8/2/2019 Research and Development in Mexico

1/4

Research and Development in Mexico

8/2/2019 Research and Development in Mexico

2/4

Introduction

Mexicos situation referring on R & D its been a subject settled on the table several times, since its

a matter of big importance for the economic development inside the country, most enterprises need

to invest in order to have better results when it comes on competitiveness, but for leading in such

results its important to understand how it works, how much time it takes and what are the efforts

that society and government need to take as unit to make it happen.

R & D

The definition for R & D its the creative work undertaken on a systematic basis in order to increase

the stock of knowledge to use it in new applications, for such concept to be happening theres got to

be a clear fact about it, which must be seen as an investment rather than an expense, its often

used due to the fact of the changes in industry, although it couldnt be considered as a crucial factor

in the survival of a company in a short term, for such matter to happen it would need to have

strategic alliances, and networks, to tap into the innovation of others.

As it happens in other developed countries, R & D runs in charge of a specialized unit which

belongs to a company, a university or state agency, its measured on the budget its destined to,

number of patents, or publications.

As its believed, a company that belongs to an industrial segment, would invest 3.5 % of its profits

on R & D, on the other hand one that belongs to technology segment would invest 7 %, resulting in

a 40 % revenues for industrial companies and in cases such as pharmaceutical companies as

Merck & Co. or Novartis, (whose ratio is 14.1 % and 15.1 % respectively), can increase their

revenues up to 60 % to 90 %.

R & D around the world

According to OECD, Mxico is the country which invests the least on R & D (about 0.4 % of its

Gross Domestic Product), while developed countries such as Japan, Korea or Switzerland destiny

3.4% average, China serves as a clear example of how better results are obtained as an effect of

R & D investment, by surpassing Japan and United States on number of patent filings, as well by

increasing their numbers of published articles up to 120,000 on 2011, these results come from

8/2/2019 Research and Development in Mexico

3/4

training scientists and engineers, supporting private research, and doing an investment of 1.5 % on

R & D by 2007.

Conception on Mexican society

Believed to be as an option to obtain a larger percentage on revenues, most enterprises have

trouble or simply dismiss the idea on R & D investment, due to the fact that its perceived mostly as

an expense, if we count with the fact that 80 % of SMEs end-up their activities within a range of 5

years, and 90 % wont surpass a 10 year long term, its clear that one of the biggest troubles these

enterprises is dealing with, comes as a result of underestimating a good planning of their services

and the production, as well the introduction of developments within this services or products, merely

due to the acknowledge this applications will bring-up.

Biosafety rules

According to an article developed by Science magazine on 2002, research on transgenic corn could

be considered a crime for which scientists could suffer of imprison, such matter to happen gives us

a clear view of how undeveloped our country in legislation is found, even more actually its been on

development a new law (Monsanto Law) in which its going to be prohibited the use of patented

transgenic corn, turning into the loss of sovereignty above corn crops, despite the fact that Mexico

is the actual center of origin of corn itself.

College and education

UNAM, Chapingo, ITAM among other universities, are one of the most important sources of public

information, while UNAM does respectively on several specialties in science, Chapingo focuses into

crop related subjects and ITAM for public policies, private and public universities do have the

capacity to create much more valuable information when the time comes to improve on Mexican

population, most of this research has given relative changes in benefit of us, but in order to create

an out-standing performance, cooperation from local government coordinated with more public and

private universities, is needed.

UNAM on its last review of accepted students, turned out to only have accepted 10 % of total

requisitions to have access for upper secondary education, while the cost of a private education is

in average $ 1,200.00 US per month, due to the fact that mostly 50 % of population lives in poverty

and 30 % has monthly incomes of $ 1,000.00 US or less , its practically impossible to develop

8/2/2019 Research and Development in Mexico

4/4

researchers, scientists, or even graduates for the simple fact that education is not well displayed for

the biggest percentage of population, such problem does not originates of a budget deficit from the

local government but from an inadequate administration of the educational system.

Understanding the main problematic that affects R & D yields clarity about the context and principal

characters that compose the scenario, while most efforts are wasted in criticizing government

actions, and fastened by social networks, that as well works against presidential candidates,

slowing down and recapture the essence of this tools should be a convenient move that could count

in favor of us, R & D should be applied not only because its a sustainable source, but because it

can also generate employments, create competitiveness for international market, and set pressure

on solving access educational problems.

When educational system and R & D cross paths, triggers the ideal moment to schedule pressing

ideas in collective thought, investment instead of useless costs, well managed educational system

rather than budget deficit, the control of such matters comes when the people join their voices in a

crucial moment, and its our responsibility to turn those necessities in our votes, and most important

to bring discussion since its in our hands the path that Mexican society is willing to take.