Indicadores de ciência, tecnologia e inovação: proposição e aplicação de um índice sintético para os estados da região nordeste do Brasil

Abstract

Science, Technology and Innovation (ST&I) are at the heart of the dynamics of the economic system and act as drivers of the progress of countries and regions. In this sense, the measurement of ST&I becomes necessary for the identification of gaps and for the construction of strategies for scientific, technological and innovative development. However, Brazil, like most developing countries, has deficiencies in its statistical system, hindering the process of measuring innovative development. This difficulty becomes even more evident in a subnational section due to the heterogeneity existing between the states and regions of the country. Thus, this researchaims to propose a synthetic innovation index that allows measuring the Science, Technology and Innovation of the Federative Units of northeastern Brazil, in order to compile information relevant to the understanding of the weaknesses and gaps existing. To achieve the proposed objective, this research was based on the methodology of construction of composite indicators proposed by the OECD (2008) that contribute to greater transparency and robustness in the process of index construction in order to avoid methodological inconsistencies and inaccuracies in the interpretation process. Based on a Systematic Literature Review and, later, a mapping of the available data, in the context studied, a measurement instrument composed of 28 indicators was proposed, subdivided into 12 dimensions and 4 pillars. The statistical coherence of the data set was evaluated through internal reliability tests of the data and correlation analyses. From the application of the index, it was possible to measure the development of CT&I in the Northeast, and rank the Federative Units according to their performances, identifying the forces and weaknesses of each innovative system from the analytical decomposition of the index into pillars and dimensions. For this, we used a classification scale that distinguished the states in: (1) Innovative Leaders, composed of Paraíba and Ceará, (2) Innovative Followers, composed of Pernambuco, Rio Grande do Norte, Bahia and Sergipe and (3) Moderate Innovators, composed of Piauí, Alagoas and Maranhão. It was possible to notice that the Northeast region developed in an excessively heterogeneous way and, therefore, the Federative Units of the region present destonating levels of development, despite sharing similar historical, economic, social and cultural bases. The results of this research can contribute to the development of strategies aimed at overcoming the gaps and weaknesses of the Regional Innovation Systems of the Northeast aimed at promoting the innovative development of the regions.