A comparative study on NIS (national innovation system) in the Bric economies

This research characterize and compare the NIS of Brazil, Russia, India and China, pointing out differences and similarities, common bottlenecks and complementarities, as well as identifying current and potential connections. This paper compares several of the key economic parameters and social indicators between the four countries, summarizing a few broader economic and institutional characteristics; examines several of the support system´s chief indicators, including production, trade, investment and education; outlines the characteristics of the main players of innovation (including enterprises, research institutes, technology talents and colleges) under three aspects: quantity, structure and innovation efforts; analyzes the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office granted patents and indexed data of the four countries between 1979 and 2006, focusing on innovation performance characteristics - innovation, field and innovative pattern - while attempting to discover what creates differences in performance. Finally, reviews the lessons that may be drawn from this comparison and the evaluation trends of Bric´s national innovation systems.