The Quintuple Helix of Innovation Model and the SDGs: Latin-American Countries’ Case and Its Forgotten Effects

Abstract

The sustainable development of countries is associated with a set of actions that must be implemented in the long term. In this process, society must be a valid partner in the decisions that are made. Studies show the interrelationship between the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which increases uncertainty and makes decision-making more difficult. On the other hand, the Quintuple Helix of Innovation Model (QHIM) provides an analytical framework to explain the systems’ interactions. The motivation of the study lies in knowing the relationships between the variables that affect SDGs. The manuscript aims to broaden the discussion on sustainable development and propose two models to support decision making. The first one suggests 20 indicators linked to the QHIM with the SDGs in Latin American countries. The second identifies the forgotten effects through the application of a Fuzzy Logic algorithm. The main contribution is to know these effects and to support decision-making. The research carried out can be classified as applied, with the explanatory objective and the combined approach (quantitative-qualitative), modeling and simulation, and case study methods. The QHIM results indicate that Chile leads the ranking, followed by Brazil, Mexico, Peru, and Colombia. Also, it reveals the importance of correctly identifying cause-effects by seeking harmony between systems. A limitation would be the number of variables used. The study indicates promising lines of research.