Technology for post-Covid19 economic recovery
Last Thursday the initial results of the winning project of the CEPRA contest carried out by CEDIA, called "Innovation in times of crisis: Knowledge and technology transfer program for post-covid19 economic reactivation in SMEs in the Chemical sector and services of Azuay, Loja and Pichincha ”.
The event was held in the auditorium of the Universidad del Azuay starting at 11:00 am and was broadcast through the institution's official Facebook account. Francisco Salgado, Rector of the University of Azuay, opened the event with warm words of welcome:
"There is an urgent need to link the academic sector and the productive sector, it is gratifying that this link is currently taking place and that we can jointly ask ourselves the question, how are we doing? In order to find better ways, innovation requires new perspectives ”he said.
Next, Jorge Campoverde, director of the project, indicated that everything was born "as an initiative of some universities, through previous joint dialogues and with the private sector."
“We have a civic duty to society, we cannot be passive actors; therefore this comprehensive diagnosis of the sector in this time of pandemic. It is important to understand and propose solutions to real social problems. We have completed this first part of gathering the information and we consider it relevant to share these results ”, he stated.
Subsequently, the director of the Chamber of Small Industry of Azuay, Fernando Romero, explained the importance of the Chambers as links between the business sector and academia.
“In this unprecedented crisis, we see the positive response in this case by the joint union to appease the situation. Positive change comes from the union of important institutions, the academic sectors have that essence of change; more than in the response, what is remarkable is in the bond we have forged ”, he explained.
Along the same lines, he continued: “Ecuador's productive capacity is important, the agricultural export sector demonstrated that it can supply efficiently despite the crisis; to this productive country we must add efforts of the whole society to achieve a comprehensive sovereignty ".
The first results of the project were related to the diagnosis of the current needs and possible challenges of the sectors that are part of the study, their presentation was in charge of Katherine Coronel, research technician of the University of Cuenca, and Jessica Ordoñez, research professor of the UTPL.
The presentation of the results addressed the general objective that corresponds to the transfer of technological knowledge that allows improving management in economic sectors. The project has three fundamental phases: the gathering of information, the development of strategies and improvement plans to finally apply these strategies through a pilot plan.
Coronel indicated that the survey was carried out through surveys to obtain quantitative information and the qualitative part was carried out through interviews. The two sectors chosen, chemical and services, are justified by the ambiguity they present between them.
The uncertainty of the economic environment, lack of government support, lack of financing and unfair competition were the four main factors that are understood as limiting for business growth in the chemical sector.
Other factors such as lack of infrastructure and technology also stand out. The services sector found similarities in the limiting factors for growth. Regarding the influx of post-confinement customers, 72% of the chemical sector indicates that it has decreased, while 28% show growth.
In the services sector, 87% show a reduction and the remaining 13%, the opposite. Regarding financing, 81% of the chemical sector claims to have required additional financing to meet demand. 48% of the service sector has sought financing to meet current expenses.
Private banking was the main source of financing, followed by public and private banking, especially in the service sector. In terms of sales and costs, the detriment to sales is more in services and expenses are maintained in both sectors.
The needs identified in Azuay are: sales, projects, innovation, new products and digital applications. Pichincha, meanwhile, exposes: renegotiation, better days, sales, real estate. The challenges coincide: better strategies, reactivation, digital products, services.
Bertha Estrella, research director of the Central University of Ecuador, contributed with a reflection on the alliances between the universities for the development of the project and Monserrath Jerves, vice-rector of research of the University of Cuenca, closed the event with a speech that reflected the impact that this type of project generates for the future.
The project is carried out by the University of Azuay, the University of Cuenca, the Private Technical University of Loja and the Central University of Ecuador, CAPIA, CAPEIPI and CEDIA.
UDA Correspondent
