IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/unm/unumer/2015015.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

Innovation in natural resources : New opportunities and new challenges. The case of the Argentinean seed industry

Author

Listed:
  • Marin A.
  • Stubrin L.I.

    (UNU-MERIT)

Abstract

In this paper, using the case of seeds, we explore the existence of both new opportunities and new challenges for innovation in Natural Resource Based Industries NRBIs in developing countries. Conventional views construe NRBIs as low tech, with low technological dynamism, little innovation, and little capacity to create linkages towards other sectors. However, these views are being increasingly questioned. Some authors argue that although NRs have always provided opportunities for innovation and growth; substantial changes in international institutions, markets and technologies during the last two decades or so have created new and a more diverse set of opportunities for a larger number of developing countries to take advantage of their NRs. We contribute to this literature by providing new empirical evidence that helps to better understand these new opportunities. In addition, we suggest that as new opportunities are being created, new challenges also emerge, and countries which do not comprehend fully both of these might lose the opportunity opened by this historical moment of change to become world leader innovators in NRs and related industries. Empirically we study the case of seeds innovation in Argentina - a world agricultural leader with a strong and advanced domestic seed industry. Based on firms interviews and secondary data we show how the new opportunities created for innovation in seeds have been taken by some companies in the developing world and how some new challenges are questioning the capacity to pursue further some of the new opportunities

Suggested Citation

  • Marin A. & Stubrin L.I., 2015. "Innovation in natural resources : New opportunities and new challenges. The case of the Argentinean seed industry," MERIT Working Papers 2015-015, United Nations University - Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (MERIT).
    • Handle: RePEc:unm:unumer:2015015
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.merit.unu.edu/publications/wppdf/2015/wp2015-015.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Anthony Arundel & David Sawaya, 2010. "Biotechnologies in Agriculture and Related Natural Resources to 2015," OECD Journal: General Papers, OECD Publishing, vol. 2009(3), pages 7-111.
    2. John Cantwell & Franceses Sanna-Randaccio, 1993. "Multinationality and firm growth," Review of World Economics (Weltwirtschaftliches Archiv), Springer;Institut für Weltwirtschaft (Kiel Institute for the World Economy), vol. 129(2), pages 275-299, June.
    3. Fernandez-Cornejo, Jorge & Spielman, David J., 2002. "Concentration, Market Power, And Cost Efficiency In The Corn Seed Industry," 2002 Annual meeting, July 28-31, Long Beach, CA 19877, American Agricultural Economics Association (New Name 2008: Agricultural and Applied Economics Association).
    4. Carl Pray & Anwar Naseem, 2007. "Supplying crop biotechnology to the poor: Opportunities and constraints," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 43(1), pages 192-217.
    5. Tripp, Robert & Louwaars, Niels & Eaton, Derek, 2007. "Plant variety protection in developing countries. A report from the field," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 32(3), pages 354-371, June.
    6. Daron Acemoglu & Simon Johnson & James A. Robinson, 2002. "Reversal of Fortune: Geography and Institutions in the Making of the Modern World Income Distribution," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 117(4), pages 1231-1294.
    7. Anabel Marin & Lilia Stubrin & Patrick van Zwanenberg, 2014. "Developing capabilities in the seed industry: which direction to follow?," SPRU Working Paper Series 2014-12, SPRU - Science Policy Research Unit, University of Sussex Business School.
    8. Bengt-Åke Lundvall & K. J. Joseph & Cristina Chaminade & Jan Vang (ed.), 2009. "Handbook of Innovation Systems and Developing Countries," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 12943.
    9. Fernandez-Cornejo, Jorge, 2004. "The Seed Industry In U.S. Agriculture: An Exploration Of Data And Information On Crop Seed Markets, Regulation, Industry Structure, And Research And Development," Agricultural Information Bulletins 33671, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
    10. Rugman, Alan M. & Brewer, Thomas L. (ed.), 2001. "The Oxford Handbook of International Business," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780199241828, Decembrie.
    11. Cantwell, John, 1995. "The Globalisation of Technology: What Remains of the Product Cycle Model?," Cambridge Journal of Economics, Oxford University Press, vol. 19(1), pages 155-174, February.
    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. Maria Savona, 2021. "Revisiting High Development Theory to Explain Upgrading Prospects in Business Services Global Value Chains," The European Journal of Development Research, Palgrave Macmillan;European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), vol. 33(2), pages 206-226, April.
    2. Ronaldo Parente & Marne Melo & Daniel Andrews & Arun Kumaraswamy & Flavio Vasconcelos, 2021. "Public sector organizations and agricultural catch-up dilemma in emerging markets: The orchestrating role of Embrapa in Brazil," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 52(4), pages 646-670, June.
    3. Maria Savona & Filippo Bontadini, 2023. "Revisiting the Natural Resource Curse: Backward Linkages for Export Diversification and Structural Economic Transformation," Development and Change, International Institute of Social Studies, vol. 54(2), pages 378-421, March.

    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. Carlota Pérez & Anabel Marín & Lizbeth Navas-Alemán, 2014. "The possible dynamic role of natural resource-based networks in Latin American development strategies," Chapters, in: Gabriela Dutrénit & Judith Sutz (ed.), National Innovation Systems, Social Inclusion and Development, chapter 13, pages 380-412, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    2. Gabriela Dutrénit & Judith Sutz (ed.), 2014. "National Innovation Systems, Social Inclusion and Development," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 15491.
    3. Jan Fagerberg, 2010. "The Changing Global Economic Landscape: The Factors that Matter," Chapters, in: Robert M. Solow & Jean-Philippe Touffut (ed.), The Shape of the Division of Labour, chapter 1, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    4. Jean-François Hennart, 2007. "The theoretical rationale for a multinationality-performance relationship," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 47(3), pages 423-452, June.
    5. Álvarez, Isabel & Marín, Raquel, 2010. "Entry modes and national systems of innovation," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 16(4), pages 340-353, December.
    6. K.J. Joseph, 2013. "Has Trade been an Engine of Inclusive Growth? India’s Experience under Globalization," Millennial Asia, , vol. 4(2), pages 135-157, October.
    7. 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.
    8. 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.
    9. Nolan, Elizabeth & Santos, Paulo, 2009. "Evidence for increasing concentration in plant breeding industries in the United States and the European Union," 2009 Conference (53rd), February 11-13, 2009, Cairns, Australia 48060, Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society.
    10. Pan, Yigang & Teng, Lefa & Yu, Mingyang & Lu, Xiongwen & Huang, Dan, 2014. "Host-country Headquarters of U.S. Firms in China: An Empirical Study," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 20(4), pages 379-389.
    11. Marin, Anabel & Sasidharan, Subash, 2008. "The Heterogeneity of MNC' Subsidiaries and Technology Spillovers: Explaining positive and negative effects in emerging economies," MERIT Working Papers 2008-066, United Nations University - Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (MERIT).
    12. Crescenzi, Riccardo & Iammarino, Simona & Ioramashvili, Carolin & Rodríguez-Pose, Andrés & Storper, Michael, 2020. "The geography of innovation and development: global spread and local hotspots," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 105116, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    13. Riccardo Crescenzi & Simona Iammarino & Carolin Ioramashvili & Andres Rodriguez-Pose & Michael Storper, 2019. "The Geography of Innovation: Local Hotspots and Global Innovation Networks," WIPO Economic Research Working Papers 57, World Intellectual Property Organization - Economics and Statistics Division.
    14. Heineck, Guido & Süssmuth, Bernd, 2013. "A different look at Lenin’s legacy: Social capital and risk taking in the Two Germanies," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 41(3), pages 789-803.
    15. Giuliani, Elisa & Martinelli, Arianna & Rabellotti, Roberta, 2016. "Is Co-Invention Expediting Technological Catch Up? A Study of Collaboration between Emerging Country Firms and EU Inventors," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 77(C), pages 192-205.
    16. Kutuk, Yasin, 2022. "Inequality convergence: A world-systems theory approach," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 63(C), pages 150-165.
    17. Scott Gehlbach & Konstantin Sonin & Ekaterina Zhuravskaya, 2010. "Businessman Candidates," American Journal of Political Science, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 54(3), pages 718-736, July.
    18. Patrick Legros & Andrew F. Newman & Eugenio Proto, 2014. "Smithian Growth through Creative Organization," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 96(5), pages 796-811, December.
    19. Antonio Andres & Carlyn Ramlogan-Dobson, 2011. "Is Corruption Really Bad for Inequality? Evidence from Latin America," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 47(7), pages 959-976.
    20. Guy Michaels, 2011. "The Long Term Consequences of Resource‐Based Specialisation," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 121(551), pages 31-57, March.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Economic Development; Agriculture; Natural Resources; Energy; Environment; Technological Change; Diffusion Processes; Government Policy;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O13 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Agriculture; Natural Resources; Environment; Other Primary Products
    • O33 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Technological Change: Choices and Consequences; Diffusion Processes
    • O38 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Government Policy

    NEP fields

    This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

    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:unm:unumer:2015015. 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: Ad Notten (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/meritnl.html .

    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.