Managing Innovation in Small High-Technology Firms: A Case Study in Brazil

  • Mauricio Uriona Maldonado 3Knowledge Engineering Department. Federal University of Santa Catarina
  • Norberto Dias Cianet Networking Co.
  • Gregorio Jean Varvakis Rados 3Knowledge Engineering Department. Federal University of Santa Catarina
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4067/S0718-27242009000200011
Keywords: innovation, SME, high technology companies, performance measurement.

Abstract

Evaluating innovation competence and practices is a significant and complex issue for many contemporary organizations and it presents itself as a challenge for forthcoming initiatives. In this article, we present the case study of a small high-technology firm. Cianet Networking is a digital communication solutions manufacturer in Brazil that went through the implementation of an innovation management assessment system. This article reports the challenges the firm faced through the diagnosing/benchmarking and action plan proposal phases as well as the challenges facing the implementation phase. This system helped the firm to understand their strengths and weaknesses as well as to establish action plans in order to achieve higher performance. Since the beginning of the implementation, the results have corroborated the firm´s positive operational outcomes.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Metrics

Metrics Loading ...

Author Biographies

Mauricio Uriona Maldonado, 3Knowledge Engineering Department. Federal University of Santa Catarina
He is a Ph.D. candidate in Knowledge Engineering and Management, Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC), Brazil. He received a M.Sc. in Knowledge Engineering and Management at UFSC, Brazil, and a bachelor’s in Industrial Engineering from Escuela Militar de Ingenieria (EMI), Bolivia. His research interests include simulation - system dynamics - applied to service operations and knowledge and innovation management. He is a Senior Researcher at the Nucleo de Gestao para Sustentabilidade (NGS) at UFSC. His industry experience include management consultancy with Brazilian and Bolivian companies.
Norberto Dias, Cianet Networking Co.
CEO and founder of Cianet Networking Inc. He currently participates as a member of several Brazilian Science and Technology deliberative councils
Gregorio Jean Varvakis Rados, 3Knowledge Engineering Department. Federal University of Santa Catarina
He earned his Ph.D in Manufacturing Engineering at Loughborough University of Technology, United Kingdom. He works as a Senior Lecturer at the Knowledge Engineering Department, Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC), Brazil. His research interests include knowledge management and business process management in service operations.

References

ADAMS, R., Bessant, J., Phelps, R. (2006). Innovation management measurement: A review. International Journal of Management Reviews. 8(1), 21-47.

ANDERSEN B., Pettersen P. (1996). The Benchmarking Handbook. Springer.

CALEGARI, J. F. M. (2005). Desenvolvimento de uma ferramenta para operacionalizar o estudo de benchmarking Made in Brazil. M.Sc. Dissertation in Production Engineering. Federal University of Santa Catarina - Brazil.

FREEMAN, C. (1987). Technology policy and economic performance: lessons from Japan. Londres: Printer Publishers.

GARIBA, J. M. (2005). Um modelo de avaliação de cursos superiores de tecnologia baseado na ferramenta benchmarking. PhD Thesis in Production Engineering. Federal University of Santa Catarina - Brazil.

HAMEL, G., Prahalad, C.K. (1994). Competing for the future. Harvard Business School Press.

Instituto Euvaldo Lodi - IEL/SC. (2006). Innovation Diagnostic Report.

JESTON, J., Nelis, J. (2008). Business Proce ss Management. Practical guidelines to successful implementations. Elsevier, Oxford.

LUNDVALL, B.A. (1988). Innovation as an interactive process. From user-producer interaction to the national system of innovation. In: DOSI, G. et al. (Eds.). Technical change and Economic Theory. Pinter, Londres.

MCADAM, R., Keogh, W. (2004). Transitioning towards creativity and innovation measurement in SMEs. Creativiy and Innovation Management. 13(2), 126-139.

MAZO, E. M. (2003). Benchstar metodologia de benchmarking para análise da gestão da produção nas micro e pequenas empresas. Ms.C. Dissertation in Production Engineering. Federal University of Santa Catarina - Brazil.

NEELY, A. (1999). "The performance measurement revolution: why now and what next". International Journal of Operations and Production Management. 19(2), 205-228.

NELSON, R.; Winter, S. (1982). An evolutionary theory of economic change. Cambridge: Havard University Press.

NONAKA, I., Takeuchi, H. (1995). The knowledge creating company: How japanese companies create the Dynamics of Innovation. New York: Oxford University Press.

Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development - OECD (2006). Innovation and Knowledge-intensive service activities. OECD Publishing.

Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development - OECD (1997). Oslo Manual. OECD Publishing.

PORTER, M. (1980). Competitive Strategy: Techniques for Analyzing Industries and Competitors. Free Press.

ROSENBERG, N. (1982). Inside the black box : technology and economics. Cambridge: Cambridge University.

SCHUMPETER, J.A. (1983). Capitalismo, Socialismo y Democracia. Orbis.

SEIBEL, S. (2004). Um modelo de Benchmarking baseado no sistema produtivo classe mundial para avaliação de práticas e desempenhos da indústria exportadora brasileira. PhD Thesis in Production Engineering. Federal University of Santa Catarina - Brazil.

SHIBA, S., Graham, A., Walden, D. (1997). TQM. Quatro revoluções na gestão da qualidade. Porto Alegre: Bookman.

SOLOW, R. (1994). Perspectives on growth theory. The journal of economic perspectives. 8(1).

VOOS, C., Ahlstrom, P. & Blackmon, K. (1997). Benchmarking and Operational Performance: some empirical results. Journal of Operations and Production Management. 17(10), 273-285.

YASIN, M. (2002). The Theory and Practice of benchmarking: then and now. Benchmarking, and International Journal. 9(3), 217-243.

Published
2009-07-21
How to Cite
Uriona MaldonadoM., DiasN., & Varvakis RadosG. J. (2009). Managing Innovation in Small High-Technology Firms: A Case Study in Brazil. Journal of Technology Management & Innovation, 4(2), 130-142. https://doi.org/10.4067/S0718-27242009000200011
Issue
Vol. 4 No. 2 (2009)
Section
Case Studies

 Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:

    1. Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
    2. Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
    3. Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).