Public-Private Institutions, Upgrading, and Accessing Knowledge Resources in Emerging Market Societies

Abstract

This article argues that the ability of a firm to access a variety of knowledge resources, and in turn upgrade its products, depends on being tied not simply to any or many organizations and institutions but rather to those that act as social and knowledge bridges across previously isolated producer communities. Through a multi-method analysis of the recent transformation of the Argentine wine industry, we highlight how distinct governance rules for new government support institutions can anchor their multiplex, cross-cutting network qualities, which underpin their ability to provide improved collective resources and reshape the ties between firms.