Since the 70's, in the developed countries and the 80's, in the developing countries, the role and the efficiency in the process of technological transfer of the research centers for the productive sector is being questioned. This paper tries to discuss the results of a research performed in six technological research centers of the agribusiness sector in Minas Gerais, Brazil (three public and three private and two of them linked to transnational enterprises). The restructuring is a tonic in all those ones and priorities focus converges with the research agenda of the international centers. Those transformations, however, began in the 70's by the multinational enterprises and at the end of the 80's by the Brazilian ones. That difference has brought important effects in the continuity of the research in these centers and the development accompaniment in the technological border, once the State, biggest financier is reducing the financial support.
R&D centers; restructuring research; competitivity
