The role of national culture in creating innovation ecosystems: A global study

Payandeh, Reza; Hashemi, Niloofar; Yasini, Seyed Mohammad Mahdi; Abdollahzadeh, Amirhossein

doi:10.22059/jcountst.2025.402990.1368

The role of national culture in creating innovation ecosystems: A global study

Document Type : Original

Authors

¹ Department of Innovation and Sustainability, Faculty of Governance, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.

² Department of Public Law, Faculty of Law and Political Science, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.

³ Department of Leadership and Human Capital, Faculty of Public Administration and Organizational Science, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.

10.22059/jcountst.2025.402990.1368

Abstract

Culture and innovation are intricately interdependent, and analyzing them simultaneously is essential for effective policymaking and understanding technological progress. This study aims to explain the role of Hofstede’s cultural dimensions in cross-country differences in innovation ecosystem performance. The research data consists of the Global Innovation Index (GII) and Hofstede’s six cultural dimensions— Power Distance, Individualism, Masculinity vs. Femininity, Uncertainty Avoidance, Long-Term Orientation, and Indulgence— in countries with available overlapping data. The study employs a secondary data analysis at the national level, using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation coefficients, and multiple linear regression. Prior to analysis, the data were cleaned and normalized to ensure comparability. The results indicate that Individualism, Long-Term Orientation, and Indulgence have a significant and positive relationship with the GII and most of its components. In contrast, Uncertainty Avoidance shows a significant negative impact on innovation and several of its key pillars. The Masculinity vs. Femininity dimension does not show a statistically significant effect on innovation. Countries characterized by higher levels of Individualism, long-term perspectives, and greater power distance tend to have higher innovation capacity, whereas a strong sensitivity to ambiguity is associated with lower technological outputs. The findings underscore the importance of fostering a culture of experimentation, teaching skills to cope with uncertainty, and institutionalizing long-term perspectives in research and development investments. These cultural strategies can create a more supportive environment for enhancing national innovation performance.

Keywords

Main Subjects

Culture

حوزة موضوعی: مطالعات جهان

Scope: World Studies

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