THE ROLE OF CIVIL SOCIETY ACTORS IN INNOVATION: AN INTEGRATIVE APPROACH WITH STRUCTURAL EQUATIONS AND FUZZY SET QUALITATIVE COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS

Abstract

The quadruple helix model has attracted the attention of various actors seeking to understand the relationships between universities, companies, governments, and civil society. Compared to the triple helix model, this model introduces social and democratic perspectives in knowledge production. The existing literature presents empirical evidence of the participation of civil society actors in innovation processes. Still, there is a lack of research on the specific mechanisms of society’s participation in these ecosystems. This study explores the antecedents that facilitate the participation of society in the development of innovation in a regional ecosystem. For this, representatives of civil society organisations from Brazil, Colombia, and Bolivia were selected. Data analysis was performed using structural equation modelling techniques (Partial Least Squares) and fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA), focusing on the influence of government support and collaboration between ecosystem actors on civil society participation. The results indicate that government support is crucial to facilitate civil society participation in innovation processes. Collaboration between ecosystem actors also plays a significant role, allowing for greater societal participation when the ecosystem is well developed. However, market dynamism did not significantly affect participation in civil society, possibly due to the concentration of markets and economic inequalities in the region. On the other hand, technological dynamism, although crucial for innovation, did not directly influence the participation of society, revealing a mismatch in priorities between the different actors in the ecosystem. These findings underline the importance of effective public policies and cooperation between all ecosystem actors to foster an inclusive, innovative environment. Furthermore, they suggest more aligned strategies to integrate civil society in technological innovation processes, considering technological and trust challenges.