Professor and students of the School of Economics win awards in Mexico

The economist José Vera, professor of the Economics degree at the Faculty of Management Sciences of the UDA, obtained - along with two students from the School - the first place in the Symposium on the International Research Project (PEUL) in the framework of the VI AFIDE International Entrepreneurship Congress that took place in Veracruz, Mexico, on April 26.

Vera gave Campus an interview in which he explained in depth the project he presented at the symposium and what the congress consisted of in general.

The congress had a central focus, which was to present studies that are related to entrepreneurship, or measurements of it, in the different countries and cities of the different countries that intervened. There were 50 countries that intervened; there were all the South Americans, plus some countries of the Caribbean and Central America, and also European countries such as Spain and Italy.

The main objective was to be able to present the results of research that has been done about entrepreneurship and innovation. The PEUL Symposium that investigates the level of university entrepreneurship in the main universities of the participating countries was also developed.

Now, explain specifically about the contest in which you took the first prize.

In total there were 130 papers presentations that were exposed. Of these, 10 selected "winning" articles, so to speak, and we obtained first place and recognition in the category of entrepreneurship methodologies.

The article that won this award has the title: "Measurement of entrepreneurship and innovation in the productive sectors and their influence on employment for the 2017 year".

What is the winning project about?

What was measured together with two former students, now graduates, of the School of Economics (Adrián Sigüenza and Ramón Valdivieso) is in which productive sectors have been undertaken the most during 2017 in the Cuenca canton.

In addition, we sought to observe in which of those sectors people have the perception that they have innovated the most. Those were the two main objectives.

After this, we made a test to obtain what are the characteristics of success of the ventures that now have a duration over the 48 months and that at this moment they are invoicing in the Cuenca market. Then, through a qualitative study, we reviewed the cases of some successful ventures here in Cuenca and obtained the main characteristics.

What were your feelings after the congress?

It is a source of joy and pride because, in the first place, we have received the full support of the authorities of the University.

Second, the path to start researching and writing started two and a half years ago, and starting with this interesting path has its flats.

It has good things, frustrating things and moments of sadness too; But the moment we receive this recognition, which is also for the University, I think it shows the tenacious work of authorities and teachers who are committed to research.

Approximately how long did you work on this project?

The idea of ​​doing an investigation of this type originated because we did not get information for the Naestría in Entrepreneurship that we are proposing in postgraduate studies.

I asked some students to know who would be interested in this topic and from those who wanted to be linked, Ramón and Adrián were the most enthusiastic.

From that original conception of the project and the involvement of the students, it has been more than a year. That lapse includes everything we have done: the research, the writing of the article and the presentation at the Mexico congress.