Industrial policy 4.0: Reflections on the cases of Brazil and Argentina

Abstract

Historically, industrial policy has been the object of constant discussion and controversy both in the theoretical context and in the sphere of economic policy in developed and developing countries. In this sense, the main focus of this article is to approach, in an exploratory and contextual way, the issue of industrial policy and its relationship with industry 4.0, mainly in the Latin American context. Specifically, aspects related to the role of the State and its capacity as an orchestrator of industrial policy are discussed, as well as the entire institutional context that involves the innovative process and the implementation of industrial policy 4.0 in the Brazil and Argentina. The main final considerations of the research point to an accelerated deindustrialization of both countries in recent years and to a recent policy of industry 4.0 in the initial stages or of "socioeconomic preparation" of the system, as well as a "passive" policy due to the character of its objectives and the horizon guided by actions that do not involve large technological development projects or import substitution in the long term.