Analía Erbes

Capacities, innovation and feedbacks in production networks in Argentina

This paper is based on an application of the complex systems approach to economics with the objective of exploring the micro- and meso-mechanisms of development. Under this approach, innovation can be seen as an emergent property that depends on micro interaction and on specificities of macro structure. This study emphasizes that the micro interactions can be described by the feedback mechanisms between the absorption and connectivity capacities of firms, and the macro structure by processes of creative destruction, knowledge appropriation and structural change. The paper presents empirical evidence on the feedback loops between absorption and connectivity capacities in production networks in Argentina and their impact on innovation results. This paper concludes that the restrictions on absorption capacity and mainly on connectivity capacity in several production networks in Argentina condition the development of positive feedbacks between the two capacities, and hence the scope of the innovation path.

Incidencia de las empresas multinacionales y representación sindical en países emergentes. El caso de sus filiales en Argentina

Multinational companies (EMN) are considered key actors in the study of labour relations, especially because of their strong economic power and their ability to impose specific practices on labour unions through their subsidiaries. Given its relevance in the Argentine productive structure, by analysing them it is possible to understand a large part of the business strategies towards the unions. In this framework, the article proposes: i) to determine union penetration levels in EMN installed in Argentina, and ii) to establish relationships between these levels of penetration and different factors that explain the existence of diverse representation logics. Thus, while the structural aspects condition the levels of penetration achieved, the characteristics of the work management have more limited effects over them.