Impacto do ecossistema de inovação nas capacidades dinâmicas de gestão do conhecimento e no desenvolvimento de novos produtos das agtechs brasileiras

Abstract

The increasing complexity of the market has led organizations to increasingly depend on external knowledge and interaction with various institutions to be successful in their innovative processes. Therefore, new open and collaborative approaches to innovation, such as ecosystems, are gaining prominence. Innovation ecosystems are valuable sources of knowledge, as they facilitate the flow of information, provide access to valuable resources, which favors cooperation between companies and the development of innovation beyond the limits of the company and the sector. However, to create value in these environments, dynamic Knowledge Management (KM) capabilities, which consist of the identification, mobilization, application and protection of knowledge for the development of new solutions and innovation, are required. In Brazil, the agtech sector stands out, that is, technology-based companies that offer products and services applied to different production chains linked to agribusiness. In these technology and knowledge-intensive environments, dynamic KM capabilities work to ensure that innovation is effective. In this sense, the following question emerges from this research: How does the innovation ecosystem affect the dynamic knowledge management capabilities and product development of Brazilian agtechs? This central research question is broken down into the following questions: How has the digital economy changed organizational knowledge? What knowledge management practices occur in innovation ecosystems? How does the agtech innovation ecosystem interfere with the development of their external knowledge management capabilities? What is the role of the agetch innovation ecosystem in developing solutions for the market? To this end, the objective of this research is to propose a conceptual model that indicates the impact of innovation ecosystems on the dynamic KM capabilities and product development of Brazilian agtechs. To this end, the study has an exploratory, descriptive nature and is based on mixed methods. Regarding the form of data collection, secondary data (documents, composed of reports) and primary data (interviews and questionnaires) are used, which guarantees triangulation in the form of data collection. The data is analyzed using Content Analysis for documents and interviews and Structural Equation Modeling for the questionnaires. As a theoretical result, it is clear that the innovation ecosystem contributes to the dynamic capabilities of KM, as it offers unique knowledge to actors. Furthermore, this thesis shows the importance of dynamic KM capabilities for the development of new products and, consequently, for the maturation of the innovation ecosystem itself. With dynamic KM capabilities, knowledge is transformed into innovation or new products more easily. This promotes a new cycle of knowledge within the ecosystem, leading it to mature. Entrepreneurial protagonism, although individually it does not generate new products, its presence enhances the development of new products. Learning and relationships in the ecosystem also influence the relationship between KM and product development.