Os governos estaduais e a política pública de inovação tecnológica: análise a partir do modelo teórico de Hélice Tríplice

Abstract

This doctoral thesis addresses the role of government in formulating and implementing technological innovation public policy, as well as new organizational formats generated from the interaction between universities, companies and government. According to the Triple Helix theory, technological innovation results from the interaction between helixes represented by universities, companies and government. This interaction causes changes to each helix’s functioning and the creation of hybrid organizations at their trilateral intersection point. Three empirical categories were established to understand the role of government in innovation policy: 1. The government's capacity to establish itself as a Space for Consensus; 2. State programs for university-company interaction; and 3. Performance of three types of hybrid organizations: technology transfer offices, incubators and science and technology parks. This is a qualitative, descriptive, exploratory case study research, using techniques of bibliographic and documentation research, observation and interviews. The innovation policies of three states were the subject of in-depth analysis: Amazonas, Pernambuco and Santa Catarina. The results indicate that while these states have moved forward with including innovation in their public agenda, as key to economic and social development, these advances have not entailed greater involvement of multiple public departments, with the agenda remaining mostly in the hands of the states’ Science and Technology Departments and public Research Support Foundations. The government acts as a Space for Consensus, with its legitimacy to coordinate and implement actions recognized by other stakeholders related to innovation; there remains, however, lack of clarity as to the policy’s goals and priority sectors. In relation to innovation-promoting programs, governments adopt strategies to bolster entrepreneurship as a way of dodging the difficult interaction with existing companies. On the other hand, programs developed to promote interaction between universities and companies face cultural and institutional barriers that the government cannot surpass without a shift in mindset from representatives of other helixes as to the relevance of these partnerships.