Synergy between Competitive Intelligence (CI), Knowledge Management (KM) and Technological Foresight (TF) as a strategic model of prospecting — The use of biotechnology in the development of drugs against breast cancer

doi:10.1016/j.biotechadv.2006.10.001

Biotechnology Advances

Volume 25, Issue 1, January–February 2007, Pages 57-74

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biotechadv.2006.10.001 Get rights and content

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to demonstrate the synergy between Competitive Intelligence, Knowledge Management and Technological Foresight, and to emphasize the proposal of a strategic model of data prospecting as a mechanism to support decision-making in regard to three approaches for sustainable development and innovation: technological, social and economic. The use of biotechnology in the development of drugs against breast cancer is the case study. The article shows the results of data and text mining in specialized medical and patent databases, identifying the most frequently cited drugs, as well as the authors of research, and the inventors of new technology at the beginning of the 21st century. In addition, the study includes reference to Brazilian competence in breast cancer area, the international trends in drugs for treatment of this cancer, leading international institutions and Brazilian competencies. A framework is presented, which could serve as a guide and support for the decision-making process.

Introduction

Knowledge Economy has shown that understanding innovation consists of a process of searching and learning dependent on interactions and specific situations is a complex approach and a challenge to the future, mainly considering the exigencies of a globalized market. The economic success of any country, region or place increasingly depends on its capacity to specialize in activities which allow it to establish effective and dynamic competitive advantages, based on local competencies and capacities to learn, in the sense of creating an environment of transformation and progress, as well as the capacity to cooperate, which has become key in innovation.

In this context, to understand the synergy between CI, KM and TF and the application of these methodologies is important in building a vision of the complex relationship of a given sector, with the goal of generating value-added information about technological, social and market trends and thus feeding the cycle of the creation of new wisdom, emphasizing the need to prioritize action in the short, medium and long terms. (Canongia et al., 2006).

Moreover, as Salicrup and Fedorkova (2006) emphasizes, biotechnology will be a key driver of sustainable growth and development, and some developing economies with enormous human capital, such as India, China, Brazil, and Korea, have been able to demonstrate their capabilities and accomplishments through several biotechnology R&D activities.

Section snippets

Knowledge era: the challenge of gloCalization

In the current era success is defined by the way in which innovation is managed and valued, as this factor is currently considered dominant for local economic development and for patterns of both local and global competition. Local specific capacities are strengthened, leading to global dynamics which retrofeed local dynamics – gloCalization – think globally, act locally. (Humbert, 2005). The management of innovation is thus essential, and will increasingly be a challenge in the years to come,

Why intensive sectors in R&D?

National innovation systems can be understood as the coming together of different agents, with specific functions, who establish amongst themselves a series of coordinated relations in order to attain the objective of meeting the demands of sustained development and competitiveness. If, on the one hand, technical progress increases the capacity for wealth accumulation and income generation, on the other the search for balance between technological progress, competitiveness and social inclusion,

The model of a prospecting strategy for R&D-intensive sectors

The challenge for the future is the development of models capable of: a) increasing capacity for analysis of R&D-intensive sectors; b) having a greater focus on simulation and modeling; c) forming collaborative networks; d) datamining with increasing application to R&D, with generation of knowledge maps. For this, the concepts of IC, GC and TF, seen in a synergistic fashion are extremely important as support for the strategy of prospecting.

In proposing a strategy model for prospecting

Application of the strategic model of trends and prospecting: the use of biotechnology in the development of drugs against breast cancer — a vision of the potentialities and opportunities for Brazil

The relevant arguments for a focus on breast cancer and biotechnology were presented in detail in the paper “Technological Foresight — the use of biotechnology in the development of new drugs against breast cancer”,² when the doctoral thesis studies have been developed. One of the important things to emphasize is that among women worldwide, breast cancer appears as the second most common malignant neoplasm, as well as being a

Final considerations

This article presents evidence that foresight studies based on the methodology used here are of great value when employed in the development of R&D and innovation in scientific areas with social applications, as in the present case of biotechnology for the development of breast cancer drugs.

It is evident that technological foresight has a common base in the process of gathering and treatment of strategic information, the implementation of analytical and reflexive capacities, and the creation of

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^☆: This paper is part of the doctoral thesis of Claudia Canongia. The supervisors were Adelaide Antunes DSc, titular professor of the School of Chemistry (EQ/UFRJ) and Maria de Nazaré Freitas Pereira PhD, expert in the Information Society area.

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Research review paperSynergy between Competitive Intelligence (CI), Knowledge Management (KM) and Technological Foresight (TF) as a strategic model of prospecting — The use of biotechnology in the development of drugs against breast cancer☆

Abstract

Introduction

Section snippets

Knowledge era: the challenge of gloCalization

Why intensive sectors in R&D?

The model of a prospecting strategy for R&D-intensive sectors

Application of the strategic model of trends and prospecting: the use of biotechnology in the development of drugs against breast cancer — a vision of the potentialities and opportunities for Brazil

Final considerations

Technol Forecast Soc Change. New York

Biotechnol Adv

World Pat Inf

Prospecção Tecnológica da Indústria Farmacêutica Nacional: Prospecção Tecnológica e Mercadológica das drogas por Classes Terapêuticas, dos Medicamentos de Alto Custo e dos Genéricos da RENAME. (Study in 8 volumes undertaken for FIOCRUZ as part of the Innovation in Health Project)

Foresight, Inteligência Competitiva e Gestão do Conhecimento: instrumentos para a gestão da inovação

Revista Gestão Produção

Technological Foresight: the use of biotechnology in the development of new drugs against breast cancer

Tech J

Modelo de estratégia de prospecção de setores intensivos em P and D: sinergias entre Inteligência Competitiva (IC), Gestão do Conhecimento (GC), e Foresight (F)

DataGramaZero

Institutions and policies shaping industrial development: an introductory note

Economics consulting and quantitative analysis

The economics contributions of the biotechnology industry to the US economy

Research review paper
Synergy between Competitive Intelligence (CI), Knowledge Management (KM) and Technological Foresight (TF) as a strategic model of prospecting — The use of biotechnology in the development of drugs against breast cancer☆