PROJECT MANAGEMENT OF INNOVATION: THE CASE OF A LEADING INDUSTRY OF APPLIANCES

Abstract

The study aims to identify management settings innovation projects used in organizations. Developed a qualitative study using the technique of case study. The conducted case study covers a leader in the home appliance industry, located among the ten companies that register patents in Brazil. The observed data show that the company has a defined and systematic process of monitoring of new products, with well defined protocols to support the required activities in order to discipline the analysis of benefits and risks involved in the execution, and establish rules and behaviors for projects have similarities. In addition, the company enhances the alignment with the external environment, enabling the integration of different technical areas, to meet the technological complexity. The results indicate that the company adopts an innovation management model supported by a Project Team set from a matrix structure, with a Pilot Project. The Pilot Project is positioned as the central process agent, to act as an integrator of multidisciplinary agent and make the bridge team with senior management. The configuration management process is presented divided into different stages with specific tasks that require control procedures, embodied in "closing protocols." The approval of the project is carried out by senior management in each stage, in specific meetings that analyze, costs, compliance with deadlines and the technological development of current innovations.