TECHNOLOGICAL INTERACTIONS IN THE SUGAR AND ALCOHOL INDUSTRIES OF ALAGOAS: ANALYSIS OF THE SECTORIAL INNOVATION SYSTEM

Abstract

In today's competitive scenario, regional growth is largely associated with the performance of innovation systems which is the intensity and effectiveness of interactions between the different actors involved in the generation and dissemination of new knowledge and technologies. This paper aims to analyze the interactions between agents of the Sugar and Ethanol Industries in the state of Alagoas, across the three dimensions of the Sectorial Innovation System (organizations, institutions, and technologies), proposed by Malerba (2002). To accomplish the objective of this article, we conducted an exploratory-descriptive research through secondary data and the application of questionnaires to seventeen sugarcane companies in the state. The analysis of data occurred by using nonparametric statistical techniques: Coefficient of Concordance, Kendall (W) test and the Kruskal-Wallis H, considering a significance level of 0.05. The results pointed to the confirmation of the existence of positive interactions between the three dimensions examined (organizations, institutions, and technologies), but to a lesser extent, to the last. There are two additional aspects observed: the company submits an interaction between universities and research centers and much of the technological advancement of this industry is coming from public and private partnerships. It is noteworthy also that the R & D effort is focused on genetic improvements to the field and process innovations that improve production efficiency. As an additional contribution, this article describes a review and practical application of the phenomenon of innovation and its links with the sectorial systems.