A inovação obtida como resultado do desenvolvimento de novos produtos tem se tornado parte fundamental da estratégia das empresas. Assim, para melhorar o desenvolvimento de novos produtos nas empresas, foram introduzidos diversos métodos, técnicas e ferramentas que facilitam o processo de inovação (MTFIs). Este estudo tem como objetivo identificar o grau de conhecimento de gestores de empresas brasileiras, envolvidos com inovação, sobre tais MTFIs assim como a taxa de uso e eficácia de uso das mesmas pelas empresas ao longo do desenvolvimento dos produtos. Para atingir tal objetivo, partindo de uma revisão da literatura, a pesquisa foi desenvolvida utilizando uma abordagem quantitativa descritiva, com os dados coletados por meio de um levantamento (survey), via um questionário acessível via internet. Quanto aos resultados, observou-se alto grau de conhecimento dos gestores respondentes, assim como os de uso e eficácia de uso da maioria dos MTFIs pelas empresas, sendo que o grau de conhecimento supera o de uso, e o da eficácia de uso geralmente supera o grau de uso dos MTFIs pelas empresas. Foi possível identificar que o conhecimento dos gestores, o uso e a eficácia de uso estão altamente correlacionados. Um ponto de destaque foi o resultado de uma análise fatorial exploratória, que identificou sete agrupamentos de MTFIs usados pelas empresas em variáveis (fatores), possibilitando gerar um score para cada empresa participante da pesquisa. Isso permitiu relacionar o uso dos MTFIs agrupados nos fatores (\"Desenvolvimento\" de produtos, geração de \"Ideias\", apoio à \"Estratégia\", apoio à \"Projetos\", MTFIs \"Comuns\", e colaborativos \"Externos\") com algumas características das empresas: o número total de funcionários, o número de funcionários que atuam em inovação, o percentual do faturamento investido em P&D, o percentual de faturamento obtido com produtos novos, e a condição da empresa possuir ou não uma área especifica de P&D. / The innovation obtained as a result of new product development has become a key part of the business strategy. Thus, to improve the performance of new product development in the organizations, were introduced several methods, techniques and tools that facilitate the innovation process (MTFIs). This study has the objective to identify the knowledge degree of managers of Brazilian companies, involved in the innovation, on such MTFIs as well as the rate of use and efficiency of use of the MTFIs throughout the product development. To reach the objective, starting on a review of the literature, the research was developed using a descriptive qualitative approach, with the data collected through a survey accessible through the internet. Regarding the results, a high level of knowledge of the respondent managers was observed, as well as those of use and efficacy of use of most MTFIs by the companies, being that the degree of knowledge exceeds that of use, and that of the effectiveness of use generally exceeds the degree of use of MTFIs by the companies. It was possible to identify that the knowledge of the managers, the use and the effectiveness of the use are highly correlated. One highlight was the result of an exploratory factor analysis, which identified seven groups of MTFIs used by companies in variables (factors), making it possible to generate a score for each company participating in the research. This allowed us to relate the use of MTFIs grouped in the factors (\"Development\" of products, generation of \"Ideas\", support to \"Strategy\", support to \"Projects\", \"Common\" MTFIs and \"External\" collaborative) with some characteristics of companies: the total number of employees, the number of employees working on innovation, the percentage of revenues invested in R&D, the percentage of revenues obtained with new products, and whether the company has a specific R&D area.

Industrial companies that carry on innovation and operation must have well-organized and capable business systems and processes. Customer needs, market demands, global competition and technological changes drive the companies to be more adaptable, flexible and dynamic. By working in network structures as extended enterprises, the companies face new possibilities and new challenges. Design, manufacturing and delivery of high quality products to competitive prices to the customers are essential for industrial companies. Holistic view of the product life cycle from technology development, via product and business system development and realization, to business operation, is important for sustainable industrial companies. A company with engineering and manufacturing of products in a business context needs to have effective innovation of business system and process. Business innovation encompasses the area from business idea to business operation and includes customer demands and solutions. The main part of business innovation is development of the product platform including product and support structures. Product variants are created and realized by various configurations of products and production systems. The thesis is elucidating that business innovation can be carried out by working in a systematic and structured way and by utilizing engineering design theories and methods. The business models, based on a new theory with a new navigation tool for interactions, are describing which activities should be performed in business innovation with product platform development and product structuring. For companies in business with changes, innovations can create new markets and products. Well-managed and innovative companies have good possibilities to be competitive in a tough business environment. The creation of business innovation models has been carried out according to a hermeneutic research method. The research work followed the hermeneutic circle or spiral. The thesis introduces a new dimension to the design area, namely business innovation or engineering, corresponding to business design and development. Business innovation is also a new type of innovation, combining technological, product, process, market and organizational innovations in industrial companies. / QC 20100920

This dissertation reports the results of case studies on innovation and new product development in eight Scottish food companies and a subsequent triangulation survey of 85 innovative Scottish companies. The case studies are carried out using qualitative research methods and a realistic inductive research strategy. It is found that the case study companies use an informal and cross-functional innovation process, which is independent of the age of enterprise. It is also discovered that these companies develop new products, often luxuriant variants of their existing products, which are mainly indulgences rather than healthy foods and are sold mostly to large retailers. Use of production methods that are amenable to quick changes in final products and networking with customers, suppliers, other food companies and Scottish Enterprise is also observed. Creative people with high innovative proclivity, who often travel to new locations in search of product ideas, drive the process. The case study companies are high-variety-low-volume businesses, possess good understanding of customer needs and circumstances and are able to achieve a good fit between needs of the market and their own resources. Not facing financial constraints, these companies are able to attract and retain talent, needed to develop new products. Continuously learning from their NPD endeavours, they sell their products without any major advertising or marketing effort. The subsequent triangulation survey of 85 innovative Scottish companies, from food as well as non-food sectors, confirms most of the above-mentioned findings. Contrary to the case study results however, the survey discovers that innovative Scottish companies face financial constraints while developing new products, do not sell most of their new products to large retailers or undertake travel to new locations in search of product ideas. The main contributions to knowledge by this research include crystallisation of the new product development practices in Scotland, highlighting difference in product innovation between various sub-groups of enterprises, a new conceptual construct within which all notions and definitions of innovation can be accommodated and identification of a basic flaw in the present innovation policy in Scotland.

A inovação obtida como resultado do desenvolvimento de novos produtos tem se tornado parte fundamental da estratégia das empresas. Assim, para melhorar o desenvolvimento de novos produtos nas empresas, foram introduzidos diversos métodos, técnicas e ferramentas que facilitam o processo de inovação (MTFIs). Este estudo tem como objetivo identificar o grau de conhecimento de gestores de empresas brasileiras, envolvidos com inovação, sobre tais MTFIs assim como a taxa de uso e eficácia de uso das mesmas pelas empresas ao longo do desenvolvimento dos produtos. Para atingir tal objetivo, partindo de uma revisão da literatura, a pesquisa foi desenvolvida utilizando uma abordagem quantitativa descritiva, com os dados coletados por meio de um levantamento (survey), via um questionário acessível via internet. Quanto aos resultados, observou-se alto grau de conhecimento dos gestores respondentes, assim como os de uso e eficácia de uso da maioria dos MTFIs pelas empresas, sendo que o grau de conhecimento supera o de uso, e o da eficácia de uso geralmente supera o grau de uso dos MTFIs pelas empresas. Foi possível identificar que o conhecimento dos gestores, o uso e a eficácia de uso estão altamente correlacionados. Um ponto de destaque foi o resultado de uma análise fatorial exploratória, que identificou sete agrupamentos de MTFIs usados pelas empresas em variáveis (fatores), possibilitando gerar um score para cada empresa participante da pesquisa. Isso permitiu relacionar o uso dos MTFIs agrupados nos fatores (\"Desenvolvimento\" de produtos, geração de \"Ideias\", apoio à \"Estratégia\", apoio à \"Projetos\", MTFIs \"Comuns\", e colaborativos \"Externos\") com algumas características das empresas: o número total de funcionários, o número de funcionários que atuam em inovação, o percentual do faturamento investido em P&D, o percentual de faturamento obtido com produtos novos, e a condição da empresa possuir ou não uma área especifica de P&D. / The innovation obtained as a result of new product development has become a key part of the business strategy. Thus, to improve the performance of new product development in the organizations, were introduced several methods, techniques and tools that facilitate the innovation process (MTFIs). This study has the objective to identify the knowledge degree of managers of Brazilian companies, involved in the innovation, on such MTFIs as well as the rate of use and efficiency of use of the MTFIs throughout the product development. To reach the objective, starting on a review of the literature, the research was developed using a descriptive qualitative approach, with the data collected through a survey accessible through the internet. Regarding the results, a high level of knowledge of the respondent managers was observed, as well as those of use and efficacy of use of most MTFIs by the companies, being that the degree of knowledge exceeds that of use, and that of the effectiveness of use generally exceeds the degree of use of MTFIs by the companies. It was possible to identify that the knowledge of the managers, the use and the effectiveness of the use are highly correlated. One highlight was the result of an exploratory factor analysis, which identified seven groups of MTFIs used by companies in variables (factors), making it possible to generate a score for each company participating in the research. This allowed us to relate the use of MTFIs grouped in the factors (\"Development\" of products, generation of \"Ideas\", support to \"Strategy\", support to \"Projects\", \"Common\" MTFIs and \"External\" collaborative) with some characteristics of companies: the total number of employees, the number of employees working on innovation, the percentage of revenues invested in R&D, the percentage of revenues obtained with new products, and whether the company has a specific R&D area.