The innovation practices and the process of strategies creation: a study of small enterprises technology base in the periods of incubation and post-incubation

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to identify innovation practices presents in the creational process of strategies in small technology-based companies in its incubation and post-incubation period (graduated enterprises). Technology-based enterprises (EBT), mostly characterized as small businesses, have management specificities that influence the creational process of strategies. In this companies the innovation (products and processes, incremental and/or radical) is a constant in its management process. Many EBT begin their activities supported by business incubator and, after a period, their activities are done without the synergy provided by the incubator structure (physical and business). To achieve the proposed objective, will be realized a multi-case study in 04 technology-based companies located in São Carlos-SP, classified as a qualitative and exploratory study. The data collection will be accomplished by interviews with the responsible for strategies creation and with the incubator manager. This study intend to contribute to reduce the gap on the innovation process present in the strategic management of technology base firms, as it is proposed to consider the specificities of the segment in the strategies creation process. This project, part of a set of surveys conducted by the Group of Organizational Studies of the Small Business (GEOPE), aims to contribute with new research related to innovation process and strategic management, such as the elaboration of public policies geared to the small business and the technology-based companies.