Evolution, roots and influence of the literature on National Systems of Innovation: a bibliometric account

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2014

Authors

Aurora A C Teixeira (Author) FEP

Journal

Title: Cambridge Journal of Economics

Vol. 38 No. 1

Pages: 181-214

ISSN: 0309-166X

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 42 Citations

ISI Web of Science

Scopus - 56 Citations

Econlit

Scientific classification

FOS: Social sciences > Economics and Business

CORDIS: Social sciences > Economics > Management studies > Innovation management

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-008-QGB

DOI: 10.1093/cje/bet022

Abstract (EN): The literature on the National Systems of Innovation (NSI) is a relatively new field of research that has spread remarkably in the past 20 years. This article offers a complementary, quantitative description of the state-of-the-art of the literature based on bibliometric methods, by explicitly addressing the roots, evolution and influence of NSI literature. The exercise shows that over time the rate of published articles was quite irregular and that contributions on NSI have not (yet) converged to an integrated analytical framework. Although historically detailed descriptions on NSI showed a noticeable increase in the more recent period (20062010) analyses using more formal and diversified quantitative methodologies for assessing the performance of NSI remained lacking, reflecting its persisting methodological weaknesses. The roots of the NSI literature can be found at the core of innovation studies by certain well-known scholars in the area of economics of innovation and science policy research. Even though publications on NSI are falling in relative importance and are highly concentrated on a small set of countries (United Kingdom, Denmark, and the United States), their influence is global. They are cited by authors affiliated in organisations around the world, notably in Latin America and Asia. Such an influence goes far beyond the area of innovation studies and has resonated in fields such as economic geography, environmental studies, international business and managerial sciences. This demonstrates that the NSI literature is not self-referential.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 34