Context and proto-institutions in the emergence of transformative innovation policy: insights from Chile

Abstract In response to the need for exploring transformative innovation policy (TIP) implementation dynamics across sectors and contexts, this paper examines the emergence of TIP in the Chilean agri-food sector. Our findings indicate that TIP has been developing in recent years, primarily in high-level policy discourses, while implementation efforts and the coordination of concrete instrument mixes lag behind. Contextual factors strongly influence TIP development, which include (1) the organization of public administration, (2) national political dynamics, (3) national policy cultures, and (4) geographical contexts. Importantly, our work emphasizes the need for developing policy capabilities and underscores the significant role of proto-institutions in supporting TIP development, through innovation system coordination, science-policy advice, fostering cross-sectoral collaboration, multiactor engagement, and learning and experimentation. Better considering policy contexts as the starting point for developing TIP could advance its implementation and contribute to a broader understanding of TIP dynamics.