TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION MANAGEMENT: ANALYZING THE APPLICATION OF THE INNOVATION FUNNEL IN A CONSUMER GOODS ORGANIZATION

ABSTRACT

Due to the great relevance of innovation to the growth and development of organizations, there have been many efforts in order to develop means and tools to optimize the management of this process. Such tools vary according to the sector and production dynamics of industry. The innovation funnel is a tool designed from the observation of innovation management in companies belonging to sectors such as food, cosmetics, and other consumer goods. The funnel-based innovation management has been adopted by a number of companies, no matter if they are nationals or multinationals, headquarters or subsidiaries. Hence, it is of great interest to verify the effectiveness of the adoption of this tool, the advantages and difficulties of its use, and the differences between theory and the practical use of the funnel. Those interest points are the main focus of this work. The study was based on the case of a consumer goods organization, a subsidiary of a multinational company. From that study, it was possible to conclude that the funnel is an appropriate tool to consumer goods companies and that its practical adoption is not much divergent from the theory, being necessary only few adjustments, like the adaptation to cultural differences and managerial routines, the adoption of supporting tools, and activities to stimulate and motivate the employees.

KEYWORDS
Innovation management; Innovation funnel; Consumer goods; Projects