Processos de importação, absorção e criação de conhecimento e sua relação com a inovação de produtos no desenvolvimento de calçados: o caso Bibi

Abstract

In a globalize and highly competitive market, manufacturers pursue differentiation on innovation and face a growing challenge: to manage and create the expertise in order to materialize it as a product innovation. The main objective of this review is to analyze importing processes, the absorption and the creation of knowledge associated to the innovation of developing products for a children’s shoes factory. To build this review it was deployed a qualitative type methodology, being used a unique case study. As a strategy for this research the subject of this review was a company that manufactures children’s shoes and that is widely renowned by its innovating strategies. Data collection was made through document checks, interviews and participating observation. To orientate the analysis and data discussion it was followed three category of analysis: expertise intensive steps, importing processes and the absorption and generation of expertise for products development. The study revealed five expertise intensive steps; the first referred to the creation process by the fashion designers; the second on its validation with the products manager; the third related to the product validation with the internal managers; the fourth was related to the validation with external sources and the fifth step was the final product validation by the company's directors. With regards to the importing and knowledge absorption, it was identified that the same were facilitated by Internet data access, in fashion trends' blogs, especially the ones about adult fashion. Moreover the creation of knowledge is provided by internal and external innovation forums held by the company that seem to stimulate the interaction with doctors, the publicity market, retailers, franchisees and sales representatives. The results have shown that there is a strong innovation culture in the company driven by the leadership of its president and, on the reviewed case, the mix of internal and external factors that leads to the flourish of expertise becomes a strategic enhancement hardly followed by the competitors.