| Name: | Description: | Size: | Format: | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.31 MB | Adobe PDF |
Authors
Advisor(s)
Abstract(s)
Em comemoração do 30º Aniversário da Universidade do Algarve
e do Ano Europeu da Criatividade e Inovação. On the commemoration of its 30th anniversary, the University of Algarve decided to
promote a series of conferences on Innovation for Development and then to edit this book on
the interventions prepared by the invited speakers.
The overall debate on this topic – broken down into more specific objectives such as
competitiveness, entrepreneurship, sustainability, geographic information systems or innovation
regional policies – could not be better chosen, in the context of our country which, like many
others, is seeking to become more competitive in today’s knowledge based global world
economy. As a matter of fact it is unanimously accepted that, these days, innovation became a
must in the search for development.
The most consensual definition of innovation is probably the one provided by the OECD Oslo
Manual, 2005. By entailing four types of innovation – product (be it good or service), process,
organizational and marketing – it sensibly extends innovation far beyond a strictly technological
perspective.
But, broadly speaking, innovation can be interpreted as the conversion of knowledge into social
or economic value. This synthetic definition of the innovation concept has two major implications.
Firstly, it becomes clear that the generation of knowledge – i.e. Research and Development
(R&D) – and its diffusion – i.e. people’s qualification – are necessary conditions for innovation
to take place.