With the aim of making known the need for the management of technological innovation to achieve better performance in our organization, this work was carried out. It presents the diagnosis made to the R&D areas of the institution, the Analysis of intellectual capital, the Diagnosis on organizational learning and an analysis of the environment, this diagnosis serving as a criterion to get an idea of how our institute is in terms of management of technological innovation. The General Electric matrix was used and it was learned that in terms of marketing our institution must invest to structure its star product.In this way, the need to design in the future a management model of technological innovation is made known that allows the researcher's knowledge to be transformed into technology and its successful implementation in production, thus meeting the demands of agricultural producers and indirectly, the demands of the population.
Introduction
The world processes of globalization are causing accelerated changes in the world economic, social and environmental orders, including those that are operating in the proper sphere of science and technology. Hence the introduction, in different countries of the National Innovation System (CITMA, 2001).
management-of-technological-innovationThe need for innovation, effective management and adequately assessing the results of scientific work, are current issues that concern and interest everyone who today, in one way or another, is linked to the science and technology sector. the technology. In a world where competition has become so multifaceted and unpredictable, no advantage will be able to last, but must constantly regenerate. As a result, the current pace of organizational renewal is simply not adequate to deal with the speed and complexity of the change created by the advent of the new era of knowledge-value (Castro Díaz-Balart, 2000).
Los países capitalistas de gran desarrollo industrial en los últimos 30 años, han avanzado hacia modelos de innovación cada vez más efectivos; sin embargo, los denominados países en vías de industrialización, se han mantenido, en su gran mayoría, dentro del modelo ofertista y solo algunos han comenzado a avanzar hacia otros modelos. Según García Capote, (1987), en estos últimos la demanda del sector productivo es aun muy débil o inexistente, por lo que el modelo ofertista queda como una única opción, hasta que no se tomen medidas de políticas adecuadas (Brito Viñas 2000).
Different countries have addressed the issue of technological innovation management, in Spain, for example, the new business, industrial and technological scenario is increasingly complex and poses increasing demands for Innovation and Competitiveness for companies in general and for companies. SMEs in particular (Basic Guide for the application of ICTs in SMEs 2001). Maintaining a competitive product requires permanent innovation, improving quality, reducing prices, better after-sales service, better benefits, better adaptation of the product to the market, etc. Only in this way will it be possible to increase sales, offering increasingly useful and innovative products to customers.In the (Basic Guide for the application of ICTs in SMEs 2001) it is clear that those companies that incorporate innovations regularly and use advanced techniques for their management will be much more stable than those that develop their activity in traditional and not very innovative sectors, because they can always offer what the market needs and when it needs it. This shows that the innovative factor acts as a selection criterion and, therefore, for the Company to survive, it has to innovate.For the Company to survive, it has to innovate.For the Company to survive, it has to innovate.
A report by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) indicates, in this regard, that in the United States, 85% of companies belonging to industries in which there is a strong technological imperative are still standing after ten years operating while 80% of companies that use conventional technologies disappear promptly after only two years of existence. In this way, it is verified that the innovative factor acts as a selection criterion and the companies that survive are those that make a better reading of these technological conditions that drive the development of the industry (ETSIT, 2005).
The current situation and prospects for the Cuban economy are very complex. The nation faces numerous capital, market and technology needs and a great urgency to increase its competitiveness.
Countries and companies are normally in a state of competition, whether or not they have capabilities that make them competent. In this case, it is about the search for competitiveness, a very characteristic feature of the contemporary process that is done taking into account the human meaning of labor employment, and has among its primary objectives to combine economic efficiency with a fair social treatment Business Improvement, 1999).
As antecedents of necessary and obligatory mention in this research that is summarized in this Forum of Science and Technology, the studies developed by Delgado Fernández (2001) and Castro Díaz-Balart (2000), linked to the Management of technological innovation in the basic industry by introducing a management and financing system for R&D based on Project Management. For their part, Brito Viñas (2000) and Nogueira Rivera (2002) establish a conceptual model and decision support procedure to enhance the function of technological management and management control.
As stated by Estrada Ballate and others (2000) in the article Technological Innovation: determinant variable in Competitiveness; “The Cuban company must be competent. There is no reason for exceptions, since the efficiency of the state sector is a specific need of our economy. This is a matter that primarily concerns company executives, their managers and the country's leadership at different levels. That is why the mission of science and technological innovation in Cuba at the present time must be directed towards that line, constituting a dynamic element of the sustainable development of the country ”.
According to Castro Díaz-Balart (2000), the fact that there is a premature substitution of one system for another before the first exhausts its real possibilities of existence, is a novel form of manifestation of the development process. It suggests that in this environment, technological innovation requires adequate management, which in turn is a premise for optimal business performance in current market conditions and in the presence of new paradigms of existing knowledge. That is why it considers the necessary integration between strategy, management of technological innovation and competitiveness. However, the author himself states that despite understanding this reality, it is not entirely clear how to achieve it.Therefore, we consider that each organization has its peculiarities and must adapt to new changes in the environment. In the particular case of R&D centers, it is a challenge to close the cycle in such a way that we put what really satisfies them in the hands of the customer. In this way, we will be working towards better management of technological innovation in those entities where the main resource is human talent.
Castro-Díaz-Balart (2001) also reflects on the fact that the difficulty in incorporating the achievements derived from research into the business sector is mainly due to the lack of ingredients (such as the adequate assessment and use of the expectations created by the institutions of R&D), as well as the presence of professionals with sufficient capacity and experience, but whose knowledge, does not impact the production process. He adds that time is not properly prioritized as a primary factor, ignoring that in any innovation process, the investment of resources is recoverable only within certain reasonable periods of time.
In our opinion, we consider that to this primordial factor must be added the fact that there is a lack of an interface element that really enables what science production needs. This is one of the challenges of our scientific institutions and the main effort of this research will focus on obtaining it.
This work is part of stage number one of the doctoral thesis (Diagnosing Technological Innovation at the IIMA), and in it the results that have been obtained so far appear.
The following general research hypothesis was raised: The new IIMA Technological Innovation Management model will be able to create a systemic approach between researchers and the mechanization branch program, implementing organic, sustainable and precision agriculture, as well as efficiently channel technological innovation into the hands of producers. In addition, this management model will guarantee the principles of technology transfer linked to the activity of agricultural machinery.
The general objective of this Doctoral Thesis is to establish a management model for technological innovation in the Agricultural Mechanization Research Institute that allows the researcher's knowledge to be transformed into technology and its successful implementation in production, thus satisfying the demands of producers. agricultural and indirectly, the demands of the population.
That is why the objective of this work is to carry out a diagnosis on the management of technological innovation at the IIMA.
Materials and methods used
Among the materials used for the preparation of this work are the following:
- More than 20 bibliographies referring to the subject (books) were reviewed. Internet articles. 8 Doctoral Theses.
Among the methods used for the development of this work, the following were used.
- Documentary analysis Analysis Synthesis Surveys Interviews Observation GE Matrix and SWOT Matrix
Work development
As previously stated, this work is part of the first stage of development of a doctoral thesis. It takes as a case study the Institute for Agricultural Mechanization Research (IIMA).
The Agricultural Mechanization Research Institute (IIMA) emerged in 1976, initially called the Agricultural Mechanization Center. It was organized with the same personnel, technical means and tasks that the DINAME Development Directorate and the Agricultural Machinery Testing Station (EPMA) previously had, with these two very well defined fronts: on the one hand, Research and Development, and on the other. another one for Machine Evaluations and Tests. The mechanization of Agriculture began to be considered in an integral way, and for this the first Systems of Machines were elaborated, that is, the lists of technical means to be used by each of the crops and activities, with their characteristics and variants according to the production conditions, recommended taking into account the results of tests and investigations,and defining those teams that did not yet exist in the country but that had to be developed or imported. This also defined subsequent research and testing work. Work also began on research on technical exploitation and organization of machinery, repair, maintenance, parts recovery, fuel savings, etc. (IIMA Internal Functioning System, 2006).
Research and testing of agricultural machinery carried out during all these years in real production conditions gradually revealed a serious problem: large-scale mechanization, the use of inadequate equipment and implements, and abuse in the use of chemicals and chemicals. other inputs gradually contribute to soil degradation. This too, has also been proven in world practice. Since the eighties, the IIMA, together with the Soil Institute and other institutions, undertook the task of developing conservation technologies for tillage and restoration of soil properties.
The scarcity of resources for the purchase of fuel, machinery and parts produced at the beginning of the 90s due to the fall of the socialist camp also brought a new conception: to seek the correct relationship between the use of tractors and animal traction, taking into account criteria economic, ecological and traditional. Important results have also been obtained in the development of new organizational schemes for the operation of machinery with a view to saving fuel and making more rational use of tractors, implements, machines, animals and workers.
The training and requalification of personnel linked to agricultural mechanization: leaders, scientists, technicians, mechanizers and workers, has been one of the most outstanding activities in this sphere. In recent years, it is necessary to highlight the work of solidarity of institutions in many countries in financing research and development projects for the introduction of new mechanized technologies and the conservation of resources, as well as the stays of highly qualified specialists who they have collaborated with their Cuban counterparts in this field.
However, despite the fact that the IIMA has carried out actions aimed at achieving greater development in the entire Scientific - Technical process, from the moment the idea is conceived until it becomes a product, it has not been possible to achieve a Management model that allows, in an efficient way, to channel innovation, from its appearance until it is commercialized.
The elements obtained from the diagnosis so far which support the previous criterion will be presented below.
Diagnosis made to the areas related to IIMA R&D
Diagnosis was started in those areas related to research development. So far the following aspects have been assessed:
Knowledge on the part of the workers of the mission of the institution, strategic objectives, work objectives of the year.
- Renewal plan, work content and functions of the group, link to research projects, project leadership, training in the last 2 years, publications in the last 2 years, level of knowledge on the subject of technological innovation and its management, reason for which he carries out a research project, interest on the part of heads and researchers in the professional improvement of staff, criteria on scientific potential, criteria on technical infrastructure, assessment of the process from R + D, necessary investments, initial expenses of production, promotion and sale.
With the realization of this diagnosis until now, some problems have been detected that evidently indicate that the management of technological innovation in the institution is insufficient.
The SWOT matrix of the research area was carried out and it was detected that the greatest threat is that the average age of the researchers is 51 years and 57.1% of the technical personnel dedicated to R&D activity has an age between 47-69 years (Annex 1).
Identified elements
- Lack of a systemic approach between the branch program and research There is a lack of resources to carry out the innovations There are very few generalization projects since it is difficult to introduce the results Violation by economic organizations such as Tabaco y Cítricos de Res 295-97 of the Minister of Agriculture that establishes the introduction of agricultural machinery based on the technical opinion of the IIMA. There is no adequate marketing strategy
Information obtained from an analysis of the environment was added to these criteria. For obvious reasons, a number of criteria obtained in the diagnosis will not be published.
Criteria to know the status of our star product in the market.
One of the procedures followed to assess how our organization is with our products in the market was the one that appears in table No. 1 where an assessment of different criteria is made in correspondence with the weight and the rating. For this, the criteria of General Electric (Marketing class notes) were followed with the analysis of its matrix. The product evaluated below is one of the most important innovations of our institution so far.
Table No.1. Criteria to assess the degree of attractiveness of the market.
| Criteria to assess the degree of attractiveness of the market | Weight | Rating (1-5) | Value |
| Size of the market | 0.20 | 4 | 0.80 |
| Annual market growth rate | 0.15 | 4 | 0.60 |
| Product versatility | 0.15 | 4 | 0.60 |
| Competitive intensity | 0.15 | 3 | 0.45 |
| Technological requirements | 0.15 | 4 | 0.60 |
| Environmental impact | 0.20 | 5 | one |
| Total | 1.00 | 4.05 |
Following General Electric's analysis, it is necessary to assess the strengths of the organization. For this, different criteria were taken that help to give a clear idea of what conditions our organization is in to reach the desired state and meet the objectives. These criteria were obtained from experts and on topo from producers who used the product. Below is the assessment of these criteria with the corresponding weight and qualification in table No.3 (General Electric Matrix).
| Criteria for assessing the strengths of the organization | Weight | Rating (1-5) | Value |
| Market share | 0.15 | two | 0.3 |
| Participation growth | 0.10 | one | 0.4 |
| Quality of the products | 0.10 | 4 | 0.4 |
| Brand Reputation | 0.10 | 3 | 0.3 |
| Efficiency in Promotion | 0.05 | 3 | 0.15 |
| Productive capacity | 0.10 | 4 | 0.4 |
| Productive efficiency | 0.10 | 3 | 0.3 |
| Unit costs | 0.10 | 3 | 0.3 |
| R&D performance | 0.15 | 4 | 0.6 |
| Administrative staff | 0.05 | 3 | 0.15 |
| Total | 1.00 | 3.00 |
Having both results, we place them on the General Electric grid and you can get an idea of the position of our product in the market. This appears in figure No. 1.
Analyzing the matrix we see that in the criteria to assess the attractiveness of the market, an important weight was given to the size of the market, competition and environmental impact. This is given as these criteria helped define our status in the market. Analyzing the strengths of the organization we can see that the one with the highest rating was product quality. This result highlights that our product potentially has quality to overcome the competition based on scientific novelty and a highly ecological, economical and versatile product.
When extrapolating the results from the previous tables to the General Electric Grill, we appreciate that it falls in the Invest to structure quadrant, which indicates that our product needs a promotional strategy to establish itself in the market. The following strategy should be followed:
- Pose leadership challenges Selectively structure the strengths of the organization Reinforce vulnerable areas
Analysis of the intellectual capital of the IIMA
A comparison was made between the level of education of the human resources of the IIMA and the level of education of the human resources in the SINCITA (National System of Science and Technological Innovation of Agriculture) and it was possible to know that the results are in correspondence with those of the System, although this was known, in terms of medium level workers, the institution is above 5% and as for university students below 4%, workers at other levels are in a 41% for the IIMA and 42% for the SINCITA.
However, when calculating the indicators, it was obtained that with respect to SINCITA, a deterioration of the indicator is observed. The level of schooling at the institute is below the level at SINCITA.
Regarding the behavior of human resources by gender, it was concluded that the institution in terms of gender is below the average of the SINCITA, it has 33% of women against 38% in the SINCITA and also in terms of school levels Higher and Higher Middle, but where the difference is most appreciated is in the Upper Middle, where it is 15% below the system average. This aspect may be conditioned by the type of activity being investigated in the institution.
In relation to the analysis of the university students according to their academic training, the following could be known: although the workers with the scientific degree of doctors in science, the difference was not so significant if it becomes more noticeable in the Masters where there is 12% difference between the amount of master of the IIMA compared to the system.
Diagnosis on organizational learning at the IIMA
A study was also carried out on the organization's organizational learning through a survey of 7 members of the entity's board of directors. The results are reflected in this regard below:
To carry out this study, 9 variables were taken into account, which were defined as follows:
- Experimentation: the application in the company of different or new forms of management Benchmarking: the process of studying and adapting successful practices from other entities to one's own management Knowledge dissemination: mechanisms for the dissemination and exchange of available knowledge Retention of knowledge: process of re-transferring knowledge from those who leave the entity to the members who remain. Attitude towards errors: recognizing and analyzing errors for later avoidance. Domain of key success factors: identification and effective management of the determinants of successful performance in the activity sector Update: The monitoring of trends and relevant variables of the environment for performance in the company's activity sector.process of preparation and improvement of the members of the organization from the detection of learning needs. Stimulation: recognition and reward of individual and collective contributions to organizational learning.
According to the results, the variable that most affects the institution is stimulation, which, although the average is 4, is that it has more frequency than 3, 57%.
The other variables have a high frequency between 4 and 5, highlighting the identification by the company of key factors that determine the successful results in its sector of activity with a frequency of always 86%, as well as the training where it is observes high responsibility with the preparation and improvement of the organization's staff.
56% of the variables have an average frequency of 5.
Deepening the analysis of the key factors that the organization must master to achieve successful results: 71% of those surveyed are the extension of the results to the productive base, 49% understand that the demands of the sector must be known, updated in the latest technologies, achieve an efficient organization and comply with the corporate purpose, 14% say that to achieve success the entity must: know the market costs, satisfy the needs of the workers, increase research projects, achieve impact results, achieve accounting certification, work on strategies for objectives, achieve funding sources that guarantee the efficient development of investigations.
Analysis of the results
In relation to the diagnosis made in the institution's R&D areas, as well as the analysis of the environment, it can be seen that the institution needs to move towards new world trends in relation to the management of technological innovation and technology transfer.
We have highly qualified personnel in the field of agricultural mechanization and human talent is the most important resource for the success of an entity. Therefore, if the actions aimed at achieving a management model of technological innovation are integrated into the institutional strategy, the organization would take up the current demands.
From the information obtained in the General Electric Matrix, it was possible to know that our organization must pose challenges as a leader in the field, must work on the strengths of our institution and strengthen those elements that are most vulnerable. We believe that even though there is a high technical level in our scientific potential, an action plan must be established aimed at renewing that potential since it is aging.
Other information that General Electric's analysis gives us is that our products must need a promotional strategy to be able to establish themselves in the market, only that they must work according to the MIX of marketing in the product, in the service and in the prices. It is precisely that technological innovation is evident in the product, which is why an adequate management model in the institution would help its success.
Regarding the analysis of intellectual capital and the diagnosis on organizational learning in the IIMA, the reflections were made in the section itself.
Conclusions
- The diagnosis carried out provides the most important elements that must be taken into account to subsequently establish the desired management model of technological innovation.
(See annexes in PDF)
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