*4.2. Interview Results*

This section reports the results of the interviews with key policymakers and policy influencers, selected amongst actors belonging to each of the four sectors, i.e., public, not-for-profit, private, and academic (see Table 7 below).


**Table 7.** Interviewee profiles (source, authors).

In total, 12 key policymakers and policy influencers of Florianópolis participated in the interviews. As an evidence of lack of diversity in gender and race in leadership positions in Florianópolis, all interviewees were white male in every sector.

Each interview was carefully transcribed and analyzed to identify each interviewee perspective on the opportunities and challenges for Florianópolis' transition towards becoming a smart city of innovation. The relevant citations were grouped per KBUD dimension, i.e., institutional, environmental, sociocultural, and economic, as well as per helix, i.e., public (GOV), private (COM), academic (EDU), and non-for-profit (ORG), allowing for the identification of the main challenges and opportunities appointed by each one of the four helixes, in each KBUD dimension and respective codes, as explained below.

Firstly, it is important to highlight that the most cited KBUD dimension was the sociocultural dimension, with 46 references (31.5%); economic development came in second place, with 39 citations (26%), closely followed by the institutional dimension, with 37 citations (26.7%). The spatial dimension came in fourth place, with 23 citations (15.8%).

Regarding the institutional dimension, the most cited code was "institutions, partnerships, and international relations", with 14 citations, followed by governance characteristics and regulatory environment, with nine citations each, and support mechanisms, with five citations. The distribution per helix (KBUD domain) is indicated in Figure 2 below.

As per the code, institutions, partnerships, and international relations, the private and academic sectors perceived, respectively, opportunities for associations and an innovation environment for promoting quadruple helix interactions. The public sector is aligned in the sense of developing public and private partnerships and looks forward to replicating the actual network model in other areas, as well as attracting foreign investors to boost this aspect.

Despite private sector's optimism towards private initiative to collaborate, it also senses the quadruple-helix trust development process as a challenge, which has an echo in the academy's understanding of "islands of innovation within the federal university". The private sector sees the barrier to big companies as a challenge too and the academic sector recognizes "politics" as the reason that prevents innovation from taking off and reaching country and global levels. The not-for-profit sector poses that, despite the lack of direction and market access, the ecosystem allows things to happen.

*Sustainability* **2020**, *12*, 8859 14 of 20

**Figure 2.** Key topic reference frequency per helix (source, authors). **Figure 2.** Key topic reference frequency per helix (source, authors).

As per the code, institutions, partnerships, and international relations, the private and academic sectors perceived, respectively, opportunities for associations and an innovation environment for promoting quadruple helix interactions. The public sector is aligned in the sense of developing public and private partnerships and looks forward to replicating the actual network model in other areas, as well as attracting foreign investors to boost this aspect. Despite private sector's optimism towards private initiative to collaborate, it also senses the quadruple-helix trust development process as a challenge, which has an echo in the academy's understanding of "islands of innovation within the federal university". The private sector sees the barrier to big companies as a challenge too and the academic sector recognizes "politics" as the Governance characteristics are basically seen as a challenge and mostly appointed to the publicsector, which is the only helix that perceives opportunities for major players' interactions. The privatesector sees governance with a lack of entrepreneurial mindset and is not innovative. One of theinterviewees points out that "there is a lack of understanding and perception of the public servers aboutthis new world, the new demands of people and cities. They must know more about Item Response Theory and how to use a database. This way they will not be so immediate and would choose betterways of transport for the city, for example". The academic sector understands the state as a burden, i.e., claims for fewer hindrances and stresses on policy and idea discontinuity. The not-for-profit sectoridentifies lack of investment in technology and city management.

reason that prevents innovation from taking off and reaching country and global levels. The notfor-profit sector poses that, despite the lack of direction and market access, the ecosystem allows things to happen. Governance characteristics are basically seen as a challenge and mostly appointed to the public sector, which is the only helix that perceives opportunities for major players' interactions. The private sector sees governance with a lack of entrepreneurial mindset and is not innovative. One of the interviewees points out that "there is a lack of understanding and perception of the public Regulatory environment was mainly brought up by the academic and public sectors due to the innovation municipal fund, which has raised over R 1 million (approximately USD 185,500) in threeprojects, evidencing some government involvement towards innovation. As a challenge, both sectors also mentioned the need for de-bureaucratization. Support mechanisms are cited as challenges for bothprivate and public sectors. The academic sector states the lack of local support mechanisms that pushcompanies to develop projects in the northeast region of Brazil, where financial contribution is cut byhalf. The public sector claims the lack of national and state level development policies in this matter.

servers about this new world, the new demands of people and cities. They must know more about Item Response Theory and how to use a database. This way they will not be so immediate and would choose better ways of transport for the city, for example". The academic sector understands The academic sector perceives associations (ACATE) and the innovation park (Sapiens park) assupport mechanisms, and the public sector believes that university and private institutes' partnershipsshould thrive as an opportunity to develop mechanisms for innovation development.

the state as a burden, i.e., claims for fewer hindrances and stresses on policy and idea discontinuity.

Regulatory environment was mainly brought up by the academic and public sectors due to the innovation municipal fund, which has raised over R 1 million (approximately USD 185,500) in three

The not-for-profit sector identifies lack of investment in technology and city management.

The spatial dimension was the least KBUD dimension cited by the interviewees, with a total of 23 references. Locational characteristics had eight references; quality of life had five references; spatial infrastructure had six references, and sustainability only had four references.

All sectors highlighted the city's locational characteristics, i.e., its natural beauty, attractiveness, pleasantness, and singularity, as an opportunity for development. Nevertheless, all of them also identified challenges linked to the same locational characteristics, due to its geographical limitations and national and local issues pertaining to those limitations. "Floripa has a movement that is contrary to building things. It is a city with a very preservationist concern, also for being an incredibly beautiful environment, and it's difficult and delicate to be able to make any construction in this context", mentions one of the interviewees.

To the public and not-for-profit sectors, a good quality of life and a high-quality police force are opportunities to develop, whereas the private sector highlighted growing concerns with public security. To the academic sector, the city tends to its disorderly growth and must invest heavily in infrastructure.

Spatial infrastructure, particularly, was appointed by all sectors as a challenging issue, with deficiencies in basic infrastructure, green leisure areas, and urban planning. "Even though there are many beaches here, I almost do not go to the beaches because it is a complete chaos, there are no bars, there is nothing, no innovation. And when it rains, everyone goes to the mall, there is no other thing to do. The few theaters and museums lack equipment. We don't have many parks, green leisure areas", points out one of the interviewees. The private sector highlighted that the city, despite being a tourist destination, lacked enough marinas. The academic and the public sectors both remarked that the city must solve its pressing mobility issues, investing in public transport and urban mobility improvements to better organize the flow of people, goods, and services in the city. An interviewee highlights that "we need actions to improve the day to day of the population. It's hard to keep creative people here with no mobility, taking more than one hour to go to the continent area and come back. Besides being good professionals, they want to have a good quality of life".

Sustainability was the least mentioned aspect. The private sector envisages the city's many environmentally protected areas as an asset to tourism, whereas the not-for-profit sector, with a broader point of view, draws special attention to the city's unique balance between social and economic development and environmental preservation as an opportunity for growth. In terms of challenges, the public sector highlighted the difficult coexistence between urban development and environmental protection, as well as the need to expand the use of geoprocessing tools in the city. One of the interviewees mentions that "Florianópolis has a series of associated difficulties to the space that can be used on the island. Many of our rules, regulations, laws and requirements, have difficulty in coexisting with the environment that needs to be preserved, the progress in a sustainable way and initiatives to restructure the city".

The sociocultural dimension was the most cited KBUD dimension, with 46 references in total. Within its codes, cultural assets were the most mentioned (n = 14), followed by labor force (n = 11), educational institutes (n = 11), and skillsets (n = 10). The distribution of references per code and helix is demonstrated in Figure 2.

Cultural assets are foreseen as opportunities by the not-for-profit sector due to a sense of harmony and mutual understanding. The academic sector perceives having a European entrepreneurial influence as an opportunity, and that local culture adaptation to technology is a challenge. Overall, cultural assets are marked by challenges despite the ecosystem's "contagious innovation culture". The private sector points to a lack of leadership, motivation, and willingness; adding to a lack of alignment and diversity by the public sector; and a lack of education and prioritization for the common good by the not-for-profit sector.

Labor force analysis is quite intertwined with the code skill sets. It is generally perceived both as a key and bottleneck aspect by the quadruple helix. Private and academic sectors highlight capacity building and the need for continuous training as the main challenges, whereas the not-for-profit sector observes the aspects that directly challenge labor force such as housing, mobility, and safety. "We shouldn't want to bring labor force to Florianopolis because it will also overcrowd the city. We should qualify the many talented people that are already here. We should work on two points: qualifying out talents and bringing strategic people", says one of the interviewees. The public sector points to family allocation related to labor force import, a need raised by both public and private sectors due to a labor shortage and lack of qualified workforce, which is a matter related to skill sets. The academic sector perceives a lack of entrepreneurial training and the public sector points to ideological conflict in entrepreneurship programs.

Overall, educational institutes are highly regarded by the private, public, and academic sectors. In particular, the academic sector perceives opportunities at the Federal University because of the "entrepreneurship spirit", the presence of tech leaders, and the private funding for engineering labs. Despite "resistance to change" from the Federal University, according to the public sector, there is an "engineering strength" as an asset to look at.

The private sector points to challenges due to universities' "walls" and the lack of investment and scholarships. This point of view is aligned with the not-for-profit sector's concern in relation to low investment in science and the lack of relationship between companies and universities. The not-for-profit sector also adds the challenge of turning intangible knowledge into tangible capital, outdated teaching, and lack of living labs. "We are not managing to turn science into innovation", highlights one of the interviewees.

Last, but not least, economic development was the second most cited KBUD dimension among interviewees, with 39 mentions. Overall, the business environment, meaning the context of economic activities developed in the city, as well as its innovation practice, presented the major highlights (n = 29), whereas business infrastructure and investment had fewer mentions (n = 10), basically pointed out by the public and private sectors.

The public sector understands the city as an asset. The private sector describes Florianópolis as having four main vectors, tourism, civil construction, maritime economy, and ICT, of which all other three helixes, except for the academic sector, affirm that tourism is underdeveloped. On the one hand, the private sector perceives the lack of integration within business context as a challenge, on the other hand, the public sector believes there are too many participatory councils and a shortage of strong brands.

In terms of innovation activity, the private sector helix pointed out that companies' mix minimizes risk, facilitated networking, and provided a high startup density in the city, whereas the public sector helix acknowledged the important role played by the Federal University of Santa Catarina, UFSC in the triple helix origins in the 70s and further development [38].

The consolidation of the innovation environment is perceived by the private sector, and also by the academic and public sectors. One of the representatives of the not-for-profit sector helix understands that "building a more sophisticated science-based cluster, in areas where the issue of science is important as energy and life science is a medium-term challenge".

Nonetheless, there are critics from both the academy and not-for-profit sector helixes. One academy representative says: "It's a city that wants to do everything (...) It wants to innovate, to be a city of events, to be a tourist city . . . so it shoots everywhere without a direction". From the not-for-profit sector helix, an interviewee questioned, where the innovation really is by pointing out that "companies here stand out by discipline, technique, growth and applicability, but I can't remember anything that's revolutionary". This respondent realized that "we don't see innovation in the streets" due to the lack of a creative economy: "Great things are content and everyone sells it in this world. We sell tools (...) we do not sell creativeness".

As per business infrastructure, the public sector recognizes institutions CERTI Foundation and ACATE association by playing an important role along with Santa Catarina State's research foundation (FAPESC) for supporting and providing an environment for business. Nevertheless, the private sector identifies there is a lack of capillarity in terms of a "product-led structure not to take big companies, but the startups that today are the basis of the island's innovation, to the world". This leads to another aspect for economic development, i.e., investment. Despite the public sector stating there is a lack of private and international investment, the private sector believes it is not about money but collaborative work, "making the quadruple helix rotate". In this sense, "the role of the state is to generate purchase for the national technology-based industry".
