Mapping of the Interests and Influences Perceived in the Actors That Make Up the National System of Innovation in Rehabilitation in Colombia

Abstract

In the last 20 years, there has been an increase in the research and development of technologies that contribute to the physical, occupational, and language rehabilitation processes of people with disabilities. This has led to the management of technology in rehabilitation acquiring relevance. This study identifies the actors involved in innovation activities in rehabilitation and determines their interest and influence on the dynamics of the system, taking Colombia as a case study, including its 32 departments and its capital. Methodologically, the research has a quantitative approach of a descriptive correlational type. The design is non-experimental and cross-sectional. A heat map is used to represent the changes and magnitudes of the data, and the Key Actor Mapping methodology is used to compare the results of the variables studied. The results show the participation of actors that are currently not politically recognized as agents of the system. On the other hand, the interest and influence of the actors in the innovative performance of the system are changing. The main implication of this study is that the innovation system in rehabilitation in developing countries has not been studied and documented completely. This study is the first contribution to this global analysis. Nevertheless, the argumentation in the Latin American context is limited due to the absence of available data required for a sufficient comparison. It is necessary to determine the patterns of linkage between the actors to define strategies for the dynamization of the system that results in innovations that contribute to the welfare and social inclusion of the population with disabilities.