The role of transnational dimensions in emerging economy ‘Technological Innovation Systems’ for clean-tech

•Emerging economies increasingly contribute to global clean-tech innovation.•Emerging economy TIS development is affected by transnational dimensions in TIS.•We draw on related frameworks to elaborate transnational dimensions in TIS development.•Transnational dimensions may be accurately grasped by the seven TIS system functions.•Transnational dimensions are likely relevant in advanced economy TIS as well.

The ‘Technological Innovation System’ (TIS) framework and its system functions have become a popular analytical tool for the study of clean-tech innovation. There is increasing attention for the role of emerging economies in global clean-tech innovation, but the applicability of TIS to emerging economies cases is not entirely straightforward. A key issue is the limited geographical considerations, in particular transnational dimensions in TIS, whereas earlier perspectives on innovation in emerging economies have stressed the role of such transnational dimensions. This paper elaborates transnational TIS actor-networks and institutions, categorizes these in relation to TIS functions, and describes their potential to induce or block TIS development in emerging economies. We draw on insights from the perspectives of National Learning Systems, International Technology Transfer, and Global Production Networks for this purpose. We conclude that the potential effects of these transnational dimensions may be accurately grasped by the existing list of system functions, lending credence to its further application of the TIS framework on emerging economy case studies. Policy makers in emerging economies should recognize these transnational dimensions and seek to optimize their potential effect on domestic TIS development, taking in to consideration a realistic assessment of its role in the global TIS.