Publicación:
Zonas francas y sofisticación tecnológica de las exportaciones colombianas

Fecha

2025-10-30

Autores

Del Rosario Suero, Cinthia Esther

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Universidad EAFIT

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Resumen

This study analyzes the relationship between Colombian free zones and the technological sophistication of exports over the period 2005–2024. It adopts a non-experimental, longitudinal design with a descriptive–correlational scope, grounded in a quantitative approach. A technological sophistication index was developed based on Lall’s (2000) classification, applied to microdata covering both total exports and those originating from free zones. The findings reveal that free zones display a technological sophistication index 42.7% higher than that of national exports and, on average, contributed 2.3% to the national index during the study period. Nevertheless, their relative weight in foreign trade remains limited, which may restrict their structural impact. At the subnational level, coastal departments such as Atlántico, Bolívar, and Valle del Cauca account for the largest share, underscoring the importance of geographic location. Heterogeneous trajectories were also observed: in some cases, the establishment of permanent free zones coincided with improvements in sophistication in Cundinamarca and Risaralda; in Quindío, with deterioration; while in Cauca and Santander, no significant effects were detected. The study concludes that free zones may operate as enclaves of diversification and resilience, particularly in the face of external crises, but they do not by themselves constitute engines of technological transformation. Their contribution ultimately depends on structural characteristics of the departments, which the literature links to governance, incentives, and infrastructure.

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Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)