LAÇOS RELACIONAIS COMO POTENCIALIZADORES DE INOVAÇÃO EM REDES DE FRANQUIA: O CASO MORMAII

Abstract

This research is based on the perspective of Evolutionary Theory, where economic development is a process of disequilibrium resulting from the competitiveness and technological progress. In this context, innovation led to the creation of different organizational structures, focusing on new products, processes, information sharing forms and technology transfer. Thus, the network structure can be considered a strategy of innovation and adaptive factor for modern companies. In this study, the organizational networks are treated as an innovation strategy in franchising, seeking to develop new products, processes and explore new markets. It has the general objective to analyze the interactions that take place in a franchise network in order to identify if the relational ties of these connections potentiate development of innovations in the network. It also has the objective of verifying the technology transfer mechanisms, which will be of substantial importance for the analysis of this interaction. The methodology was developed from the qualitative approach. As data collection instrument will be accomplished analysis of documents and interviews with professionals from the administrative and Product Development areas and five franchisees of the franchising network investigated. The interviews aim to understand the relationship between the relational ties of interactions and the development of innovations for the network. As main results, it was observed that the mechanisms that promote direct contact between franchisor and franchisee, as the showroom, provide the sharing of new ideas and suggestions for the network, and such mechanisms considered weak ties within the franchise business model. Furthermore, the interaction and the experience gained by the franchisee in your local market was also identified as an important source of innovation for the brand. Other formal technology transfer mechanisms were considered as strong ties in the interactions within the network. Thus, it was possible to verify that the relational ties, both strong as weak, favor the development of innovation on the network. The pioneering technology and the development of radical innovations were identified as elements that characterize the Mormaii network, and contribute to a competitive advantage in the area in which it operates.