Inovação e pesquisa no setor automotivo de Pernambuco: o caso do Centro de Pesquisa, Desenvolvimento, Inovação e Engenharia da FCA (FIAT-Chrysler Automobile)

Abstract

The recent opening of the car factory of FIAT-CHRYSLER AUTOMOBILE – FCA, in the municipality of Goiana, opens up tremendous prospects for the expansion of the industrial sector of Pernambuco, as well as allows you foresee the possibility of the establishment of a greater articulation of the car industry with other industries and companies pre-existing and others to be attracted and integrated themselves with the FCA plant. Besides the car industry, of obvious importance, there is in the territory a meaningful basis of researchers and institutions of technological support, in addition to a segment of IT formed by a good number of firms agglomerated in the Porto Digital, in Recife, but also in other municipalities as is the case of Olinda. This conjunction of a C,T&I basis reasonably significant is already available in the territory with the installation of an automaker with cutting edge technology has generated expectations of stablishing in the State of Pernambuco a dynamic focus of technological development encompassing the existing skills with interaction with the FCA and a Technological Development Center intended to be a world class one. Such a Centre would be a differential for a State in the Northeast undeveloped in a country still in its process of development. This optimist expectation is being cooled by the economic crisis (Brazil and the world), besides changes in the state political and economic scenario, which, at a minimum, may be able to postpone the full constitution of the Center referred to and of their dynamic effects. It seems that with the occurrence of crises, the countries in the peripheral economies, therefore more fragile, become less attractive for higher risky investments. This paper aims at analyzing the viability of such a Centre, finding possible explanations for the already detected change of plans on the Centre and shows the difficulties and weaknesses of the developing economies in the sense of moving forward in terms of technological capacity and come to have more technological dynamism.