This theoretical paper has as main objective to analyze the relation between sustainability and innovation, taking as reference the institutional theory. Thus, the paper initially examines the issue of sustainable development, from a historical dimension of evolution of the topic. After that, we explored the theme of institutionalization of sustainable development, suggesting that the prominence of sustainable development can be explained by institutional theory, more specifically by the concept of symbolic efficiency of Meyer and Rowan (1991). The paper then analyzes the concept of sustainable innovative organizations. Finally, the relationship between sustainability and innovation is analyzed, highlighting the importance that the company innovates considering the three dimensions of sustainability -social, environmental and economic. RESUMO Este trabalho, de cunho teórico, tem como principal objetivo analisar a relação entre sustentabilidade e inovação, tendo como referencial a teoria institucional. Para tanto, o artigo inicialmente analisa a questão do desenvolvimento sustentável, a partir de uma dimensão histórica da evolução do tema. A seguir, é explorada a temática da institucionalização do desenvolvimento sustentável, sugerindo-se que a proeminência do desenvolvimento sustentável pode ser explicado pela teoria institucional, mais especificamente pelo conceito de eficiência simbólica de Meyer e Rowan (1991). O artigo então discute o conceito de organizações inovadoras sustentáveis. Por fim, é abordada a relação entre sustentabilidade e inovação, destacando a importância de a empresa inovar considerando as três dimensões da sustentabilidade -social, ambiental e econômica.PALAVRAS-CHAVE Inovação, sustentabilidade, teoria institucional, organização inovadora sustentável, desenvolvimento sustentá-vel, gestão socioambiental, eco-inovação. RESUMEN JOSÉ CARLOS BARBIERI • ISABELLA FREITAS GOUVEIA DE VASCONCELOS • TALES ANDREASSI • FLÁVIO CARVALHO DE VASCONCELOS

Given the increased importance of flexibility in company development models, it is not surprising that start-up support structures such as business incubators give more attention to flexible service offerings. In this paper, we argue that an incubator's service customization strategy is ideal in situations with high incubatee need heterogeneity. Moreover, we examine how an incubator's industry segmentation efforts are related to its customization strategy, and examine its subsequent impact on incubatee survival and growth. Based on an empirical study using data from 166 Brazilian incubators, we find that service customization is a significant mediator through which an incubator's industry focus can influence incubatee survival and growth. Moreover, contrary to the common assumption that an industry focus automatically leads to a higher incubatee performance level, we fail to find any evidence for a significant direct relation between an incubator's industry segmentation and incubatee survival and growth.

Many Brazilian universities have technology-based incubators, but there is a small presence of firms created by students, alumni or teachers (spin-offs). Thus, such incubators do not encourage the transfer of technologies developed in universities to society, through the creation of new businesses, one of the main ways of university-industry interaction. To test this assumption, we studied eight university incubators. As a theoretical basis, we used the concepts of open innovation and entrepreneurial university; as a methodology, we adopted a qualitative approach through the use of bibliographical, documental and field research, with in-depth interviews. Results show that there is no priority for companies created from academic research results, despite the incubators' preference for projects that have a high potential for interaction with the university. Also, there are few efforts to attract the academic audience, which leads to underutilization of this important channel for the transfer of research results.

No abstract

No abstract