24 - Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Clusters in Latin America

Received November 11, 2008 / Accepted December 12, 2008

J. Technol. Manag. Innov. 2008,Volume 3, Issue 3

Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Clusters in Latin America
Natural Resource – Implication and Future Challenges

Tomas Gabriel Bas (1), Ernesto Amoros (2), Martin Kunc (3)

Abstract
The natural resources play a very important role in the economy of the Latin America countries, but follow the classical models of resource exploitation and scale do not add much more value to the products or services like other knowledge-based industries (biotechnology or IT). The cluster approach assembled around the pattern of innovation and entrepreneurship characteristics can help to improve these kinds of industries. Nevertheless, the “Natural Resource Clusters” have a particular task and they are based primary in environmental characteristics. However, this type of clusters is very different from “Technology Clusters” with a high innovation and entrepreneurship structure that needs explicitly more intellectual capacities and non-specific environmental characteristics. The authors suggest that in Latin America, clusters, innovation and entrepreneurship based in the natural resources has a supplementary significance, but they need add much value based in the knowledge. This article discuss the challenge of Latin American economies and the implication to transform the natural resources based industries in others with more innovation and knowledge based assets and shows a framework based on Chile’s particular experiences on salmon; wine and mining industries. Economics implications and future research are discussed.
Keywords: Technology, innovation, alignment of technology and innovation

(1) Universidad Adolfo Ibañez.
World Bank and CONICYT Program Research 2005-2008
(2)Universidad del Desarrollo
World Bank and CONICYT Program Research 2005
(3)Universidad Adolfo Ibañez
World Bank and CONICYT Program Research 2006-2008
Av. Diagonal Las Torres 2640,

References: Acs, Z.; Arenius, P.; Ha, M. and Minnit, M. (2005): Global Entrepreneurship Monitor 2004 Executive Report, Babson College and London Business School Amorós, J.; Cortés, P.; Echecopar, G. and Flores, T. (2006): Global Entrepreneurship Monitor, Reporte Chile, 2005. Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez-Universidad del Desarrollo. Santiago. Chile Audretsch, D Bas, T.G. (2006): “La Gestión Tecnológica en América Latina. Un desafío Inconcluso” Bas,T.G. and Niosi, J. (2007):“The Issue of Asymmetrical Growth in Specialized Biotechnology Firms in the United States and the Batista, J.C. (2001): Estrategia de desarrollo de clusters basados en recursos naturales: el caso de la bauxita en el norte de Brasil Benavente, J.M. (2004): “Innovación Tecnológica en Chile. Birch, D. (1987): Job Creation in America. New York: The Free Press. Bitran, E. (2001): “Crecimiento e Innovación en Chile”. Corporación Expansiva. www.expansiva.cl. Echecopar, G. and Tiffin, S. (2002): A Public Sector Mechanism for Creating Entrepreneurial Firms Babson College, 2002. Fagerberg, J. and Verspagen, B. (2003): “Innovation, Growth and Economic Development: Why Some Countries Succeed and Feldman, M. (2001): “The Entrepreneurial Event Revisited: Firm Formation in a Regional Context”, Industrial and Corporate Block, Z. and MacMillan, I.C. (1993): Corporate Venturing: Creating new business within the firm, Boston: Harvard Business School Press Florida, R. (2002): The Rise of the Creative Class. New York: Basic Books Bonin, B. and Desranleau, C. (1988) : Innovation industrielle et analyse économique Freeman, C. (1987), Technology Policy and Economic Performance: Lessons from Japan, London, UK: Pinter. Burt, R. (2005): Trust, Reputation and Competitive Advantage. Gibson, D. and Stiles, C. (2000):“Technopoleis,Technology Transfer and Globally Networked Entrepreneurship”. In, Conceicao, P Casas, R..; Etzkowitiz and Carvalho de Mello, J. (2005): Knowledge for Innovation: New Directions for Latin American University-Industry-Government Interactions. New York: SUNYPress. Constantino, R. (2004): “Los mercados de tecnología ambiental y la construcción de capacidades institucionales para la gestión Crespi, G. (2003): Pyme en Chile: Nace, crece y muere. Santiago: FUNDES. Gomes-Casseres, B. (1996): The Alliance Revolution: The New Shape of Business Rivalry Hall, P. (1999): Cities in Civilization. London: Phoenix. Hojman, D. (2005): “Network Learning, Principal-Agent Conflict and Award-Winning Wine-Making in Chile’s Colchagua Valley”. Research Paper Series, No 2005/12, The University of Liverpool Management School. Drucker, P. (1985): Innovation and Entrepreneurship. New York: Harper Business. Ireland, D.; Hitt, M. and Sirmon, D. (2003): “A model of strategic entrepreneurship: the construct and its dimensions” Dutrénit, G. and Katz, J. (2005): “Innovation, Growth and Development in Latin-America: Stylized Facts and a Policy Agenda. Katz, J. (2000): Reformas Estructurales, Productividad y Conducta Tecnológica en América Latina, Santiago de Chile: