Title: Investing in innovative and productive capabilities for resilient economies in a post-COVID-19 world

Authors: Fernando Santiago; Claudia De Fuentes; Jahan Ara Peerally; Jenny Larsen

Addresses: UNIDO, Vienna International Centre, Wagramer Strasse 5, P.O. Box 300, A-1400 Vienna, Austria ' Sobey School of Business, Saint Mary's University, 923 Robie St., Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3H 3C3, Canada ' HEC Montreal, 3000, Chemin de la Côte-Sainte-Catherine, Montréal, Québec, H3T 2A7, Canada ' UNIDO, Vienna International Centre, Wagramer Strasse 5, P.O. Box 300, A-1400 Vienna, Austria

Abstract: The COVID-19 pandemic continues to batter the world, with millions of positive cases, leading to more than 600,000 casualties by the end of July 2020. With the persistent threat of contagion, this sanitary emergency is turning a rapidly deteriorating economic situation into one of the deepest economic and social crises the world has ever experienced. Debates on the best approaches to reopen economic activities, on policies to foster a speedy and sustainable recovery, and on strategies to create the conditions necessary to address similar events in the future are pervasive. Based on pertinent lessons from history, in this paper, we advocate coordination, cooperation and investment in science, technology, productive and innovative capabilities, as strategic ingredients for addressing grand challenges and for building resilience. In responding to the COVID-19 pandemic, governments - particularly of developing countries - should retain these lessons and enact active strategies for implementing comprehensive and coordinated policies.

Keywords: COVID-19; capability building; innovation policy; industrial policy; developing countries; grand challenges.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTLID.2020.110623

International Journal of Technological Learning, Innovation and Development, 2020 Vol.12 No.2, pp.153 - 167

Received: 25 Jul 2020
Accepted: 26 Jul 2020
Published online: 26 Oct 2020 *

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