This paper presents a characterization and analysis of the content of academic production on innovation, published between 2008 and 2014 in Latin American journals with impact JCR (Journal Citation Report/WoS). a During this period, Latin America countries began to consolidate their system of scientific research, promoting their participation in global publications. Journals were selected according to their discipline, and articles were characterized in terms of a set of basic attributes, including the type of study, methodology, area of study, and topics explored. The results of this study show that the innovation research until 2014 is quite limited, few studies, low study complexity, unsophisticated analysis techniques and research fragmentation, which makes it difficult to compare regions and countries. It also highlights the need for a research agenda, which includes the systematic study of the determinants and effects of innovation, deepens in aspects related to innovation management such as technological and organizational capabilities, and discusses the design of innovation systems.