THE PRODUCTIVE AGGLOMERATE OF THE RIO GRANDE DO NORTE SALINARY INDUSTRY

Abstract

The study aimed to analyze the variables used by the salt industry to promote the development of its productive cluster. The research has a descriptive character and a quantitative nature, having as a technical procedure the survey type survey, with the application of questionnaires to 115 managers of the Saline Industry of Rio Grande do Norte, in 2019. The data were analyzed using the techniques of descriptive statistics and analysis exploratory factorial (AFE). Through the AFE, four factors were identified that explain the set of variables proposed in the research: (1) Technological Innovation; (2) Company-Community; (3) Institutional Performance; (4) Competitiveness. In the first factor (Technological Innovation), there is low technology in the sector, with no technological centers and low level of cooperation; in the second factor (Company-Community), the non-inclusion of the local community in the business strategies and the non-observance of the local culture was evidenced; in the third factor (Institutional Action), there was a lack of insertion of the public actor; and in the four factor (Competitiveness), the need for deconcentration and decentralization in the salt sector was highlighted, observing, in this factor, a greater balance in relation to the practices of the studied clusters. It is concluded that the saline industry lacks organization, especially with the participation of the institutional actor to promote policies for the development of the sector. This study contributes to the business sector, presenting an overview of the RN's saline industry related to the practice of successful clusters and contributes to academia as a model of how to analyze a productive sector.