Low-income countries and innovation studies: a review of recent literature

Abstract

This is a review of the literature on innovation in the world's poorest countries, published between 1997 and 2008. It asks what role innovation plays in these countries, and how much and what exactly we know about it. It shows that traditional innovation studies, in particular, has rather neglected the know income countries. Most research addresses problems concerning agriculture and health and focuses not on firms but on individuals, households and communities as principal units of analysis. The literature is rather fragmented and there is no evidence of a systematic research agenda concerning innovation of and for the bottom billion. However, there are a few recipient themes, around which the low income countries focuses their research.