Adriana Marotti de Mello

Innovative capacity maintenance by automakers in a product development outsourcing scenario: the case of VW in Brazil

This paper attempts to discuss how automotive firms could benefit from New Product Development outsourcing, without hollowing out their knowledge base, analysing which variables would have significant impact on maintenance of firm Innovative Capacity. A multiple cases study was conducted about the development of new vehicles in Brazil. The main conclusion suggests that Brazilian automakers are, so far, with current industry and product architecture structure, being able to maintain their Innovative Capacity even with initiatives of outsourcing NPD and also showed the contribution of each one of the variables found in literature and empiric research.

New initiatives, trends and dilemmas for the Brazilian automotive industry: the case of Inovar Auto and its impacts on electromobility in Brazil

In the mid 2012, the Brazilian Government established the bases of a new industrial policy for the automotive sector. Under the acronym Inovar Auto, the complete name unfolds: programme for fostering technological innovation and densification of the automotive productive chain. This paper intends to detail and to analyse this programme, highlighting its weaknesses and strengths. With this, a comparison is to be made between previous initiatives and the one now starting. The authors also intend to analyse if and how the development of technologies associated to the electric car will effectively be fostered by the Inovar Auto, given that it is a technology pointing towards the future of the industry and does not yet count on leading technologies in world terms which, in theory, may pave the way for inserting Brazil in this market.

Exploring scenarios for the possibility of developing design and production competencies of electrical vehicles in Brazil

The aim of this study is to analyse, under the theoretical foundation of institutional and evolutionary theory, what kind of conditions would be necessary to enable market and develop competencies for electrical vehicles development in Brazil, and the assessment of possible future scenarios. Literature, secondary data documents as well as research on patent basis and interviews with relevant actors of the sector were performed, trying to map and to prospect what kind of competencies are being developed in the country. Results showed that are some small movements made towards the development of electrical mobility in the country, mainly outside traditional automotive sector, but they lack strong coordination and the support from public policies. A possible strategy, with the development of specific products, such as small urban vehicles or applications such as buses or utility vehicles, could be one way to start the development path to a local stronger industry in the near future.

CONHECIMENTO DE ARQUITETURA DE PRODUTO COMO ELEMENTO CHAVE PARA A MANUTENÇÃO DA CAPACIDADE INOVADORA DE UMA EMPRESA – O CASO DA INDÚSTRIA AUTOMOTIVA

O Conhecimento de arquitetura de produto pode ser definido como o conhecimento requerido para unir diferentes modulos e componentes em um sistema coerente, com funcionalidade integrada. Este conhecimento seria fundamental para transformar em especificacoes funcionais de produtos os desejos e necessidades do mercado consumidor e assim, manter a capacidade de uma empresa inovar em determinado mercado, a partir de um dado paradigma tecnologico. Atraves de um estudo de caso sobre o desenvolvimento de um dos veiculos populares mais vendidos no Brasil, este trabalho procura discutir como este conhecimento influencia a manutencao da capacidade de inovar de uma montadora de veiculos. A conclusao e de que o conhecimento de arquitetura ainda e uma competencia exclusiva das montadoras. E atraves desta competencia que a montadora continua capaz de detectar as necessidades e desejos do mercado e traduzi-las especificacoes de um produto que as atenda. E os fornecedores, dentro desse mesmo paradigma tecnologico, nao possuiriam essa competencia.

Contribuição aos critérios de projeto organizacional para inovação na indústria petroquímica brasileira

The Petrochemical Industry (including the Brazilian Petrochemical industry) is a well-established and mature sector that has always introduced product and process incremental innovation. On the other hand, in order to maintain its competitiveness, this sector needs more radical innovation. According to the literature, companies that need both incremental and radical innovation should adopt an Ambidextrous Organization (or Semi-Structured Organization) using processes, management tools, and structures suitable for each innovation project. But how exactly should this ambidextrous organization be? This study attempts to contribute to this discussion by proposing criteria for an Organizational Design suitable for the development of incremental and radical innovations in a systematic manner in consolidated companies in mature industries, assuming that there would be no single model to be prescribed. The research method used was the multiple-case study of three innovative companies, in which eleven innovation projects were analyzed. The results indicate that although there is a concern about dividing structures for the development of incremental and radical innovations, in practice, there is no significant difference in the way projects are conducted. The model proposed offers a set of guidelines and criteria for each company to adapt its structure and processes to the different challenges faced by innovation projects at each stage of their development.

Costs and benefits of following cost strategies in Value Chains

This paper looks into how cost-based competitive priorities affect a firms upgrading in its value chain. The literature still consider cost-based competitive priorities relevant for firms under diverse strategic positioning, despite recommending contingencies for avoiding shortsighted approaches. It is opportune to understand how that holds under the perspective of Global Value Chains literature, since upgrading is one of its central concepts and represents the dynamic by which a firm is able to reach better positions in the value generation process. Researchers and practitioners have considered this dynamic a way for avoiding predatory competition, reinforcing the dangers of employing short-term strategies when pursuing it. The research question is: How cost-based strategies interfere in suppliers upgrading in a value chain? A multi-case study in the Serious Games segment of the Digital Games Industry allows advancing this investigation. These games have purposes other than entertainment, usually focusing on supporting skills learning or acquisition and find applications in very diverse fields. Results suggest that cost based strategies have greater chances of leading a supplier towards upgrading when self-imposed, compared to when derived from the leading firms guidance.

MANUTENÇÃO DA CAPACIDADE INOVADORA NA EXTERNALIZAÇÃO DO DESENVOLVIMENTO DE PRODUTOS: O CASO DA INDÚSTRIA AUTOMOBILÍSTICA

Com o objetivo de diversificar o portfolio de produtos e reduzir prazos e custos de desenvolvimento, cada vez mais as empresas externalizam o Desenvolvimento de Produtos (DP) para fornecedores. Se por um lado, o maior envolvimento de fornecedores garante acesso a novas tecnologias, por outro lado pode impactar negativamente na capacidade inovadora da empresa, atraves da dependencia do conhecimento de seus fornecedores. Entao, como poderia uma empresa manter sua capacidade inovadora mesmo com a externalizacao do DP? Este artigo tem como objetivo discutir essa questao, analisando a influencia do conhecimento de arquitetura, ou seja, o conhecimento de como integrar diferentes pecas e modulos em um sistema com funcionalidade integrada, na manutencao da capacidade inovadora em uma empresa que externaliza atividades de DP para seus fornecedores. Foi realizado em estudo de caso sobre o desenvolvimento de um veiculo popular no Brasil, e as conclusoes apontam que a empresa que mantem controle sobre o conhecimento de arquitetura do produto, poderia manter sua capacidade de inovar, mesmo com a externalizacao do DP.