The Microfoundations of Operational Viability in Innovation Intermediaries: A Modular Framework for Technological Capabilities in Emerging Economies

This study advances a modular microfoundational framework to examine how individual-level actions aggregate into macro-level technological innovation capabilities and operational performance in innovation intermediaries in emerging economies. Grounded in microfoundations theory (Coleman's bathtub model) and cybernetic principles (Viable System Model), we dissect three interdependent modules to diagnose systemic issues within institutional voids: (i) macro-level system viability and technological emergence; (ii) meso-level organizational practices mediating R&D collaboration; and (iii) micro-level behaviors of boundary-spanning agents driving knowledge integration. Empirical evidence from a Brazilian Research and Technology Organization (RTO) reveals how context-specific microfoundations determine operational efficiency and technological emergence. Theoretically, we contribute by operationalizing Coleman's micro-macro link to enable cross-context benchmarking of innovation intermediaries and decoding how meso-micro-level actions co-evolve with ecosystem-level innovation. By shifting the diagnostic focus to the fine-grained dynamics of individuals and their interactions, our study offers actionable levers for managers and policymakers to optimize operational viability in contexts of institutional uncertainty. Implications for innovation policy, ecosystem governance, and the design of intermediary organizations in late-development settings are discussed.