Institution: | a Howard Rush is Head of the Centre for Business Research, The University of Brighton, Falmer, Brighton BN1 9PH, UK (Tel: +44 273 642188; fax: +44 273 685896) b Ian Miles is Associate Director of PREST, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL, UK c João Carlos Ferraz can be contacted at the Institute de Economia Industrial, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Avenida Pasteur 250, Urca, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil |
Abstract: | A recent study, conducted in Brazil, has investigated the difusion of new technologies and new organizational techniques—both important facets of the emerging technoeconomic paradigm—in the context of a newly industrializing country. In addition to examining current levels of use of these innovations in leading firms, it examines the expectations of managers as to future prospects for their use, and the implications for employment, training and competitive circumstances. As well as presenting methodological innovations, this article reports on the empirical results—indicating considerable uptake of some elements of the new paradigm, but less effort with respect to others—and develops scenarios for the future of the Brazilian economy. |