The primacy of innovation capacities in the NIS of the Maghreb countries: An analysis in terms of learning capacity in Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria

Abstract

The building of innovative capacities has become essential in the objectives of development and economic growth. While there has been a lot of literature on the construction and analysis of innovation systems in the Maghreb economies, it is less common to focus attention on the importance of innovation capacities and more particularly on learning capacities. Assuming that these are prerequisites of National Innovation Systems (NIS) of developing countries, we will identify, after definition, these capacities in three Maghreb economies (Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia) by recommending why they are particularly important in the construction of National Innovation Systems of the South. Based on a top-down approach, our results show the importance of education, training and skills building as milestones of the NIS of the Maghreb countries.