RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT IN THE IRRIGATED RICE SEEDS SECTOR IN RIO GRANDE DO SUL STATE

Abstract

The aim of this study, an exploratory case-study research, was to investigate the ways in which the organizations dedicated to irrigated rice seeds research and development (R&D) in Rio Grande do Sul (RS). Our goal was to investigate the right-handers vision for the management programs in R&D. The study was conducted in five seed sector organizations. These perspectives were obtained by filling out a survey questionnaire divided into three blocks and applied via email by the researcher in the so-called cross-sectional survey. This step occurred between April and July 2008 and its results submitted to the "content analysis". The reference used in this research was based on the following theories: Industrial Organization (IO), New Institutional Economy (NIE), Institutional Environment (IE) and Transactions Cost Economics (TCE). The primary data was performed through a transversal cut survey, carried out in 2008. Up to the moment, the results have shown that these rice seeds revenue in RS is not enough to support their R&D activities. As a consequence, there was a launchings number retraction in the rice varieties of seeds. The strategies already adopted for the investment continuities were analyzed by the R&D considering the anti-reproductive attributes of the proper seeds. Thus, the majority of the resources has been directed for the development of rice hybrids as the main strategy of the copyright protection. It is important to emphasize that the awareness campaigns should be more stimulated in order to involve the sector players to recognize the importance of the investments returns. This action probably guarantees the maintenance of the R&D sector in the RS State.