L’utilisation du concept « Système National d’Innovation » dans les P.E.D. : quelle pertinence conceptuelle pour quels indicateurs ?

Both a conceptual approach and a tool for formalizing scientific policies, National Innovation Systems (NISs) exist today in multiple terminologies, through a variety of conceptualizations all seeking to give real means of action to public decision-makers on the issue of innovation and development. Like the conceptualization of these systems, the establishment of indicators has given rise to much debate. Nevertheless, the scientific community agrees that they remain indispensable, despite their widely discussed methodology. Before proposing a number of indicators that we consider relevant in developing countries (DCs), we will take a look at the current characteristics of the developing NISs as well as their considerable heterogeneity. The aim of this paper is both to justify the relevance of NISs in DCs despite the existence of multi-scalar innovation networks, and to apply a suitable methodological framework for this purpose. JEL classification: O55, O11, O33.