The term National System of Innovation originated when Christopher Freeman and Bengt-Åke Lundvall worked together in the late 1980s.
Freeman's research drew heavily on political economy of Friedrich List and his historical account of the rise of Japan as an economic superpower.
Lundvall's work explored the important social interactions between suppliers and customers and their role in encouraging innovation in Denmark.
On the other hand, governments either central or regional play the role of coordinator among research producers in terms of their policy instruments, visions and perspectives for the future.
Examples include public R&D and companies, as well as common objectives and innovative cultures of agents, altogether entailing self/reinforcing progress and synergies.