Number, Severity, and Location of Government Protests

Normally, the most of the protests are located in Bogotá. The most recently was located in Soacha, Cundinamarca, a neighbor town located in the southern part of Bogotá. This one, was caused by the bad serviced given by Transmilenio, the massive transport system of the city. It is important to say that normally there are many protests related with the bad service and delays in the system. Also, have been another protests motivated by recently governmental reforms, the most recently was on January 24th in Bolivar Place in Downtown Bogotá. Also, in Universidad Nacional de Colombia, there are constantly protests against government, but almost always there are vandalism acts in those. (Periódico El Tiempo, 2016)

• Periódico El Tiempo. (2016, February 10). Protestas y Manifestaciones - El Tiempo. Retrieved from http://www.eltiempo.com/noticias/protestas-y-manifestaciones

Number of Patents

The patent is a privilege granted by the State to the inventor in recognition of investment and efforts to achieve this technical solution that will bring benefits to mankind. That privilege is the right to exploit the invention only for a certain time. Being alone for 20 years could exploit the invention. Exploitation may consist exclusively and directly market patented, or through third product by licensing or transferring the rights obtained by selling to a third party using the invention. In conclusion, the economic benefit is the inventor and patent holder. (Comercio, 2008). How active are the Colombian companies to protect their innovations? Data from the Superintendence of Industry and Commerce (SIC) show that the number of patent applications in the country is growing, but Colombia is still behind in the world ranking by number of patents. Although foreign are more active than the national to protect their inventions, nationals are gaining ground (Dinero, 2015). Industries increasingly seek to develop new products to achieve patent them and thus increase their income. They are seeking possession as leaders in the market and thus be unique in the sale or delivery of the good or service.

 

References:

Dinero. (19 de Agosto de 2015). Dinero. Recuperado el 13 de Febrero de 2016, de Dinero: http://www.dinero.com/edicion-impresa/negocios/articulo/crece-numero-patentes-empresas-universidades-colombianas/212444

 

Changes in Patents Laws

 

The latest changes to 2014 in Colombia regarding patents take into account two main issues, in order that the patent application process is more efficient and less costly process, the Colombian government has adopted new policies and focused all their efforts in promoting adequate protection of industrial property rights as well as local and foreign companies. The most significant and practical changes particularly related patents are: Regarding the formal requirements, the anti paperwork law has been recently adopted and applied in full in our country. This law is based on the good faith of the actions of people, and has been applied in order to allow the applicant for a patent, bring your application faster and less expensive way. No demand of legalization. Scanned copies of the documents are sufficient to proceed. It is important to clarify that this rule does not apply to certified copies of priorities.

 

In addition, the Patent Office in Colombia, is taking advantage of the procedures that have been advanced in international such as the study of how phase. Reduction in the time of the processing of patents. The patent process has been considerably reduced, because the Patent Office official actions restricted to one line. On the other hand, it has hired additional staff to improve service efficiency. voluntary divisional application changes, the deadline for voluntary modifications to vindicating chapter and to present divisional application period was extended until the filing of the appeal against the ruling rejecting all or part of patent application. (Clarke, 2014)

 

References: 

Clarke, M. &. (28 de Julio de 2014). Clarke, Modet & C. Recuperado el 13 de Febrero de 2016, de Clarke, Modet & C: http://www.clarkemodet.com/es/blog/2014/07/Patentes-en-Colombia--Novedades-Legislativas.html#.VsPCAPLhDIU

 

Environmental Protection Laws

 

Over the years, various government agencies have been instituting environmental protection laws in general for all businesses. The significant increase in pollution due to the different activities without any security plan has led to the awareness regarding environmental care. In Colombia, different environmental policies in order to ensure the proper use and protection of the various renewable and non-renewable natural resources are present in the national constitution. Colombia, despite having great diversity in terms of flora and fauna has great rates scarcity and pollution of major tributaries above water, due largely due to mismanagement on the disposal of waste from large industries. Organizations like SOCARS (Association of Regional Autonomous Corporations), ACODAL (Colombian Association of Sanitary and Environmental Engineering), CENSAT LIVING WATER - FRIENDS OF THE EARTH COLOMBIA: CENSAT, CAR, CEUDES: have the function to lead with quality and efficiency, the realization actions to develop Sanitation in Colombia and Latin America, through the provision of services and the generation and execution of projects. These entities promote care and cleaning where most impact on pollution caused by such irresponsible industries placing restrictions on criminal matters. It is now taking steps to curb pollution since it has begun to see its consequences such as climate change.

 

Level of Defense Expenditures

 

Colombia increases its level of defense budget by 6% compared to 2015. The national government through its minister, you filed last July 29, 2015, in the Congress, the draft general budget of the (PGN); The sectors to which they were assigned higher budget in order are: Education 31b. - Defense 30b. - Work 25b. - Health 20b. The defense portfolio is second in our country, as more resources sector and although effective for 2016 was earmarked 30 billion - 2 billion more this term 2015 the resources allocated for performance equal to 97% the allocated budget, while for the item investment, which are the resources used among other things, to acquire systems and defense platforms for our country was allocated 3% having this item a reduction of 2% compared to the resources allocated for investment in 2015. by 2015, the budget allocated for investment was 5%, while for 2016 the budget for investment equivalent to only 3% of the total budget allocated to the ministry. It is impossible not to note the huge amount allocated for defense against other sectors in Colombia, but with all the huge budget allocated to defense in our country, we lack many military systems and next-generation platforms such as MBTs, 4G Fighters, SAMs, MLRS and many other systems that other countries with smaller budget, if they are within their armed forces and much of this is due, at enormous cost in operation with our armed forces to be "swallowed" today, 97% of the budget allocated to that portfolio, leaving only 3% for investment. (AlexC, 2015)

 

References:

AlexC. (2 de Agosto de 2015). America Militar. Recuperado el 13 de Febrero de 2016, de America Militar: http://americamilitar.com/actualidad-militar/2039-gobierno-radica-el-presupuesto-general-de-la-nacion-2016-sector-defensa-con-30-billones-de-pesos.html#gsc.tab=0

 

Legislation on Equal Employment

 

In Colombia there are already laws that protect professional rights equality between men and women. The Employment Equity makes an essential part of respecting and protecting human rights, and the fair and equitable economic development; in this sense is part of an effective route to achieving peace. The Ministry of Labour has set up a panel, attached to the Office of the Minister, which seeks to ensure the mainstreaming of differential approaches to all policies, programs and projects developed and that has an impact on this portfolio. Dignified, decent and quality work must be a real possibility for all Colombians in the country.

 

In addition, there are National Employment Equity Program with Gender Focus seeks to: 1. Preventing discrimination and inequities in the workplace because of their gender. 2. Reducing unemployment gaps between men and women and gender occupational segregation. 3. Reduce informality concentrated in women. 4. To promote and strengthen social dialogue and create mechanisms for monitoring, controlling and monitoring indicators of gender gaps in the labor market. This is a comprehensive public policy, involving public and private institutions in the search for the reduction of gender discrimination in matters of access and retention in employment. (Ministerio deTrabajo, 2016).

 

References:

MinisteriodeTrabajo. (2016). Ministerio de Trabajo. Recuperado el 13 de Febrero de 2016, de Ministerio de Trabajo: http://www.mintrabajo.gov.co/equidad.html

 

Level of Government Subsidies

 

The Colombian government with the constitution of 1991 includes social assistance programs and projects and make a distribution of income in the most vulnerable to municipal, departmental and national levels through the Grants people. Among the subsidies provided by the relevant State they are: housing subsidies, education grants and health subsidies. Some state subsidies are included in the Sisbén, "information system designed by the Government to identify potential families beneficiaries of social programs" (Martinez, 2013). Each grant awarded to people who are in deplorable situations, aim improves their quality of life; the government each year provides more investment to these plans to eradicate poverty, poor education and provide better health service.

 

References:

MARTINEZ, Y. Y. (2013). LOS SUBSIDIOS DEL ESTADO COLOMBIANO Y EL COMPORTAMIENTO. Bogotá: ERLY YEISURE MARTINEZ. Recuperado el 13 de Febrero de 2016, de http://repository.unimilitar.edu.co/bitstream/10654/12138/1/LOS%20SUBSIDIOS%20DEL%20ESTADO%20COLOMBIANO%20Y%20EL%20COMPORTAMIENTO%20SOCIECON%C3%93MICO%20QUE%20SE%20GENERA%20POR%20EL%20ACCESO%20A%20ESTOS.pdf

 

 

Size of government budget

As seen in the chart taken from the web page “trading economics” the government budget deficit in the last 2014 was in -2.4% this means that the government investment has decreased over the past years now that for example in 2010 the budget deficit was of -3.9%, in 4 years the budget deficit has decreased in about 1.5% showing that the government is decreasing investment and even is decreasing its subsidies for example in the industry of food. If we take a look at the article published by “portfolio” which interviewed the minister of estate Mauricio Cardenas in June of 2015, he said that the deficit for the last trimester of 2015 was going to grow to a 3%, this means an increment of 0.6% from 2014. This gives the brief conclusion that the government is staying in a deficit between the 2% and the 3% that is going to maintain a stable economy and sometimes a decrease on government spending.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://www.tradingeconomics.com/colombia/government-budget

http://www.portafolio.co/economia/deficit-fiscal-colombia-2015-cardenas-ministerio-hacienda

 

World oil, currency and labor markets

The oil prices have decreased in a very big way, in the chart taken from daily fix it can be seen that in the past 6 Months the prices have decreased in an approximate 60% creating more unemployment and a higher currency in countries like Colombia also affecting all companies that work in dollars especially the one who base themselves on oil. Also in the magazine the diplomat it states that the currency hasn’t been so affected like this by the fall of oil prices this generating protests to banks to verify their mortgage. Because of this buying in dollar currency is being a very complicated situations and industries must adapt and look for organizational changes to maintain in equilibrium with the high change of the currency.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://thediplomat.com/2016/01/kazakh-currency-and-global-oil-prices-hit-record-lows/

https://www.dailyfx.com/crude-oil

 

 Location and severity of terrorist activities

 

As seen in the map Most of the endagred areas in Colombia take place in the valle, cauca, antoquia, meta huila and others from the same area. The two most dangerous terrorist groups in Colombia are the ELN and the Farc but as seen in the second map given by the same web page Keinyke it is seen that farc has more influence than the ELN, also in the web page of Universidad Santo tomas it talks about the illicit products that the terrorist sell and this is one of the resources they have to grow. For industries that work in the field they need to be cautious about this terrorist activity now that this may be the main factor affecting the productivity of an agricultural firm.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://www.kienyke.com/politica/las-zonas-de-mas-violencia-en-colombia/

http://tomasnoticias.usta.edu.co/index.php/2014-09-18-22-30-37/691-colombia-y-la-seguridad-internacional-exportacion-de-conocimiento-contra-el-estado-islamico

 

Local state and national elections:

In Recent October, there where elections for candidates in the cities and the departments, IN Bogota the Cambio radical and recuperemos Bogota candidate Enrique Peñalosa after almost 20 years since his last time as a mayor returned to the city giving a very different government that the city has received for over the last 12 years, Bogota is also seen as a department a nationally President Juan Manuel Santos has maintained his presidency over 6 years preparing for elections in 2 years witch looks at the movement of Cambio Radical as a big winner for the future president elections. For the industries of Bogota, the new movement creates an awareness of new policies created and for the presidency industries need to maintain in the ideology of peacekeeping of Santos.

http://www.eluniversal.com.co/politica/ya-esta-la-primera-lista-de-presidenciables-para-el-2018-209975

http://www.semana.com/nacion/articulo/enrique-penalosa-nuevo-alcalde-de-bogota/447614-3

 

Import-export regulation

Most of Colombia’s duties have been consolidated into three tariff levels: 0 percent to 5 percent on capital goods, industrial goods, and raw materials not produced in Colombia; 10 percent on manufactured goods, with some exceptions; and 15 percent to 20 percent on consumer and "sensitive" goods

The gap left Colombia to trade with the world in 2014 due to the combination of the annual fall of 6.8 percent in exports and increased 7.9 percent in foreign purchases. (Also: In November, plummeting 22.6% in exports)

 

 

http://www.export.gov/colombia/doingbusinessincolombia/traderegulationsstandards/index.asp

http://www.eltiempo.com/economia/sectores/exportaciones-e-importaciones-en-colombia-deficit-comercial-marco-un-record-en-el-2014/15274590

 

 

Goverment fiscal and monetary policy changes

 

Fiscal policy is expansive, when the state increases its spending or reduce taxes, and that brings the consequence  of, investors and consumers have more resources to offer and purchase goods and services.

Colombia's fiscal policy is presented as a structure which seeks to dominate a political-economic order. Its main objective is to prevail a good performance against monetary policy to reduce the public deficit, if concerned, and in turn have clear accounts in cats, taxes, and debt of the nation. It is noteworthy that this relationship Colombia fiscal policy and monetary policy, appears in most cases as a support from the central banks.

 

http://sobrepolitica.com/politica-fiscal-de-colombia/

 

special local, state,  and federal laws

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is the federal legislation that gives civil rights protections and guarantees equal opportunity for individuals with disabilities in: public accommodations, employment, transportation, state and local government services, and telecommunications
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) partners with other federal agencies to enforce regulations that implement environmental laws enacted by Congress. 
Federal laws generally apply to people living in the United States and its territories. 

 

 

https://www.usa.gov/laws-and-regulations

 

political conditions in foreign countries

In 2018, Colombia will strengthen its bilateral and multilateral agendas foreign policy priority on the axes of sustainable development. Neighbors and countries in Latin America and the Caribbean will continue to receive priority attention and will continue to position the strategic vision of Colombia on international policy in regional and global forums. In support of peacebuilding, we will work with traditional partners in North America, Latin America, Europe and Asia, as well as non-traditional in Central Asia, Asia Pacific and Africa. For South-South Cooperation, new agendas will be built and existing Asia-Pacific Central Asia, and Africa will be strengthened. In this context, the links between businessmen and Colombian students with such partners will establish themselves, to reap the mutual benefits in institutional strengthening and improvement of human capital, as a result inherent in such exchanges.

http://www.cancilleria.gov.co/ministry/policy