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New Collaborative Forms of

Doing Research 1

Jaime Jiménez

INTRODUCTION Globalization of the economy: This trend,
which began at the end of World War II with
As we enter the twenty-first century, it the establishment of the General Agreement
becomes apparent that the economic advance- on Trade and Tariffs in 1947 (General
ment of nations in both the first and the third Agreement on Trade and Tariffs, 2006),
worlds is based on the way they apply knowl- gained momentum in the decade of the
edge. It is clear that in terms of the globalized 1990s, with the creation of the World Trade
economy, those countries with advanced Organization in 1995 (World Trade
technology have a competitive advantage Organization, 2006) and the establishment of
over those less developed. Although the diverse free trade agreements geared to pro-
cheap labor factor still constitutes an element mote, regulate, and standardize free trade
of relative importance in the geographical throughout most parts of the world. As of
location of ‘maquila’ plants, this factor will 1997, these covered 90% of all international
gradually become less relevant in light of the trade, encompassing most countries except
technological developments that require China, some former communist countries,
firms to move to second and third generation and a few other small countries (Anderson
‘maquilas,’ involving a more skilled labor and Cavanagh, 1997).
force (Gerber and Carrillo, 2006).
Since the end of the twentieth century, the Competition for world markets: The large
idea that society as a whole was nearing a global economic blocs are engaged in a battle
new era, the ‘era of knowledge’ (Albrow and to conquer world markets, where products
King, 1990; Crook et al., 1992; David, 1992) and services with greater technological
became fashionable. It was a novelty to asso- content and lower cost flood the markets of
ciate the birth of a new century with the the entire globe without being noticed by the
beginning of a new era. But, what is behind population at large. It is clear to the large cor-
the recognition of a new global paradigm? porations that the investment in research