Proposal of a typology for the internationalization of internal and external R&D in Brazilian multinationals

Abstract

Innovation must be managed globally and dynamically, and its understanding must encompass not only the analysis of innovative activities developed within the physical boundaries of the head office and its subsidiaries (internal R), but should also involve the evaluation of innovative activities elsewhere, with emphasis on the interactions between companies, universities, and research institutes in the country and abroad (external R). In this context, this study proposes to develop a general typology for the internationalization of R, focusing on the structural possibilities for internal and external development. To this end, we carried out a descriptive qualitative study focusing on three cases: Embraco, Tigre, and WEG. The results of the survey described typology generic to the internationalization of R the characterization of the multinational study; characteristics of these companies' internationalization of production and R, and analysis of the cases in terms of the typology presented. From the proposed framework, it was possible to infer that in terms of the internationalization of internal R, Embraco and WEG are in transition between the intermediate and mature structures; whereas the internationalization of external R oscillates between the embryonic and intermediate structures. In the specific case of Tigre, internationalization of both internal R and external R remains at an embryonic stage.