance of SoIS. The results are useful to activate SoIS to accelerate the pace of research, development and innovation for better managing environmental quality.