Brazil’s innovation system—the triple helix of government, university and industry R&D capacity—and its role in promoting acknowledged national successes in the high technology sector (most notably in alternative energy, aerospace, and agricultural biotechnology) has been the object of considerable discussion over the years, with opinions varying greatly on its overall efficacy with respect to return on investment.  What has been subject to much less scrutiny is the “internal” innovation system that has been quietly emerging wholly within the corporate sector as a response to the perceived failures of the Brazilian model, in terms of its objectives, structure, and ultimate impact.

The proposed research focuses squarely on this element of the innovation puzzle through an examination of the development of Brazil’s unique next-generation “corporate universities”.  Using the Companhia Vale do Rio Doce’s graduate-level Instituto Tecnológico as the primary case study, the research identifies strengths and weaknesses of the model and its potential impact on the future of corporate training and R&D strategies within conventional innovation systems worldwide. 

Photo courtesy of flickr user Vermin Inc.