This work summarizes the results obtained through the application of a general diagnostic procedure that allows characterizing the technological and innovation processes in the Cuban steel-mechanical industry. The study was carried out on a representative sample of the companies that make up the steel-mechanical sector of the Villa Clara province.
Introduction
It is impossible to sustain the economic development of a country using perpetual protection mechanisms of the domestic industry. The binomial import substitution - increase in export levels requires organizations to comprehensively improve their technological and management processes, which implies the adequate administration of all their resources, among which, technological ones, play a fundamental role.
Therefore, to achieve a real recovery of the Cuban company in the current context of the national market and for a successful insertion in the foreign environment, a substantial increase in innovation activities is required, among other aspects (Faloh Bejerano et al., 1997).
As a way to achieve them, the so-called Business Improvement process (PE) arises, which constitutes one of the decisive lines of the economic take-off that the country needs.
Its general bases are a guide, as well as the management instrument so that business organizations can, in an orderly manner, carry out the necessary transformations in order to achieve maximum efficiency and effectiveness in their management. In the regulations for the implementation and consolidation of this State Business Management and Direction System (Decree No. 281/2007), the importance of technological innovation is highlighted, when addressing in its Chapter IX, the Innovation Management System; however, in the diagnostic instrument that is part of the process, it is appreciated that these activities are not covered or emphasized as required.
Although the country has considerable scientific-technical potential, many times this is not adequately used in pursuit of the development strategy that continues to be outlined in quite difficult conditions, so management processes are needed at all levels that lead to change in current ways of thinking and acting.
Although in the steel-mechanical industry of Villa Clara, awareness has been gained regarding the investigative activity and its decisive importance for the development, efficiency and “take-off” of their companies, the amount is still low, in general terms, of results related to technological innovation that are obtained and generalized annually. However, it has not been possible to satisfy the existing demand, due to insufficient production levels, as well as the low quality of its products, which are influenced, among other factors, by the scarce existing experience on technological and innovation processes. That is why it can be stated that the sector does not yet have procedures that allow it to diagnose and evaluate its technological and innovation processes,to analyze the factors that influence its development, as well as to carry out an adequate surveillance of the technological environment that makes it possible to discover opportunities to improve them, to prepare a technological development plan that, being in correspondence with the strategic objectives of the organization, allows it to seek relevant ways to enrich its technological heritage and protect its products, knowledge and technologies.
Development
1. Methodology for evaluating technological innovation
To characterize the activities of Technology and Innovation Management (GTI, hereinafter) in the companies under study, as a starting point and essential element for the development of the technological strategy, the general diagnostic procedure was used. shown in Figure 1, developed by the author of this Work.
Its elaboration was conceptually based on “Module 1” (see Figure 2), of the methodology for evaluating technological innovation proposed by Delgado Fernández (2005), considering it appropriate and relevant for this research purpose, integrating as a component essential in the strategic planning process of the organization, although it required a corresponding adaptation in relation to the general objective of this research; constituting a novel element derived from its adaptation.
As the diagnosis can contribute to starting a participatory process to introduce improvement actions, this methodology was developed with the aim of serving as a tool to initiate a self-evaluation on the behavior of the innovative process (PI). In addition, this guide is intended to be a first step to motivate internal reflection on GTI activities, since the intention is not so much to obtain the appropriate answers in the characterization of the current situation, as for companies to be able to ask their "own essential questions" to increase your capacity for innovation.
- The general characterization of the organization under study Determination of the level of satisfaction and participation of workers, based on the adaptation of a method proposed by Brito Viñas (2000), as well as the inclusion of some elements of the tools used by Suárez Hernández (2003). Characterization of the IP (Evaluate), through the development of a survey using as a reference the guide prepared by CIDEM (2002), as well as other sources identified in the analysis carried out of the “state of the art”, which allows analyze the behavior of the activities that make up the IP. Characterization of the IP management level (Measure), based on a selection of possible indicators that directly influence the activities of the IP in the company and that as a whole,they provide the information necessary to “measure” the level of IP management. These indicators were also identified in the analysis of the "state of the art", particularly, in the "Proposal of regulations for the granting of the status of innovative company of the Republic of Cuba", article in consultation prepared by CITMA (2007), in addition to the "Evaluation Methodology of the System of Science and Technological Innovation of SIME (2004), protected by Resolution No. 200-01 / 2001. Current status of the technological innovation activity and its management, when carrying out the comparative analysis and statistical processing of all information (different periods, between companies, etc.)in the "Proposal of regulation for the granting of the condition of innovative company of the Republic of Cuba", article in consultation elaborated by CITMA (2007), in addition to the "Methodology of evaluation of the System of Science and Technological Innovation of the SIME (2004), protected by Resolution No. 200-01 / 2001. Current status of the technological innovation activity and its management, when carrying out the comparative analysis and statistical processing of all the information (different periods, between companies, etc.)in the "Proposal of regulation for the granting of the condition of innovative company of the Republic of Cuba", article in consultation elaborated by CITMA (2007), in addition to the "Methodology of evaluation of the System of Science and Technological Innovation of the SIME (2004), protected by Resolution No. 200-01 / 2001. Current status of the technological innovation activity and its management, when carrying out the comparative analysis and statistical processing of all the information (different periods, between companies, etc.)Current status of the technological innovation activity and its management, when carrying out the comparative analysis and statistical processing of all the information (different periods, between companies, etc.)Current status of the technological innovation activity and its management, when carrying out the comparative analysis and statistical processing of all the information (different periods, between companies, etc.)
This procedure not only allows to determine if there are problems in the development of the IP, but also covers the detection of other problems in the business activity, due to the relationship of the GTI with the organization's strategy and integration with the rest of the business functions. The realization of the diagnosis is of great importance, because it allows to locate in the current situation of the company, to identify which are the main factors and characteristics that can potentially influence the innovative activity of the organization and that provide the necessary conditions for the development of the PI and its management.
Once the GTI is characterized, by knowing the current state of technological innovation and its management, the organization will be in a position to evaluate its strengths and opportunities for improvement, the use it makes of them and the reserves that still persist; resulting in a determining element for the elaboration and adaptation, and reorienting if necessary, of its technological strategy.
2. General results obtained with the application of the methodology
The SIME ministry is in charge of directing, executing and controlling the policies of the Cuban Government and State regarding the activities of the steel, mechanical and recycling industries. Since its foundation in 1974, this Ministry has had a vertical line of development, due to a well-structured investment plan directed, fundamentally, towards the production of automotive, railway, agricultural machinery, iron and steel, machine tools, equipment medical and clinical furniture, appliances, household supplies and supplies for the hotel industry.
In the specific case of Villa Clara province, within the manufacturing industry, the steel-mechanical sector is of particular importance, because it concentrates a large amount of the region's workforce and has a high weight in economic results, constituting a prioritized sector.
This Ministry is represented in the territory by ten (10) companies and eleven (11) basic units of national companies based in the capital of the country. For the selection of the companies under study, a non-probabilistic or judgment sampling was applied, choosing the ten (10) companies, because due to their size, nature of their productions and volumes of commercial production, they had the most important role in the results. economic sector.
As a result of the study carried out, in the selected companies, some common characteristics and problems could be identified. These results indicate a low innovative behavior and a scarce development of the GTI in the Villa Clara steel-mechanical sector, which due to the confidential nature of the information is only presented in an aggregate way (all companies and in percentage form), without showing the name of the entities, although general conclusions are reached, all of which is summarized in the following:
- Of the total sample, only four (4) entities (40%) have all the information requested. The general information on innovation is the one with the greatest difficulty in obtaining it. Some data are presented, but it is recognized that they are not relevant. Generally, this is a difficulty that manifests itself, either due to the non-availability of the requested information, because there are no R + D + i areas and / or there is some ignorance in the managers with aspects related to the GTI, happening that in the information system of these entities, concepts such as: innovation expenses, innovation income, etc. are not recorded. Almost entirely - eight (8) companies (80%) - manage innovation activities reactively and operationally, therefore, the GTI does not constitute a functional strategy in the Company.The highest values reached in the study carried out indicate cost reduction strategies with 25%, followed by quality (21%), market service (14%), innovation and profit (eleven%). The remaining strategies are below 10% and the furthest of all is the high segmentation strategy with a score of 4%. Companies set their innovation objectives based on the needs of the production process (32%), from the means and resources available (28%) and the directives of the higher body (18%) In all companies, to a greater or lesser extent, technological training and acquisitions of technologies not incorporated into capital are regularly carried out. These innovation activities have the fundamental objective of reducing operating costs (23%),improve product quality (17%) and / or achieve a positive impact on working conditions and safety (15%). Only four (4) companies (40%) have a budget for R & D & I, which also it is insufficient, since it represents 0.86% of its total commercial production and 0.43% of its total income, which is a great limitation. To this is added, that the budgeting is carried out informally and that the "expenses" (investment) related to these activities are not properly costed, so the actual expense of GTI activities is not known or controlled. Despite the aforementioned problems, innovation activities are carried out in the companies studied. The R & D & I activities that are most developed in these entities are those related to the development of new or improved products (29%),the implementation and certification of quality systems (21%), the application of advanced management techniques (17%) and significant changes in organizational structures (13%). The least important is the implementation of a new strategic orientation in the company, with 4%. Most of these are developed by an existing working group or by an ad-hoc group created for this purpose (70%). based on a close relationship with other companies (50%) and with the client in the case of collaborative productions (40%). These types of innovations are obtained through the purchase of technologies (38%), co-investments (25%), copying and adaptation of technologies (19%) and to a lesser extent through R&D activities (6%). as main difficulties,in the relationships between these companies and science and technological innovation entities (ECIT) and / or higher education centers (CES), according to the index obtained in the established assessment scale: the erroneous belief of not needing these collaborations or alliances (1,4), ignorance of the services offered by these institutions (1,9) and the differences between business and scientific language (2,3).The main internal sources of ideas for innovation are: production (38%), initiatives (31%) and to a lesser extent by managers (15%); while the main external sources most used are: visits to other companies (31%), magazines and books (23%), participation in trade fairs and exhibitions (19%),as well as visits to research centers (19%), still wasting attendance at conferences, events and improvement activities, external consultants, contacts with customers and suppliers and databases with technological information. Only 50 % of the managers surveyed (5 colleagues) know the recent evolution of relevant technologies for the sector, the rest having partial knowledge of them. The best-known technologies are: computer-aided tooling design (50%), numerical control machine tools (40%), electric arc steel casting (30%), stainless steel profile rolling mills (30%) and automated machines for plastic injection with hot chamber molds (20%).The little experience they have in the search for technological information (2%) and in monitoring the evolution of technologies - and in their negotiation and contracting - in the environment (4%), are a consequence of the scarce surveillance carried out and of the non-evaluation of its technological capacity. In addition, their experience is limited in terms of carrying out diagnoses on their technological and productive problems (6%), the transfer of technologies generated or improved (8%) and in establishing alliances with the ECIT and the CES (8% In most cases, managers consider that the improvement of staff is insufficient. With the exception of three (3) companies (30%), the rest consider that the inadequate improvement of their workers is a brake on innovative activity; only occasionally, most companies (80%),very empirically, they evaluate their needs for improvement. On the other hand, only 30% of the total of the entities have an improvement program that generally includes short courses, ignoring other more complete and structured forms such as diplomas and master's and doctorate programs. All of the companies analyzed were uses, to some extent, computing. The greatest use made of it is in accounting and financial management (19%), in the preparation of documents (19%) and to a lesser extent, in production planning (16%), process control productive (11%), as well as in sales management (11%) and warehouse management (8%); However, this technology is little used in key activities such as project management, simulation,in activities of improvement and the introduction and improvement of technologies, as well as in the dissemination of science and technology in the organization.The managers surveyed and interviewed consider that the main key success factors of their companies are: cost efficiency (21%), access to financing sources (18%), the use of "cutting edge technologies" for the sector (14%) and product quality (14%). Furthermore, it is a consensus, due to the value obtained according to the scale of established assessment that the main internal factors that would favor the success of innovation in the sector are: adequate integration and cooperation between areas (3.5), the existence of a creative environment (4.2), motivation and willingness to innovation in managers (4.8), improvement of workers (5,3) and the existence of a flexible, decentralized and little formalized structure (6,2), supported by effective and rapid internal communication, a direction open to new ideas and risk, with participatory decisions; However, they give little importance to the innovation strategy based on a PDT, to technological surveillance, to access to scientific and technological information, to relations with the ECIT and CES, as well as to the effort to have resources to carry out R & D & I activities Generally, they agree that the environmental factors that most influence and are key to innovative success are: the country's economic situation (1,4), the changes required by the turbulence of the world economy (2.5) and ease of access to financing sources (2.5),supported by the existence of state policies to support innovation (3.8), the presence of offers for improvement and networks that provide scientific-technological information and advice (4.1). Finally, they generally consider that the main Obstacles or barriers to innovation (or failure factors) in steel-mechanical companies lie in: the lack of efficient financing mechanisms (17%), poor management of the projects that are executed in the company (15%) and the little cooperation and integration between the areas of the company (11%); although they do not stop considering also, the scarce link with the scientific sector (8%) and the insufficiency of effective mechanisms that encourage innovation (6%); However, it is worrying that obstacles such as bureaucracy,the will and motivation of managers and workers, excessive decentralization and insufficient improvement.
Conclusions
The importance of the steel-mechanical sector for the central territory and the country, makes the effective management of its innovative activities and technological resources an urgent challenge, because regardless of its characteristics (size, assortment, life cycle of their products and the degree of maturity of their technologies) all organizations need to develop the processes related to GTI, starting with the correct definition of the technological strategy to follow to increase their capacity for innovation.
The form currently used by many Cuban steel-mechanical companies for the GTI does not correspond to the demands imposed by an increasingly globalized environment since, in the first place, they lack a procedure that provides the informational base that serves as a point of reference. starting for the improvement establishments and, secondly, they do not have the appropriate organizational culture to implement successfully and immediately new "ways of doing".
The existence of rigid structures, obsolete technologies, problems with supplies, a low level of supplier-customer relationships, little technological vigilance, poor motivation and incentive policies for human resources, and even an organizational environment unsuitable for innovation and the non-existence of an innovative culture, were the problems revealed through the diagnosis carried out which, together with the absence of an explicit technological strategy consistent with the corporate strategy and the still weak links with the academic sector and scientist, have affected that the level of incorporation of new technologies and products in these companies is insufficient,causing the production and commercialization of products of lower quality and technological content than those required by the current environment.
The study of the group of companies also showed that, frequently, there is a lack of a true and adequate management of the GTI activities in the Cuban steel and mechanical companies and even, of the consideration of this function as one more than is necessary. develop and empower to reach the levels of success that are required today. Although not yet generalizable by experimental evidence to the universe of companies that operate in the Cuban economy with different legal status, many are still not able to compete with advantages in a free market and even in the current Cuban market, given the multiple deficiencies that still present.
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