An approach to the social dimension of the technology transfer process in the Cuban biopharmaceutical industry

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Abstract

Since its emergence, the Cuban biotechnology sector stands out among the most important sectors
of the Cuban economic development strategy. After an accelerated advance of their product and
project portfolios, the centers have incorporated commercial activity as part of a closed productive
cycle strategy. Cuba has successfully developed its technology production capacity and, as a result,
occupies an important place in technology transfer in this sector. This paper aims to demonstrate
the social dimension of the technology transfer process associated with the Cuban biotechnology
industry, based on the analysis of two practical experiences with high generalizing value. The role
of the chemical engineer in the decision making associated with the evaluation of technologies to
be transferred from one productive plant of the Center for Molecular Immunology (CIM) to another
and in the evaluation of projects that include the transfer of technology between this institution and
a foreign investor country is critically analyzed. It has been demonstrated that technology transfer
in the sector, as in other areas of development, necessarily requires an integral evaluation, the more
limited the purely technical it is and the more complete the more weight the social dimension has in
the analysis.