A new type of company from the most recent stage of industrial development in the modern world is generically called a technology-based company. This denomination encompasses multiple interpretations. It cannot be properly said that something homogeneous and with particular characteristics is defined behind this concept. This is one of the main difficulties when approaching the study of this topic. In appearance it is a novel concept, but basically it does not express a category that we could grasp precisely.
The approach that will be taken in this analysis, on the feasibility of the development of this figure in Latin America, will be made from several approaches. The purpose is to be located in the proper context of appearance of this business modality. Let us first try, by way of introduction, an approximation within the framework of the history of the economy.
An approach to the history of economic development
Throughout its history, human societies have developed different forms of production of goods and services. Today, the generic name of the dominant form of production is that of the capitalist system. The genesis of this system dates back several centuries. But its most outstanding milestones begin to be reviewed from the Industrial Revolution, during the second half of the 18th century.
The expansion and evolution of this system has originated in each of the environments where multiple characteristics have prospered. Scholars of the subject have proposed various theories. Since the eighteenth century, with the appearance of Political Economy in England and France, different types of analysis on the growth of the wealth of nations have been addressed, to use the central concern of one of the first theorists who deals with these subjects: Adam Smith (1776). Since those times and until the present time, there have been multiple approaches to understand the dynamics of this way of producing goods and services in most countries of the entire world.
However, what seems to be constant in almost all analyzes is that this system lives in permanent crisis. For some, behind these crises are the reasons that will lead to their disappearance. For others, they are the expression of the symptoms of the system's capacity to renew itself continuously and to nourish itself periodically.
These crises have been characterized, in terms of their duration, in different ways. Some authors have spoken of short cycles (periods of more or less ten years) and others of long waves (50 to 60 years). One of the authors who have developed theories on long cycles is Kondratieff (1935). This Russian statistician from the beginning of the current century proposed a rather attractive theory of explanation of the phenomena that appeared in the development of the system.
Despite his early and premature disappearance, Kondratieff made a fundamental contribution to understanding the dynamics of the system. Contribution of which multiple western economists are debtors. The presentation of the fundamental features and in a schematic way of the main aspects of the development of this theory can be very useful to frame our object of study.
Kondratieff proposes that the system since the Industrial Revolution has experienced several structural crises. Those who have developed this theory point out that the first cycle or long wave, called the first Kondratieff, begins with the development of the textile industry and the invention of the steam engine, during the second half of the 18th century. The appearance of the great industry constituted the economic paradigm of the time. Artisan work and manufacturing was replaced by the machine. This new way of producing for the time originates the existence of cheap labor, one of the key factors of the established model. This wave culminates in the 30s and 40s of the 19th century with another new crisis characterized by the appearance of coal as a source of economic energy and the railroad as a means of mass transportation.The system goes from being a mode of production at the national level (England, France) to expanding to other regions.
The appearance of the free competition system marks the beginning of the second Kondratieff. This cycle closes with a new crisis in the 80s-90s of the last century. We then have the start of the third Kondratieff with steel as a key factor in the techno-economic paradigm of the cycle that is inaugurated (Pérez, 1983). Oligopolies will have a fundamental role to play in the dynamics of the production system of this period.
In the late twenties and early thirties of the current century, a new crisis marks the end of this third cycle and the beginning of the fourth Kondratieff. Its most outstanding features are: a new and cheaper source of energy, fossil (oil) and cheap raw materials, the development of the petrochemical and organic chemical industry, mass production, the emergence of economies of agglomeration and scale. The modern science of administration is created, with Fayol (in France) and Taylor (in the USA) as its main exponents in theory and Ford (in the USA) in practice. The type of company of this period is the transnational company that takes advantage of the advantages at its disposal, such as economies of scale, to develop its markets. The intervention of the central State in the economy appears with greater presence.The system becomes global and markets are disputed in any region of the world. It is the cycle of the system that we know best in Latin America and in which we still live in the region today.
With the emergence of microelectronics and computerization (of the microprocessor in the US) and a new model of company organization (in Japan), in the mid-1970s, the beginning the end of the fourth Kondratieff and the appearance of a new world technological pattern (Pérez, 1995). With this new stage, the fifth Kondratieff, the current one, began in the last decade of the eighties. Flexible production, cheap information, the emergence of networks and economies of specialization are the fundamental features of this transition. What has been called globalization, the fight for the liberation of markets, the redefinition of the role of the State, are the socio-institutional aspects of this new stage.
A hypothesis about business development
In principle, the following hypothesis can be deduced from this brief and preliminary approach: to each wave or long cycle corresponds a characteristic type of company. It is clear that the previous statement can be nuanced by pointing out that the different business forms accumulate over time; that is to say, companies of the previous cycles or waves still coexist. It should be clear, too, that all of them have had their area of technological dominance, throughout history this can be demonstrated in more detail. In other words, they have always had the knowledge of how to do things (technology) and how to incorporate knowledge into production. Not surprisingly, a controversial thinker of the last century called modern "science of technology" the result of scientific activity transferred to the production of commodities (Marx, 1867).But let us formulate the hypothesis in another way: what underlies all these changes is the evolution and dominance of man, through knowledge, about nature (science) and how to use it to his advantage (technology).
The name of technology-based companies is a term that refers to the new type of companies that has been developing in the transition to the new cycle of the capitalist system worldwide. They are companies registered in the new techno-economic model or paradigm. New companies that take advantage of cheap microelectronics and computing as a key factor to develop their markets. New companies that rely on intensive mastery of scientific and technical knowledge to maintain their competitiveness.
This phenomenon is even expressed in a physical form of agglomeration of these new companies. It is what has been called technology parks, business incubators, or to put it in other words, cities of science or technopolis.
For some decades now the figure has been known in developed countries. The Silicon Valley, in California, or the Route 128 in Boston, both in the USA, are important antecedents of the expression of the new mines and new smelters of the informational economy. The image is otherwise suggestive. What at first was a spontaneous manifestation of a new type of industrialization, since the last decade has become the new form of state intervention in the economy. To such an extent that for Japan, for example, the only state issue considered for the first years of the next century is that related to scientific and technological innovation. The most important efforts in planning this new type of industrial development are from this country, as we will see later when analyzing this case.
Throughout this document, the most outstanding experiences of these new expressions of industrialization are studied. Or rather, of the reindustrialization processes based on high technology. It illustrates what experiences have been in both long-established industrialized countries and in the so-called more recently industrialized countries. Seen in another way, it focuses on the examination of those countries that are representative of industrial development, as well as on what has been called, industrializing countries, that is, mainly the countries of the Latin American region.
The final objective is to design a stimulus program to create the business base via the creation of this new type of company in the region. For this purpose, the necessary conditions to outline a policy for the creation of this new type of conglomerates are examined. The development objectives of this type of companies or conglomerates of companies are examined. The convenience of using this business modality as an instrument for reindustrialization of some countries in the region is analyzed. Or to use it as a development tool for the most depressed localities in other countries. Or, finally, as an instrument to develop innovative environments or means in other countries.
As Castells and Hall (1994) have pointed out in their lucid study on the subject, the creation of these industrial complexes can have these objectives according to the level of development in a given country. But what is a sine qua non condition is that these new complexes must comply with very particular characteristics to achieve their proper functioning.
The profile of the new type of company
But before going on to examine the experiences of the industrialized countries, let us make it clear, albeit schematically, what the profile of this new type of knowledge-based company is. According to the precise formulation of C. Pérez (1986), the new type of company has characteristic features of the new techno-economic paradigm, they are:
Tendency to increase the content of information in products
Greater capacity to incorporate new trajectories in the improvement of traditional products, generating new developments incrementally. In this sense, the new type of companies has a greater capacity to introduce more rapid changes in the design of products and processes, with new features in terms of size, versatility, adaptability and programmability. The rigidity of mass production does not exist. In the new paradigm, it is a distributed intelligence.
The material requirements and supplies of the new type of company constitute a source of radical innovations. This feature is characteristic in the microelectronic components industry, in which the diffusion of its applications drives multiple radical innovations in products, practically generating a network of successive innovations.
In the new type of company, flexibility constitutes the best productive practice. The programmable nature of the equipment allows the rigidity of old plants to be overcome, reducing the importance of economies of scale based on capital intensive techniques of mass production, since the production scale is independent from the market scale.
The specialization of the equipment allows faster changes in production plans, extremely high levels of efficiency in the manufacture of different products, various models and variable volumes.
It is characteristic in this new type of company, the saving of energy and materials, recycling and diversification. The ideal model is the closed cycle plant, multiproduct without effluents, solving the problem of the depletion of natural resources of the previous paradigm.
The new type of company has a greater technological dynamism, and design can be integrated into the production process. Design engineering is now an integrated function of the production process and constitutes a key factor in the productivity and competitiveness of the company. This implies an integration between research, development and design engineering centers, now closely associated with the production process, playing a crucial role in the strategic management of the company.
Another characteristic feature of the profile of the new company is the adaptation of production to demand, developing the conditions so that the diversity of the demand itself multiplies the supply of products, and the possibility of investment "downstream" opening new markets, and "upstream" in the design of equipment, components, and drivers of growth.
The knowledge-based company also has a new organizational scheme. The organization tends to the integrated network of processes, with a strong emphasis on connections and interaction systems and oriented towards global techno-economic coordination. This integration extends to the market with greater flexibility in production. This achieves an online adaptation of production to the market.
Having mentioned the fundamental features of the new type of company it is important to point out some important distinctions. A technology-based company should not be confused with a modernized company. Although the latter can make use of the resources of microelectronics and the new organizational forms, it may belong to previous periods (eg, the steel or petrochemicals), with mature technology in most cases, and what distinguishes it from the new type of company is the intensity of the use of scientific and technological knowledge.
The situation in the Latin American region
Let us examine the conditions and situation of the countries of Latin America. In addition, some of the initiatives of this kind are highlighted and the preliminary learning of these initiatives is also extracted.
The industrial situation and R&D investment in the region.
The features that define the pattern of industrialization and development in Latin America, as Fajnzylber (1989) pointed out for ECLAC and, in our opinion, still valid in general terms, have basically been the following:
- A) Participation in the international market almost exclusively in the export of natural resources, agriculture, energy and mining, together with a systematic trade deficit in the manufacturing industry sector; B) Industrial structure designed to serve the domestic market; C) Aspiration to reproduce the way of life of the industrialized countries; D) Limited social valuation of the business function and precarious leadership of the national, public and private business sector, in the sectors whose dynamism and content define the industrial profile of each of the countries; E) Little development of the endogenous scientific-technological base (see table No. 2), combined with higher education focused on soft careers, of heterogeneous quality and oriented towards functions of mass cultural integration.
Consequently, national companies, in particular, are a weak link within the industrial structure of Latin American countries, while stronger companies, multinationals that operate in the region through various forms, tend to place little emphasis in R&D work, preferring to import technology and knowledge and solve the most interesting problems that they must face with their parent teams of research and experimental development outside the country. This is the general framework regarding the industrial aspect in the region.
Some figures can be presented on the R&D aspect that allow us to locate ourselves, also, in the most recent and local situation and compare it broadly with the situation in industrialized countries.
By examining table Nº 2, we can verify the location of scientific production in some of the countries of the Latin American region, both in relation to the investment made in R&D, and in the share of this investment in the GDP of each one of the countries. Likewise, in this same table the number of publications per million inhabitants is presented as an important fact to indicate the capacity and productivity of scientific activity in the countries of the region.
An additional fact: if we contrast these data with those that appear in table Nº 3, we realize that Latin American scientists can become more productive than those in Europe and the United States despite the precarious conditions in which they carry out their activities. scientific.
All this allows us to call attention to one of the existing strengths to advance an industrialization program based on the capacity to generate knowledge in the Region. However, the weakness that is evidenced in these data is the low relative investment that is made in Latin American countries in science and technology, if we contrast this with the figures that were seen above, in table Nº 1.
Special attention deserves the efforts that must be made from the world of production and the State to improve these indicators, since without a base of this nature it is very difficult to build a business expansion program using the technology-based business model as already It has been seen in the cases of industrialized countries.
Table Nº 2: Investment in Science and Technology and Scientific Publications in the main countries of Latin America (1994)
| COUNTRY | MILLION (US $) | GDP (%) | PUBLICATIONS - DOCUMENTS PER MILLION INHABITANTS | |
| Argentina
Brazil Chile Colombia Costa Rica Cuba Ecuador Mexico Peru Uruguay Venezuela |
466
3,179 148 106 43 171 eleven 961 106 18 200 |
0.80
0.89 0.52 0.60 0.89 0.85 0.11 0.35 0.23 0.20 0.45 |
62.1
26.4 92.0 16.5 38.5 15.3 6.1 19.3 8.5 32.0 27.1 |
|
Table Nº 3: Comparative table of investment in research
| GDP | INVESTMENT | % | PUBLIC. | EFFECTIVENESS | ||||||
| Latin America | 715 | 3.22 | 0.45 | 1.4 | 43.5% | |||||
| U.S | 5,362 | 155.50 | 2.9 | 35.8 | 23.0% | |||||
| Europe | 4,862 | 97.24 | 2.0 | 27.7 | 28.5% | |||||
Experiences of the region
Since the 1980s, in Latin America, some initiatives to develop conglomerates of high-tech or technology-based companies have prospered, to a greater or lesser degree. The cases of Brazil, Chile, Mexico and Venezuela have been selected as a way of presenting the different nuances that the topic has taken in the region. There is awareness of the existence of other initiatives that are also relevant, but the purpose is not to present all the experiences, but rather to show the still shy modalities of the presence of what has been called technology parks or business incubators. technology-based.
Brazil
The birth of new technologies has been linked, in this Brazilian case, to the decisive participation of the government, through the financing of mobilizing projects (related to areas considered strategic). They have been spatially decentralized projects that support the military, political and economic power of the Brazilian State in the current days.
Both in poles with an informal organizational structure (São Jose dos Campos and Santa Rita do Sipacaí, for example), and in those with a formally constituted coordinating entity (Curitiba, Campina Grande, Florianopolis and São Carlos, to name a few cases), new technologies have always been present. The sectors covered have been: aerospace, warfare, new materials, electronics, computers, telecommunications, fine chemistry, industrial automation, precision mechanics, optics and instrumentation.
The poles of technological modernization and associated nuclei have added efforts in the sense of transferring the knowledge available in the teaching and research institutions for the economy as a whole. This is, for the so-called traditional sectors, responsible for mass production, such as food, textiles, footwear, construction and others, areas that until today do not significantly incorporate international technological advances.
It can be said that the traditional sectors have also benefited from the link between universities and companies, more differently than what occurs in the scientific and technological poles. The roots of the problem are other, and in traditional industries, the relationships between companies and teaching and research institutions become more conflictive and less intense. These sectors were not classified as strategic and were left out of science and technology developments, of their own free will or due to government deficiencies in prioritizing them.
In a study carried out within the framework of the University of São Paulo / COPPE / OEA Project: «Implementation of Technology Parks in Latin America», coordinated by the Science and Technology Management Program (PACTo), the conglomerates of high-profile companies were analyzed technology, understood by these: "the spontaneous birth, in a certain geographical area, of companies characterized by the fact of being created by teams of researchers who, by participating in R&D activities, in universities and research institutes, they absorb and dominate the new technologies, as well as, they perceive the existence of markets for new products or services that those technologies will use »(Dos Santos, 1987).
The cases analyzed in this study were: São Paulo Metropolitan Region, Campinas, São Jose dos Campos and São Carlos. The results of the same allowed to develop a descriptive model of the birth and evolution process of the studied phenomenon. This model is based on five stages of development through which the formation of each agglomerate goes through a predictable path.
Stage I: Training of human resources associated with high-quality research. The main support mechanism for this training is public investments in the training of human resources and the development of basic research, particularly in higher education institutions such as universities.
Stage II: Consolidation of research areas. Once the turbulence of the first stage has been overcome, guided by the leadership of a researcher, the latter becomes project manager, thus structuring the research area with the support of public investments in basic and applied research. Normally this stage occurs, in groups that have the leadership of the project manager, which will lead them to overcome the barriers that separate them from the next stage.
Stage III: Competition in R&D. The figure of the 'project champion' emerges here, who, more than a project manager, is a researcher who has the competence and sensitivity to perceive and negotiate with the market, discovering competitive technology transfer strategies for the productive sector.
Stage IV: Creation of new technology-based companies. With the leadership of the 'project champion', a new company appears, which will seek to compete in the market niches created by the new emerging technologies that were developed in the previous phase. Created the company, the entrepreneur arises who substitutes or is confused with the 'project champion'. The company begins to gradually separate itself from the research institution until it no longer depends on it, both in technological and financial terms.
Stage V: Formation of the conglomerate of high-tech companies. From the process of creating the company, which is individualized at the level of each competition group, a natural agglomeration process occurs, which leads to the identification of problems common to companies. A new figure emerges, that of the 'political leader', at the level of the micro region.
This scheme is useful to identify how the maturation process of the transfer of knowledge to the production of goods and services occurs. However, it can be interpreted in a linear way when the process is much more complex in terms of achieving the effect of building an innovative environment in society.
Por otro lado, según los resultados de un estudio realizado por el Núcleo de Innovación Tecnológica/COPPE/Universidad Federal de Río de Janeiro, donde fueron analizados trece proyectos de parques en Río de Janeiro, se concluye que los mismos se caracterizan por una razonable diversidad de concepción, tanto a nivel de los objetivos, como en la estructura organizacional montada para su ejecución. Se observa, además, que el concepto de parque tecnológico es aplicado al caso brasileño con flexibilidad en relación a los modelos tradicionales de países más desarrollados.
The experiences in progress in Brazil are all very recent. The first projects began in 1984, through the Parks implementation program of the National Research Council (CNPq). It is pointed out that despite the reduced amount of resources allocated to the program and the criticisms that may be made of the criteria used, the CNPq program had the great merit of spreading the concept of parks, creating space for the birth of spontaneous projects in various localities.
The geographical distribution of parks in this country indicates a preference for medium-sized cities (since they have comparative advantages in relation to large cities) for their location, and there must be a science and technology infrastructure compatible with the region. the aspirations of the project.
Other factors that have influenced the birth of park initiatives in Brazil are: the interest of the segments of society in seeking a space in the country's industrial panorama, the facilities of communication and locomotion and the greater viability of obtaining areas well located for the project.
Chile
Chile has gone in a few years from a protected economy and dependent on the State, to an economy open to international competition and where the State reserves a subsidiary role in economic activities and a role in solidarity with the poorest sectors of the population.
Chilean technological entrepreneurship had its origin via 'market circulation'. This is the demand for technological requirements that arises from business dynamics. This process began in 1984, when the option to open the economy and export became final. In the international market, Chilean entrepreneurs have learned to compete not only with traditional products, but fundamentally with new products and services for the country.
The demands of competitiveness have been translated into technological requirements at increasing rates that businessmen have largely resolved, even though most of the responses to these requirements have not been found in their country, but rather by importing technology.
On the other hand, the science and technology institutions that have been used by the private sector have generated very little response, since it seems that they have not properly considered its requirements. The government of Chile, in response to this situation, has created in recent years, mechanisms to foster the link and interaction between R&D providers and applicants, and to articulate, coordinate and finance technological ventures that produce useful innovations for companies.
Various Chilean universities have developed projects in relation to business incubators and technology parks. The University of Chile and the University of Santiago have projects under study. The Buenosairean universities (University of Valparaíso, Catholic University of Valparaíso, Technical University Federico de Santa María) carry out negotiations with the idea of jointly implementing a technology park in the town.
However, there are some experiences. Among them, an important experience in the creation of technology-based companies in Chile, which deserves to be highlighted, is the creation of a small company by the University of Concepción, destined to produce and commercialize macroporous hydroxylapatite (a product used in dentistry). It is a well-known product on which this University has clear cost and quality advantages. However, the results after two years in the international market have not been entirely encouraging.
Fundación Chile's experience deserves special attention at this point. Fundación Chile, created in the mid-1970s, is a private, non-profit entity specializing in the transfer of technologies that have already been tested in other countries. It has evolved significantly since it began operations in 1976, adapting to the opportunities it has been identifying. It currently employs 250 people full time and a larger number of Chilean and foreign consultants and experts who carry out specific jobs for limited periods.
The Foundation has an important patrimony contributed by its founders (fifty million US dollars), which gives it autonomy that has been decisive for its development, also counting on the support of the government to solve its own operation problems.
One of the characteristics of Fundación Chile's institutional model has been its strong specialization in the selected sectors of the economy during its first years of operation, based on its comparative and competitive advantages, both for the institution and for the country. Fundación Chile provides technologies and services to three of the sectors with the greatest dynamism and potential for growth in the Chilean economy: Agroindustrial, Forestry and Marine Resources.
The Foundation has successfully developed and used a mechanism that consists of the creation of commercial companies demonstrating the technical and economic advantages of a new technology, in a given environment, even when it has already been used in another country; This is attractive, since it reduces the risk by allowing the entrepreneur to observe the technology operating in his environment, before deciding to invest in it (Cordúa, 1994).
But it is here an experience of importing technology rather than promoting technology-based companies. In this way, it is inferred that Chile, despite its high scientific and business development, has very little experience in high technology conglomerates.
Mexico
In Mexico, the collaboration between R&D institutions and companies is in an intermediate stage. Experiences are being accumulated regarding continuing education, service provision and, to a much lesser degree, licensing and carrying out projects under contracts. On the other hand, there are successful experiences of "superior" forms of cooperation, but these are still quite isolated and are in early stages of development. Let's point out some of them.
The Center for Technological Innovation (CIT), of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), created in 1983, is the most comprehensive initiative for university interaction with the productive sector in Mexico. Its main activities include those related to: creating the network of nuclei of technological innovation and the promotion of new structures for linking.
The CIT promoted a project to decentralize activities to support technology transfer since 1984, which consisted of creating a series of small offices that began to operate directly in university units with very intense technological research activities. Thus, in that same year, the technological innovation nuclei of the faculties of medicine and chemistry, and of the institutes of biomedical research and materials research were created. Subsequently, the Institute of Biotechnology, the National School of Professional Studies of Zaragoza and the Academic Unit of Industrial Design joined the network. These nuclei are autonomous and have contributed significantly to the share of technologies transferred by UNAM to the business sector.
In relation to the promotion of new linking structures, the CIT has promoted the creation of: Center for Electronic Technology and Information Technology (CETEI) together with the National Chamber of the Electronic Industry and Electrical Communications; and the Morelos Technology Park and Technology-Based Business Incubator: IEBT-CICESE and SIECYT-UNAM.
The history of the Morelos Technology Park has shown that it is very difficult to arrange a project of this size without first meeting certain prerequisites. Among them: that there is interest from companies to participate; that there be a long-term commitment to carry out a project of this nature; that leadership be assumed at the highest political level; and that financing sources are available that provide abundant and timely risk capital, which allows applying a strategic vision on regional development and high-tech industries (Solleiro, 1993).
In Mexico, there is hardly an incipient experience in creating incubators, and its results are still very limited. The Technology-Based Business Incubator, Ensenada Scientific Research and Higher Education Center, Baja California (IEBT-CICESE), corresponds to the formal business incubation program that has been operating in Mexico for the longest time (since 1990). IEBT project orientation should be preferred for companies in some of the following areas: electronics, telecommunications, optics, opto-electronics, biotechnology and food, mechanical design, computer aided design (CAD), and precision mechanics and technological services in geophysics, seismology and oceanography. There are seven technology-based companies in the incubator, but it has the capacity to house 25 to 30 companies.
On the other hand, within the CIT, the Incubator System for Scientific and Technological Companies of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (SIECYT-UNAM), created in 1992, has been created in provisional facilities and has given rise to four base companies technological. Among the specific objectives of this program are: the creation of a national stimulus system oriented to the use of technology and other research results applicable to the production of goods and services within an explicit institutional framework; providing a new instrument to effect the transfer of technology generated at UNAM; and becoming a medium that at the same time exalts academic excellence and enables science to be incorporated,technology and entrepreneurial activities within the set of cultural values of society. The incubator system foresees a multi-sector orientation, although in general the most favored areas for incubation services include: electronics, computing, precision mechanics, fine chemistry, telecommunications, robotics, biotechnology, health and new materials.
Venezuela
The experience of this country in this matter has two important aspects to highlight. In the first place, there are the initiatives of business modalities and links with the environment promoted by the universities. And, secondly, the decisions and actions of the central government in the promotion of conglomerates of technology-based companies, through the figure of technology parks.
In what refers to the experiences of creation of technology-based companies from the universities date back to the early eighties. The Universidad Central de Venezuela UCV was a pioneer in this regard. In 1984 the first company of this nature was founded in this country: Tecnidec, promoted by the UCV Foundation and the UCV itself (Marcano, 1985). It is important to note that years before, companies had been created in Venezuelan universities (in particular, in the Universidad de los Andes), but they had the character of profitable and not technology-based companies. Currently, the UCV owns a dozen companies of this nature and other business modalities have appeared with the participation of researchers in the shareholding structure.The university company still has a long way to go and multiple obstacles to overcome, especially in the financial and cultural fields inside and outside the university.
Other universities have followed the example of the UCV, but using other modalities. The most outstanding cases are those of the Simón Bolívar University (USB) and the Universidad de los Andes (ULA). The first has created a foundation to promote the provision of services and the carrying out of R&D projects for the social and economic environment and, in addition, has promoted, with the State's support, the foundation of a technology park in the area of Sartenejas, nearby to the country's capital. For its part, the ULA has developed business and park initiatives in the western part of the country, particularly in Mérida. In the latter, the existence of CITEC stands out, which, operating for a few years (1991), has managed to penetrate slowly the market of medical surgical equipment for trauma interventions.
The universities of Zulia (LUZ) and National Experimental Polytechnic (core of Barquisimento, Edo. Lara), together with local and national authorities, have promoted technology park initiatives in each of their locations in the west of the country. Both experiences are still incipient despite the financial support received. You must wait longer to adequately measure your results.
The need for resources in the face of the economic crisis has forced other universities in the country, particularly public ones, to generate more or less similar modalities of searching for mechanisms to generate additional income to the budget assigned by the State for its operation.. However, these initiatives have not been consciously promoted for the constitution of companies destined to exploit the results of R&D. Rather, they have appeared as a way to use idle capacity in the provision of services using available personnel. (high level and with expertise), but with little awareness of its potential to generate technology-based companies.The university leadership and the potential actors (the researchers) have not paid enough attention to this reality of development of the modern business system.
Regarding government decisions in the promotion of technology parks, the initiative dates from 1989. The National Council for Scientific and Technological Research (CONICIT) has been promoting and giving institutional support to the creation of this type of business conglomerate. CONICIT has used the capacity and initiative of the universities to promote this figure in the country, but with little and uneven intensity. Business participation has been low and it has only been possible to interest local and state authorities in the geographical areas where the parks have appeared. The experience is also still incipient and the evaluation made on the matter is not conclusive (Seaton and Pittaluga, 1995).
The short-term difficulty that all these initiatives have is the non-existence of the institutional figure of risk capital. Since the disappearance of the Fund for Technological Innovation (FINTEC), apparently due to the lack of demand for the credits it offered, there is no formal modality available for financing technology-based companies. Only CONICIT itself, through its Technological Development Directorate, offers limited financing for these initiatives. But, in addition, with little conceptual understanding on the subject.
The other aspect that should be highlighted from the experience of this country is the lack of environment that exists to value these initiatives. This happens rather due to social ignorance of the potential of scientific and technological knowledge in the generation of innovative companies and economic benefits. This situation is common in all the cases studied in the region.
Learning from experiences in the region
From the situation and experiences in Latin America we can extract some important lessons. They can be presented in terms of the assimilation of the model, the role of the State, of the universities, of financing, of social organization and of the time elapsed. In all these aspects there is important learning, despite the limited experience.
The assimilation of a model.
The first learning that must be made relevant is that of the precarious assimilation, of the meaning and concept of the technology-based company and of the conglomerates that group them (parks, technopolis, etc.). As often happens, the transfer of experiences from industrialized countries to ours has been incomplete and in a certain sense distorted. One indicator has been that, with the exception of Brazil, there are few theoretical reflections on this matter. Another indicator is the low weight that these types of initiatives have taken on a social level. It seems that the issue is only the concern of some experts. Learning is often slow, but it is possible that in the near future understanding of this subject may be broader than today.
The role of the State.
Regarding the role of the State, the situation described shows that the political will to undertake this type of development, despite being present in some cases, is still limited. The dominant ideas about industrialization that the governments of the region have, both at the central and local levels, correspond to models from previous and overdue stages of the development of the capitalist system. The promotion of investments, especially of foreign origin, in traditional industries is the common denominator of almost all the speeches and wishes of the leaders of the region. In this regard, a major change in the mentality of this political and economic leadership is required. As has been seen in all cases in industrialized countries, state intervention in different forms has been constant.Either via demand, as in the US, or directly as in the Japanese case. However, regarding the State's support for R&D, this has been maintained over time but with little intensity (a situation that is repeated in all the countries of the region). Therefore, a greater presence of the State (both central and local) is required in the promotion of new type of business initiatives in Latin America.then greater presence of the State (both central and local) in the promotion of new type of business initiatives in Latin America.then greater presence of the State (both central and local) in the promotion of new type of business initiatives in Latin America.
The performance of the universities.
Universities have taken an active, but still timid, role in promoting new business initiatives. It can be said that they have been the only institutions to instruct the value and potential of the available knowledge. But what is important is to possess this accumulated knowledge. Without it, you cannot promote successful initiatives in this area. The growth of research and development activities is still limited in the region. As we saw above, investment in R&D is limited and if we add to this the almost absence of investment in these tasks by private companies, the picture is even worse. This responsibility cannot rest only in the universities. Isolated, there is very little they can do, as practice has shown so far in most of the cases analyzed.
The foundership.
All the financing of the few initiatives has come from the State. The figure of risk capital has been absent institutionally. Therefore, the few innovative companies have not been fed with capital. The situation is also precarious in this regard. There are few things that can be done since the limitations imposed by national debts and the economic crises experienced by the countries of the region leave very little chance of allocating significant own resources to these activities. One way out may be to resort to loans from multilateral organizations to finance these activities and, in particular, those related to strengthening local scientific and technological research capacity.
The social environment.
In this area the situation is null in almost all cases. Social actors are scarce and poorly prepared for innovation. Entrepreneurs, in particular, are generally unlikely to take risks around innovative activities. The cultural and educational level of the population is still low in the countries of the region. Efforts to raise these levels must be made as soon as possible. Otherwise, the gap between the industrialized countries and the Latin American ones will be wider every day and with very little chance of closing it, even in the long term.
Time.
The last factor to consider is time. In reality, all the experiences in the region are recent. If to this is added the relative little support they have had, it is premature to conclude on their success or failure. The important thing is that they have started and if they are promoted they will be able to bear fruit in the medium and long term. It is good to remember that whatever the outcome of these initiatives will always leave something positive for the country that initiates them.
As has already been pointed out, the Latin American region has been no stranger to initiatives around the creation of innovative figures such as technology parks, science or technology-based business incubators. Apart from the experiences of the countries described in the previous point, there are also known actions to install and develop this new type of industrial conglomerate in other countries in the region. Cases such as those of Cuba or Costa Rica, among others, may be added to a broader study on the matter. It was not wanted to be exhaustive in the presentation of the Latin American cases, since it is not the purpose of this report. What is more interesting is examining the possibilities of options and actions for the countries that make up the Latin American Economic System.
Towards the design of a stimulus program to expand the business base via the creation of technology-based companies.
Before presenting the set of recommendations that can be made at the policy level, it is necessary to make some points of general interest.
First, it should be clear that there is no general formula for the success of a high-tech project. Especially considering that under the image of concepts such as technology park or science city, very diverse realities are hidden. What is certain is that this type of industrial conglomerate will be the decisive indicator of the territorial organization that will support the foundations of the industrial structure of the economies of the coming years based on information.
On the other hand, it is important to point out that almost all the countries in the region are barely in what we can call the first level of technological development. It is the level whose most outstanding feature is that of a situation dominated by the fact of attracting investment from transnational companies, together with existing technology. Therefore, the construction of technology parks, business incubators or science cities, in these cases, can play an important role in attracting foreign investment. Later, progress is made in detail about the characteristics of the different levels of development.
Defining objectives
It should be borne in mind that this is the dominant situation in the region, but it does not mean that technological development cannot be advanced rapidly. As we have seen, the example of the so-called recently industrialized countries is revealing of a willingness to want to overcome this situation. The case of Spain is very important in this regard. This country faced with the challenge of facing fierce competition from its neighbors as of 1992, when the European Economic Community started operating, it was forced to develop an endogenous technological capacity to protect its industrial apparatus. In short, it jumped from the stage of technological development it was in just a few years ago, to a stage where the strengthening of its scientific-technological system has been a necessary condition for competing.Asian countries have acted in a similar way. This shows that it is possible to quickly reach levels of technological development, if the objectives pursued are clear. Let's examine the main two.
- In some cases (and perhaps it is that of most Latin American countries) the objective pursued is that of reindustrialization; that is, the creation of new jobs in new industries that replace old jobs in old, declining industries. In some countries of the region, these are jobs in basic agricultural or mining sectors as a result of the displacement of the rural population to the cities due to increased productivity in the countryside or in the mines. In other countries, it is also about the substitution of old basic, extractive and manufacturing industries, which have been the result of old forms of industrialization, of previous economic cycles. Later we will examine the stages of development that the countries that attempt their industrialization must follow.The other objective pursued, perhaps to a lesser degree in the Region, is local development, understood as the development of a specific locality in a given country. That is, as a result of the situation of displacement of industrial establishments from one area to another, important regional differences have been created that can be resolved by using the file of the installation of parks or technological conglomerates. Of course, this means taking the growth of these new industries from the central region to less developed ones.that as a result of the situation of displacement of industrial establishments from one area to another, important regional differences have been created that can be resolved by using the file of the installation of the parks or technological conglomerates. Of course, this means taking the growth of these new industries from the central region to less developed ones.that as a result of the situation of displacement of industrial establishments from one area to another, important regional differences have been created that can be resolved by using the file of the installation of the parks or technological conglomerates. Of course, this means taking the growth of these new industries from the central region to less developed ones.
What is important about these objectives is what is ultimately pursued: the creation of synergies and an innovative means in the societies that promote these processes. Of course, talking about synergy is not easy in the Latin American environment, but let's assume that the best way to consider it is as the generation of new information of high value through human interaction. Synergy itself can become a goal, but what is intended is to create the conditions for a given economy to enter a constant innovative cycle. The matter is complex. However, it is important to understand it, since the success of the initiatives that can be undertaken depends on it. The innovative role of a society will depend on multiple factors and its concrete historical existence on different conditions.But what you want to highlight is the search for the construction of an innovative environment, at least capable of improving the conditions of production of goods and services in a given region or country.
Learning from the lessons
From the examination of the lessons of the industrialized countries and the initiatives of the region, some lessons can be learned. These lessons, also, are valid for the design of any policy in this matter. It is learning from the experience of others. It is what has been done in the past, is done in the present and will be done safely in the future. But you also have to learn from how you have learned. In many cases, the form and not the essentials of the processes have been copied. Rather caricatures of processes from other latitudes have been reproduced. In the same way it can happen with this innovative form of industrialization.
When starting a program to create conglomerates of technology-based companies, the first essential aspect to take into account is, as already mentioned, determining what your basic objective is. In this sense, the choice of priorities is decisive. There must be a compromise between national and local priorities and between short and long term goals. The choice will therefore have implications for the strategies of global economic development of a given country.
According to economic theory, a country can go through three stages of global development and to which correspond particular characteristics regarding the options to be developed in the aspects related to the promotion of new industrial conglomerates of a new type. Let's see schematically what these stages are:
First stage: The countries that are in a first stage of development, adopt a strategy that allows them to attract the investment of transnational companies, which causes the import of existing and mature technologies. It is evident that when a certain degree of development has been reached, a process of competition with other countries for the source of investment begins, which is why the country must remain significantly attractive with respect to it.
In this phase, the construction of technology parks, science parks or incubators for technology-based companies can play an important role in attracting foreign investment. Emphasis should be placed on the construction of good buildings or good locations to build an attractive environment; excellent highway access and close to an international airport; quality housing for managers and, mainly, easy access to well-trained and motivated workforce. The close existence of a university with a research tradition is taken for granted. Or failing that, the existence of links with an institution of these characteristics.
Second stage:When the country reaches a higher level of development and industrialization becomes general, it defines as a strategy the development of a capacity that allows it to improve imported technology by combining product innovation and cascade process innovation. The countries that are in this stage implement a support process to improve the competitiveness of the existing industries. Regarding the promotion of science or technology parks, at this stage, emphasis should be placed on access to a workforce with a high level of university education, and the State should encourage research in areas related to objective sectors of the national economy, such as agriculture,energy or other area of industrial activity where you have some comparative advantages that can surely become dynamic competitive advantages.
Third stage:The countries that have reached this stage apply different strategies. First, they promote and strengthen their national R&D systems in order to encourage the generation of their own technologies and to begin a process of identifying future technologies that serve as a platform for new industrial concentrations. Here the role of the State becomes more complex and subtle, promoting basic research and its applications in priority areas. This implies the expansion and improvement of existing universities and the creation of new ones. Perhaps one of the most difficult phases of the process is creating links between researchers and industry. This factor can be a determining factor in the success of science or technology parks and depends fundamentally,of the predominant academic and industrial culture in the country under consideration.
The industrialized nations have had to go through these stages in one way or another, in many cases for long periods. However, there are concrete experiences, as already indicated, of jumps from the first stage to the third in just one generation.
The role of the state
From the analysis of the experience of the countries that have achieved industrial success, it appears that the State plays a decisive role in the industrialization process, providing the right environment and the appropriate bases for the development of competitive private companies. For this, the country must have clarity in relation to the position it occupies in the learning curve and the objectives and strategies to follow in order to move to a more advanced level of development and, if possible, skip stages within the process.
State intervention is decisive. The State must provide the appropriate environment and the appropriate basis for the development of vigorous and competitive private companies. Likewise, the state must promote the training of high-level personnel (bachelor's and even doctorate). Furthermore, the State must deliberately incentivize R&D in certain specific fields related to objective sectors of the economy. In order to do this, basic academic (university) research must be developed. It is never too early for a country to start building at least one major university research center. If you do it at the first levels of industrial development, the better; good research traditions are not built overnight,This task can take several decades and must be prepared for the moment when the country needs to develop its innovative potential. As we saw above, reach other stages of development other than the one you are in.
At the different stages of development, the choice of the fundamental industries is important to act as a trigger. This also has to do with the choice of technology; more specifically with the emphasis on R&D at the local level. The most recommended criterion is to choose the area in which a given country has comparative advantages. These advantages can and should be converted, of course, into dynamic competitive advantages. In the case of the industrialized countries, which have been analyzed (in particular, the United States, the United Kingdom and France), the demand from the military sector acted as a trigger for the development of the new type of company. This was so to the point of modifying, in the American case, the industrial map.
The countries of the region have very varied triggers. It can be mentioned by way of illustration: the vast Amazon area, common to nine South American countries. This area has a wealth of resources and possibilities that in itself is sufficient to develop multiple new types of industrial possibilities. Among them biotechnology or molecular pharmacology, can be indicated only by way of example. In the same way, each country in particular knows what its potential is and in that sense it can, must and must act.
The last aspect to consider is the question of time. Already in the lessons of the industrialized countries, the importance of the long-term perspective has been pointed out. The construction of conglomerates of technology-based companies is not a policy whose results can be measured after a short period of time. If success is achieved it will be something to be measured after several decades. Long-term commitment from governments is needed. This action must be considered in the same way as other elements of a development strategy such as education and scientific research with which it is closely linked. This must be understood by both the public and private sectors.
It should also be clear that the State is not considered as a monolithic entity. In no way is it. Within this denomination there are different levels that can behave differently. This should be considered when establishing a policy that aims to stimulate the creation of industrial parks of this type. For this reason, the different instances of the State must be taken into consideration, including universities and research institutes.
Proposals for options and actions for Latin America and the Caribbean
The conditions necessary to have an innovative entrepreneurial capacity have already been pointed out. In this sense, the need for three fundamental factors has been stressed:
- A) The necessary raw material: information; that is to say, systematized knowledge taken to production and with possibilities of constantly expanding. It has already been said above that the development of the capitalist system has a common line with the development of scientific and technological research. The more knowledge, the more progress in the domain of nature and, therefore, the greater possibilities of increasing the productivity of goods and services. B) A new type of entrepreneur, innovative in the way Drucker (1985) points out, accompanied by high level, especially in the fields of R&D and professional disciplines linked to the new techno-economic paradigm (computing, engineering, among others); and C) Venture capital to support initiatives that are very unlikely to be successful many times.In relation to the latter, it should be noted that on average of every hundred ideas, apparently novel, only one can surely reach the market with relative success. And important thing: this is achieved in most cases in periods of eight to ten years.
However, in almost all the countries of the region, the real situation is lacking in all these factors necessary to undertake decisive action of this nature.
Furthermore, it is known that for economies to be competitive, capital, personnel and negotiation skills are required. On the one hand, capital is scarce, just look at the amount of foreign debt that Latin American countries have accumulated. On the other hand, high-level qualified personnel are also scarce and with a tendency to move towards sources of higher remuneration, better working conditions and a social valuation of their activities, particularly towards industrialized countries. Finally, negotiating capacity has been limited throughout regional history; but this is what can actually be developed more quickly.
These considerations summarize, in a schematic way, the environment and the conditions, apparently not favorable for the design of a policy towards the strengthening of the industrial park, through the figure of the technology-based company. However, it is possible to move in this direction if you understand what the process is, what the triggers are, and what decisions must be made. In addition, to identify the appropriate actors who will have important roles in the process. An attempt will then be made, then, to advance some proposals that are only general indications of the policies to be followed by the countries of the Region.
Summary of the policies to apply
- You must have a clear development strategy. This means that each one of the countries must evaluate what their situation is and what level of development they are in and, based on the result obtained in the evaluation, build a long-term development strategy. At each level of development corresponds a certain action. The stages can be skipped, but in each one the appropriate instruments must be used. This seems simple in principle, but it is not really easy to tackle. Especially for the accumulation of ideas and preconceptions that have around economic development, in general, or industrial, in particular. The ideology of the subject is abundant and the positions are extremely Manichean. It should, therefore,make an effort to put the discussion on its right end and in this sense the safest way is to identify what are the comparative advantages that are owned. You should invest in comparative advantages; Each country has them and must focus their efforts on creating the industrial park. At first importing the necessary technology, to develop an industrial infrastructure that allows learning how to do it and then obtain a certain degree of own competition. This is achieved through training and qualification of the workforce. It cannot be forgotten that the driving force of the companies of the new paradigm is knowledge and this is found in people. Ultimately, people are what make up the innovative environment,With which the necessary synergy of the higher stages of the development of industrial capacities in a given locality or country is generated. For this it is necessary to have a long-term vision. It has been insisted that the programs of conglomerates of technology-based companies (either parks or incubators) are far-reaching ventures. Therefore, the planning of these initiatives must take this condition very seriously. You cannot expect short-term results, it would be a mistake to start thinking about it with a short-range vision. This leads to the need to correctly assess where innovations can come from. It is necessary to identify where innovation comes from, for which the existence of a research-industry relationship is decisive, in both directions.Universities are key in this process, but not always. It has already been said that universities are good accelerators of the process, but only when it comes to the right type of university institution; that is, the one where excellence research has been carried out. Universities can play their innovative role if they continue to be fundamentally autonomous institutions, setting their own research interests and setting their own criteria for scientific quality. Extreme services and dependence on external financing sources make these institutions extremely vulnerable and in the long run undermine the quality of their knowledge. For his part,The industry is the locus par excellence of technology and therefore acts as the applicant for the knowledge necessary to solve its problems. A business community that considers that science and technology can be converted into capital is the main actor in conglomerates of technology-based companies. Failing that, some researchers can and should become entrepreneurs as a demonstration effect. The creation of units for the transfer of research results, created in universities, may be an ideal mechanism in the early stages of development of technology-based business programs. But for this to be possible it is important to be able to communicate; that is, receiving and transmitting information. In this sense, it is necessary to build information networks from the beginning,when the decision is made to create the conglomerate of new types of companies. Information is the most important raw material and there must be adequate paths for it to flow. In this regard, there is no role model. The cultural conditions of each country or region must be taken into account. The most effective way of transmitting information may vary from country to country and the means to be used will, therefore, vary from case to case. It should not be forgotten that what is sought is the construction of a synergistic environment in a particular society. In countries with little development and a high concentration of resources (material and human) in their metropolitan areas, decentralization strategies at close range can facilitate the process. For example,The construction of technology parks or business incubators on the outskirts of the capital, where most of the conditions for their development are almost always concentrated, may be more effective than developing them far from the conditions necessary for these activities. If, on the other hand, a long-distance strategy is chosen in the national territory, it is necessary to be much more selective, concentrating on one or two target areas that may offer the best prospects in terms of facilities; such as: the existence of universities with a tradition of research, entrepreneurial capacity, an industrial tradition and a certain political leadership. However, a dispersion policy runs the risk of not achieving the desired momentum. For this you must find incentives of a national nature.where most of the conditions for their development are almost always concentrated, they can be more effective than developing them far from the conditions necessary for these activities. If, on the other hand, a long-distance strategy is chosen in the national territory, it is necessary to be much more selective, concentrating on one or two target areas that may offer the best prospects in terms of facilities; such as: the existence of universities with a tradition of research, entrepreneurial capacity, an industrial tradition and a certain political leadership. However, a dispersion policy runs the risk of not achieving the desired momentum. For this you must find incentives of a national nature.where most of the conditions for their development are almost always concentrated, they can be more effective than developing them far from the conditions necessary for these activities. If, on the other hand, a long-distance strategy is chosen in the national territory, it is necessary to be much more selective, concentrating on one or two target areas that may offer the best prospects in terms of facilities; such as: the existence of universities with a tradition of research, entrepreneurial capacity, an industrial tradition and a certain political leadership. However, a dispersion policy runs the risk of not achieving the desired momentum. For this you must find incentives of a national nature.they can be more effective than developing them far from the conditions necessary for these activities. If, on the other hand, a long-distance strategy is chosen in the national territory, it is necessary to be much more selective, concentrating on one or two target areas that may offer the best prospects in terms of facilities; such as: the existence of universities with a tradition of research, entrepreneurial capacity, an industrial tradition and a certain political leadership. However, a dispersion policy runs the risk of not achieving the desired momentum. For this you must find incentives of a national nature.they can be more effective than developing them far from the conditions necessary for these activities. If, on the other hand, a long-distance strategy is chosen in the national territory, it is necessary to be much more selective, concentrating on one or two target areas that may offer the best prospects in terms of facilities; such as: the existence of universities with a tradition of research, entrepreneurial capacity, an industrial tradition and a certain political leadership. However, a dispersion policy runs the risk of not achieving the desired momentum. For this you must find incentives of a national nature.If a long distance strategy is chosen in the national territory, it is necessary to be much more selective, concentrating on one or two target areas that may offer the best prospects in terms of facilities; such as: the existence of universities with a tradition of research, entrepreneurial capacity, an industrial tradition and a certain political leadership. However, a dispersion policy runs the risk of not achieving the desired momentum. For this you must find incentives of a national nature.If a long distance strategy is chosen in the national territory, it is necessary to be much more selective, concentrating on one or two target areas that may offer the best prospects in terms of facilities; such as: the existence of universities with a tradition of research, entrepreneurial capacity, an industrial tradition and a certain political leadership. However, a dispersion policy runs the risk of not achieving the desired momentum. For this you must find incentives of a national nature.a dispersion policy runs the risk of not achieving the desired momentum. For this you must find incentives of a national nature.a dispersion policy runs the risk of not achieving the desired momentum. For this you must find incentives of a national nature.
As noted, in long-standing experiences in industrialized countries, the drive for the new type of business came, primarily, from the military sector. National defense, or space competition in some cases, has played a very important role in the development of many innovations in the recent past. However, it cannot be expected that this will become the incentive in the countries of the region. At least it is not a generalizable case, although this factor plays an important role in a specific country. The incentives can come from the national interest in each case. Thus, the countries that participate in the world market supplying energy (fossil, such as oil) and whose economies are based on this capacity must develop their industrial capacities, for example, in two ways: one,downstream in terms of industrial development moving to petrochemical and organic chemical industry; and two, in the development of capacities in the field of alternative energies, developing R&D activities, in order to stay competitive. This is just one example of the possibilities that some countries in the region have; with the same logic, the situation of other nations can be faced. This policy may allow the development of new niches in the market by concentrating on the true capacities available in the given country. However, the latter requires a careful examination of the potentialities available both materially and intellectually.in the development of capacities in the field of alternative energies, developing R&D activities, in order to stay competitive. This is just one example of the possibilities that some countries in the region have; with the same logic, the situation of other nations can be faced. This policy may allow the development of new niches in the market by concentrating on the true capacities available in the given country. However, the latter requires a careful examination of the potentialities available both materially and intellectually.in the development of capacities in the field of alternative energies, developing R&D activities, in order to stay competitive. This is just one example of the possibilities that some countries in the region have; with the same logic, the situation of other nations can be faced. This policy may allow the development of new niches in the market by concentrating on the true capacities available in the given country. However, the latter requires a careful examination of the potentialities available both materially and intellectually.This policy may allow the development of new niches in the market by concentrating on the true capacities available in the given country. However, the latter requires a careful examination of the potentialities available both materially and intellectually.This policy may allow the development of new niches in the market by concentrating on the true capacities available in the given country. However, the latter requires a careful examination of the potentialities available both materially and intellectually.
- It takes a long time for a conglomerate of technology-based companies to achieve relative success. It refers to much longer periods than is customary to consider both at the corporate and political levels. We must proceed with these projects as when caring for a newborn in a delicate state. For this reason the term incubator is not entirely wrong. She points out the care that must be taken for a long time with this type of program. That is why real estate temptation is one of the dangers facing this type of development. Therefore, the objectives of the program must be preserved as it is carried out throughout its execution. Last but not least, one should avoid becoming pessimistic about the eventual failure of a particular project.It can be said that such a situation cannot be present in them. Whatever the result will always be better than paralysis or having nothing. This type of entrepreneurship always bears fruit, both physically (facilities or companies that did prosper) and intellectually (a strengthened ability to think about problems from a university).
Finally, and by way of conclusion, the research activity has become increasingly present in modern life. Therefore, as pointed out by Callon et al. (1994) this activity has become the center of all institutions, be they companies, universities or government agencies. It is no longer just research to discover the unknown and obtain certified knowledge. It is also investigated to solve collective problems of a specific country such as the health of its population, the environment, the prestige of the nation, etc. Research is also being done to make national economies competitive, to train more and better high-level personnel, and, finally, to expand knowledge to the population. The type of technology-based company is, then,one more expression of this reality of the end of the century.
Practical recommendations for SELA
In order to deepen possible actions in the Region, three specific actions are proposed to the Latin American Economic System -SELA- to advance in the design and implementation of a policy to stimulate the expansion of the business base, particularly the industrial base, on the figure of the new type company or technology-based company. In this sense, it is proposed:
- Generate an initial exchange between specialists and different governmental levels on the matter. This meeting could have the character of an exploratory meeting on the subject of industrialization and the use of the figure of a technology-based company to stimulate the expansion of the industrial base in the region, and subsequently promote the holding of an international seminar on the subject. «Possibilities of the technology-based company for the expansion of the business base in theLatin American region ». Government officials in the areas of industrial planning, economic policy, and science and technology would participate in this seminar. In addition, business representatives and representatives of the world of scientific and technological research. The objective of this meeting would be to examine the regional potential to advance the installation of conglomerates of new type companies in Latin America. It is also proposed to invite some representatives of developed countries to present the results obtained in their experiences and studies. The promotion of a research project on existing experiences, the promotion of new types of companies or technology-based companies in the region, which It allows to know in greater depth the dynamics of these processes.The purpose of this proposal is to deepen the study of the subject by way of measuring the effects in specific cases already in operation and whose results can serve as a thermometer to measure the possibilities and particularities in each country. A study of this nature could receive the support of UNIDO or the European Economic Community. Finally, attention and attendance, with high-level representatives, should be given to the meetings held on the subject in the region and outside of she, when the subject warrants it. In this sense, it is recommended to attend the V WORLD CONFERENCE ON SCIENCE PARKS, which will be held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, next October (29 to 31).
