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Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) are important sources of social and economic development in the Latin American region. This paper aims: (1) To study the state of the process of industrialization of cocoa, produced and marketed by PyMES located in the province of Los Ríos, Ecuador, (2) To test the effectiveness of some proposed strategies to overcome the deficiencies found in the process. To achieve these goals, statistical methods were applied to a group of ten SMEs in the region. It was concluded that there exist deficiencies in the process and that the proposed strategies are effective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper evaluates the Innovation Stimulus Program (PEI) in Mexico through its contribution to the Baja California Regional Innovation System (SRI) between 2009 and 2013. Using additional behavior methodologies, we analyzed the within-company effect and the network effect, as well as the degree of connectivity and number of interactions between stakeholders from the worlds of business, science, and government involved in the SRI. The results reveal that by making funding for innovative projects subject to connections between actors from the realms of business and science, the PEI is helping fortify the SRI by incentivizing 15% of its interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The neo-developmentalist thesis basically rests upon a process of endogenous socioeconomic transformation, driven by public policy. To achieve this result, three joint strategies are required: i) promote a national project; ii) build an industrial policy, and iii) solidify a national innovation system. This article introduces the case of Ecuador as an example to illustrate the topic. Starting in 2007, signs of neo-developmentalist features have gradually begun to appear in the current administration's policies. Through a theoretical and empirical approach, this paper demonstrates that the country has consistently sought to bring about socioeconomic metamorphosis towards neo-developmentalism; however, since 2014, these attempts have taken place under increasingly complex conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metalwork SMES of Olavarría city contribute to economic development of the region but they are deficient in terms of productivity, competitiveness and management. According to this, it is necessary to intensify the study of its activities and resources to improve their current situation. Therefore, the purpose of this paper to explore tangible and intangible resource availability and the way in which they are managed. The study of the activities and the use of associated resources are connected to the value chain, completing the process with resource-based approach. Data were collected by applying a tool that explores the characteristics and use of resources related to primary and support activities. The tangible and intangible resources are independent research variables and the dependent variables are the primary and support activities. Then, the diagnosis is extended through a second instrument, which defines the level of maturity in terms of competitiveness. Results obtained indicated that primary activities have degree development values ranging from 49 to 72% and from 55 to 67% for support. Furthermore, all activities show an average maturity value associated with level 2 (out of four), because of the inefficient use of resources. In conclusion these companies have tangible and intangible resources, but these are not used efficiently to perform their activities in order to achieve a competitive advantage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent tensions in the current accounts of Argentina have reopened the debate regarding external constraints on growth (ECG). In 2003-2013, export growth was slightly lower than it was during the convertibility era, but a major decline in the income elasticity of import demand mitigated the ECG. However, the effective growth rate was higher than that imposed by the ECG, according to Thirlwall's law, which led to the deterioration of the trade balance and growth. This was due to the trade deficit in manufactured goods of industrial origin (MIO), in light of technology dependence in capital goods and inputs. This paper analyzes the evolution of ECGS in Argentina at both the global and sector level, aiming to determine which MIO sectors had the greatest impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article evidences the result of studying the role of the intellectual capital in the sustainable development of organizations, as well as the diagnosis about the management of the intangible assets in the Cubans companies, where 210 Havana's companies were used as samples. The present paper suggests a model for the measurement of the efficiency of intangibles's management, adapted to the conditions of Cuban economy. For the determination of intangible inductive variables of value in our context, a research with 210 businessmen of all the country was carried out. The feasibility and pertinence of proposed mode is evaluated through its application to a Cuban metallurgic industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]