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To obtain strategic information about the different actors in the bio-industrial cluster in western Colombia, related to decision making and interventions that lead to the competitive development of the cluster and the region, a model based on technological innovation in similar schemes was designed to measure the critical fields and factors of competition. The paper presents: (i) the fields and factors that have an impact on development and competition in the cluster, and (ii) an analysis of evaluation and measuring schemes that have been developed for similar cases at an international, national and regional level. The paper presents a proposal for evaluating and tracking the fields and factors, based on constructing an theoretic framework, identifying tracking and evaluation systems, structuring the monitoring system, and defining and adapting the measuring model. The importance of some factors on development and competition is evidenced, as is the need to measure them and generate strategic information that will support decision making and public policy design. [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]