14
Last but not least, the Campinas region also has an excellent transportation infrastructure
including the country’s largest cargo airport and efficient road links to markets and suppliers.
This represents another important locational factor for ICT-related activities in the region.
Conclusion
This article presents a set of indicators that map out the geographical distribution of
knowledge and of scientific and technological capabilities as proxies for the geographical
distribution of ST&I activities and applies them to the analysis of data and information for Sao
Paulo State. An overview of the geographical distribution of ST&I activities by micro-region
throughout the state is complemented by an analytical view of these activities in a vertical cross-
section to identify local production and innovation systems. One specific case is discussed in
some detail: information and communication technology activities in the Campinas micro-region.
The results display a pattern of regional distribution for ST&I activities along the main
highways of the state and in and around metropolitan areas, especially those of Sao Paulo and
Campinas, as well as highlighting the existence of regions that concentrate educational
institutions, research centers, and science & technology development hubs. The tendency for
firms to agglomerate in these areas and regions, forming local production and innovation
systems, is evidenced by the adherence of the mapping of these systems to the mapping of the
geographical distribution displayed by the quantitative indicators and the indicators of
institutional capabilities. This reinforces the assertion found in the literature that innovative
activities by firms have strong determinants relating to geography. However, it does not entirely
explain the regional distribution of production and innovation activities. There are many other
factors - historical, institutional, productive (linked to the primary economic activities in the
regions), social, cultural, political etc - that influence the determination of the economic vocation
of the regions and are not covered by the scope of this article.
Acknowledgments
The authors gratefully acknowledge the support of CNPq, through Research Grant no.
478.786/2003-4, and the collaboration of Antonio Carlos Diegues Jr. and Ana Paula Munhoz
Cerron, students and recipients of scientific initiation grants from Fapesp.
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developed several projects with support from Finep, BNDESPar and Fapesp. Another noteworthy point is its strategy
of cooperation with local agents, as illustrated by an ongoing project in partnership with CPqD to develop the Horus
call management system with funding from Funttel.