Economic Complexity and Creation of Non-Tradable Technological Capabilities

The technology transfer model (offer to produce knowledge / demand to receive knowledge), which is currently implemented by most developing countries  and some emerging countries in Latin America, is not allowing to advance towards stages of technological and economic development, above to the already presents.

This initial hypothesis was reaffirmed in different analyzes carried out by Wu Peng Bert, Director of the Program for Energy and Environment (United Nations Development Program (UNDP), group of China), but also based on studies of evaluation about the impact of technological development, in the wealth of nations. There are strong arguments and empirical research references that show results about the negative effects that means resorting to international technology supply, through the purchase of turnkey technology and in the absence of State policies aimed to develop non-tradable technological capabilities.

Studies related with Economic Complexity, define the non-tradable technological capabilities, as a set of resources and skills related to the production of knowledge and intangibles susceptible to be quantified.  This can be used for the generation of value and may appear from the education system, workforce, development of infrastructure, to scientific research and innovation activity.

In this conference, the aim is to show the theoretical composition and the impact variables related to the non-tradable technological capabilities within the international technology transfer process, which enables the development of new scientific and technological projects. In consequence, an impact on the sustained growth of GDP and the trade balance in Latin America occurs.

One of the main conclusions is that the complexity of determining the generation of non-tradable capabilities, allows developing alternative models in the field of knowledge absorption and international technology, considering aspects of economic complexity of technology and innovation.