Development of technology-based firms of the Vale do Paraíba Paulista region: survey with incubators managers and incubated companies

Walter Saraiva Lopes,Renato José Sassi

doi:10.1590/0104-530x1302-19

Abstract

Abstract Technology-based firms are small businesses that are characterized by being related to innovation and technological development in production and services. These companies for a period of time receive support calls based Technology-based incubators. The objective of this study was to analyze the degree of importance perceived by managers of Technology-based firms and managers of Technology-based incubators of the factors that contribute to the development of Technology-based firms of the Vale do Paraíba Paulista Region. The following factors were analyzed: entrepreneurial characteristics, resources offered by Technology-based incubators, features offered in partnership with other development agents and selection requirements of Technology-based incubators by the Technology-based firms. One for the five managers of the Technology-based incubators and the other for twenty-five managers of Technology-based firms. For this, a survey in June 2011 was applied and two questionnaires divided into four parts was performed. The Vale do Paraíba Paulista Region was chosen to concentrate an important Industrial and Technological Pole, which stands out by strong economic growth, located between the axis of two major Brazilian cities, Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo. The completion of the work enabled visualize how technology-based entrepreneurship has been practiced in the region Vale do Paraíba Paulista present important information in the region in 2011. It also allowed me to analyze the perception of managers regarding the factors considered.

Highlights

These are: entrepreneurial characteristics; resources offered by Technological Base Incubators (TBIs); resources offered in partnerships with other development agents and requirements for selection of Technological Base Firms (TBFs) by TBIs
The degree of importance perceived by the managers of incubators and technology-based companies in the Vale do Paraíba Paulista region in relation to the following factors was analyzed: entrepreneurial characteristics; resources offered by TBIs; resources offered in partnerships with other development agents and requirements for selection of TBFs by the TBIs
The realization of this survey made it possible to verify how technology-based entrepreneurship was practiced in the Vale do Paraíba Paulista (VPP) region in 2011 by presenting important information from the region

Summary

Introduction

Considered as the basic production units, companies produce and offer goods and services, as demanded by modern society and can be classified within the limits set as large, medium, small and micro enterprises (Silva et al, 2005; Zica & Martins, 2008).According to SEBRAE (2006), small companies differ due to the small number of employees and the small annual gross revenue, making it possible to benefit from the benefits and incentives provided by the legislation.The dynamics of the economy, growth and market demands mean that small companies need mechanisms to assist in their development, based on managerial and technological knowledge, leading to their strengthening and expansion (Pereira et al, 2009).small companies seek support for the development of their business activities in institutions linked to small entrepreneurs, such as the Brazilian Micro and Small Business Support Service (SEBRAE), employers’ unions, business incubators, universities, etc.In the case of business incubators, these are organizations that can be linked to public or private educational institutions, prefectures, and even independent business initiatives, where the basis for sustaining an incubation program is based on the diffusion of the entrepreneurial culture, knowledge and innovation.The company incubator is useful to stimulate the emergence and consolidation of small businesses, generally called incubated, which, supported by a physical space with technical and operational infrastructure, may have the innovative ideas of future entrepreneurs transformed into new products or processes (Porton & Longary, 2005). Small companies seek support for the development of their business activities in institutions linked to small entrepreneurs, such as the Brazilian Micro and Small Business Support Service (SEBRAE), employers’ unions, business incubators, universities, etc. In the case of business incubators, these are organizations that can be linked to public or private educational institutions, prefectures, and even independent business initiatives, where the basis for sustaining an incubation program is based on the diffusion of the entrepreneurial culture, knowledge and innovation. The company incubator is useful to stimulate the emergence and consolidation of small businesses, generally called incubated, which, supported by a physical space with technical and operational infrastructure, may have the innovative ideas of future entrepreneurs transformed into new products or processes (Porton & Longary, 2005)

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