LABGETI / UNICAMP

Autores: Glicia Vieira; Ruy de Quadros Carvalho; Flávia Consoni; Rubia Quintão.

RESUMO

The paper discusses the results of a project aimed at developing and testing a method for identifying, qualifying, and classifying capabilities of Brazilian research groups (RGs) in technologies applicable to the automotive industry. The project was commissioned by the largest R&D centre of a multinational corporation in the business of car manufacturing. The point of departure is the literature pointing out the need for firms to manage their external sources of innovation systematically rather than empirically. Regarding routines for prospecting and qualifying external R&D (Research and Development) partners, an important function in managing external sources, the paper introduces the concept of strategic search (competitive intelligence). The paper proposes a new use for the snowball sampling method. Snowball sampling was originally used to map risk groups (hidden populations usually belonging to both social extremes: the deprived and the elites), i.e., carriers of the AIDS (SIDA) virus, drug addicts, chemical dependents, etc. The key steps of the method, which were developed and tested by the authors, are described. The method is presented as a tool for strategic search. The result of its implementation is a database with quantitative and qualitative information on Brazilian technological competencies applicable to the automotive industry in the technological áreas of Materials, Powertrains and Fuels, Manufacturing Technologies, On-board Electronics, and Ergonomics. The database comprises 265 research groups in various science and engineering disciplines. Some of its aggregate results are presented and illustrated.

PALAVRAS CHAVE: Mapping out technological capabilities; Snowball sampling; External sources of
innovation management; Strategic search of external partners; Technological cooperation.