Inovação em tempos de pandemia: práticas adotadas por empresas situadas em habitats de inovação do Rio Grande do Sul

Abstract

Since its inception, the Covid-19 pandemic has had an unprecedented impact on human health as well as negative effects on countries' economies. The conditions and restrictions imposed to limit the spread of the virus have slowed the economy and the repercussions were felt across many sectors including businesses. Considered one of the most disruptive events, the pandemic can serve as an opportunity for innovations to break established barriers. In this sense, “innovation habitats” are fundamental, as they are places where the synergy between universities, public authorities and companies generate favorable conditions for innovation and regional development. The present study aimed to analyze innovation practices and their reflexes on the performance of companies located in innovation habitats in Rio Grande do Sul during the covid-19 pandemic period in the managers perception´s from innovation habitats. For this, a qualitative approach research was developed, of an exploratory nature, through a case study. Data analysis took place through content analysis. The subjects investigated were the managers of innovation habitats: OCEANTEC - Scientific and Technological Park of the federal university of Rio Grande (FURG), PAMPATEC - Scientific and Technological Park of the Federal University of Pampa (UNIPAMPA), and the ITSM and PULSAR Incubators, represented by AGITTEC - Innovation Agency and Technology Transfer at the Federal University of Santa Maria (UFSM). It can be seen that because they are located in environments conducive to the development of innovations, companies located in the investigated habitats sought to innovate at the time of a pandemic, especially in the dimensions: Relationship, Organization, Presence, Network and Innovative Ambience. It was noticed that the innovation practices that had the most potential to favor the performance of companies, concerning innovation in the dimensions: Offer, Brand, Customers, Solutions, Relationship, Added value, Presence and Network. With this, the assumption to be verified in the study, innovation practices favor the performance of companies during the covid-19 pandemic period, was confirmed according to the evidence found. Thus, it is concluded that some innovation practices, in addition to contributing to the performance of companies, can favor the growth of innovation habitats. The limitations of this study indicate that the results found only represent the investigated subjects, and it is not possible to make use of generalizations. Also, it is highlighted that the results are based on the managers' perception of the investigated habitats. For future studies, the expansion of the investigated subjects is suggested, verifying the innovation practices that can favor the performance in other companies and in other habitats.