Research with Impact: Is It Really Happening?

• In Event: Highlighted session: Higher education, development, and sustainability in Latin America

Proposal

A new entrepreneurial environment is challenging the traditional view and mission of some universities (Gaffikin & Perry, 2009; Leydesdorff, 2013). Entrepreneurial faculty and university research systems are reshaping communities and businesses through applicable knowledge production (Diaz, 2012; Gregorutti & Delgado, 2015; Slaughter & Rhoades, 2004). Businesses, industries, and communities increasingly rely on universities as knowledge producers. The link between universities and business-industry is widespread and is likely to continue increasing (Aguirre-Bastos & Gupta, 2009). Latin American governments invest in advancing research through centralized organizations that devote millions of dollars to produce knowledge. Mexico’s federal accumulated budget for Science, Technology and Innovation in 2013-2018 was MEX$497,986.30 million (USD$26,209.78 million);(1) but, on average, it only represents 0.43% of Mexican GDP (Gobierno Mexicano, 2018). Since public funding is essential to facilitate research at universities and specialized centers, it would be important to know which projects are financed by governments. In the case of Mexico, the National Council of Science and Technology (CONACYT) is the most important government funded agency to promote research (Rodrigues Gomez & Ordorika, 2012). CONACYT invested MEX$20,000 million (more than a million USD) in 2017. Giving these significant investments, this study intends to unfold the following central question: How do government-funded research projects impact the development of innovation among Mexican businesses? The global goal of this paper is to understand how research advances innovation that improves companies and businesses. In so doing, it is assumed that the economy expands as companies innovate. To answer this exploratory question, the researchers will look into existing research report databases CONACYT has accumulated over the last 10 years. The study provide policy analysis and discussion to advance the debate on research/knowledge production impact.

References
Aguirre-Bastos, C., and M. Gupta. (2009). “Science, technology and innovation policies in Latin America: ¿Do they work?” Interciencia, 34(12), 865-872.
Díaz, M. (2012). “The idea of the university in Latin American in the twenty-first century.” Ronald Barnett, editor. The future university: Ideas and possibilities. New York: Routledge.
Gaffikin, Frank, & David Perry. (2009). “Discourses and strategic visions: The U.S. research university as an institutional manifestation of Neoliberalism in a global era.” American Educational Research Journal, 46(1), 115–144.
Gobierno de los Estados Unidos Mexicanos (2018). 6to. Informe de Gobierno (2017-2018). Presidencia de la República. Accessed online 09/25/2018 from http://www.presidencia.gob.mx/sextoinforme/
Gregorutti, G., and J. E. Delgado. (2015). Private universities in Latin America: Research and innovation in the knowledge economy. New York: Palgrave-MacMillan.
Leydesdorff, L. (2013). “The triple helix of university-industry-government relations.” Elias Carayannis and David Campbell, editors. Encyclopedia of creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurship. New York: Springer.
Rodríguez Gómez, R., and I. Ordorika. (2012). The chameleon’s agenda: Entrepreneurial adaptation of higher education in Mexico. Brian Pusser et al, editores. Universities and the public sphere: Knowledge creation and state building in the era of globalization. New York: Routledge.
Slaughter, S., & G. Rhoades. (2004). Academic capitalism and the new economy: Markets, state, and higher education. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins UP.
(1) Exchange currency rate: 19 Mexican pesos per one USD; as of 09/26/2018

Authors

• Gus Gregorutti, Andrews University

• Monica Irene Camacho Lizarraga, Centro de Investigación y Docencia Económicas (CIDE)