Title: Biopharmaceuticals and firm organisation in Argentina: opportunities and challenges

Authors: Graciela E. Gutman; Pablo José Lavarello

Addresses: Centre on Rural and Urban Studies (CEUR), National Scientific and Technical Research Council of Argentina (CONICET), Saavedra 15, 6° P, (1086), Buenos Aires, Argentina ' Centre on Rural and Urban Studies (CEUR), National Scientific and Technical Research Council of Argentina (CONICET), Saavedra 15, 6° P, (1086), Buenos Aires, Argentina

Abstract: In Argentina, some biotechnology firms operating in the human health sector managed to enter into the biosimilars segment of global biopharmaceutical markets at an early stage. These firms' forms of organisation and their articulation with local science and technology infrastructure have played a key role in the development of business strategies in an institutional context that does not facilitate the resolution of the particular risks and uncertainties - be they technological, regulatory, or commercial - associated with these products. This paper examines the strategies of selected firms, using case studies. It postulates that firm organisation in economic groups, and the articulation in public/private networks enables local firms to successfully surmount the obstacles faced by innovative biotechnology firms in peripheral countries, which leads in turn to the achievement of technological and financial advantages.

Keywords: biotechnology; pharmaceutics industry; firm organisation; business strategies; value chain; developing countries; Argentina; biopharmaceuticals; public private networks.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTG.2014.064740

International Journal of Technology and Globalisation, 2014 Vol.7 No.3, pp.159 - 178

Accepted: 12 Mar 2013
Published online: 16 Oct 2014 *

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