Analysis of innovation in BRICS countries

The process of globalization creates intense competition in the global market, requiring the economies of all countries to gain a competitive advantage through the development of innovation. This paper analyzes the innovation capabilities of all ten BRICS member states, including both the founding countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) and the new members (Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates). The analysis is based on the values of the Global Innovation Index (GII), which contributes to the creation of an environment in which innovation factors are continuously assessed and enables a comprehensive evaluation of innovation policies. The aim of the paper is to group BRICS countries into a homogeneous cluster in order to better understand their innovation capacities based on data collected over a five-year period. The research results provide a more comprehensive insight into the position of each BRICS member, identifying both the countries that stand out as leaders in innovation and those that lag behind.