The technological ability of nations was consolidated over the years as a determinant of the position of the countries in the pursuit race in the economic development and role in the international political scene.
So, since the industrial revolution, the search for development involves the absorption, decoding and creating technological knowledge. However, the evolution of the industry has made the technological development became increasingly dependent on scientific development.
The evolution of the industry and competition made them seek in science new opportunities for technological development . In this sense, the evolution of the industry since the mid-19th century has been based on the incorporation of scientific knowledge and its economic application, aimed at promoting technological innovation.
The greatest ability to innovate allows, in turn , greater competitiveness in the international market. Therefore, the scientific and technological position of the countries is a key element in defining its participation in the global economic scenario.
Data on patents and scientific articles used to respectively measure the scientific and technological capacity of countries show that. Nations with higher incomes are also among those with the largest number of patents registered and scientific articles published, as the United States, Germany and Japan.
In the case of countries that have recently developed, such as Korea South, or who are in accelerated development, such as China, as well as developments in economic indicators is a clear evolution in science and technology indicators.
In the case of China, for example, in 1995 were published by residents in the country less than 12,000 scientific papers. In 2010 that number jumped to nearly 135,000 articles. In terms of production technology, the jump was from 144 to 8000 patent applications with the United States Patent and Trademark Office, between 1995 and 2010.
But it is worth bearing in mind that relationship between science and technology in the innovation process depends on three fundamental pillars to be successful. They are the existence of a scientific structure, technological structure and information flows between these structures.
The scientific framework is underpinned by the existence of universities and research institutes. The technological structure is based on the existence of industrial research and development centers for the development of innovative products and processes for companies.
information flows between these parties are based on the existence of interactive relationship between universities / research centers and businesses. Through such business relationships can absorb scientific knowledge produced in universities to turn it into new productive technologies.
The existence of these pillars is based, often in the state of stress, as provider of scientific structure and promoter of technological structure. The state can also act enabling the university-company interaction through legislation to it favorable or creating targeted agencies to promote it.
In developed countries these three pillars are easily identifiable and there is remarkable balance between them, in contrast to the less developed economies such as Brazil.
In Brazil, reasonable scientific framework has been expanding throughout the 2000s, however, the technological infrastructure is limited, due to low business investment in R & D. In turn, the information flows between these parties are only occasional, given the bureaucratic obstacles and the limited culture of interaction between universities and companies in the country.
However, with the establishment of new universities and new graduate courses, as has been happening in recent years, are enlarged the possibilities of improvement in that frame. As a result of this process is already verified a considerable increase in Brazilian scientific production.
The number of scientific papers published by residents in Brazil more than doubled in the period between 2000 and 2010. On the other hand, number of patents registered at the National Institute of Industrial Property was only 18% higher in 2010 than the amount recorded in 2010.
These data illustrate a major problem of the Brazilian innovation system, the gap between scientific capabilities and technology in the country. The technological structure is not able to absorb a considerable portion of what is produced in terms of science in the country, resulting from limited information flows between these parties.
In this sense, continuity in policy is needed to expansion of the higher education system associated with a directed effort to develop the technological infrastructure and the creation of new information flows between universities and companies.
This effort demands the public and private commitment to the realization of investments that enable. Only from it the Brazilian economy may convert its scientific output in technological capacity and thus improve its position in the global economy.
* He holds a doctorate in economics from Cedeplar-UFMG and postdoctoral fellow at the same institution. Research in economics of science and technology and regional economy
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