TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER AND AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT

International Development, Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies,

Policies for capacity development

No description supplie

Latin American universities and the third mission : trends, challenges, and policy options

Universities in Latin America are increasingly considered instruments of social and economic development and face rising expectations in regard to supplying relevant skills, undertaking applied research, and engaging in commercial activity. The paper discusses trends and challenges within Latin American universities, as well as policy options available for strengthening their contributions to social and economic development. The so-called third mission of universities is often equated with knowledge transfer narrowly defined as licensing and commercialization of research. The paper adopts a broader approach and explores how the new role of universities affects all aspects of academic practice in Latin America, including advanced education and research. It concludes that policymakers and university managers in Latin America face an important challenge of defining a legal framework, sound management procedures, and notably, incentive systems that stimulate outreach and entrepreneurship among students and staff while recognizing and preserving the distinct roles of universities.Tertiary Education,Agricultural Knowledge&Information Systems,Rural Development Knowledge&Information Systems,ICT Policy and Strategies,Secondary Education

Transfer of Technology and Devloping Nations

In light of the fact that the considerable diplomatic efforts that have been made toward the promulgation of an international code of conduct on the transfer of technology that might soon be crowned with success, this Article examines the so called technology development debate. It considers some of the reasons for the determination of developing countries to obtain a commitment from the industrialized countires to adhere to a code of conduct. The Article attempts to evaluate the likley success that the unfettered access of developing countries to advanced technologies will have in promoting economic development. It also identifies some unintended negative consequences that this access might produce. Finally, the Article examines a number of alternative strategems for the technological transformation of developing countries

Pilot Evaluation of the Mexican Model of Dual TVET in the State of Mexico

Since the first public announcement of the Mexican Model of Dual TVET (MMFD) in June 2013, more than 5,000 apprentices have enrolled in the programme and around 2,000 already graduated. The Ministry of Education (SEP and CONALEP), the Chambers of Commerce (i.e. COPARMEX) and the German Cooperation Agencies (i.e. CAMEXA) have been collaborating with state authorities, families, schools and companies to turn this initial idea into a significant and sustainable initiative. Although the numbers are still small, it seemed necessary to undertake a pilot evaluation study of the implementation and impact of this program on its participants to inform those responsible for this policy. We decided to focus our study on the State of Mexico because of the higher number of apprentices in this state and because of the access that the CONALEP authorities gave us to the informants. The report that you are about to read is structured in four main sections. In the first one we reviewed the international evidence on the experiences of policy transfer of Dual TVET. Transferring international good practice sin TVET is always a complex process that requires careful attention to the experiences and lessons from those that tried to do it before. In the second section, we present the main characteristics of the Mexican Model of Dual TVET and the specificities of its implementation in the State of Mexico. In a federal country like Mexico, it is important to understand that national policies may largely vary across states in terms of design and implementation. The third section outlines the methodology of the study, which is inspired by the realist evaluation principles. Realist evaluation, not only tries to measure the impact of interventions on beneficiaries, but also to understand the causal mechanisms that explain why this policy is more effective in certain contexts and with certain beneficiary populations than in others. In the final section, the results of the interviews and the survey with 25 apprentices that completed their studies under the MMFD in the State of Mexico are presented. Obviously, the reduced sample of the study limits the representativeness of our findings but it will offer some expected and unexpected results that should not be ignored by those involved in this policy in the State of Mexico and nationally

The Changing Nature of Corporate Global Restructuring: The Impact of Production Shifts on Jobs in the US, China, and Around the Globe

Despite the increasing amount of trade between China and the US, and the increase in foreign direct investment from the US into China, there is no government body that collects information detailing the incidence of production shifts out of the US to China or any other country. In the fall of 2000, the predecessor to the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission (USCC) commissioned Cornell and the University of Massachusetts Amherst to study the extent and nature of production shifts out of the US and into China from October 2000 through April 2001. In order to conduct this research we developed a methodology that involves a combination of online media tracking and corporate research and the creation of a database including information on all production shifts announced or confirmed in the media during that period. In July 2004 the USCC asked us to update that research, starting with an initial period of January 1 through March 31, 2004

Policies for Industrial Learning in China and Mexico: Neo-developmental vs. Neo-liberal approaches

Abstract Previous work has shown that the results of both China and Mexico’s export-led market reforms over the past quarter century have been strikingly different. In contrast to China, Mexico has not managed to increase the value added of its exports of manufactured goods and has subsequently had a difficult time competing with China in world markets. Building on this previous work, in this paper we conduct a comparative analysis of the role of government policies in industrial learning and the development of capabilities of indigenous firms in Mexico and China in order to shed light on why China is so outperforming Mexico. We find that Mexico and China have had starkly different approaches to economic reform in this area. Mexico’s approach to reform has been a “neo-liberal” one, whereas China’s could be described as “neo-developmental.” Mexico’s hands-off approach to learning has resulted in a lack of development of endogenous capacity of domestic firms, little transfer of technology, negligible progress in the upgrading of industrial production, and little increase in value added of exports. By contrast, China has deployed a hands-on approach of targeting and nurturing domestic firms through a gradual and trial and error led set of government policies.International trade, development, competitiveness, value added, government policy, assembly operations

The Rockefeller Foundation's International Program on Rice Biotechnology

Presents the product of a two-year intensive survey and analysis of the genetic prospects for the world's major food crops conducted in the early 1980s

Endogenous competences and linkages development

In this paper we analyze empirically the influence of firms’ endogenous competences in the existence, quality and results of the linkages between firms and different types of agents. Using survey data from 170 firms belonging to the steel making and automotive production networks in Argentina, we show that the level of endogenous competences influences the linkages’ quality, objectives and results. Higher level of competences generates more virtuous linkages and influences the objectives that firms are after when interacting. Without certain minimum competences, firms only relate commercially and do not form links aimed to exchange knowledge or innovate. Better standing in terms of competences positively affects the probability of being involved in technological transfer agreements and cooperation agreements aimed at innovation. Being involved in useful interations requires previous competences, defining a vicious circle that calls for public intervention and policy implementation.Linkages; Networks; Endogenous Capacities

Understanding Mexican High-tech Organizations: A Conceptualization Problem?

This study investigates the differences between intensive technology and low-tech firms located in Mexico, focusing on the Human Resources Management functions. 31 interviews and 50 answered questionnaires were used in this analysis. The results show that while Mexico is not yet a fully developed technological country. Indeed, technologically intensive firms are rare cases. Mexico is progressing rapidly towards a technologically developed country in some sectors. Moreover, Mexico's technology intensive firms and its technological hubs have different implications and connotations as comparison to developed countries. Finally, Human Resources Management is still a traditional/manufacturing management style, for Mexico's technology intensive firms.Intensive technology firms, low-tech firms, technology hub, Human Resources Management, Mexico