Libro Blanco Vol I en Ingles
Libro Blanco Vol I en Ingles
Libro Blanco Vol I en Ingles
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TOWARDS A NATIONAL INNOVATION STRATEGY FOR COMPETITIVENESSVOLUME 1All of this leads to a clear conclusion: if the contribution of classic production factors (capital and work)sooner or later declines, the only possible option is to bet on TFP. Th<strong>en</strong>, the following question arisesspontaneously: What does it dep<strong>en</strong>d on? Firstly, it is based on factors such as social cohesion, the quality ofinstitutions or macroeconomic stability, which means that growth is intimately linked to the g<strong>en</strong>eral activities ofgovernm<strong>en</strong>ts and public policies. However, above all, the growth of TFP is based on the dynamic and diffusion ofknowledge, on technological change, on the capabilities and the efforts of people –human capital– and oninnovation.These are precisely the areas that lie at the heart of the mandate of this Council and the axis that formsthe basis of this National Innovation Strategy for Competitiv<strong>en</strong>ess, because they are, in turn, the zones in whichthe country has the most significant lags compared to its international competitors as will be shown in thisdocum<strong>en</strong>t.IS CHILE PREPARED FOR DOUBLING ITS INCOME?This question is not trivial, and the answers, as we will see further ahead, are not necessarily<strong>en</strong>couraging. In fact, the international studies show that the competitiv<strong>en</strong>ess and productivity lags that Chilemust overcome to attain the level of developed countries increases as they grow faster; this can be clearly se<strong>en</strong>in the global ranking, where maintaining ones’ position or raising it is an ever more difficult chall<strong>en</strong>ge.A cold and non-ideological look at the international evid<strong>en</strong>ce compels us to recognize that the keys forcompetitiv<strong>en</strong>ess and growth are human capital, R+D and production diversity, three aspects in which Chile hasserious lags, and so decisive steps on these fundam<strong>en</strong>tal pillars could provide major returns for Chile.In the 2006 Global Competitiv<strong>en</strong>ess Report, the World Economic Forum (WEF) defines the competitiv<strong>en</strong>essof an economy as the “range of factors, policies and institutions that determine the productivity level of acountry”, which converge on nine pillars defined based on the results of more rec<strong>en</strong>t empirical and theoreticalstudies on the issue. These are: a) the quality of public institutions, b) infrastructure, c) macroeconomicstability, d) health and primary education, e) higher education and training, f) the effici<strong>en</strong>cy of markets, g)technological preparedness, h) the sophistication of businesses and i) innovation.In 2005 and 2006 Chile ranked 27 in the global index and is the best ranked Latin American country 13 , aunique situation in the world, since, as the WEF indicates, in g<strong>en</strong>eral countries of the same region have similarperformances. This strong position of Chile is not only a reflection of solid public institutions operating at levels13 Arg<strong>en</strong>tina and Brazil, the nearest Latin American countries behind Chile in the list, are ranked 69 and 66, respectively.31