O desafio da adoção de uma inovação tecnológica de uma startup no mercado: uma abordagem baseada na teoria da difusão da inovação

Abstract

Digital technologies are transforming industries. In this context of Digital Transformation, startups companies have generated impacts on technology exploration, job creation, and economic development. However, regulated sectors composed of large companies with low dynamics of change are more cautious in the adoption of innovations and have decision-making biases based on past experiences to avoid uncertainties and risks. With this, even presenting notorious advantages, some innovations coming from startups face barriers to accelerate their adoption rate in business-to-business (B2B) relationships. This study aims to help a startup company inserted in a lagging industry to accelerate its adoption rate, overcoming diffusion challenges. The paper draws on the perspective of Innovation Diffusion Theory to propose alternatives for a digital startup to accelerate the adoption rate of its service in this context. After a deep longitudinal study over eighteen months, in which one of the authors actively participated in the activities of the startup studied, it was possible to identify factors that hinder the adoption of innovation and to conduct changes in the light of practices consolidated in the literature in a new and relevant context. Furthermore, this study proposes a managerial tool with the objective of systematizing and expanding knowledge arising from this research beyond the case studied.