A Inovação Tecnológica na Perspectiva dos Gestores da Indústria Madeireira da Região de Lages, SC

Abstract

Technological innovations take major role in competitiveness of the lumber industry. Thus, the objective of this article was to analyze the management of technological innovation in companies in the mountain chain region in Santa Cantarina. This is an exploratory search, using the questionnaire as a tool applied to collect a sample of 36 timber companies' managers. The categories of analysis are: the sources of innovation learning ways and technologies; the types of innovations and the area of application; and strategies taken to technological innovation. The results identified that the interaction with suppliers from their own potential is the main way of searching technological innovation in the productive processes. Companies seek learning by doing. Meetings and trainings are the forms used for the encouragement to innovations, which in turn are evaluated in the short term. It is concluded that the technological innovations are developed mainly by P&D themselves, introduction of machinery and equipment and for learning via interaction with suppliers. From this trajectory, the technological innovations are practiced, mainly entered into incremental production process via defensive and imitative strategies.