The Sixth Globelics Conference, entitled “Micro Dynamics of Innovation and Development: Challenges for Developing Countries,” was held in Mexico City, Mexico, from 22 to 24 September 2008. Hosted by the Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana (UAM), the conference brought together an extensive international community of researchers, policymakers, and development practitioners to examine how innovation emerges within firms, universities, research organizations, and public institutions. By placing the micro-level dynamics of innovation at the center of the discussions, the meeting reinforced Globelics’ commitment to understanding the specific challenges and opportunities faced by developing countries in building knowledge-based economies.
The conference was chaired by Gabriela Dutrénit of the Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, who led the academic program and coordinated the overall organization of the event. Institutional support was provided by the Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, with additional contributions from CONACYT (National Council for Science and Technology) and the Mexican Forum for Science and Technology (FCCyT). The opening ceremony reflected this collaborative effort through the participation of José Lema and Cuauhtémoc Pérez, representing the Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, together with José Antonio de la Peña from CONACYT and Juan Pedro Laclette from the FCCyT. Their presence emphasized the importance of connecting academic research with national science, technology, and innovation policies.
The conference also benefited from the guidance of several of the most influential scholars in innovation studies. Bengt-Åke Lundvall, founder of the Globelics network and professor at Aalborg University, participated in both the opening and closing sessions, reinforcing the network’s vision of innovation as a process driven by learning, interaction, and institutional cooperation. His contributions were complemented by Richard Nelson of Columbia University, whose pioneering work on National Innovation Systems continued to shape discussions on technological change and economic development. Other keynote participants included Luc Soete from the University of Maastricht, Judith Sutz of the University of the Republic, Keun Lee from Seoul National University, and Giovanni Dosi of the Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies, whose presentations examined topics ranging from industrial policy and technological capabilities to innovation governance and structural transformation.
Reflecting the conference theme, the scientific program was organized around a series of specialized sessions that examined innovation from multiple analytical perspectives. The session on Innovation, Growth and Development featured contributions by Pier-Paolo Saviotti, Lionel Nesta, Muhammad Nadeem Javaid, Dominik Hartmann, Andreas Pyka, Horst Hanusch, Padmashree Gehl Sampath, and Banji Oyeyinka, who explored the relationship between technological change, economic growth, and capability building. Issues of inequality and employment were addressed by Patricia Inés Laría, Lilia Domínguez Villalobos, Flor Brown Grossman, Dhanaraj Thakur, and Susan Cozzens, highlighting the social dimensions of innovation and development.
Strong attention was also given to the interaction between universities and industry. Researchers including Wilson Suzigan, Eduardo Albuquerque, Márcia Rapini, Jorge Britto, Luciano Póvoa, Pietro Antunes, and Abdelkader Djeflat examined how collaboration between academic institutions and firms contributes to technological learning and industrial competitiveness. Other sessions focused on globalization, multinational enterprises, and innovation, bringing together scholars such as Helena Barnard, Peter Gammeltoft, Carlo Pietrobelli, and Roberta Rabellotti, while discussions on knowledge networks featured contributions from Martin Bell, Jorge Niosi, Elisa Giuliani, Andrew Grantham, Karina Rodríguez, and several other researchers working on international knowledge flows and innovation collaboration.
The conference further expanded its analytical scope through sessions devoted to National and Regional Innovation Systems, where Mammo Muchie, Angathevar Baskaran, Koen Jonkers, Vazgen Atoyan, and A. A. Ponukalin presented comparative perspectives on institutional development and regional innovation dynamics. A dedicated workshop on Catch-up and Sectoral Systems of Innovation assembled leading scholars including Franco Malerba, Richard Nelson, Shulin Gu, Sunil Mani, Rajah Rasiah, Keun Lee, Shyama Ramani, Jorge Niosi, and R. Quadros, generating an in-depth discussion on technological upgrading, industrial transformation, and latecomer development strategies.
By bringing together internationally recognized experts alongside emerging researchers, the Sixth Globelics Conference demonstrated the growing maturity of the network and its increasingly interdisciplinary character. The diversity of themes, institutions, and geographical perspectives illustrated that innovation is shaped by interactions among firms, governments, universities, and society rather than by technological advances alone. Through its emphasis on learning processes, knowledge networks, institutional collaboration, and capability building, the conference strengthened Globelics’ mission of advancing research that supports inclusive, innovation-driven development in emerging economies.