Desenvolvimento regional e políticas públicas de incentivo à inovação: os Núcleos de Inovação Tecnológica (NIT) nas universidades públicas da Paraíba

Abstract

This research regards a study about how the Nuclei of Technological Innovation – NIT existing in the public universities of the state of Paraíba have contributed to local development, since their implantation. It aims to characterize these nuclei and establish a production, contribution and relationship profile inside the institutions where they are located, as well as in the local socioeconomic environment. Considering that the technological development and the creation of innovations have permeated studies throughout time, in what concerns their transformation potential of economic structures and their own development, to understand the technological and scientific profile that we possess in Brazil it is necessary to evaluate in what way the public policies for innovation incentive have been built. The NITs results from these public policies, therefore present themselves as a relevant and indispensable object in the analysis of the mentioned policies’ results concerning the local and economic development. In this manner, the work was conducted through exploratory research, using as a methodological approach the multiple case study. The analysis process was made based on the concepts utilized in the theorical framework and based on the multi-case study, by collecting data through semi-structured interviews with NIT’s existing managers in the Paraíba’s public universities. Thus relating the theory and the collected data. Finally, the obtained results show that there are hindrances to be overcome in order for universities’ NITs effectively contribute to local development. Despite fulfilling with good results their objectives in the academic environment, their interaction with society it is not quite pronounced, as also it is not the strengthening of ICTs’ relations with companies. Therefore, lacking the fulfilment of the mediator agent role in the transfer of technology and innovation.