Why the Latin American region has not succeeded in building world-class industrial clusters

摘要

The clustering of companies with supporting institutions is a common model used in industrialized countries to compete successfully in global arenas. This has not been the case for companies in Latin America, where most stakeholders have been unable to make alliances and establish long-term associations that are aligned to a common worthwhile goal. The reasons for this dysfunction are multiple and complex. Most businessmen blame local and federal governments and their politicians. Others cite the financial costs, the strong cultural isolation or the poor competitiveness of the companies; the lack of research and development; the poor connectivity infrastructures, the corruption, and the presence of highly biased legal and regulatory frameworks within their regions. Most complaints dwell on the lack of articulated strategies among the main stakeholders -the companies, entrepreneurs, academia, financial systems, infrastructures, the related and complementary industries, governments and the social systems. Each has a divergent objective that pulls in different directions. In this paper we identify the most common inhibitors that have stymied the incubation of clusters in Latin America, as well as propose some strategies, policies and procedures designed to empower this type of industrial-business model, that have enabled great success in industrialized countries.