Article

Actor-networks, interests and boundary objects in the Cuban biotechnology sector and vaccine industry

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Abstract

Which social and political interests have been influential in the creation of the Cuban biotechnology sector? Is it the needs of the national public health system that are being served, is it scientific knowledge production that is given priority, or are commercialization and generation of export earnings the primary objectives? And how are potentially diverging interests mediated and articulated, and how are such controversies settled and resolved? This paper is a first approximation to these questions. It turns out that the conceptual toolbox of field of innovation system studies is poorly developed for studying such issues, so by way of a criticism of the lack of agency and interest perspectives in the concept of 'institutions' in innovation system studies an alternative theoretical framework is developed based on actor-network theory. A second field work in Cuba is being planned, and the objective of this paper is to identify some research strategies for that field work. Presented at the GLOBELICS 6th International Conference 2008 22-24 September, Mexico City, Mexico.

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... En acquérant rapidement les techniques de la culture cellulaire et du génie génétique, l'industrie pharmaceutique cubaine -qui occupe cet article -est aujourd'hui l'une des plus innovantes parmi les pays du Sud, avec plus d'une trentaine de produits brevetés dans des dizaines de pays, y compris en Europe et aux Etats-Unis (NUÑEZ JOVER et al., 2006). Ont été avant tout conçus des traitements immunologiques -vaccins, anticorps monoclonaux, interférons et autres protéines recombinantes -, et des équipements diagnostics (LAGE, 2008). 2 Pour comprendre ce qui apparaît comme un paradoxe -l'existence d'un secteur technologique de pointe dans un pays isolé et confronté à une crise économique sans précédent -plusieurs chercheurs ont analysé les facteurs d'innovation, tels les spécificités organisationnelles, les investissements de l'État et les coopérations internationales (FEINSILVER, 1993 ;REID-HENRY, 2010 ;THORSTEINDÓTTIR ET AL., 2004 ;PLAHTE, 2008). Ces recherches pointent généralement la « solidarité scientifique » à l'endroit de Cuba, sans toutefois approfondir l'analyse de ses motifs, de ses modalités concrètes et de son impact sur les politiques scientifiques du pays. ...
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