Abstract

Agents, Alliances And Controversies In Global Networks: The Production Of Soybean Varieties In Argentina. Rev. iberoam. cienc. tecnol. soc. [online]. 2017, vol.12, n.35, pp.109-130. ISSN 1850-0013.

This paper discusses the past performance and behaviour of companies dedicated to the obtainment of varieties for soybean cultivation, as well as the place they occupy in relation to other actors of the chain and the tensions involved. Some prominent features of these companies are their recent transnational expansion and their strategic use of the particularities of institutional contexts. They have also evolved into more complex organizational forms that prioritize the appropriation of profits and do not rule out the relocation of investments. This paper also explores their forms of inclusion of other actors in local spaces and the networks created for the production and sale of seeds, highlighting their ability to redefine their relationships based on their needs, a feature that differs from the relationships they establish with the firms that provide transgenic events. These different positions on the field translate into different interests and positions in the conflict for the appropriation of profits generated by this activity.

Keywords : Seed industry; Soybean; Firm strategies; Networks; Controversies.