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This paper presents an analysis and action model for broaching the problem of Colombian agroindustry competitiveness in the world market. The model is being built, from a long-term perspective, and its consistency is being empirically validated. The main proposition is that, to meet the conditions and requirements of the new market, Colombian agroindustry competitiveness is directly related to its capability to motivate, design, and start up agribusiness models from a territorial perspective. The analysis schema is structured on Santos' concept (1997) of a space of flows, configured by a productive sector called verticalities and of flows configured by the territory called horizontalities, as forces that articulate through a productive unit (businesses or business networks). Due to the above, territorial capability accumulation and productive specialization -by means of territorial agendas built by strategic actors- are the two driving ideas in this proposition. Yet, the two have a relation of condition and result, cause and effect. Applying the model demonstrates that a mere territorial perspective is not sufficient to achieve the entry of agroindustry into the world market and that territories find it difficult to develop competitiveness capabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the internationalization of SMEs in Antioquia to determine how the process is being conducted and how competitive the businesses have been during the process. The central question is: Are the SMEs competitive enough to consolidate a position in the international marketplace? The theoretical concepts used in the analysis are presented. The investigation is exploratory-descriptive. Two instruments were applied, using personal interviews with general managers and international business managers. The results show that export culture in Colombia (especially in Antioquia) is not well established. In fact, there is a certain resistance to changing the business mentality regards internationalization, especially amongst SMEs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]