Evidências dos fatores influenciadores da formação e desenvolvimento de redes de empresas incubadas

Abstract

The beginning of the 21st century was marked by several transformations of the environment, and such changes impacted both the needs of the companies and the support offered by the incubators. In this sense, the literature on incubators points out that these institutions have developed their activities to incubated companies, starting from 'business hotels', for managerial support and, more recently, for the provision of cash networks. However, empirical cases have addressed that the objectives of incubators have not been long in their entirety. In this context, incubated company networks emerge as a complementary and strengthening form of the incubation process. However, little is known about how these networks are formed and developed, as well as what are the difficulties and facilities arising from these processes. Therefore, the question arises: what are the reasons for the formation and development of networks between incubated companies within an incubation process? In order to understand this phenomenon, the objective was to verify the factors influencing the formation and development of the networks that emerged within the incubators of companies. For the accomplishment of the research, we started with a qualitative, exploratory-descriptive approach, with the use of multiple cases and the application of semi-structured interviews, as well as documentary research. In the analyzes, content analysis was established by frequency and by categories. As research subjects we investigated the incubators, networks of companies emerged from within the incubation process, and the technology-based companies belonging to the incubation process. Thus, we interviewed those responsible for the Center for Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Technology (CIETEC), Incubator of Technology-Based Companies of Itajubá (INCIT), Education and Information Technology Network, both CIETEC, as well as RETIC and GEPSS, linked to INCIT. As results, it was obtained that education and information technology networks can be considered as a top-down model and, in RETIC and GEPSS, as a bottom-up model. Regarding the antecedents for the formation of networks, it was observed that access to information prevailed in all cases analyzed. As main difficulty in the formation of networks was found the actions of the entrepreneurs. In the facilities of the same stage was found the leadership, performance of the incubator and the shared spaces. In relation to the development stage of the networks, the characteristics and actions of entrepreneurs, network management, financial resources and lack of leadership were encountered as difficulties. As facilities the incubator performance was observed. On the benefits found, it was observed that access to information, events, new business, strengthening of ties and interdependence were the most preponderant factors. However, it should be noted that in networks that failed, such as the Information Technology Network and the GEPSS, there were no facilities and benefits in the development stage. Finally, these factors obtained both in the formation and in the development of the network made up the critical factors of formation and development of incubated company networks in incubation processes.