Abstract

SANDOVAL, Seyka. Upgrading and competence: reflections for companies and developing countries. Economía UNAM [online]. 2019, vol.16, n.48, pp.213-238.  Epub Dec 09, 2020. ISSN 1665-952X.  https://doi.org/10.22201/fe.24488143e.2019.48.497.

The studies on value chains have focused their interest on the structure of governance as the key dynamic to describe the performance of the global industries, the central actors, and the growth possibilities of subordinated agents. Recently, other studies related to institutional change and power have been incorporated into the literature (Sturgeon, 2011), and it is in this line that this work is inscribed. The goal is to discuss the limits in the concept of a leading firm as a central agent in the distribution of benefits, and a limit to the growth strategy of countries and developing firms. We propose to discuss the following analytical hypothesis.

The most profitable segments of the chain have organizational structures concentrated in a few firms (oligopolistic market structures) that are protected by barriers to entry related to knowledge ownership (innovation) and/or access to strategic assets (channels of communication, financing, commercialization or institutional advantages), therefore, the upgrading strategy for subordinated agents is defined restricted a priori by the needs of reproduction and growth of the leading firm.

Keywords : O3; 31; 32; Technological Change; Innovation and Invention: Processes and Incentives; Management of Technological Innovation and R&D.

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