Suchergebnisse

1. Introduction : searching for sustainable development models in Latin America -- 2. Theoretical background -- 3. Building ICT clusters in Latin America : the Costa Rican experience -- 4. From foreign direct investment to multinational corporations' networks with local firms -- 5. Financing networks : investors networks in the Costa Rican cluster -- 6. Networks of Costa Rican ICT producers : local rivalries in a small market -- 7. Innovation networks : linking academia and the private sector -- 8. Local companies' networks with firms located abroad : building transnational social ties -- 9. Conclusion.

AbstractThis paper studies the obstacles that hinder the formation of linkages among local firms, multinational corporations and universities in the Costa Rican information and communication technologies cluster. It examines both the social and the economic reasons for forming or participating in linkages, ranging from the capabilities of potential partners to compliance with customs. The research is based on qualitative information collected over four years through more than 150 direct and detailed interviews with different stakeholders in the cluster. Costa Rica is often used as a positive benchmark of cluster policy in Latin America, but it is argued here that linkages among firms in the sector have developed much more slowly than anticipated.