IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/kap/jtecht/v46y2021i3d10.1007_s10961-020-09810-9.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Technological learning strategies and technology upgrading intensity in the mining industry: evidence from Brazil

Author

Listed:
  • Paulo N. Figueiredo

    (Getulio Vargas Foundation (FGV))

  • Janaina Piana

    (Federal Technology University of Paraná)

Abstract

Despite exhaustive research on technology upgrading in firms from emerging economies—latecomer firms—we still know little about micro-level learning strategies underlying technological innovation capability accumulation, also known as technology upgrading intensity, particularly in natural resource-intensive industries. Through an empirically grounded study of Brazil’s mining industry, which holds a globally leading technological and market position, we found that: (1) leading firms implemented technological learning strategies as responses to changing windows of opportunity (demand, technological, institutional, and idiosyncratic problems); (2) these technological learning strategies manifested in various ways from imitative and defensive to offensive with elements overlapping over the technology upgrading process, involving two forms of knowledge inputs: ‘doing, using and interacting’ and ‘science, technology and innovation’, which were operationalised through various learning mechanisms; (3) the use of these learning mechanisms changed qualitatively over time affecting firms’ technology upgrading intensity positively. Thus, we further the understanding of latecomer firms’ technology upgrading by providing in-depth empirical insights through a comprehensive approach to innovation capabilities and learning strategies in an under-researched natural resource-intensive industry in a middle-income resource-rich country.

Suggested Citation

  • Paulo N. Figueiredo & Janaina Piana, 2021. "Technological learning strategies and technology upgrading intensity in the mining industry: evidence from Brazil," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 46(3), pages 629-659, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jtecht:v:46:y:2021:i:3:d:10.1007_s10961-020-09810-9
    DOI: 10.1007/s10961-020-09810-9
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10961-020-09810-9
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s10961-020-09810-9?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Yuzhe Miao & Jaeyong Song & Keun Lee & Chuyue Jin, 2018. "Technological catch-up by east Asian firms: Trends, issues, and future research agenda," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 35(3), pages 639-669, September.
    2. Cali Nuur & Linda Gustavsson & Staffan Laestadius, 2018. "Capability creation in the natural resource-based sector: experiences from Swedish mining," Innovation and Development, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 8(1), pages 103-123, January.
    3. Martín Obaya & Paul Kalfadellis & Natalie Doyle, 2018. "MNC technological upgrading in emerging regional areas: a case study on automotive subsidiaries in MERCOSUR," International Journal of Technological Learning, Innovation and Development, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 10(3/4), pages 295-321.
    4. Venables, Anthony J. & Maloney, William & Kokko, Ari & Bravo Ortega, Claudio & Lederman, Daniel & Rigobón, Roberto & De Gregorio, José & Czelusta, Jesse & Jayasuriya, Shamila A. & Blomström, Magnus & , 2007. "Natural Resources: Neither Curse nor Destiny," IDB Publications (Books), Inter-American Development Bank, number 350.
    5. Laestadius, Staffan, 1998. "The relevance of science and technology indicators: the case of pulp and paper," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 27(4), pages 385-395, August.
    6. Lall, Sanjaya, 1992. "Technological capabilities and industrialization," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 20(2), pages 165-186, February.
    7. Torres-Fuchslocher, Carlos, 2010. "Understanding the development of technology-intensive suppliers in resource-based developing economies," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 39(2), pages 268-277, March.
    8. Figueiredo, Paulo N. & Piana, Janaina, 2018. "Innovative capability building and learning linkages in knowledge-intensive service SMEs in Brazil's mining industry," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 21-33.
    9. Morrison, Andrea & Rabellotti, Roberta, 2017. "Gradual catch up and enduring leadership in the global wine industry," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 46(2), pages 417-430.
    10. Katz, Jorge & Pietrobelli, Carlo, 2018. "Natural resource based growth, global value chains and domestic capabilities in the mining industry," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 11-20.
    11. Lee,Keun, 2019. "The Art of Economic Catch-Up," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9781108460705.
    12. Morris, Mike & Kaplinsky, Raphael & Kaplan, David, 2012. "“One thing leads to another”—Commodities, linkages and industrial development," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 37(4), pages 408-416.
    13. Yoruk, Deniz E., 2019. "Dynamics of firm-level upgrading and the role of learning in networks in emerging markets," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 145(C), pages 341-369.
    14. Lee, Keun & Malerba, Franco, 2017. "Catch-up cycles and changes in industrial leadership:Windows of opportunity and responses of firms and countries in the evolution of sectoral systems," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 46(2), pages 338-351.
    15. Figueiredo, Paulo N. & Larsen, Henrik & Hansen, Ulrich E., 2020. "The role of interactive learning in innovation capability building in multinational subsidiaries: A micro-level study of biotechnology in Brazil," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 49(6).
    16. Jensen, Morten Berg & Johnson, Bjorn & Lorenz, Edward & Lundvall, Bengt Ake, 2007. "Forms of knowledge and modes of innovation," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 36(5), pages 680-693, June.
    17. Hobday, Michael & Rush, Howard & Bessant, John, 2004. "Approaching the innovation frontier in Korea: the transition phase to leadership," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 33(10), pages 1433-1457, December.
    18. Fischer, Bruno Brandão & Schaeffer, Paola Rücker & Vonortas, Nicholas S., 2019. "Evolution of university-industry collaboration in Brazil from a technology upgrading perspective," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 145(C), pages 330-340.
    19. Anabel Marin & Lizbeth Navas-Alemán & Carlota Perez, 2015. "Natural Resource Industries As a Platform for the Development of Knowledge Intensive Industries," Tijdschrift voor Economische en Sociale Geografie, Royal Dutch Geographical Society KNAG, vol. 106(2), pages 154-168, April.
    20. Ben R. Martin, 2016. "Twenty challenges for innovation studies," Science and Public Policy, Oxford University Press, vol. 43(3), pages 432-450.
    21. Kang, Hyo & Song, Jaeyong, 2017. "Innovation and recurring shifts in industrial leadership: Three phases of change and persistence in the camera industry," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 46(2), pages 376-387.
    22. Robertson, Paul & Smith, Keith & von Tunzelmann, Nick, 2009. "Innovation in low- and medium-technology industries," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 38(3), pages 441-446, April.
    23. B.-A. Lundvall & P. Rasmussen & Edward Lorenz, 2008. "Education in the Learning Economy," Post-Print halshs-00464519, HAL.
    24. Bernat, Stefan & Karabag, Solmaz Filiz, 2019. "Strategic alignment of technology: Organising for technology upgrading in emerging economy firms," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 145(C), pages 295-306.
    25. Kale, Dinar, 2019. "From small molecule generics to biosimilars: Technological upgrading and patterns of distinctive learning processes in the Indian pharmaceutical industry," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 145(C), pages 370-383.
    26. Giovanni Dosi & Christopher Freeman & Richard Nelson & Gerarld Silverberg & Luc Soete (ed.), 1988. "Technical Change and Economic Theory," LEM Book Series, Laboratory of Economics and Management (LEM), Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies, Pisa, Italy, number dosietal-1988, March.
    27. Dey, Bidit L. & Babu, Mujahid Mohiuddin & Rahman, Mizan & Dora, Manoj & Mishra, Nishikant, 2019. "Technology upgrading through co-creation of value in developing societies: Analysis of the mobile telephone industry in Bangladesh," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 145(C), pages 413-425.
    28. Figueiredo, Paulo N. & Cohen, Marcela, 2019. "Explaining early entry into path-creation technological catch-up in the forestry and pulp industry: Evidence from Brazil," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 48(7), pages 1694-1713.
    29. Xiao Fu & Yi Li & Youhe Si, 2013. "The impact of paternalistic leadership on innovation: an integrated model," Nankai Business Review International, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 4(1), pages 9-24, March.
    30. Saleem H. Ali & Damien Giurco & Nicholas Arndt & Edmund Nickless & Graham Brown & Alecos Demetriades & Ray Durrheim & Maria Amélia Enriquez & Judith Kinnaird & Anna Littleboy & Lawrence D. Meinert & R, 2017. "Mineral supply for sustainable development requires resource governance," Nature, Nature, vol. 543(7645), pages 367-372, March.
    31. Kaplan, David, 2012. "South African mining equipment and specialist services: Technological capacity, export performance and policy," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 37(4), pages 425-433.
    32. Thomas Lager, 2017. "A conceptual analysis of conditions for innovation in the process industries and a guiding framework for industry collaboration and further research," International Journal of Technological Learning, Innovation and Development, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 9(3), pages 189-219.
    33. Michael G. Jacobides & Sidney G. Winter, 2012. "Capabilities: Structure, Agency, and Evolution," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 23(5), pages 1365-1381, October.
    34. Shin, Jang-Sup, 2017. "Dynamic catch-up strategy, capability expansion and changing windows of opportunity in the memory industry," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 46(2), pages 404-416.
    35. Norlela Ariffin, 2010. "Internationalisation of technological innovative capabilities: levels, types and speed (learning rates) in the electronics industry in Malaysia," International Journal of Technological Learning, Innovation and Development, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 3(4), pages 347-391.
    36. repec:idb:brikps:59538 is not listed on IDEAS
    37. Daniel Lederman & William F. Maloney, 2007. "Natural Resources : Neither Curse nor Destiny," World Bank Publications, The World Bank, number 7183, September.
      • Anthony J. Venables & William Maloney & Ari Kokko & Claudio Bravo Ortega & Daniel Lederman & Roberto Rigobón & José De Gregorio & Jesse Czelusta & Shamila A. Jayasuriya & Magnus Blomström & L. Colin X, 2007. "Natural Resources: Neither Curse nor Destiny," IDB Publications (Books), Inter-American Development Bank, number 59538 edited by William Maloney & Daniel Lederman, February.
    38. Lee,Keun, 2013. "Schumpeterian Analysis of Economic Catch-up," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9781107042681.
    39. Sutton, John, 2012. "Competing in Capabilities: The Globalization Process," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780199274536.
    40. Lee, Keun & Ki, Jee-hoon, 2017. "Rise of latecomers and catch-up cycles in the world steel industry," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 46(2), pages 365-375.
    41. José De Gregorio, 2018. "Productivity in Emerging-Market Economies: Slowdown or Stagnation?," Working Paper Series WP18-12, Peterson Institute for International Economics.
    42. Mazzoleni, Roberto & Nelson, Richard R., 2007. "Public research institutions and economic catch-up," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 36(10), pages 1512-1528, December.
    43. World Bank, 2010. "World Development Report 2010," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 4387, December.
    44. Chris Freeman & Luc Soete, 1997. "The Economics of Industrial Innovation, 3rd Edition," MIT Press Books, The MIT Press, edition 3, volume 1, number 0262061953, December.
    45. Marín, Anabel & Navas-Alemán, Lizbeth & Perez, Carlota, 2015. "Natural resource industries as a platform for the development of knowledge intensive industries," Nülan. Deposited Documents 2689, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, Facultad de Ciencias Económicas y Sociales, Centro de Documentación.
    46. Choung, Jae-Yong & Hwang, Hye-Ran, 2019. "Institutional capabilities and technology upgrading: The case of the nuclear industry in Korea," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 145(C), pages 284-294.
    47. Figueiredo, Paulo N. & Piana, Janaina, 2016. "When “one thing (almost) leads to another”: A micro-level exploration of learning linkages in Brazil's mining industry," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 49(C), pages 405-414.
    48. Pietrobelli, Carlo & Marin, Anabel & Olivari, Jocelyn, 2018. "Innovation in mining value chains: New evidence from Latin America," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 1-10.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Zarach, Zuzanna Helena & Parteka, Aleksandra, 2023. "Export diversification and dependence on natural resources," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 126(C).
    2. Attarpour, MohammadReza & Elyasi, Mahdi & Mohammadi, Akbar, 2023. "Patterns of technological capability development in Iran's steel industry: An analysis based on windows of opportunity for technological learning," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 85(PB).
    3. Yamashita, Andre S. & Fujii, Hidemichi, 2022. "Trend and priority change of climate change mitigation technology in the global mining sector," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).
    4. Timo Kleiner-Schaefer & Kerstin J. Schaefer, 2022. "Barriers to university–industry collaboration in an emerging market: Firm-level evidence from Turkey," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 47(3), pages 872-905, June.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Figueiredo, Paulo N. & Cohen, Marcela, 2019. "Explaining early entry into path-creation technological catch-up in the forestry and pulp industry: Evidence from Brazil," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 48(7), pages 1694-1713.
    2. Figueiredo, Paulo N. & Cabral, Bernardo P. & Silva, Felipe Q., 2021. "Intricacies of firm-level innovation performance: An empirical analysis of latecomer process industries," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 105(C).
    3. Figueiredo, Paulo N. & Piana, Janaina, 2018. "Innovative capability building and learning linkages in knowledge-intensive service SMEs in Brazil's mining industry," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 21-33.
    4. Figueiredo, Paulo N. & Larsen, Henrik & Hansen, Ulrich E., 2020. "The role of interactive learning in innovation capability building in multinational subsidiaries: A micro-level study of biotechnology in Brazil," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 49(6).
    5. Lei Guo & Marina Yue Zhang & Mark Dodgson & David Gann & Hong Cai, 2019. "Seizing windows of opportunity by using technology-building and market-seeking strategies in tandem: Huawei’s sustained catch-up in the global market," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 36(3), pages 849-879, September.
    6. Attarpour, MohammadReza & Elyasi, Mahdi & Mohammadi, Akbar, 2023. "Patterns of technological capability development in Iran's steel industry: An analysis based on windows of opportunity for technological learning," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 85(PB).
    7. Yuzhe Miao & Jaeyong Song & Keun Lee & Chuyue Jin, 2018. "Technological catch-up by east Asian firms: Trends, issues, and future research agenda," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 35(3), pages 639-669, September.
    8. Lu Xu & Jie Xiong & Jie Yan & Richard Soparnot & Zhe Yuan, 2023. "Technological Uncertainty and Catch-Up Patterns: Insights of Four Chinese Manufacturing Sectors," Post-Print hal-04011634, HAL.
    9. Lu Xu & Jie Xiong & Jie Yan & Richard Soparnot & Zhe Yuan, 2023. "Technological Uncertainty and Catch-Up Patterns: Insights of Four Chinese Manufacturing Sectors," Grenoble Ecole de Management (Post-Print) hal-04011634, HAL.
    10. Lee, Keun & Malerba, Franco, 2017. "Catch-up cycles and changes in industrial leadership:Windows of opportunity and responses of firms and countries in the evolution of sectoral systems," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 46(2), pages 338-351.
    11. Javanmardi Kashan, Alireza & Wiewiora, Anna & Mohannak, Kavoos, 2021. "Unpacking organisational culture for innovation in Australian mining industry," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 73(C).
    12. Giachetti, Claudio & Mensah, Deborah Tiniwah, 2023. "Catching-up during technological windows of opportunity: An industry product categories perspective," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 52(2).
    13. Yoon, Hyungseok & Belkhouja, Mustapha & Wei, Yingqi & Lee, Sangho, 2021. "Born to be similar? Global isomorphism and the emergence of latecomer business schools," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 30(5).
    14. Landini, Fabio & Lee, Keun & Malerba, Franco, 2017. "A history-friendly model of the successive changes in industrial leadership and the catch-up by latecomers," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 46(2), pages 431-446.
    15. Tiago Couto Porto & Keun Lee & Sunil Mani, 2021. "The US–Ireland–India in the catch-up cycles in IT services: MNCs, indigenous capabilities and the roles of macroeconomic variables," Eurasian Business Review, Springer;Eurasia Business and Economics Society, vol. 11(1), pages 59-82, March.
    16. Jeong-Dong Lee & Keun Lee & Dirk Meissner & Slavo Radosevic & Nicholas S. Vonortas, 2021. "Local capacity, innovative entrepreneurial places and global connections: an overview," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 46(3), pages 563-573, June.
    17. Peerally, Jahan Ara & Santiago, Fernando & De Fuentes, Claudia & Moghavvemi, Sedigheh, 2022. "Towards a firm-level technological capability framework to endorse and actualize the Fourth Industrial Revolution in developing countries," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 51(10).
    18. Guo, Yanting & Zheng, Gang, 2019. "How do firms upgrade capabilities for systemic catch-up in the open innovation context? A multiple-case study of three leading home appliance companies in China," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 144(C), pages 36-48.
    19. Kwak, Kiho & Kim, Namil, 2022. "Industrial Leadership Changes without Technological Discontinuity: Modularization, Institution-Led Market Discontinuity, and Market Development Strategy," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 180(C).
    20. Atienza, Miguel & Modrego, Félix, 2019. "The spatially asymmetric evolution of mining services suppliers during the expansion and contraction phases of the copper super-cycle in Chile," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 61(C), pages 77-87.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Technology upgrading; Technological learning; Catch-up; Capability building; Innovation; Mining industry; Brazil;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • M10 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Business Administration - - - General
    • O32 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Management of Technological Innovation and R&D
    • Q32 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Nonrenewable Resources and Conservation - - - Exhaustible Resources and Economic Development

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:kap:jtecht:v:46:y:2021:i:3:d:10.1007_s10961-020-09810-9. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.