Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Regional Diversification, Technological Trajectories and Policy Approaches. The Case of Argentina’s Satellite Industry

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Policy and Governance of Science, Technology, and Innovation

  • 452 Accesses

Abstract

This chapter analyzes the relationship between productive diversification and technological trajectories related to mission-oriented policies (Cantner & Pyka, 2001; Chiang, 1991; Ergas, 1987; Foray et al., 2012; Mazzucato & Penna, 2016). Likewise, the impact of these trajectories in the configuration of productive regional networks is analyzed. In the first place, the aim is to investigate how, in the present stage of emergence and consolidation of new technological paradigms (Dosi, 1982), the diversification strategies and the technological trajectories of the local economic agents are reconfigured. Secondly, we seek to reflect on the implications of these strategies in terms of technological policies. The case study is based on the complex of knowledge-intensive firms and scientific and technological institutions related to the space sector in Argentina, mainly those articulated around the state-owned firm INVAP S.E., which is the national space program’s prime contractor. The study shows how the industry’s dynamics, mainly the emergence of new players and their evolving strategies and technological trajectories, raise tensions in the complex governance and pose challenges for the definition of effective innovation policies able to guide the transition toward new technological paradigms.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 139.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 179.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 179.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Notes

  1. 1.

    This city is situated in the south of the province of Río Negro, Argentina.

  2. 2.

    Referring to the clusters located in Antioquia and Valle del Cauca, which have begun implementing aerospace technology through educational projects for the development of microsatellites.

  3. 3.

    Regulatory changes in the last 25 years have been mainly triggered by a change in the DoD’s (US Department of Defence) public procurement policy for space missions and, especially concerning changes in the commercial satellite imagery resolution admitted by the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency (NGA).

  4. 4.

    There is a growing tendency in space systems manufacturing toward replacing expensive space-grade components for commercial components that had been proven apt for space through a series of testing techniques (Bryce Space and Technology, 2018).

  5. 5.

    This territorial distribution is reflected in the location of the main testing and certification facilities related to the national satellite industry: CEATSA (Bariloche), CNEA-INTI (Buenos Aires), CONAE-CETT (Córdoba).

  6. 6.

    Report ‘Indicadores de Ciencia y Tecnología. Argentina 2017’ published by Argentina’s Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation.

  7. 7.

    The first project—that finally did not prosper—was the creation of Parque Tecnológico Bariloche (PTB) back in 1986, launched by Secretaría de Estado y Ciencia y Técnica de la Provincia de Río Negro.

  8. 8.

    The term ‘segmented architecture’ appears explicitly as CONAE’S strategic orientation in the institution’s space program starting from its second version called ‘Plan Espacial 2004–2015’. It is also present in the program’s forward updates.

References

  • Alzugaray, S., Mederos, L., & Sutz, J. (2013). Investigación e innovación para la inclusión social: La trama de la teoría y de la política. Isegoría, 48, 25–50.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Arthur, W. B. (1988). Self-reinforcing mechanisms in economics. In The economy as an evolving complex system (Vol. 5, pp. 9–31).

    Google Scholar 

  • Barbaroux, P. (2016). The metamorphosis of the world space economy: Investigating global trends and national differences among major space nations’ market structure. Journal of Innovation Economics & Management, 2(20), 9–35.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bello Zapata, A. F. (2017). Análisis de clústeres aeronáuticos referentes para el desarrollo del clúster aeroespacial colombiano. CIENCIA Y PODER AÉREO, 12, 36–58.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bernardes, R. (2000, September). O arranjo produtivo da EMBRAER na região de São José dos Campos. Seminario internacional Arranjos e Sistemas Produtivos Locais e as Novas Políticas de Desenvolvimento Industrial e Tecnológico, Rio de Janeiro.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bonilla Bohórquez, J. A., Ojeda Ramírez, O. I., Villagrán Cortes, L. J., Villamil Quintero, F. A., Zorro Mendoza, C. A., & Cañón Ayala, M. J. (2016). Colombia Aeroespacial 2026. Universidad Nacional de Colombia.

    Google Scholar 

  • Boschma, R., Balland, P.-A., Crespo, J., & Rigby, D. L. (2018). Smart specialization policy in the European Union: Relatedness, knowledge complexity and regional diversification. Regional Studies. https://doi.org/10.1080/00343404.2018.1437900

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Boschma, R., Coenen, L., Frenken, K., & Truffer, B. (2006). Towards a theory of regional diversification. Papers in Evolutionary Economic Geography, 16.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brown-Grossman, F., & Dominguez-Villalobos, L. (2013). Industria aeronáutica en México: Su experiencia en la cadena global de valor. XV Congresso de Gestão de Tecnologia Latino-Iberoamericano—ALTEC 2013, Porto.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bryce Space and Technology. (2017). 2017 State of the Satellite Industry Report. Satellite Industry Association.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bryce Space and Technology. (2018). Start-up space 2018: Update on investment in commercial space ventures.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bryce Space and Technology. (2020). Start-up space: Update on investment in commercial space ventures.

    Google Scholar 

  • Campolina Diniz, C., & Razavi, M. (1999). São José dos Campos and Campinas. In A. Markusen, Y. S. Lee & y. S. DiGiovanna (Eds.), Second tier cities. University of Minnesota Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cantner, U., & Pyka, A. (2001). Classifying technology policy from an evolutionary perspective. Research Policy, 30(5), 759–775.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Casalet, M., Buenrostro, E., Stezano, F., Oliver, R., & Abelanda, L. (2011). Evolución y complejidad en el desarrollo de encadenamientos productivos en México: Los desafíos de la construcción del cluster aeroespacial en Querétaro, México. CEPAL.

    Google Scholar 

  • Castaldi, C., & Dosi, G. (2006). The grip of history and the scope for novelty: Some results and open questions on path dependence in economic processes. In Understanding change (pp. 99–128). Palgrave Macmillan.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chesnais, F. (1990). Compétitivité internationale et dépenses militaires. Economica.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chiang, J.-T. (1991). From ‘mission-oriented’to ‘diffusion-oriented’ paradigm: The new trend of U.S. industrial technology policy. Technovation, 11(6), 339–356.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chiang, J.-T. (1992). Technological spin-off its mechanisms and national contexts. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 41, 365–390.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Coenen, L., Hansen, T., & Rekers, J. V. (2015). Innovation policy for grand challenges. An economic geography perspective. Geography Compass, 9, 483–496.

    Google Scholar 

  • Corbin, B. A. (2015). The value proposition of distributed satellite systems for space science missions. Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

    Google Scholar 

  • Costa Filho, E. de J. (2000). A politica cientifica e tecnologica no setor aeroespacial brasileiro: Da institucionalização das atividades ao fim da gestão militar—Uma analise do periodo 1961–1993 [Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Geociencias]. http://www.repositorio.unicamp.br/handle/REPOSIP/286730

  • Dahlman, C., & Frischtak, C. (1993). National systems supporting technical advance in industry: The Brazilian experience. In R. Nelson (Ed.), National innovation systems. Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • David, P. A. (1985). Clio and the economics of QWERTY. The American Economic Review, 75(2), 332–337.

    Google Scholar 

  • de Mendoza, D. H. (2010). La ciencia argentina: Un proyecto inconcluso, 1930–2000. Edhasa.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dos Santos Paulino, V., & Le Hir, G. (2016). Industry structure and disruptive innovations: The satellite industry. Journal of Innovation Economics & Management, 2(20), 37–60.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dosi, G. (1982). Technological paradigms and technological trajectories: A suggested interpretation of the determinants and directions of technical change. Research Policy, 11, 147–162.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ergas, H. (1987). Does technology policy matter? In B. Guile & H. Brooks (Eds.), Technology and global industry: Companies and nations in the world economy (pp. 191–280).

    Google Scholar 

  • Essletzbichler, J., & Rigby, D. L. (1997). Evolution, process variety, and regional trajectories of technological change in U.S. manufacturing. Economic Geography, 73, 269–284.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fagerberg, J., & Edler, J. (2017). Innovation policy: What, why, and how. Oxford Review of Economic Policy, 33(1), 2–23.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Foray, D., Mowery, D. C., & Nelson, R. (2012). Public R&D; and social challenges: What lessons from mission R&D; programs? Research Policy, 41, 1697–1702.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Geels, F. W. (2002). Understanding the dynamics of technological transitions: A co-evolutionary and socio-technical analysis. Twente University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Geels, F. W. (2004). From sectoral systems of innovation to socio-technical systems: Insights about dynamics and change from sociology and institutional theory. Research Policy, 33(6–7), 897–920.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Geels, F. W. (2005). Technological transitions and system innovations: A co-evolutionary and socio-technical analysis. Edward Elgar.

    Google Scholar 

  • Guerrero Garcia, A. (2016). Complejidad y Políticas Públicas en el desarrollo del Sector Espacial como Sistema de Innovación: Casos de Argentina, Brasil y México. FLACSO.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hall, P. G., & Preston, P. (1988). Carrier wave: New information technology and the geography of innovation, 1846–2003. Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hernández, I. (2019). El enfoque de políticas de innovación orientadas por misión: Una aproximación al caso colombiano. BID.

    Google Scholar 

  • Karo, E., & Lember, V. (2016). Emergence of societal challenges-based innovation policies in market-based innovation systems: Lessons from Estonia. International Journal of Foresight and Innovation Policy, 11(1–3), 126–147.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kozulj, R., Lugones, M., Garcia, M., & Reising, A. (2005). Estudio de la trama productiva Invap S.E. In Módulo A: Generación y uso de conocimiento científico Complejo Tecno-industrial Nuclear y Satelital. Sistema Nacional y Sistemas Locales de Innovación, Estrategias Innovativas Empresarias y Condicionantes Meso y Macroeconómicos. Bariloche: Subproyecto Fundación Bariloche PAV 57/2003 (IDEE 2005–16).

    Google Scholar 

  • Kozulj, R., & Lugones, M. (2007). INVAP y el desarrollo de una trama de base tecnológica: Evolución histórica y situación actual. In G. Yoguel, M. Delfini, D. Dubbini, M. Lugones, y I. Rivero (Eds.), Innovación y empleo en tramas productivas de Argentina (pp. 323–348). Prometeo Libros.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lipsey, R., & Carlaw, K. (1998). Assessing innovation policies: Taking Schumpeter seriously on Technology Policy. In Industry Canada Working Paper, 25.

    Google Scholar 

  • López, A., Pascuini, P., & Ramos, A. (2018). Climbing the space ladder in the South: The case of Argentina. Space Policy.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lugones, G. L. M., & Lugones, Manuel. (2004, May). Bariloche y su grupo de empresas intensivas en conocimiento: Realidades y perspectivas. Aprendizado, Capacitação e Cooperação Em Arranjos Produtivos e Inovativos Locais de MPEs: Implicações Para Políticas. Seminário Mercosul, Brasil.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lund Declaration. (2009). The lund declaration: Europe must focus on the grand challenges of our time. Swedish E.U. Presidency.

    Google Scholar 

  • Martin, R., & Sunley, P. (2006). Path dependence and regional economic evolution. Journal of Economic Geography, 6, 395–437.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Martin, R., & Sunley, P. (2010). The new economic geography and policy relevance. Journal of Economic Geography, 11(2), 357–369.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mazzucato, M. (2014). Beyond market failures: Shaping and creating markets. University of Sussex.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mazzucato, M. (2018). Mission-oriented innovation policies: Challenges and opportunities. Industrial and Corporate Change, 27(5), 803–815.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mazzucato, M., & Penna, C. (2016). The Brazilian innovation system: A mission-oriented policy proposal (Avaliação de Programas Em CT&I. Apoio Ao Programa Nacional de Ciência (Plataformas de Conhecimento)). Centro de Gestão e Estudos Estratégicos.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mazzucato, M., & Robinson, K. R. (2016). Market creation and the European space agency: Towards a competitive, sustainable and mission-oriented space ecosystem. European Space Agency.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mazzucato, M., & Robinson, K. R. (2018). Co-creating and directing innovation ecosystems? NASA’s changing approach to public-private partnerships in low-earth orbit. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 136, 166–177.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mendelson Forman, J., Sebathier, V., Faith, G. R., & Bander, A. (2009). Toward the heavens: Latin America’s emerging space programs. Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).

    Google Scholar 

  • Metcalfe, J. S., & Georghiou, L. (1997). Equilibrium and evolutionary foundations of technology policy. CRIC Discussion Paper, 3.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mowery, D. C. (2012). Defense-related R&D as a model for “grand challenges” technology policies. Research Policy, 41(10), 1703–1715.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Neffke, F., Henning, M., & Boschma, R. (2011). How do regions diversify over time? industry relatedness and the development of new growth paths in regions. Economic Geography, 87(3), 237–265.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • ONION. (2016). Fractionated and federated technology state of the art survey. European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ottosson, J., & Magnusson, L. (1997). Evolutionary economics and path dependence. Edward Elgar.

    Google Scholar 

  • Perez, C. (2001). Cambio tecnológico y oportunidades de desarrollo como blanco móvil.

    Google Scholar 

  • Perez, C. (2010). Technological revolutions and techno-economic paradigms. Cambridge Journal of Economics, 34(1), 185–202.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Petroni, G., & Santini, S. (2012). Innovation and change? The evolution of Europe’s small satellite manufacturers. Space Policy, 28, 25–32.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rigby, D. L. (2015). Technological relatedness and knowledge space: Entry and exit of U.S. cities from patent classes. Regional Studies, 49(11), 1922–1937.

    Google Scholar 

  • Robinson, K. R., & Mazzucato, M. (2019). The evolution of mission-oriented policies: Exploring changing market creating policies in the U.S. and European space sector. Research Policy, 48(4), 936–948.

    Google Scholar 

  • Seijo, G. L., & Cantero, J. H. (2012). ¿Cómo hacer un satélite espacial a partir de un reactor nuclear? Revista REDES, 18(35).

    Google Scholar 

  • SIA. (2018). State of the satellite industry. Satellite Industry Association.

    Google Scholar 

  • Simmie, J., & Carpenter, J. (2007). Path dependence and the evolution of city regional development. Working Paper Series.

    Google Scholar 

  • Suarez Palacios, M. F. (2018). Análisis de las estrategias e innovación del desarrollo del clúster aeroespacial en Colombia. Universidad Militar Nueva Granada. http://hdl.handle.net/10654/20858.

  • Thomas, H., Versino, M., & Lalouf, A. (2008). Invap: Una empresa nuclear y espacial argentina. In Thomas H., G. Santos & y M. (Eds.), Fressoli Innovar en Argentina. Seis trayectorias empresariales basadas en estrategias intensivas en conocimiento. Lenguaje claro editora.

    Google Scholar 

  • UNCTAD. (2017). New innovation approaches to support the implementation of the sustainable development goals.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vázquez, M. Á., & Bocanegra, C. (2018). La industria aeroespacial en México: Características y retos en Sonora. Problemas Del Desarrollo, 49(195).

    Google Scholar 

  • Versino, M. (2006). Análise socio-tecnica de processos de produção de tecnologias intensivas em conhecimento em países subdesenvolvidos. A trajetória de uma empresa nuclear e espacial argentina (1970–2005). Universidade Estadual de Campinas.

    Google Scholar 

  • Versino, M., & Russo, C. (2010). Estado, tecnología y territorio: El desarrollo de bienes complejos en países periféricos. Revista De Estudios Regionales y Mercado De Trabajo, 6, 283–302.

    Google Scholar 

  • Villavicencio, D., Hernandez, J., & Souza, L. (2013). Capacidades y oportunidades para el desarrollo de la industria aeronáutica en Querétaro. In La industria aeroespacial: Complejidad productiva e institucional (Mónica Casalet, pp. 49–91). FLACSO.

    Google Scholar 

  • Yin, R. (2003). Case study research: Design and methods. Sage.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centro de Estudios Urbanos Y Regionales CEUR-CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina

    Eliana Ángela Fernández

Authors
  1. Eliana Ángela Fernández
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands

    Gonzalo Ordóñez-Matamoros

  2. Universidad Externado de Colombia, Bogota, Colombia

    Luis Antonio Orozco

  3. Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogota, Colombia

    Jaime Humberto Sierra-González

  4. Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay

    Isabel Bortagaray

  5. Universidad de Los Andes, Bogota, Colombia

    Javier García-Estévez

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2021 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Fernández, E.Á. (2021). Regional Diversification, Technological Trajectories and Policy Approaches. The Case of Argentina’s Satellite Industry. In: Ordóñez-Matamoros, G., Orozco, L.A., Sierra-González, J.H., Bortagaray, I., García-Estévez, J. (eds) Policy and Governance of Science, Technology, and Innovation. Palgrave Studies in Democracy, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship for Growth. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-80832-7_9

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation