Fatores de resiliência regional evolucionária: a realidade de uma região especializada na produção de calçados do Rio Grande do Sul/Brasil

Abstract

Evolutionary regional resilience consists of an important discussion about the ability of a territory to conceive and implement new resources and skills that allow it to adapt favorably to the dynamics of transformation driven by changes in the environment, in the long term. In this sense, this research analyzed the evolutionary regional resilience process of a region with a productive specialty in a peripheral country, Vale do Paranhana/RS – Brazil, based on regional resilience factors. The main contributions of the thesis consist of theoretical discussion and empirical research, where the critical factors of evolutionary regional resilience were operationalized through the perception of regional actors about them, in a social and geographic context little addressed in other works related to regional resilience. For such, a case study of the region of Vale do Paranhana/RS was adopted and a mixed approach, using as the main method the analysis of primary qualitative data, collected through the accomplishment of 36 non-structured interviews focused with regional actors. Secondary data, such as indicators and regional data, were also used to characterize the trajectory of the Vale do Paranhana and complement the analysis. As a result, the adaptability factors of the region, its history and dependence on the trajectory and social capital and local quality of life are positive and offer solid bases for the region to develop, in the perception of regional actors and analysis of secondary data. On the other hand, there are obvious weaknesses, since the actors identify other factors necessary for evolutionary resilience as non-existent, such as knowledge networks, R&D and Innovation, the interaction and articulation between regional actors and difficulties related to institutional structures and the labor market. In addition, the analysis of secondary data identified a reduction in variables such as GDP per capita, number of productive establishments and employment relationships, especially in the footwear industrial segment and, on the other hand, an increase in the region's GDP and in the number of employees with higher education completed or in progress, growth of jobs in activities related to services and civil construction, in addition to evolutions in the Human Development Index. Thus, the main challenges for the evolutionary regional resilience of Vale do Paranhana are the development of local labor and attracting young people to the predominant activities in Vale do Paranhana. Also, the interaction between regional actors is indicated as necessary by the interviewees. From the conduct of the research, it is clear that the use of a mixed methodology contributed to the analysis of evolutionary regional resilience, since the analysis of secondary data was initially adopted and it was identified that they indicated a stable situation for resilience. However, from the conduction of an analysis with primary data, weaknesses were perceived in different regional factors, captured through the perception of the actors that are in the region and that do not appear in quantitative statistics, since it is based on an analysis of dynamics that are ongoing. Also, the adoption of regional resilience factors as a basis for analyzing it from an evolutionary perspective proves to be able to serve as a subsidy for the creation of strategies and policies for regional development.