Espacios. Espacios. Vol. 31 (1) 2010. Pág. 22

Conditionning Factors for Innovative Performance of the Industrial Companies

Factores que influencian el desempeño en innovación de compañías industriales

Clandia Maffini Gomes* e Isak Kruglianskas**

Recibido: 13-07-09 - Aprobado: 25-09-09


Contenido


ABSTRACT:
The survey was carried through in industrial companies Brazilian innovators having aimed to contribute for the inferences on the form of technology management and the innovative performance. The factorial analysis disclosed that the main factors that influence the technology management are the partnership with other companies, the cooperation with university, the accomplishment of catalog purchases, the participation in conferences, fairs and technical and scientific publications, the relationship with clients, the adoption of criteria in the choice of information sources as timeframes and flexibility in services, capacity of identification of opportunities, the lack of coordination and the extreme bureaucracy, the existing laws regulations and standards, expertise and existing prior relationship between the partners, the training of the employees and existing administrative structure and the technical and market potential. The main factors that influence the innovative performance are the market performance, the market competitiveness, the quality of the processes and the technological competence.

RESUMEN:
El examen fue llevado a través en los innovadores brasileños de las compañías industriales que apuntaban contribuir para las inferencias en la forma de gerencia de la tecnología y del funcionamiento innovador. El análisis factorial divulgó que los factores principales que influencian a gerencia de la tecnología son la sociedad con otras compañías, la cooperación con la universidad, la realización de las compras del catálogo, la participación en conferencias, ferias y publicaciones técnicas y científicas, la relación con los clientes, la adopción de criterios en la opción de las fuentes de información como timeframes y flexibilidad en servicios, capacidad de la identificación de oportunidades, la carencia de la coordinación y la burocracia extrema, las regulaciones y los estándares existentes de los leyes, maestría y relación anterior existente entre los socios, el entrenamiento de los empleados y estructura administrativa existente y el potencial técnico y de mercado. Los factores principales que influencian el funcionamiento innovador son el funcionamiento del mercado, la competitividad del mercado, la calidad de los procesos y la capacidad tecnológica.

1 Introduction

This study has the aim of understanding the different processes for managing external sources of technology information, with a major focus on practices that companies actually adopt. The specific intention of the study is to construct a theoretical and practical frame of reference for developing processes of sustainable technological innovation.

Managing sources of information not only helps an organization harmonize the potential inside and outside sources of information. It also helps organizations broaden their activities geared to stimulating and bringing about innovation. Companies today are setting up more and more alliances in order to make use of external sources of information for innovation, but they still lack explicit management strategies.

This survey, quantitative in nature, was conducted at Brazilian industrial companies defined as having innovative characteristics. The aim of the survey was to contribute to greater knowledge about the relationships between the management of external sources of technology information and the innovative performance of the companies surveyed. To attain this objective ad multivariate analyze were carried out on the independent and dependent variables.

The analysis of the specific practices adopted by companies during the process of technological innovation is a strategic topic for competitiveness in a globalized market.

2 Sources of Information for Innovation in Companies

Processes for generating ideas can be developed anywhere and by any individual, inside or outside a company. Identifying sources of information is one of the most important methods of obtaining new ideas for developing products or processes (Fernandes, 1998).

A number of different studies have been carried out in the attempt to identify sources of information and their relationships with innovation. Hartman, Tower and Sebora (1994), for example, say that the topics of importance and frequency of using sources of information in companies are of growing interest in studies in the area. Reviewing different studies, the authors drew up a model consisting of twelve sources of information for innovation. These sources are: observation of clients' needs; problems related to products, services and processes; competitors; interaction with suppliers, as well as with families, friends, employees and trainees in the organization; newspapers, magazines and other publications; government; discussions on mistakes; and individual imagination.

Discussing learning and innovation in Brazilian industrial companies, A. Fleury and M. T. Fleury, (1997) describe the results of a study conducted on the eighteen leading companies in different sectors in the State of São Paulo, Brazil. In this study, industrial officers evaluated the relative importance of eight different sources of information used to structure companies with a view to becoming more competitive. Most of the leading companies base themselves on publications, a fact that may mean they are looking for standardized solutions. Visits and contacts with consultants were also considered very important, even indispensable, for synergy among companies involved in mutual learning processes.

Laursen and Salter (2004) analyzed sources of information and knowledge for innovation in British manufacturing companies. These sources were grouped into internal and external. The group of external sources was broken down further into market, institutional, specialized, and other sources. The results indicate that internal sources are the most often used, followed by outside market sources. The results also show that innovation activities at British companies are determined by their relationships with both suppliers and consumers, and by the way they organize their internal activities to back up innovation.

Sources of information for innovation were also identified in the approach taken by Salter and Gann (2003) at a large British company. The study, carried out on company employees, showed that the main sources used are internal and personal, consisting of conversations with fellow workers, projects, and prior experiences.

The various studies mentioned above indicate the existence of similarities in the sources of information used by companies. Thus, in order to draw up a frame of reference to be used in this survey, a chart is shown below, containing the main external sources of technology information identified, according to references mentioned in the literature, as can be seen in Figure 1.

Despite being somewhat different from one another and with conceptual specificities, the various studies examined show many similarities regarding the main types of sources of technology information used by companies, regardless of their nationalities and their contexts of operation. On the basis of theory and on the research presented, the reader can easily realize the importance of adequate management of the numerous sources. The complexity of the relationships established among partners in innovation activities must also be recognized in companies today. The next section discusses aspects related to the management of external sources of technology information.

Figure 1 - External sources of technology information: a synthesis of the recommendations of various authors

 

External sources of technology information

Linder, Jarvenpaa, Davenport

(2003)

Tidd et al. (1997)

Beltramo, Mason, Paul

(2004)

Laursen, Salter

(2004)

Salter, Gann

(2003)

Fleury, A.; Fleury, M. T

(1997)

1. Acquisition of technology                                                                                                               

Suppliers

x

 

 

x

 

 

Clients

x

 

 

x

x

 

Competitors

x

 

 

x

 

 

Licensing

x

x

 

x

 

 

Commercial laboratories

x

 

 

x

 

 

R&D of other companies

 

 

 

x

 

 

Sub-contracting/ outsourcing

 

x

 

 

 

 

Acquisition of companies

 

x

 

 

 

 

2. Investments in technology

Venture capital

x

 

 

x

 

 

Strategic alliances

 

x

 

 

 

 

Joint ventures

 

x

 

 

 

 

3. Development of technology in partnership (co-sourcing)

Universities and other educational institutions

x

x

x

x

 

 

Governmental research organizations

 

x

x

x

 

 

Other public and private institutions

 

x

x

x

 

 

Private research institutes

x

x

x

x

 

 

Partnerships with other companies

x

 

x

 

x

 

Partnerships with competitors

x

 

x

 

x

 

Partnerships with suppliers

x

 

 

x

 

 

4. Use of community sources

Leading users

x

 

 

 

 

 

Community networks

x

 

 

 

 

 

Community of practices

x

 

 

 

 

 

5. Acquisition of external resources

 

 

 

 

 

 

Contracting of outside talents

x

 

 

 

 

x

Consultancy

x

 

 

x

 

 

6. Miscellaneous

Scientific and professional conferences

 

 

 

x

 

 

Scientific, business and professional associations

 

 

 

x

 

x

Fairs and exhibits

 

 

 

x

x

 

Technical and scientific publications

 

 

 

 

x

x

Online databases

 

 

 

 

x

 

Visits to other companies in the group

 

 

 

 

 

x

Visits to other companies or licensors

 

 

 

 

x

x

Networks – relationships between scientists and engineers of other companies and organizations

 

 

x

 

 

 

Adoption of technological standards - health, safety and environment

 

 

 

x

 

 

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* Santa Maria Federal University. Email: clandia@smail.ufsm.br
** São Paulo University. Email: ikruglia@usp.br

Vol. 31 (1) 2010
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