State Capacity and Public Value in Latin American Research Institutes: A Theoretical Model
Capacidad estatal y valor público en institutos de investigación latinoamericanos: un modelo teórico
Capacidade estatal e valor público em institutos de pesquisa latino-americanos: um modelo teórico
Abstract (en)
Public research organizations in Latin America are mobilized as instruments of mission-oriented science, technology, and innovation policy and are mandated to create public value. Yet the states that create them possess uneven capacities to strategically steer their research and development agendas. This article formulates an integrative theoretical model linking three levels through a sequence of conditioning relationships: state capacities to steer R&D, institutes’ governance arrangements, and the performance metrics used to assess them. The argument is developed through a theoretical-conceptual design with documentary empirical illustration of four Latin American agrifood research institutes: INIA in Chile, EMBRAPA in Brazil, INTA in Argentina, and AGROSAVIA in Colombia. The cases explore the framework’s plausibility rather than provide causal validation. The article links debates on public value, state capacity, and public agency governance to understand why these institutes may be assessed through indicators that capture their public mission only partially.
Abstract (es)
Los institutos públicos de investigación de América Latina son convocados como instrumentos de política de ciencia, tecnología e innovación orientada a misiones y tienen el mandato de generar valor público. Sin embargo, suelen operar bajo una paradoja: los Estados que los crean disponen de capacidades desiguales para orientar estratégicamente sus agendas de investigación y desarrollo. Este artículo formula un modelo teórico integrador que relaciona tres niveles mediante una secuencia de condicionamientos: las capacidades estatales para dirigir la I+D, los arreglos de gobernanza de los institutos y los sistemas de métricas con que se evalúa su desempeño. El argumento se desarrolla mediante un diseño teórico-conceptual con ilustración empírica documental de cuatro institutos latinoamericanos de investigación agropecuaria: INIA en Chile, EMBRAPA en Brasil, INTA en Argentina y AGROSAVIA en Colombia. Los casos exploran la plausibilidad del marco y no constituyen una validación causal. La contribución central consiste en vincular los debates sobre valor público, capacidad estatal y gobernanza de agencias públicas para comprender por qué estos institutos pueden ser evaluados con indicadores que reflejan solo parcialmente su misión pública.
Abstract (pt_BR)
Os institutos públicos de pesquisa da América Latina são convocados como instrumentos de políticas de ciência, tecnologia e inovação orientadas a missões e têm o mandato de gerar valor público. No entanto, os Estados que os criam dispõem de capacidades desiguais para orientar estrategicamente suas agendas de pesquisa e desenvolvimento. Este artigo formula um modelo teórico integrador que relaciona três níveis por meio de uma sequência de condicionamentos: as capacidades estatais para dirigir a P&D, os arranjos de governança dos institutos e os sistemas de métricas utilizados para avaliar seu desempenho. O argumento é desenvolvido mediante um desenho teórico-conceitual com ilustração empírica documental de quatro institutos latino-americanos de pesquisa agropecuária: INIA no Chile, EMBRAPA no Brasil, INTA na Argentina e AGROSAVIA na Colômbia. Os casos exploram a plausibilidade do marco e não constituem uma validação causal. A contribuição central consiste em articular os debates sobre valor público, capacidade estatal e governança de agências públicas para compreender por que esses institutos podem ser avaliados por indicadores que refletem apenas parcialmente sua missão pública.
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