Towards a Regional Policy: Transformative Innovation in Colombia

Abstract

Innovation policies under the Transformative Innovation Framework (TIF) aim to change sociotechnical systems. The Framework considers that production and consumption patterns should satisfy human needs and also be oriented by sustainable development and inclusive goals. Differently from earlier innovation models, transformative innovation aims to articulate new problems and actors neglected by existing innovation policies. The TIF has been considered for regional policies in Colombia under the National Science and Innovation Policy for Sustainable Development of Colombia, the Green Book 2030 (Colciencias & SPRU, 2018). From this perspective, we analyse the (mis)alignment between theory (the TIF), Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) policies at the regional level, and practices implemented by policy actors, universities and civil society organisations. These three components create the governance of the transformative innovation policy in Colombia. Our theoretical approach is focused on the territorial perspective to investigate regional innovation policy in Colombia. This chapter aims to analyse how the TIF has been taken by policy actors and which possibilities and limits brings at regional level in Colombia. We implemented a qualitative approach in our research and the data collection covered 31 semi-structured interviews during 2019 with actors involved in the STI regional policies in Colombia, among those, government officers, university faculty members and researchers and civil society.