Sérgio E. K. Sampaio

A INDÚSTRIA DE CALÇADOS DE NOVA SERRANA (MG)

On the basis of previous statistical work with data and information from RAIS - Relacao Anual de Informacoes Sociais, characterizing the Nova Serrana shoe industry as a local production system, and the results of a field research work with visits and interviews in local firms and institutions, this paper studies the Nova Serrana local production system as a whole as well as its firms and supporting institutions. The objective is to bring empirical evidence to guide public policy and private actions with a view to upgrade the local system in two spheres: (1) productive and technological, and (2) institutional and organizational. With this purpose in mind, this paper first characterizes and describes the local system in terms of location, adjoining influenced areas, logistics, population and number of jobs, history and evolution, production structure, supporting institutions, and social, cultural and political contexts. Next, the paper characterizes local firms in terms of size, product development, trading system, cooperation between rival firms, interactions with suppliers, sources of information for product development and on market trends and production technologies, practices and policies with regard to quality, financing, and other aspects. Finally, the paper summarizes the most relevant issues for policy measures and private actions by local firms and institutions.

Inovação e conhecimento: indicadores regionalizados e aplicação a São Paulo

This paper develops multiple indicators to map the geographical distribution of knowledge and scientific and technological capabilities as proxies of the geographical distribution of S,T&I activities, and applies such indicators to data and information from the state of Sao Paulo. The overall view of the geographical distribution of S,T&I activities in the state is complemented by the analysis of the same activities in the perspective of a local production and innovation system: the case of information and communication technologies in the microrregion of Campinas. The results show a pattern for the regional distributions of S,T&I activities along the main highways of the state, around metropolitan areas such as Sao Paulo and Campinas, and in regions where educational, science and technology and R&D institutions are strongly concentrated. Firms tend to agglomerate in these areas and regions, forming local production and innovation systems. The paper produces evidence on the adherence of the geographical distribution of those systems to the geographical distribution of S,T&I activities as shown by the indicators. This confirms the empirical findings of the literature about the relationship between geography and innovation.