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Economic Clusters or Cultural Commons? The Limits of Competition-Driven Development in the Ecuadorian Andes

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 September 2022

Rudi Colloredo-Mansfeld  and
Jason Antrosio
Rudi Colloredo-Mansfeld
Affiliation:
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Jason Antrosio
Affiliation:
Hartwick College
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Abstract

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We examine here two Ecuadorian towns and the state's efforts to support their development through competitiveness initiatives. Neoliberal, economic globalization is often equated with the insecurities of market competition. However, economic policy makers do not foment competition as much as competitive advantage. Whereas competition requires individual know-how, competitive advantage often involves cooperating to improve the underlying factors that help whole groups of firms. In Ecuador, policies have sought to engineer competitive advantage by creating industrial clusters. In our study, the town of Atuntaqui embraced the idea of clusters, uniting firms to work with international consultants and the Ministry of Industry. The economy has improved, but wealth shows signs of consolidation. The comparative case is a mechanized indigenous craft economy in Otavalo. Exploring how Otavalo's development has generated a set of shared resources anchored in a market plaza, we argue that its economy is best understood as a cultural commons. The experiences of both places have shown that economic development must take explicit measures to defend such commons if the gains of strategic cooperation are to be sustained in the long run.

Resumo

Resumo

Examinamos dos ciudades en Ecuador y el esfuerzo llevado a cabo por el estado para apoyar su desarrollo a través de iniciativas basadas en la competitividad. La globalización económica neoliberal es asimilada con la inseguridad de los mercados competitivos. Sin embargo, los responsables de la política económica no fomentan la competencia tanto como la ventaja competitiva. Mientras que la competencia se relaciona con conocimientos prácticos individuales, la ventaja competitiva requiere de cooperación, con el fin de mejorar factores subyacentes que beneficien a grupos de firmas en su conjunto. Las políticas implementadas en Ecuador para generar ventajas competitivas se fundamentaron en la creación de clusters industriales. En nuestro estudio, la ciudad de Atuntaqui aplicó la idea de clusters a través de la unión de firmas para trabajar con consultores internacionales y el Ministerio de Industria. La economía ha mejorado y la riqueza muestra signos de estar consolidándose. El caso comparado es la economía de tipo artesanal, mecanizada e indígena en Otavalo. Explorando la forma como el desarrollo de Otavalo ha generado un conjunto de recursos comunes, anclados en una plaza de mercado, argumentamos que la mejor manera de comprender esta economía es como un espacio cultural. La experiencia de ambas ciudades muestra que el desarrollo económico debe tomar medidas explícitas para defender estos espacios culturales, si se busca que las ganancias de la cooperación estratégica sean sostenibles en el largo plazo.

Type
Research Article
Information
Latin American Research Review , Volume 44 , Issue 1 , 2009 , pp. 132 - 157
Copyright
Copyright © 2009 by the Latin American Studies Association

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