Innovation and Productivity in the Service Sector in Latin America and the Caribbean Countries

Objective: The main focus of this research is to increase understanding of innovation and productivity in market services at the firm level, with a special focus on the role of public policy.

Specific Objectives

(1) To generate new knowledge and to increase understanding of the main determinants of productivity and innovation in services in LAC, identifying the main market failures that hinder productivity growth and innovation in services and the extent to which each one of them can be addressed with specific policies;

(2) To support public policy design suitable for fostering innovation and productivity growth in services, and raise awareness among policymakers on the critical role and distinctive characteristics of the service sector;

(3) To assist innovation agencies and governments in assessing the effectiveness of public-private interventions, to foster innovation and productivity in the service sector; and

(4) To generate new knowledge and better indicators that could be used by productive development institutions, professional boards, NGOs, and business associations to promote innovation and increase productivity in the service sector.

This research is taking place in 8 LAC countries with the financial support of the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) and the Inter American Development Bank (IDB) and the technical coordination of the Competitiveness and Innovation Division of the IDB and the Center for Economic Research (CINVE).

Coordinators-advisors-supervisors: Diego Aboal (CINVE), Elena Arias (IADB), Gustavo Crespi (IADB), Paula Garda (CINVE), Bibiana Lanzilotta (CINVE), Marcelo Perera (CINVE), Ben Petrazzini (IDRC), Luis Rubalcaba (External Advisor), Ezequiel Tacsir (IADB) and Fernando Vargas (IADB).

Colaboradores

Diego Aboal (CINVE/Uruguay)

Roberto Àlvarez (Intelis, Chile)

Tomas Bas (University of Sherbrooke, Canada)

Claudio Bravo (Intelis, Chile)

Lucio Castro (CIPPEC, Argentina)

Gustavo Crespi (BID, EEUU)

Claudia De Fuentes (Saint Mary’s University, Canada)

Gabriela Dutrénit (UAM, Mexico)

Fernando Estupiñan (Metrica, Colombia)

Sofía Fernández (CENIT, Argentina)

Juan Gallegos (Universidad del Rosario, Colombia)