Sergio Luiz Monteiro Salles-Filho

Propriedade intelectual e organização da P&D vegetal: evidências preliminares da implantação da Lei de Proteção de Cultivares

This article discusses the recent Brazilian strategy in the field of intellectual property rights applied to new varieties and seeds. Intel-lectual property is here understood as an economic tool to articulate and to coordinate the economic and technical agents involved in the process of development and diffusing of new varieties and seeds. The article deals with data from the National Service on Variety Protection and also with data from the Brazilian seed market. Among the main findings it shows that the recent strategy of EMBRAPA (the national public resear-ch institution) along with the recent emergence of foundations of seed production and commercialization (formed by small seed producers in different regions of the country), has caused important changes in the seed market structure. Of course, this movement has not been equal among all species and all market branches, but it is actually impressive among some of them (like corn and soybean seed markets). In this process, public research institutions can play an important role, especially if they are capable to build strong capabilities in dealing not only with genetics and seed production, but also with the national and the international regulatory frameworks.

Organization of Research and Innovation: a Comparative Study of Public Agricultural Research Institutions

Abstract This paper discusses the institutional reorganization that has culminated in new designs for the management models of Public Research Institutes (PRIs), comparing the experiences of four PRIs in the agricultural sector to identify common elements and differences in processes, flows and policies. The focus is to improve research and innovation management, developing new approaches and tools.The four PRIs analyzed are the US Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS), the Research Branch of Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada (AAFC), the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (Embrapa), and Uruguay’s National Agricultural Research Institute (INIA). The study shows that management processes have become more sophisticated and above all oriented to the creation of products, processes and services that are more likely to be used. This movement indicates a new positioning by PRIs in the agricultural innovation systems of their countries, reorienting their relationships with other actors of particular importance to knowledge production.

Technological and Productive Density in Sectoral Innovation Systems: The Case of the Brazilian Aeronautics Industry

This article discusses whether a globally competitive high-tech firm is sustainable without being associated with a sufficiently dense sectoral innovation system. It focuses on Embraer and hence on the Brazilian aeronautics industry. Despite not benefiting from a highly subsidized process for technological and financial modernization, Embraer has become the world’s third-ranking producer of commercial jets thanks to institutional innovations, especially in producing and managing contracts with suppliers and risk-sharing partners. The conclusion drawn is that the competitiveness of the Brazilian aircraft industry depends on the continuing supply of technology in international markets. Technological restrictions imposed for geopolitical reasons, or even for market constraints, could fatally undermine the strategy adopted by the company.

VINASSE TREATMENT IN BRAZIL FROM 1970S TO 1990S: A LOCK-IN CASE STUDY INTO THE ETHANOL AGROINDUSTRY

Adding market value to a former by-product or waste must be an outcome of what is being called an eco-innovation. Vinasse is an important by-product of sugarcane processing in the manufacture of ethanol inBrazil. Until the 1970s, the main destinations of vinasse were surface waters and sacrifice areas. The fabulous augmentation in production of the effluent after the Pro-Alcool and the legal prohibition of vinasse discharges into rivers and other surface waters induced the exploration of new technological possibilities to its destination. During the two subsequent decades, several technological possibilities were under development. In the middle 80s, fertigation was held as the most diffused alternative and the problem was considered solved. This paper exposes the manifold aspects of the problem and the results of an enquiry into the technological trajectory building process that was guided by public and private decision-making focused on the solution of the problem.

Da P&D à inovação: desafios para o setor elétrico brasileiro

In Brazil, companies operating in the electricity sector must invest at least 1% of their net operating revenues in R&D and energy efficiency programs. This obligation challenges their capacity to manage their research and innovation efforts. As these companies belong to a supplier-dominated sector, they face constraints related to the generation of innovations: often the results of R&D projects are not implemented. This situation reveals not only problems in the sector innovation policy, but also the absence of robust mechanisms to support companies in decisions that can help them generate benefits from research. This work presents a tool developed for the Brazilian electricity companies aiming to characterize and propose solutions to overcome and/or prevent scientific and technology, market and management gaps likely to occur in R&D projects in order to enlarge the appropriation, adoption and diffusion of their results, and the generation of positive impacts.

Análise da dinâmica de P&D&l na construção do Sistema Setorial de Inovação de energia elétrica para o Brasil

Este artigo mostra evidencias de que as empresas brasileiras do setor de energia eletrica vem construindo trajetorias cada vez mais intensivas em tecnologia, materializadas em seus esforcos envidados em atividades de P&D&I. Analisa a dinâmica da inovacao tecnologica nesse setor a luz de sua motivacao para inovar, das estrategias organizacionais (competitivas a tecnologicas) e da cadeia produtiva, formada pelos processos de geracao, transmissao, distribuicao e comercializacao de energia. A titulo de ressaltar sua relevância estrategica para o Brasil, note-se que o setor de energia eletrica cresceu a taxas medias superiores ao PIB nacional durante a primeira decada deste seculo, aumentando cerca de 4% ao ano pelo lado da demanda (EMPRESA..., 2011a). O presente artigo explora a hipotese de que as empresas de energia eletrica apresentam complexidade tecnologica e, por sua monta, tem investido em tecnologia e inovacao, contribuindo com a construcao de um Sistema Setorial de Inovacao (SSI) no Brasil. Evidencia-se isso por meio da avaliacao da dinâmica de P&D&I e das acoes institucionais de quatro empresas de energia do Brasil (Cemig, Furnas, CPFL e Eletronorte), sendo que essas se consolidam em centros de P&D&I, redes de pesquisa, execucao de planos de P&D&I e acoes conjuntas com agencias governamentais. Porem, o uso de indicadores organizacionais e setoriais permite depreender que os esforcos de inovacao tecnologica ainda nao sao suficientes para a constituicao de um SSI robusto.

Profile of academic entrepreneurship in Brazil: Evidence from the evaluation of former holders of undergraduate research, master and PhD scholarships

Purpose n n n n nThis paper aims to understand, in the state of Sao Paulo academic environment, the differences between the profiles of academic entrepreneurs, nonacademic entrepreneurs and non-entrepreneurs. n n n n nDesign/methodology/approach n n n n nThe authors collected data from a more comprehensive research, whose objective was to evaluate the scholarship programmes of Sao Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP). For data collection, the authors used an online questionnaire, pre-filled with information from the Lattes Curriculum of the sample individuals, as well as information obtained from FAPESP and from coordination for the improvement of higher education personnel. The response rate of the questionnaires was 21 per cent. The authors sought to explore the variables regarding entrepreneurial activities carried out by former scholarship holders, by relating them to other key variables identified in the literature review and explained in the hypotheses. n n n n nFindings n n n n nThe results indicate that entrepreneurship rates decrease with the higher academic level of the researcher; in general, academic entrepreneurs come from families with a good financial situation, and applied sciences are the areas of knowledge with more entrepreneurs. n n n n nOriginality/value n n n n nDespite the great number of theoretical and empirical studies found in the literature on entrepreneurship and academic entrepreneurship, there is still a shortage of practical studies on this latter topic in Brazil. This gap is even more evident when the authors consider the significant growth of entrepreneurial activity in the country in the past years. This paper contributes to fill this gap, and it aims to understand, in the state of Sao Paulo academic environment, the differences between the profiles of academic entrepreneurs, nonacademic entrepreneurs and non-entrepreneurs.

The ‘Added Value’ of Researchers: The Impact of Doctorate Holders on Economic Development

This manuscript provides an exploration of the professional trajectories of doctorate holders in an emergent economy. It presents an analysis of original data from more than 4000 PhDs in Brazil and examines it from the perspective of the country’s research and innovation situation. The manuscript is intended to address two main areas of interest: the ways in which an emergent country with around 13,000 PhDs graduating per year is creating advanced capabilities; and the economic and social impacts of these trends.

Gestión de los institutos públicos de investigación en Brasil: límites del modelo legal

Este trabajo tiene como objetivo identificar los espacios de autonomia y flexibilidad gerencial y organizacional de los institutos publicos de investigacion (IPIs) en el Brasil frente a los limites impuestos por la legislacion y las consecuencias de estas condiciones para la conduccion de sus misiones institucionales. Para tal fin, fueron seleccionadas distintas experiencias sobre la reestructuracion organizacional, modelos juridicos y la legislacion de IPIs en el Brasil y en el mundo, realizando tambien dos estudios de caso con IPIs brasilenos - el Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Espaciales (Inpe) y el Centro de Tecnologia de la Informacion Renato Archer (CTI) -, ambas instituciones que operan bajo el regimen juridico de la Administracion Directa Federal. Como conclusion, se destaca la existencia de grados de libertad para los modelos de gestion, que les abren perspectivas de autonomia y flexibilidad que pueden ser aprovechadas de forma variada y ampliada por parte de ese tipo de organizacion.

Management of public research institutes in Brazil: limits of the legal framework

Este trabajo tiene como objetivo identificar los espacios de autonomia y flexibilidad gerencial y organizacional de los institutos publicos de investigacion (IPIs) en el Brasil frente a los limites impuestos por la legislacion y las consecuencias de estas condiciones para la conduccion de sus misiones institucionales. Para tal fin, fueron seleccionadas distintas experiencias sobre la reestructuracion organizacional, modelos juridicos y la legislacion de IPIs en el Brasil y en el mundo, realizando tambien dos estudios de caso con IPIs brasilenos - el Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Espaciales (Inpe) y el Centro de Tecnologia de la Informacion Renato Archer (CTI) -, ambas instituciones que operan bajo el regimen juridico de la Administracion Directa Federal. Como conclusion, se destaca la existencia de grados de libertad para los modelos de gestion, que les abren perspectivas de autonomia y flexibilidad que pueden ser aprovechadas de forma variada y ampliada por parte de ese tipo de organizacion.