The study focuses on the use of information systems in the Heavy Engineering industry in South Africa and the decision to make, buy or rent information systems. Special focus was placed on the factors that influence the decision to make, buy or rent information systems. It is undeniable that changes in the competitive environment, such as technological advances and globalisation, are driving organisations toward new ways of operating. In striving to become flexible, lean, and more competitive, organisations have been increasingly swift to externalise support service functions. Every organisation must adapt to the current economic environment, the technology available in its industry and consider the risk and rewards within the industry framework. Organisations should carefully analyse the impact of their decisions, especially in consideration of the extent to which organisational competencies and competitive advantage could be affected. An extensive literature study was conducted on the factors that influence the decision to make, buy or rent. The literature study portrays the ideal state or methodologies for acquiring information systems and the best practices used in evaluating the best option for the organisation. The literature indicated the criteria for evaluating the decision to make, buy or rent information systems are the business need, in–house experience, project skills, project management and the time frame. These criteria can be broken down into the factors that have an influence on the decision, competitive advantage, security, skills, expertise, available resources, cost, time, implementation, support, maintenance, performance, quality, documentation, vendor issues, size of organisation, expected annual transactions, software control, functionality, productivity and increased turnover. Calculating the benefit that can be achieved from information systems must also include measures to incorporate the total benefit, not only the financial benefit. The balance scorecard approach measures the total return accompanying an investment in information systems, broken down into four sections, the financial perspective that measures the tangible outcomes, the customer perspective that measures customer value (quality, delivery and skill), the internal process perspective that measures the internal processes that add value and have the greatest impact on strategy and finally the learning and growth perspective that measures the intangible assets which focuses on human capital. Information systems form part of the corporate strategy, competitive positioning and must be aligned with the overall strategy of the organisation. A survey was done to determine the opinions about the different options managers/organisations have to consider when seeking to fulfil organisational requirements for information systems. Methodological issues as well as considerations with regard to gathering the data were discussed. A questionnaire was designed to collect data to obtain the information needed to solve the research problem. The internal consistency of the questionnaire was tested and it was found that a moderate to high level of consistency exists. The survey results were then presented in frequency tables and were analysed using descriptive statistics as well as inferring possible trends or conclusions based on relationships between certain responses on specific related questions and referring to the literature study. A framework was compiled from the literature study and empirical study that can be used for the purpose of decision–making in the make, buy or renting of information systems in the heavy engineering environment in South Africa. Benefits from purchasing software from a vendor include competitive advantage, available resources, implementation of the system, support to the system, system performance, documentation and training, and business functionality. Benefits from open source offerings include the size of the organisation and the number of expected annual transactions by the organisation. Benefits from SaaS (Software as a service) include competitive advantage, expertise, system performance and business functionality. Benefits from the outsourcing of development and other IT functions include competitive advantage, security, skills, available resources, implementation of the system, support to the system, system performance, documentation and training, business functionality and technical functionality. Benefits from developing in–house all or part of the effort include competitive advantage, security, skills, expertise, available resources, time, implementation of the system, support to the system, maintenance and upgrades, system performance, quality, documentation and training, business functionality, technical functionality, productivity improvements and increased turnover. Overall the linkage between the literature study and the empirical study concludes / Thesis (MBA)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012.

Culinary tourism can contribute to the economic development of many rural communities. Creating competitive advantage for a rural community by establishing a culinary cluster requires a strategy designed to leverage the economic, cultural and environmental qualities of a place in an attractive setting and within reach of interested markets. Accordingly, culinary tourism development occurs in places with a ‘local milieu’ that possesses a concentration (spatial agglomeration) of local culinary-related products and services produced by their clustered production of a number of inter-connected firms and service providers. This can attract visitors, new residents and investments and lead to more sustainable economic outcomes that increase the quality of life of residents. To take full advantage of such possibilities, a strategy for partnership and collaboration among various stakeholders involved in culinary tourism is required. This study provides a conceptual foundation for culinary tourism as a part of the creative food economy through place branding. It analyzes the formation of culinary clusters in place-based rural community development. A culinary cluster results from innovation in the production and consumption of local food. The research began with a review and assessment of literature on culinary tourism, economic geography and business/management that led to the definition of concepts that were combined in the creation of a conceptual model based on modification of Porter’s (1990) clustering model. The model consists of ‘four interdependent determinants’ and ‘four facilitators’ that influence the creation of a culinary cluster, and that require attention in building a creative food economy and an environmentally friendly taste of a place as a brand. A ‘terroir’ contributes to the formation of a successful culinary cluster. Tourism and agriculture are leading sectors in this process. Four broad elements specified in the model (‘environmentally friendly movement’, ‘leadership’, ‘stakeholder collaboration’ and ‘communication & information flows’) are the challenges that must be met for the successful transformation of a ‘terroir’ into a creative and environmentally friendly tourism destination that provides the taste of a place and, eventually, contributes to the global green movement. The creation of the model is an important conceptual contribution of the study. The model is used in a variety of ways. First, it was used to guide the collection of information in field investigations of two selected case study sites in the province of Ontario, Canada (Savour Stratford and SAVOUR Muskoka). Second, it was used to structure the qualitative analyses in each case study. Third, it guided comparison of the case studies where it was also used as an evaluative tool to suggest what is working well and less well in the study clusters. It was also used prescriptively to suggest what elements require further attention to strengthen the performance of the clusters. The study focuses on the relatively new concepts of a creative food economy, environmentally friendly culinary tourism and place branding in the formation of a culinary cluster in place-based rural community development. These themes are obviously interrelated, but have not been explored together previously; and thus, the study provides conceptual coherence for addressing their relationships. The findings of the comparative case study suggest that the transformation of a ‘terroir’ into a taste of a place through place branding is based upon the identification of the strengths of a place through inventory of the culinary-related core resources, and the leading and supporting assets (e.g., hard factors of natural environment and soft factors of cultural heritage). Since these will be different from place to place, one should expect different outcomes as the comparative case study demonstrates. Success will depend upon the use of culinary-related resources, based on local things and knowledge, leadership, and stakeholder involvement through collaboration and partnership, to create a uniquely appealing identity and image (place brand). Thus, a synergistic relationship can be established between the primary sector (agriculture) and service sector (tourism) through innovative entrepreneurial activities. The study makes important contributions both conceptually and empirically by creating a model that addresses the conversion of ‘terroir’ into a creative and environmentally friendly tourism place, by demonstrating the utility of the model through application to two cases in a comparative format; and practically, by directing attention to items that need careful consideration if synergistic relationships are to be established between agriculture and tourism through the development of culinary clusters as part of place-based rural community development.

科技的發展日新月異，產業變動也愈來愈激烈，而新舊技術的交替更是頻繁，企業如何創造並維持其競爭優勢，一直是各方關注的議題。 現今的企業面對產業環境與消費者喜好的高度不確定性，企業如何面對、認知，以及正確回應環境的變動，適時更新企業的競爭優勢，才能在隨時變動遊戲規格的快速競爭環境中生存。企業在過往所建構的競爭障礙，諸如稀少、無法模仿、無法替代的資源，一旦面臨大環境的變化，如果企業的組織流程、資源配置，以及發展途徑未能與時俱進，企業將在短時間內被迫退出市場。 本研究所探討的個案公司由光儲存晶片市場崛起，並以破壞式創新的商業模式快速進入手機晶片市場，一舉成為中國手機晶片市場的霸主。但是近年來智慧型手機的快速興起，動搖了個案公司原本的市場地位，導致營收與獲利績效均不若以往。 本研究以動態能力的觀點，分析個案公司在發展歷程中各個階段的資源分佈與能耐結構，同時配合產業與市場環境的變遷，描繪出個案公司的動態能力演進過程。之後亦針對個案公司近來面臨的困境，藉由動態能力的觀點，分析其原因以作為其他企業發展借鏡。

Made available in DSpace on 2016-12-12T20:32:00Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Gilberto Zappellini.pdf: 567515 bytes, checksum: 63aa9bb544014628230a0c0bb9ca02c6 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2005-12-19 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / This work searched to show as a strategically plan stimulates a thought guided for the future based on the shared sense of mission. The cooperation enters the members of an organization is more effective when all are working inside of the same set of assumptions and with the same objectives. Designing its problems, the organization will be able to find solutions more effective and determining the pointers with certainty it saves financial resources. Observing this context, a study was developed front to raise it practices them administrative of the companies of road transport, since the definition of its vision and mission until the definition of its pointers and the elaboration of an action plan identifying the necessary tools for its implantation. Having as objective to answer the question That indicating strategically contributes for the definition of the competitive advantage of a company of road transport? In this direction, it was looked to give a contribution to the studies on strategically planning aiming at to improve the techniques of logistic system of and transport of the raw material in the organizations being created itself a referential that can serve of parameter for future studies. The objective of this research not this in only identifying the administrative strategies, the pointers of logistic and transport in the company; but as these points they can contribute with the productivity increase and integration of the administrators with I negotiate it, as well as the reduction of costs and changes in the segment. The research is characterized as a study of case of qualitative boarding, therefore it encloses a reality observed in depth, inside of a real context. Transport the Road Zappellini Load is the source of the collection of data. It had sense characteristics, involving all the workers of the organization. It analyzes it of the data of the comment and of the results of the applied instruments, it was supported in three axles: - the reflective professional in the action, the organizational commitment of the worker and the reflective professional in the action as a power element of this commitment. With bases in the results of the research, he verified himself for the present study of case, that the implantation and maintenance of the action plan, can be considered power element to reach the competitive advantage since it involves all the parts of the organization. / Este trabalho buscou mostrar como um plano estratégico estimula um pensamento orientado para o futuro baseado no senso compartilhado de missão. A cooperação entre os membros de uma organização é mais efetiva quando todos estão trabalhando dentro do mesmo conjunto de suposições e com os mesmos objetivos. Planificando seus problemas, a organização poderá encontrar soluções mais efetivas e determinando os indicadores com certeza poupará recursos financeiros. Observado este contexto, desenvolveu-se um estudo frente a levantar as práticas administrativas das empresas de transporte rodoviário, desde a definição da sua visão e missão até a definição dos seus indicadores e a elaboração de um plano de ações identificando as ferramentas necessárias para a sua implantação. Tendo como objetivo responder a pergunta Que indicadores estratégicos contribuem para a definição da vantagem competitiva de uma empresa de transportes rodoviários? Nesse sentido, procurou-se dar uma contribuição aos estudos sobre planejamento estratégico visando aprimorar as técnicas de sistemas de logística e transporte de insumos nas organizações criando-se um referencial que possa servir de parâmetro para futuros estudos. O objetivo desta pesquisa não está em somente identificar as estratégias administrativas, os indicadores de logística e transporte na empresa; mas como estes pontos podem contribuir com o aumento de produtividade e integração dos administradores com o negócio, bem como a redução de custos e mudanças no segmento. A pesquisa caracteriza-se como um estudo de caso de abordagem qualitativa, pois abrange uma realidade observada em profundidade, dentro de um contexto real. A Transporte de Cargas Rodoviário Zappellini é a fonte da coleta de dados. Teve características de senso, envolvendo todos os trabalhadores da organização. A análise dos dados da observação e dos resultados dos instrumentos aplicados, apoiou-se em três eixos: - o profissional reflexivo-na-ação, o comprometimento organizacional do trabalhador e o profissional reflexivo-na-ação como elemento potencializador desse comprometimento. Com base nos resultados da pesquisa, verificou-se para o presente estudo de caso, que a implantação e manutenção do plano de ações, pode ser considerado elemento potencializador para atingir a vantagem competitiva visto que envolve todas as partes da organização.

The fact that we have entered turbulent times has been a central theme in the recent strategy literature. Turbulent environments are commonly described by increased competitive intensity, disruptive changes in the industry structure, volatility of demand, and unpredictability of customer behaviour, alongside instability of economic, social and political factors. In such a context, the adoption of traditional approaches to strategy, which assumes a relatively stable world, have been questioned by new approaches. Mixed strategy, which emerged as a contingency option to Porter's generic strategies model, defends that in a turbulent environment the simultaneous pursuit of the low-cost and differentiation approaches is fundamental for the short-term performance and long-term survival of the firm. A vast corpus of literature supports the benefits of adopting a mixed approach strategy: several empirical studies have proved that a combination of low-cost and differentiation strategic elements establishes a firm's performance superiority over the pure strategy choice. The mixed literature has concentrated on the performance linkage and on the debate countering the pure strategy approach, however very little attention has been paid to the challenges presented by the mixed strategy implementation. In fact, despite the rich empirical literature, it is still not clear how firms that adopt a mixed strategy may successfully integrate the inherent contradiction of the low-cost and differentiation approaches. The aim of this study is to investigate how a firm has been implementing the mixed strategy approach, unveiling its managerial characteristics and to generate a proposed managerial framework that could serve as a guide for further implementation. This study approaches the subject of mixed strategy implementation on three levels: environment, strategy definition and making process, and value chain activity. After having elucidated several ambiguities related to the concept of mixed strategy present in the literature and having proposed a normalized definition, this study investigates through a unique case study approach, an in-depth explorative process using causal process methods the managerial implication of the mixed strategy. Several characteristics are revealed from the unique case study and represent a major contribution to the field of strategy management. Furthermore, a managerial framework is proposed which could serve as support in the implementation of a mixed strategy.

This thesis deals with the evaluation of the competitiveness in the construction company HOCHTIEF CZ a.s. on the basis of strategical methods and processes.

O presente trabalho buscou, através de um estudo múltiplo de casos, explanar o processo de internacionalização da micro e pequena empresa brasileira, identificando os principais indutores desse fenômeno e analisando a relação existente entre a atividade exportadora dessas empresas e a formação de vantagens competitivas sustentáveis. O acesso a mercados externos é percebido, em geral, como um processo de desenvolvimento gradual e a questão da competitividade é abordada à luz de dois ângulos distintos: o paradigma SCP (structure-conduct-performance) e a teoria baseada em recursos (resource-based view). Esta última abordagem, de modo particular, ampara-se na idéia de que as empresas possuem recursos diferenciados, os quais, agrupados em processos distintos, dão origem ao conceito de atividades de valor, formando as capacidades internas que possibilitam à organização apresentar desempenhos acima da média em seu ramo de atuação.Para avaliar a formação de vantagens competitivas sustentáveis, proporcionadas pelas capacidades singulares alcançadas por cada empresa, utilizou-se a metodologia do Balanced Scorecard (BSC), gerando-se um conjunto de indicadores que possibilitassem avaliar a tendência de desempenho da organização em áreas-chave para o seu sucesso atual e futuro. O uso dessa metodologia, efetivado através de quatro diferentes perspectivas de análise, permitiu um entendimento adequado do funcionamento das empresas pesquisadas, principalmente a respeito da combinação e integração de suas atividades de valor e dos fatores críticos para o sucesso no mercado externo. Os resultados apontaram para a confirmação do modelo gradualista de inserção internacional, com ressalva para as situações de exportação passiva e indireta. Os ganhos de reputação foram identificados como importante resultado do ingresso no mercado internacional e o tamanho da empresa não foi avaliado como fator restritivo. A formação de vantagens competitivas e a permanência da firma na atividade exportadora estão fortemente relacionados ao incentivo à constante formação técnico-gerencial, à adequação da estrutura organizacional à participação no cenário internacional, ao comprometimento progressivo de recursos internos para o comércio exterior e aodesenvolvimento de atividades focadas em estudo, seleção e exploração de novos mercados externos. / The present study sought, through a study of multiple cases, explain the process of internationalization of the micro and small Brazilian company, identifying the key inducers of this phenomenon and analyzing the relationship between the exporting activity of these companies and the formation of sustainable competitive advantages. Access to foreign markets is perceived, in general, as a process of gradual development and the issue of competitiveness is discussed in the light of two different angles: the paradigm SCP (structure-conduct-performance) and the theory based on resources (resource-based view). This last approach, in particular, seek refuge in the idea that the companies have different resources, which grouped into separate processes, give rise to the concept of value activities , forming the internal capabilities that enable the organization to present above- the-average performances in their field of expertise. To assess the formation of sustainable competitive advantages, brought about by the singular capabilities achieved by each company, the methodology of the Balanced Scorecard (BSC) was used, generating a set of indicators that enable to assess the tendencies of the organization's performance in key areas for its current and future success. Using this methodology, effected through four different perspectives of analysis, enabled an understanding of the proper functioning of the surveyed companies, mainly about the combination and integration of its value activities and the critical factors to the success in external markets. The results pointed to the confirmation of the gradualist model of international insertion, with exception for cases of passive and indirect export. Gains of reputation were identified as important result of the entry in the international market and the size of the company has not been evaluated as a restrictive factor. The formation of competitive advantages and the permanence of the firm in the exporting activity are strongly linked to the constant encouragement of technical and managerial training, the adequacy of the organizational structure to participation in the international arena, the ongoing commitment of internal resources for foreign trade and development of activities focused on study, selection and operation of new foreign markets.

This thesis deals with the strengthening of competitiveness of a company that specializes in the development and sale of the economic system. The work first deals with the strategic analysis of the external and internal environment of the company. Based on the results, nature of the current competitive strategy of the company is defined and measures aimed at increasing the competitiveness of the company in the economic system market are proposed.

A informação vem sendo apontada como a base da competitividade. A maior parte das pesquisas, no entanto, têm focado em estudar o impacto dos recursos eminentemente tecnológicos. Com as transformações no fluxo informacional, desenvolver novas capacidades é apontado como um imperativo competitivo para as organizações. Mais do que a análise dos recursos isoladamente, a análise das capacidades enquanto um conjunto de habilidades para ganhar, integrar e gerir recursos vem ganhando um papel importante na área de SI. As capacidades são particularmente úteis para as organizações em ambientes que mudam rapidamente. Considerando essa oportunidade de pesquisa, avaliou-se relevante analisar, nesse trabalho, a influência da Capacidade de Gestão da Informação (CGI) na Vantagem Competitiva da firma. Nesse sentido, estendeu-se o conceito de CGI para o conjunto de habilidades da firma para acessar dados e informações dos ambientes interno e externo, assim como mapear e distribuir essas informações para que possam ser processadas, permitindo o ajuste organizacional para responder às necessidades e direções do mercado. Para que CGI possa se configurar em uma importante fonte de vantagem competitiva para as organizações no atual contexto informacional, a literatura indica que é necessária uma complexa articulação com outras capacidades organizacionais. Valendo-se da perspectiva teórica das Capacidades Dinâmicas (CD), esse trabalho propôs modelo pelo qual a CGI articula-se com outras capacidades (nomeadamente Capacidade de Integração de SI, Flexibilidade, Capacidade de Reconfiguração e Agilidade) que intermediam o impacto da CGI enquanto fonte de VCS. Esse modelo, baseado na literatura existente, foi avaliado em uma perspectiva de Métodos Mistos, preliminarmente - em uma etapa qualitativa exploratória -, por quatro CIOs de companhias identificadas pelo uso extensivo de informação em suas operações e reconhecidas pela excelência na gestão desse uso. Após esse refinamento, a pesquisa foi realizada por meio de dois métodos. A análise das relações entre as variáveis propostas na pesquisa foi realizada, primeiramente, a partir de um estudo de casos múltiplos de natureza explanatória, realizado em três organizações líderes nacionais em seus segmentos de mercado (uma cooperativa de crédito, uma rede de varejo de moda e uma indústria de móveis planejados). A essa etapa, seguiu-se uma Survey com 180 gestores de TI e não-TI, pela qual foi possível quantificar a influência do caminho proposto da CGI até a VCS. A etapa quantitativa foi efetuada utilizando-se da análise de modelagem de equações estruturais baseada em Partial Least Square-Path Modeling (PLS-SEM). Os resultados foram analisados separadamente em cada etapa (Estudos de Casos Múltiplos e levantamento Survey), e a discussão, realizada por abordagem conjunta de métodos mistos com propósito de corroboração e confirmação integrada. Os resultados demonstram que a CGI influencia a VCS principalmente de forma indireta, mediada por outras capacidades organizacionais. Mais especificamente, a análise aponta para dois caminhos partindo da complementaridade da CGI com as capacidades de integração de SI. No mais consistente deles, o caminho que se origina na CGI é mediado pela Capacidade de Integração Interna de SI, Flexibilidade e Agilidade para influenciar positivamente a VCS. O caminho mediado pela integração externa vale-se da Capacidade de Reconfiguração ao invés da Flexibilidade. Dentre as implicações acadêmicas a pesquisa estão a extensão do conceito de CGI a partir das pesquisas estratégicas e a evidenciação da influência dessa capacidade na variável dependente natural das capacidades, a VCS. Como implicação gerencial, apresentou-se dois caminhos pelo qual o desenvolvimento de habilidade para o gerenciamento da informação pode levar a VCS. A indicação desses caminhos atende a uma lacuna do mercado que estima que 85% das organizações ainda não foram capazes de extrair diferenciação estratégica dos novos dados disponíveis. / Information has been indicated as the basis of competitiveness. Most research, however, has focused on studying the impact of eminently technological resources. With transformations in informational flow, developing new capabilities is indicated as a competitive imperative for organizations. More so than the isolated analyses of resources, analysis of capabilities as a set of abilities to gain, integrate, and manage resources has been acquiring an important role in the area of IS. Capabilities are particularly useful for organizations in environments that change rapidly. Considering this research opportunity, it was deemed relevant to analyze, in this work, the influence of Information Management Capability (IMC) on the firm’s Sustained Competitive Advantage (SCA). In this sense, the concept of IMC was extended to the firm’s set of abilities to access data and information from internal and external environments as well as to map and distribute this information for processing, thereby permitting organizational adjustment to respond to market needs and directions. For IMC to configure into an important source of competitive advantage for organizations in the current informational context, the literature recommends that a complex articulation with other organizational capabilities is necessary. With the theoretical perspective of Dynamic Capabilities (DC), this work proposes a model in which IMC articulates with other capabilities (namely IS Integration Capability, Flexibility, Reconfiguration Capability, and Agility), which intermediates the impact of IMC as a source of SCA. This model, based on the existing literature, was evaluated by a Mix Methods approach, preliminarily – in an exploratory qualitative stage – by four CIOs from companies identified by their extensive use of information in their operations and recognized for excellence in the management of this use. After this refinement, research was conducted through two methods. Analysis of the relations among the proposed variables in the research was made, firstly, from a multiple-case study of an explanatory nature, at three organizations, national leaders in their market segments (a credit union, a fashion retail chain, and an industry of custom furniture). In this stage, a survey of 180 IT and non-IT managers was conducted, from which it was possible to quantify the influence of the proposed path of IMC to SCA. The quantitative stage was executed by utilizing structural equation modeling analysis based on Partial Least Square-Path Modeling. The results were analyzed separately in each stage (Multiple-Case Study and Survey), and the discussion was made through a joint approach of mixed methods with the purpose of integrated corroboration and confirmation. The results demonstrate that IMC influence SCA mainly in an indirect way, mediated by other organizational capabilities. More specifically, the analysis points to two paths coming from the complementarity of IMC with IS integration capabilities. In the more consistent of the two, the path that originates from IMC is mediated by IS Internal Integration Capability, Flexibility, and Agility to positively influence SCA. The path mediated by external integration makes use of the Reconfiguration Capability instead of Flexibility.

Este trabalho tem como objetivo evidenciar os benefícios que as transformações sociais contemporâneas, alimentadas pela evolução tecnológica interativa, podem exercer sobre a indústria automotiva, notadamente na questão de customização do produto. A fim de estreitar as relações entre o contexto histórico e as mudanças na indústria automotiva, o trabalho traça um paralelo entre as transformações vividas pela sociedade e a evolução dos automóveis, analisando como as mudanças de contexto afetaram a indústria automotiva. Da mesma forma, é pesquisado sobre como a evolução do automóvel moderno moldou o estilo de vida da sociedade, nos últimos 125 anos. A relação entre o contexto histórico e as mudanças na indústria automotiva é a base que o trabalho utiliza para justificar o emprego das novas tecnologias interativas nos automóveis.São analisadas novas tecnologias interativas existentes e em estágio avançado de desenvolvimento, notadamente aplicadas a smartphones e tablets, e a influência que essas estão tendo no modo de vida contemporâneo. Foi verificado que, apesar dos automóveis terem evoluído concomitantemente com a sociedade, nos mais de cem anos desde sua invenção, estão demorando a embarcar tais desenvolvimentos tecnológicos, continuando, em sua maioria, máquinas análogas e isoladas das outras partes que compõem o trânsito. Este trabalho se propõe a analisar tais tecnologias interativas, estudar quais podem ser embarcadas nos automóveis, exemplificando as possibilidades de aplicação das mesmas, através de um modelo tridimensional, criando um produto customizável em massa, condizente com as tendências sociais contemporâneas, que atenda o maior número de consumidores em potencial, com uma mesma linha de produto, evidenciando o diferencial competitivo que este proporcionaria ao seu fabricante ante a concorrência. / The objective of this paper is to highlight the benefits that contemporary social changes, fueled by the interactive technological evolution, can exert on the automotive industry, mainly in the aspect of product customization.In order to strengthen the relation between historical context and changes in automotive industry, this paper draws a parallel between social changes and automobile evolution, evidencing how context changes affect the automotive industry. Also, this paper demonstrate how the evolution of the modern automobile framed society life style in the past 125 years. The relation between historical context and automotive industry changes is the base that this paper use to justify the insertion of interactive technologies in automobiles.New and advance stage technologies are analyzed, mostly the ones applied to smartphones and tablets, and the influence of such technologies in contemporary lifestyle.It is shown that, despite cars have evolved together with society for over a century since its invention, they are holding up the insertion of this new technologies, remaining, mostly, analog machines isolated from the other traffic components.This paper proposes to analyze these interactive technologies, studing which one can be applied in automobiles, demonstrating the applications possibilities through a tridimensional model, creating a mass customizable product, consistent with contemporary social trends, that reach most of the potential buyers with a single product line, demonstrating this product manufacturer competitive advantage against competition.