Capacidades dinâmicas e inovação: um estudo no setor de software e prestação de serviços em tecnologia de informação no Brasil

Abstract

The services sector growth since the 1980s led to the increase in research in services innovation, a field less explored before or considered under a technology assimilation perspective (COOMBS; MILES, 2000). Currently, the understanding is that the services sector does innovate and includes indeed knowledge intensive segments such as Information Technology. This segment is responsible for the diffusion of knowledge and innovation to the whole economy (OCDE, 2006; KEMPPILÄ; METTÄNEN, 2004; KUUSISTO; MEYER, 2002; TETHER; HIPP, 2002; DRUCKER, 1993). Such companies that thrive in highly dynamic environments are required to constantly renew their competences (TEECE et al., 1997; EISENHARDT; MARTIN, 2000). This capabilitiy to create, extend or modify the resource base of the firm (HELFAT et al., 2007, p. 4) or to transform itself is called dynamic capability (TEECE et al., 1997; EISENHARDT; MARTIN, 2000). This research aimed to extend the discussions related to services innovation drawing upon this theory. It investigated the role of reconfigurability and its enabling processes in the performance of the software and information technology services in Brazil. The enabling processes analyzed included the constructs of sensing the environment, learning, coordination, resources integration and innovation (PAVLOU; SAWY, 2005; ARÓSTEGUI, 2009). To achieve this objective, a quantitative survey method was chosen. Multiple regression analyses were performed to evaluate the relationships between the Dynamic Capabilities enabling processes and the financial performance. The results have shown a positive relationship between the innovation dimension and the growth of the firm. Additionally, a positive relationship between the sensing dimension and innovation was identified. Thus, firms that possess a higher market orientation, that better detect changes in the environment and react accordingly are expected to be more successful in innovating with direct impact in their performance in terms of growth