New forms of innovation are emerging from the developing economies. This commentary examines the four studies in this section that challenge the conventional view of innovation, and in particular the source, type and nature of innovation commonly found in the developed world. The aim is to help develop a better framework to advance theory and guide future research on the role of innovation in Brazil, Russia, India and China (BRIC).

How context shapes innovation

The authors concur that the development of competitive advantage through innovation is country specific, since the nature and evolution of innovation is often heavily contextualised and each BRIC context poses significant challenges. In this section, we will examine the similarities and differences of the local contexts and their influence on the type of innovation that has emerged and contributed to the international competitive advantage of emerging market multinational enterprises (EMNEs) in BRIC.

How context shapes innovation

The authors concur that the development of competitive advantage through innovation is country specific, since the nature and evolution of innovation is often heavily contextualised and each BRIC context poses significant challenges. In this section, we will examine the similarities and differences of the local contexts and their influence on the type of innovation that has emerged and contributed to the international competitive advantage of emerging market multinational enterprises (EMNEs) in BRIC.