Desarrollo endógeno, calidad institucional e innovación. Una revisión de la teoría y de algunos de sus límites

Abstract

The aim of the article is to review the principles of the endogenous development theory. This theory defines the regional development as an economic process in an institutional context, which restricts and shapes this process. The innovative character of the relationships between the productive structure and the institutional dimension favors the processes of growth and endogenous development. After years of predominance of the exogenous development approach, "from upside" and "from outside" where the central State leads the development policies with public investments, this perspective has been changed for a new one: the endogenous development approach. This new perspective considers development as a movement of "downside to upside" and "inside to outside". For this reason, the endogenous approach explains the current fundamental changes in capitalism development, in the era of postfordism and globalization. The main conclusion is that the local dimension is important for the achievement of competitive advantages in a region. The local dimension requires, firstly, a culture oriented to innovation and, secondly, a compromise with the generation of new knowledge. It can be possible with the active participation of the civil society.