New trends in knowledge production: the dynamics of modern biotechnology in the outskirts of the global science and technology

Abstract

This article aims at studying the way scientific knowledge production is currently organized. For this purpose, in 2004, we conducted a field research at Campos dos Goytacazes city, State of Rio de Janeiro, with research groups in sugar cane biotechnology from two public universities, namely the Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro (Ufrj) and the State University of Norte Fluminense (Uenf). In this research, we also used an exploratory study conducted in 2006 at other loci of science and technology: the Biotechnology Center of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (Ufrgs) and at the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (Pucrs), the Laboratory of Genetics and Molecular Biology and 4G research and development laboratory. The results allow us to propose two models of scientific production, namely, the mode 2 and triple helix. We compare both models with each other, evaluating its possible explanations for the Brazilian case.