Innovation in the mining industry in Antofagasta region

Abstract

this paper presents the results of a research study on the main components of the innovation structure of the mining industry in Antofagasta, II Region of Chile. Based on in-depth interviews with university staff, SMEs suppliers, and mining companies about their daily production practices, the meanings of their interactions are determined in order to place them in the context of product and service innovation. We thus propose an interpretation of the innovation systems, derived from Niklas Luhmann’s Social Systems theory, to explain the processes that define and create an innovation system in the real world. The results show that the production of meaning, regarding the development of new technology, is a valuable tool for research and public intervention on innovation systems.

Keywords

• innovation systems
• social systems
• mining
• cluster