How Firm-Specific Characteristics Shape Prospective Knowledge-Intensive Alliances in a Large Emerging Economy

One of the main challenges to global development today is the challenge of inclusion; that is, to promote ‘equitable access to the benefits of development regardless of nationality, gender, or race’ (Wolfensohn, 1997). Though not without its detractors, modem biotechnology, in particular technology associated with genetic engineering, offers solutions to many of the major developmental problems facing humanity today, especially those relating to malnutrition, disease and pollution. Recent advances in biotechnology may also help to solve the conundrum of how to promote sustainable development in the face of natural ambitions for improved national and global economic growth and prosperity (EU White Paper, 1994). But the global biotechnology market is fragmented; the greatest technological advances take place in just a few developed countries (Shan and Song, 1997), whereas humanity’s major developmental problems are concentrated mainly in the less-developed economies. Mechanisms are needed so that appropriate biotechnologies created and refined in the ‘north’ (developed countries) are transferred efficiently and effectively to the ‘south’ (developing countries) in some mutually beneficial way.