What Role Should Innovation Play in the Current Economic Landscape?

Academics and professionals in the field of innovation respond to the question of what role this sector should play in the current economic landscape.

Claudio Maggi, Director of Innovation and Development at the University of Concepción, who has also held positions such as Competitive Development Manager at Corfo and Director of Innova Bío Bío and Innova Chile, states that “an innate attribute of an innovator is their empathy in anticipating and detecting needs or opportunities early.”

When asked about the advantages of digitalization in innovation, his stance is clear: “More than just innovation, we need a rapid adoption of technologies in areas such as process digitalization, digital marketing, and logistics in order to reintegrate SMEs into supply chains.”

Knowledge Economy

Pablo Catalán, Director of the Master’s Program in Innovation and Technological Entrepreneurship and Associate Professor at the Industrial Engineering Department at UdeC, argues that part of innovation’s role should be “the construction of a new knowledge-based economy.”

He explains that “our country needs to move beyond its dependence on extractive industries based on natural resources, which largely explains the current industrial structure of low added value.”

Catalán adds, “New economic sectors are needed, which requires greater public investment in research and development, as well as industrial policies aimed at this mission. This would allow us to address the unique challenges of our country and achieve higher innovation rates, particularly in the technology sector.”

Empathy

The director of the Master’s Program in Innovation and Technological Entrepreneurship agrees with Maggi, stating that “in innovation, particularly in the observation phase, empathy is crucial. It requires not only understanding but also putting oneself in others’ shoes to truly feel their struggles and needs. The constant practice of empathy is clearly necessary today, so that we can work together to build a more just and inclusive society.”

Investment in Innovation

Inti Núñez, Master’s in Science, Technology, and Innovation Policy from the University of Sussex and Director of Strategy at the Faculty of Engineering, UdeC, explains that “within public policy portfolios, investment in innovation focuses on opportunities, specifically on creating new industries and sectors. An economy with more knowledge-based sectors and emerging industries—resulting in a more horizontal industrial structure—distributes wages more equitably, creates opportunities, and sends a message that new entrants can build better living conditions.”

Núñez also references a column by Eduardo Bitrán, suggesting that “Chile’s low investment in innovation may have contributed to maintaining or exacerbating inequality. Moving forward, investing in innovation both nationally and regionally should create higher-quality jobs, cultivate a vision of a land that provides opportunities, and help retain talent while proactively shaping a better future for its people.”

Additionally, he cites Nobel laureate Paul Romer, who suggested that “low public investment often leads to more unequal societies. While these societies may experience economic growth, they also face social issues due to the ineffectiveness of public policies stemming from underinvestment. In this context, innovation is responsible for uncovering new opportunities, and poor policy implementation in this area results in fewer well-distributed, high-quality jobs.”

Digital Transformation

Felipe Díaz, Innovation Professor at the Faculty of Engineering at Universidad San Sebastián, agrees with Catalán, stating that “innovators have a natural ability to empathize and turn problems into opportunities, which is crucial today.”

He adds, “It is essential to accelerate the digital transformation of SMEs as the main solution to the challenges faced by the commerce sector. For businesses that are not technology-based, the current situation puts them at a severe disadvantage compared to those that use digital systems in their commercial operations.”

According to Díaz, “SMEs that belong to an e-commerce network or prioritize remote sales have a better chance of maintaining customer loyalty than those still relying on traditional in-person sales models.”

However, he emphasizes that it is crucial to have a robust logistics system that ensures efficient delivery and tracking of products.