The local innovation agents program: a literature review on the largest Brazilian small business innovation support program
International Journal of Innovation Science
ISSN: 1757-2223
Article publication date: 27 November 2020
Issue publication date: 9 December 2020
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to analyze the characteristics of Brazilian micro and small businesses (MSBs) and the main lessons derived from the largest small business innovation support program in the country, the Local Innovation Agents – Agentes Locais de Inovação (ALI) Program.
Design/methodology/approach
In total, 34 papers were selected from the Web of Science and Scopus databases (28), as well as from the Revista de Administração e Inovação – RAI (6), a seminal Brazilian innovation journal. The papers were analyzed in terms of the regional context, methodological approach and main findings. Regional complementary analyzes of some program figures were also performed by Spearman correlation and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests.
Findings
The review revealed a low innovation level among Brazilian MSBs and that the platform (incremental product) and brand (marketing) innovation dimensions were the most developed across different regions and industries. Reviewed papers also showed that all MSBs were able to improve innovation over the program independent of previous management and innovation levels, besides positive relationships between management and innovation. The complementary analysis provided a regional panorama of the program figures and corroborated MSBs innovation improvement.
Research limitations/implications
This review analyzed relevant papers and figures related to the program, summarized main lessons and provided future research venues.
Practical implications
Different innovation strategies reviewed may be implemented by MSBs owners. Policymakers may also benefit from the program experience.
Originality/value
Despite the high number of publications and the relevance of the largest Brazilian innovation support program, there were still no literature reviews comprehending the diverse lessons derived from the ALI Program, as well as a regional panorama of the program figures.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This study was financed in part by the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior – Brasil (CAPES) -Finance Code 001.
The authors thank SEBRAE and CNPq for making data available for research purposes.
Citation
Dambiski Gomes de Carvalho, G., Martins de Resende, L.M., Gomes de Carvalho, H., Pontes, J. and Oliveira Correa, R. (2020), "The local innovation agents program: a literature review on the largest Brazilian small business innovation support program", International Journal of Innovation Science, Vol. 12 No. 5, pp. 565-588. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJIS-03-2020-0022
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2020, Emerald Publishing Limited