Inovação de produto em proteínas alternativas plant-based: análise sobre características dos fornecedores e governança

Abstract

Product innovation capability is crucial for organizations, by enabling them get competitive advantages as entrance in new markets and saving production costs. Firms look for new resources in relationship with suppliers, to leverage innovation. In this regard, vendor’s characteristics enable different processes into the network, include innovation. Effective governance is also fundamental, by allowing access to these complementary resources, decrease costs and risks, and outputs’ monitoring and compliance. Governance is exercised by formal mechanisms – as contract, power asymmetry and certification – linked to Transaction Costs Theory, that seeks mitigate opportunisms and limited rationality and/or informal mechanisms – as knowledge sharing, commitment and reputation – related to Relational Vision Theory, that addresses complementary capabilities and substantial knowledge exchange. Accordingly, this thesis pursued to answer the question: how do suppliers’ attributes foster product innovation and how are they leveraged by governance? Empirical field was composed by plant-based alternative proteins producers, given that innovation is responsible by development of this industry that requires continuous improvements to get advances in sensory properties, saving costs and scale gains. Data collection was qualitative, by repertory grid technical, in which 18 R&D and innovation professionals from plant-based alternative proteins producers were interviewed. Data analysis was quantitative – by principal components analysis – and qualitative – with Honey’ contend analysis and coincidences analysis. Findings show that constant update of inputs and support in projects are fostered by informal mechanisms – as knowledge sharing, commitment and reputation, while technology, quality and supplier’s historic are linked to power asymmetry; and flexibility and delivery reliability are related to contract. After Honey’ contend analysis, update about market and applications’ proposals, fast and precise service, support and interaction during projects, trained and dedicate R&D staff, problem solving easiness, affordable cost and technology knowledge are attributes that more foster product innovation. Coincidence analysis demonstrate that update about market and applications’ proposals and support and interaction during projects explain causally product innovation in the industry. Findings indicate that some constraints impact even large producers, so, not always buyer’ size facilities governance with suppliers to innovation and although technical and management capabilities are relevant to innovation, suppliers’ proactivity is essential, translated in their willingness to meet several needs of different buyers. This study presents some restrictions related to some provider’s communication politics, that do not allow discussing this issue with people external to the organization or direct interactions, required by data collection method adopted. Future researches are suggested, as new analysis that look for an understanding more detailed about power asymmetry, to get how it influences in network’s results and studies about which reasons some producers have opted by outsourcing product innovation’ activities.