Recente dinâmica espacial da indústria de alta tecnologia: uma tipologia baseada na intensidade de P&D e no desempenho comercial

Abstract

In the past, the high-tech production was exclusive made in high per capita income countries. But, currently, this kind of production is also made in low per capita income countries. This change happened due to the possibility of production fragmentation. In this context, countries with high technology intensities focus on the production of complex components and R&D. On the other hand, countries with low technology intensities focus on the assembling or on the production of simple components. Based on these premises, this doctoral thesis aims to understand the geographical macrodynamics related to this new international division of labor. To achieve this objective, the product life cycle theory, the production fragmentation perspective and the evolutionary theory were used. Based on these theoretical approaches, it was observed that the manufacture and consumption of high tech products has started a process of dispersion through different countries in the globe, including low income ones, and that, at the same time, technology development of these high tech products have remained concentrated in the high income countries. It was also possible to observe that the displacement of production, from the high per capita income countries to the low per capita income countries, could be diminished through the establishment of strong national industrial/innovation policies. Analogously, the attraction, by low per capita income countries, of fragmented production relies on the presence of these same policies. Finally, in this new international division of labor, it was identified four different groups of countries: (I) surplus technology leaders; (II) deficit technology leaders; (III) surplus technology followers; and (IV) deficit technology followers.