Comparing innovation systems: a review of the literature on Germany and China

Abstract

Globalization and the growing technological development experienced in the last decade have repositioned to innovation as the key component that nations and companies need to gain and maintain their competitive advantage. Hence, there is a growing interest in the study of the dynamics and policies that influence the development and implementation of innovation. This paper, through a literary review, presents the methodological approaches used within empirical studies of national innovation systems of Germany and China. In both cases, there is evidence that the contemporary academic study of innovation takes place from an evolutionary perspective, it focuses on the linkages between the different actors and institutions in a system, and its analysis contributes to the establishment of public policies to favor economic development and social welfare.