André Cherubini Alves

The recent challenges of the Brazilian naval and offshore industry have generated a unique opportunity for studies on technological innovation and economic development. This paper presents the recent developments and future prospects of this industry under the theoretical framework of ‘technological interfaces’. Technological interfaces are defined as the thread of knowledge and technology necessary for establishing a transaction between two or more agents. It is both a theoretical construct… Exibir mais

The recent challenges of the Brazilian naval and offshore industry have generated a unique opportunity for studies on technological innovation and economic development. This paper presents the recent developments and future prospects of this industry under the theoretical framework of ‘technological interfaces’. Technological interfaces are defined as the thread of knowledge and technology necessary for establishing a transaction between two or more agents. It is both a theoretical construct and a tool for better understanding industrial coherence and dynamics. The development project of ship and platform construction in Brazil, unveils a potential dynamic similar to large national projects, such as the U.S. space project in the 50s. By establishing scientific parameters of analysis for the study, it is possible to generate a broader diagnosis of the technological interface matrix of the industry, but mainly it is possible to map the framework of operational gaps and the needs for technical-scientific development. Exibir menos

Innovation is considered by many researchers the inevitable outcome for the very survival of the firm. Nonetheless, the focus of most studies on innovation is on the ability of firms to deliver new technological items to the market or develop new technological processes. As important as this approach is, it does not fully explain the reason why some firms sustain better competitive position even when not having a high technological output. We argue that the firm is better understood as a… Exibir mais

Innovation is considered by many researchers the inevitable outcome for the very survival of the firm. Nonetheless, the focus of most studies on innovation is on the ability of firms to deliver new technological items to the market or develop new technological processes. As important as this approach is, it does not fully explain the reason why some firms sustain better competitive position even when not having a high technological output. We argue that the firm is better understood as a combination of certain capabilities and innovation must be seen not only through the technological capabilities approach. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the firm’s innovation through four capabilities that can be found in any firm: development, operations, management and transaction capabilities. We use 44 Brazilian companies to exemplify and demonstrate that the firm’s innovative performance is affected by these different capabilities rather than solely by the technological one. The companies belong to representative industries in Brazil and encompass different technological intensities based on the OECD classification. The data was collected on technical visits, interviews and secondary data. The results show that, although technological capability is an important component for innovation, other capabilities explain why firms differ and perpetuate overtime. Exibir menos

When it comes to innovation, most academic research has focused on technological capabilities as its sole source. However, this should not be taken for granted. The purpose of the investigation is to understand the determinants of innovation in firms, in other words, what causes some firms to be innovative and others not. We use four Brazilian cases in different sectors to exemplify and demonstrate that the firm's innovative performance is affected by four different types of internal… Exibir mais

When it comes to innovation, most academic research has focused on technological capabilities as its sole source. However, this should not be taken for granted. The purpose of the investigation is to understand the determinants of innovation in firms, in other words, what causes some firms to be innovative and others not. We use four Brazilian cases in different sectors to exemplify and demonstrate that the firm's innovative performance is affected by four different types of internal capabilities: technology development, operations, management and transaction capabilities. The companies belong to four different industries: metalworking, electronics, footwear and beverage. Data was collected through a combination of visits, interviews and secondary data. The results show that, although the technological capability of a firm is an important component in the innovation process, it is insufficient in explaining how a firm turns internal invention into market transactions and consequently innovation. Furthermore, to exist, all firms must have developed a minimum level of each of the capabilities described, but the innovative performance of the firm is based on the predominance of at least one of them. Exibir menos

The firm’s role, besides producing goods and services, is to promote technological change and innovation. While academic research on technological capabilities has led to a better understanding of the process of technical change itself, there is no consensus on the ultimate definition of innovation capability. The purpose of this paper is to present a framework for innovation capability. This is formed by four key capabilities (technology development, operations, management and transaction)… Exibir mais

The firm’s role, besides producing goods and services, is to promote technological change and innovation. While academic research on technological capabilities has led to a better understanding of the process of technical change itself, there is no consensus on the ultimate definition of innovation capability. The purpose of this paper is to present a framework for innovation capability. This is formed by four key capabilities (technology development, operations, management and transaction) that enable firms to reach Schumpeterian profits. Given that the study is characterized as a theoretical paper, methodologically is supported on an extensive literature review. Our main findings can be summed up in three aspects: (1) every firm has all four capabilities; none of them are null; (2) to be innovative, at least one of the firm’s capabilities must be predominant; (3) any firm, when established, is primarily technological or transactional, in a second stage, operational or managerial. Exibir menos

As environments become more competitive and change, firms need to look for new ways of competing by implementing changes and innovations aiming at improving or even building new capabilities. Through multiple case studies, we examine the relationship between routines, capabilities and innovation seeking to identify the changes and innovations that have occurred along the trajectory of two wine producing firms in the Serra Gaúcha of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The results indicate that both… Exibir mais

As environments become more competitive and change, firms need to look for new ways of competing by implementing changes and innovations aiming at improving or even building new capabilities. Through multiple case studies, we examine the relationship between routines, capabilities and innovation seeking to identify the changes and innovations that have occurred along the trajectory of two wine producing firms in the Serra Gaúcha of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The results indicate that both companies submitted changes/innovations in routines and capabilities, however, the different strategies and decisions made led to totally different outcomes in terms of size, growth and market-share. Exibir menos