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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
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. 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.
    2. 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.
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    7. 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.
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    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.

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    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

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