Processo de inovação ambiental: um estudo de caso na empresa Griffin Camaçari

Abstract

This thesis aims to investigate the process of environmental innovation that happens at the company level through the case study at the company Griffin Camaçari. The study about this company was relevant because the unit of analysis belongs to the fine chemical industry of generic pesticides, it holds an internal Research and Development Department and it achieved several innovations that allowed high gains in productivity and prizes within DuPont. Another point is that were three other companies of different characteristics in the same site and many employees have worked in the previous companies. In those companies there was no emphasis in process improvements and the hazardous solid waste had accumulated to thousands of tons. The research was designed to understand the pressures that lead Griffin to innovate environmentally (to answer the question why?) and the internal competences that allowed entrepreneurial innovation and the obstacles faced (relative to questions how?). It was also studied the results and effects that this process generated at the company (answering question what?). Initially, it was discussed the environment of chemical companies and, especially those of agrochemical industry of generic pesticides to know the pressures it faces and the industry characteristics. It was adopted the evolutionary theoric referential, the resource-based view and the dynamic capabilities that discuss the technological innovation, emphasizing questions like learning, tangible and intangible resources, core competence, lock-in and path dependence. The field research was accomplished through interviews, directed observation and document research. According to the analysis, the mains pressures that influenced Griffin in its decision to innovate with environmental benefits are of technological, economic, market and regulation requirements nature, with the classic command and control instruments, besides internal pressures, brought about by the insertion of the company in the specific and general environment. The main company competences are related to the cultural, skills, team, strategy and structure categories, emphasizing the skills and capabilities, presence of key personnel and internal R&D laboratory. The obstacles are mainly of technological character (lock-in and path dependence of end-of-pipe solutions) and scarceness of financial resources. The results and effects point to the development of radical and incremental innovation with pollution prevention, the survival of the company in the market of generic products, image improvement, radical and incremental process and product improvement, financial gains, residual outputs elimination or reduction. It was drawn the Griffin environmental innovation process model. This allows seeing aspects to be stimulated and barriers to be eliminated in order to extend these results to a wider environment. It concludes that Griffin has accomplished environmental innovation through cleaner technologies that resulted in benefits to the environment, translated into a better business performance and eco-efficiency.