Abstract
The effects of the pandemic, which included a high death toll and severe disruptions across various sectors, exposed flaws in the healthcare system and revealed the limits of the present international governing systems. The pandemic spurred a significant digital shift, driving innovations in remote work tools, healthcare tech and vaccine development. It also emphasized the need for resilient supply chains and fuelled advancements in education technology. In this context, Lakhwinder Singh and K J Joseph offer an insightful examination in their edited book, addressing the aftermath and redesigning of innovative systems in the light of the unprecedented challenges given by the COVID-19 pandemic. The editors have drawn attention to the ways in which national governments employed unilateral actions to protect their residents, which had a negative impact on global value chains and trade globally. The global response to the COVID-19 pandemic has been critically examined in this book, with particular attention paid to creative solutions and the uptake of new technologies in nations mainly of the global south. It discusses the effects on healthcare, economics and industries while highlighting the role of innovation systems in tackling health and socio-economic inequality. Although the book acknowledges the encouraging developments in health innovation, it also expresses concerns about growing inequality, especially in technical monopolies. It investigates how innovations brought about by pandemics in the domains of healthcare organizations might influence the post-COVID-19 world, advocating for inclusive methods and the integration of worldwide knowledge.
The book portrays the political, social, economic and health systems as a cohesive institutional framework, highlighting their interrelationships. Notably, the book highlights the flaws of global governance frameworks, hindering international cooperation by quoting Luc Soete’s description of them as a ‘beggar-thy-neighbour COVID policy’. The breakdown tendency of multilateral institutions is attributed to their inflexibility, inadequate response to technological advancements and the challenges developing nations pose.
The book suggests a redesigned innovation system that combines top-down and bottom-up strategies to promote equitable and resilient development. With a well-thought-out introduction and a well-organized structure, the editors provide a sophisticated starting to the book in the first chapter. They provide an in-depth examination of the global health, economic and governance effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. They discuss concerns about global healthcare institutions and introduce the concept of innovation systems. With a keen understanding of these challenges, the editors set a solid foundation for the rest of the book.
There are three sections to the book. The first section, divided into four chapters, examines difficulties in unpredictable times. The second section, which consists of five chapters, examines how the innovation system handled the COVID-19-related disturbances. Six chapters make up the third section, which focuses on reinventing innovation and policy from a key national standpoint. The last chapter of the section offers a thorough synopsis, outlining future implications for the innovation system and drawing on theoretical, empirical and policy views.
Adapting to Uncertainty: Challenges Faced by the Innovation System
The pandemic uncertainty posed challenges to innovative systems by budget constraints on research and development and disrupted supply chains, hindering the usual pace of technological advancements. In Chapter 2, Bengt-Ake Lundvall examines how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected global inequality, highlighting the necessity for developing nations to increase their knowledge expenditures and strengthen their domestic innovation infrastructure. It tracks the development of the national innovation system (NIS) concept, emphasizing the contributions of Freeman and Lundvall. The chapter examines issues triggered by COVID-19, including vaccine hoarding and the concentration of intellectual property in the hands of big technology firms. In the light of new developments, it advocates a reassessment of the NIS concept, highlighting the significance of global governance and promoting ‘globalization from below’ to address acute issues. In Chapter 3, ‘Beyond the COVID-19 Pandemic,’ Rajah Rasiah examines the complex connections between health, social equity, environmental sustainability and economic development. The chapter questions presumptions that relate GDP per capita to COVID-19 outcomes and reveals subtle links among socio-economic equality, material development, adoption of renewable energy and healthcare indices. Rasiah views pandemic response as a public good and promotes international cooperation. The chapter highlights the need for systemic approaches to address health, environmental and socio-economic disparities and calls for a reassessment of international collaboration to promote a stable and sustainable global community.
In Chapter 4, Claudia De Fuentes comprehensively analyses science, technology and innovation’s (STI) crucial role in handling the COVID-19 complexities. The investigation explores important components such as the innovation system, collaborative efforts and national and global knowledge capacities. It highlights the need to reassess the STI framework, focusing on global interdependence, accountability and governance. The author strongly advocates for disruptive innovation while skilfully outlining obstacles. To provide readers with a more in-depth understanding of how science, technology and innovation work in times of global crises, particular case studies or examples could be included. With a special emphasis on Asia, Swati Mehta and Lakhwinder Singh explore the complex post-COVID global dynamics in their insightful Chapter 5. They skilfully analyse the potential and problems brought about by the pandemic’s effects on international economies, governance and innovation systems. The authors meticulously sail through economic forecasts, highlighting Asia’s contribution to the recovery. They carefully examine the shifting waves of globalization, analyse the structural shifts in global economic growth and emphasize the necessity of robust policies to foster innovation. This chapter offers optimism by advocating for strategic investment and innovative policy solutions to create a resilient post-pandemic future.
Response of Innovation System Amidst COVID-19 Crisis
Amidst the COVID-19 crisis, the innovation system demonstrated resilience, addressing challenges and fostering a more adaptive recovery. Through collaborative problem-solving and accelerated innovation, it handled the immediate hurdles and laid the groundwork for future readiness.
K J Joseph and Kiran Kumar Kakarlapudi’s Chapter 6 examines how COVID-19 has affected developing countries, emphasizing the critical role of these countries’ innovation systems. The authors emphasize that nations with strong frameworks for innovation exhibit more robust recoveries. To bridge the gaps, the authors advocate inclusive innovation. The chapter uses illustrations and evidence to clarify how a lack of innovation impedes economic recovery. The chapter advocates a cautious approach to globalization that considers every nation’s distinct strengths. Sachin Chaturvedi, Amit Kumar and Sabyasachi Saha, in Chapter 7, describe the manner in which the pandemic combined two distinct forms of innovation systems to create the Integrated Innovation System. It is believed that this adjustment will improve the handling of upcoming issues. The authors recommend implementing a robust infrastructure to integrate various innovation techniques seamlessly. It also demonstrates how, with government assistance, Indian startups and businesses changed during the pandemic. This chapter offers an inventive and comprehensive strategy for enhanced innovation systems.
In ‘Creatively Destroying Vaccine Apartheid’, Chapter 8, Rasigan Maharajh critically examines the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic, emphasizing the systemic inequalities perpetuated by intellectual property rights. The chapter exposes the glaring disparities in vaccine distribution, highlighting the inadequacies of the current production model. Maharajh calls for a paradigm shift, urging international solidarity and prioritizing human rights over profit. The analysis underscores the urgency of dismantling vaccine apartheid and building a more equitable global health system. The author skilfully weaves political economy, systems of innovation and public health discourse to offer a compelling critique of the contemporary conjuncture. Sujit Bhattacharya, in Chapter 9, ‘COVID-19: Opportunities, New Expectations and Challenges for Innovation System’, explores the worldwide response to COVID-19, highlighting the difficulties that many nations, especially those with inadequate medical infrastructures, have to deal with. The author stresses the significance of tackling global disparities and pushes for examining existing innovation models. The discussion about the innovation ecosystem’s inadequacies and the necessity of a ‘Great Reset’ emphasizes the importance of fair and inclusive policy frameworks. The chapter offers insightful information about how innovation, health and socio-economic factors interact amid a global crisis.
In Chapter 10, entitled ‘Firm Responses to COVID-19 in India’, Nanditha Mathew and George Paily examine the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on Indian firms, emphasizing sectoral variations and the need for firms to adapt quickly. Using micro-level data, the study explores changes in investment decisions and performance, emphasizing the importance of innovative firms. Small businesses are more affected than larger businesses, and while overall sales decline, profits remain stable, suggesting cost-cutting strategies. The chapter stressed the need for support measures to ensure the survival of viable firms, especially smaller ones.
Rethinking Innovation and Public Policy with a Nationwide Critical Perspective
The COVID-19 pandemic prompted the redesign of innovation and public policy, fostering collaboration between governments, industry and research institutes, which requires an adaptive public policy framework in supporting innovation for social well-being. In this regard, this section deals with various innovation policies adopted in different countries. Rainer Walz’s Chapter 11 thoroughly examines Germany’s COVID-19 pandemic response and its effects on innovative systems, with a particular emphasis on sustainability. The author emphasizes the necessity of robust innovation mechanisms, more digitization and financial incentives for the green revolution. There is also a discussion of the role of science, contradictions in industrial policy and divergent perspectives on COVID-19. Walz highlights the difficulty of launching sane public conversations in the face of divergent opinions, which is crucial for tackling immediate crises and long-term sustainable changes. Helena Maria Martins Lastres and José Eduardo Cassiolato, in Chapter 12, examine how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the world, highlighting the lessons that have been learned and the necessity of a thorough reassessment of development goals. Focusing on Brazil, it exposes denialist mindsets and emphasizes the significance of contextualized, systemic policies that prioritize sustainability and basic public services. It highlights how the pandemic is related to digitalization, global shifts and the need for autonomy in key industries. In support of a new ethical framework, the chapter strongly emphasises inclusivity, solidarity and the resuscitation of both domestic and international institutions.
In Chapter 13, ‘Reactivation Policies to Address the Pandemic Crisis: Experience in Costa Rica’, Jeffrey Orozco examines Costa Rica’s reactivation policies in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting the system’s advantages and disadvantages in terms of STI. The chapter strongly emphasizes the necessity of making strategic investments in STI policies, removing institutional obstacles, enhancing innovation systems and encouraging cooperation between academic institutions, research centres and the commercial sector. Encouraging university–industry contacts is crucial, yet there are obstacles in the financial sector’s support for innovation. In Chapter 14, Dinesh Abrol critically analyses the technological and economic reforms implemented by the Modi government in India, focusing on the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative. Inquiring into the regressive character of post-COVID STI policies highlights a move towards economic growth. The chapter emphasizes the government’s reliance on geopolitical strategies, large businesses and privatization. The author advocates for emphasizing innovation, local production and strengthening the peasant–artisan–worker economy in order to prioritize self-reliance.
In Chapter 15, Glenda Krussan, with a focus on South Africa, offers a significant contribution by advising middle-income nations to reevaluate their STI strategies in the wake of COVID-19. It makes a strong case against following the models of high-income nations, highlighting the necessity of customized approaches based on regional circumstances. The importance of political capacities and power relations in determining STI policy is duly noted throughout the chapter. The chapter would benefit from further clarification on useful policy suggestions and a more in-depth investigation of potential obstacles in implementing these suggested models. Ann Numi, Josephat Okemwa and Ann Kingiri, in Chapter 16, explore how fintech, specifically the M-Pesa mobile money platform, played a crucial role in Sub-Saharan Africa during the COVID-19 pandemic. It specifically highlights the beneficial effects of financial inclusion and the revolutionary possibilities of digital innovation in tackling socio-economic issues. The Kenyan instance is well examined, which enhances the study. This chapter offers significant perspectives on how the financial technology sector is changing in the midst of a global economic downturn. However, the chapter’s depth would be improved by a more critical examination of the risks and disadvantages associated with an increased reliance on digital financial services.
In the concluding chapter, K J Joseph and Lakhwinder Singh critically assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on global innovation systems and recommend realistic pathways for a more inclusive and sustainable future. They highlight the flaws of neoliberal policies, highlighting the necessity for a reformed global institutional architecture. The authors argue in favour of the state’s reincarnation, highlighting its crucial role in saving lives during the pandemic. They highlight the value of learning and information-sharing while highlighting innovation systems’ role in tackling sustainability and inequality. In order to bridge knowledge gaps and accomplish inclusive development, the chapter advocates for a new global social accord.
Overall, the volume explores three strong pillars leading to a more equitable and sustainable future. First, in order to remove obstacles preventing the fair allocation of resources, it calls for a reform of international organizations. Second, it refutes earlier accusations by highlighting governments’ crucial role and emphasizes how important they are to innovation and public health. Third, the book advocates for inclusive and sustainable innovation systems, rejecting one-size-fits-all approaches to fostering fairness and resilience. The book is a clear call for a new global social contract that urges every stakeholder to work together to chart a course towards a world that prioritizes sustainability, inclusivity and fairness. The insights offered provide a roadmap for tackling the complexities of global innovation and inspire collective action to build a better future. Essential for scholars and policymakers alike, this book is strongly recommended to be circulated widely.