Science and innovation in North Patagonia Argentina

This paper shows preliminary results from a study of the scientific-technological system (CTS) located in Rio Negro y Neuquen at north of Patagonia, in Argentine. Actual report includes first step of the analysis over Rio Negro, particularly Bariloches region.In broad outlines our aim consists in building a characterization of local CTS, identifying the organizations it includes (those belonging to the state, publics ones and private enterprises), their innovative activities and networks with local and regional productive structure. Main questions aimed to answer are: ?What significant institutions and organizations can be found as a part of SCT in those State\´s territory? ^What kind of innovative activity they perform? ?How can be those activities related to other regional and local organizations as enterprises, government, No Profit Organizations (NPO) and other possible constituents of the CTS? In our work we applied different techniques: (1) interviews with key scientific, policy makers and managers (2) financial information from organization\´s accountability (3) series from science, technology and innovation ministries from federal and states governments (4) journalistic information from "Rio Negro" newspaper files. Conceptual framework includes the following ideas and categories: (5) innovation systems (IS), which names different institutions and interaction between them and determines innovative performance of firms, universities, government, educational institution and social organizations. (6) "regional innovative systems (RIS)", shaped by strengths and weaknesses of local business webs and technological supplies/demands (the explicit and implicit ones) (7) "Milieu" conceived as "innovative territorial neighborhood" taken from works of GREMI (Group for European Research on Innovative Environments) (8) "human development technology (HDT)". This approach drives relationship between science, technology and society to special objectives: life quality, basic e- ssentials, and broader opportunities to access to commodities and services plus fair deal distribution of wealth. (9) "Social innovation". An invention traditionally defines as a creative and insight process to solve troubles. Complementary, innovation reshapes inventions and transforms them in products and services with some utility. Consequently, one can distinguish two steps in technological development, which are qualitatively different: invention first and development as commodity afterwards. There is a less conventional approach which conceives innovations as changes in social practices. Along those practices, social actors create, perform, decode and owner technologies. Preliminary findings show a diversified institutional and organizational structure at Bariloche, that concentrates significant investment in Scientific and Technological Activities (STA) over territory under study. Although we also found warning signals: concentration in a few productive sectors and organizations, not enough links with micro, smalls and medium enterprises and lack of connection with regional economy. Institutional web appears with features of duality, in the sense that includes exports of products and processes with scientific value added, as nuclear power stations, and also straightforward techniques with high social impact.