The Politics of Technological Upgrading: International Transfer to and Adaptation of Gm Cotton in Argentina.

ARZA, VALERIA; VAN ZWANENBERG, PATRICK

WORLD DEVELOPMENT

PERGAMON

Lugar: Oxford; Año: 2014 vol. 59 p. 521 - 534

0305-750X

We describe patterns of international transfer to and adaptation of genetically modified (GM) cotton in Argentina, and ask whether political bargaining between the technology owner, a multinational enterprise (MNE), and host country actors may have influenced upgrading. We suggest that the MNE was able to use its exclusive capacity to upgrade GM cotton technologies as a negotiation tool to persuade host actors to change the rules that affected its multi-lines of business in the country. This implies wider policy scope to encourage technology upgrading; host actors could negotiate over a wider range of aspects of interest to MNEs.