Value creation through quality and innovation – a case study on Portugal

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyze the best way to create value in Portugal through quality and innovation and also to check what needs to be improved. Design/methodology/approach A questionnaire was applied to population of 152 companies, with the research and development (R&D) management certified by Portuguese Standard NP 4457. The final sample was 66 companies, which correspond to 45 percent of the population. Statistical analysis of the data collected was performed using IBM SPSS Statistical Software. Findings The authors highlighted the main reasons/motivations that led companies to implement the NP 4457, which were, among others, competitive advantage and creating value. The systematization of information and the generation and management of ideas were highlighted as the main advantages. The lack of methodologies for innovation management and knowledge management was the difficulty experienced in the implementation of NP 4457. Portugal needs to increase patent registration and it also needs to know how to take advantage of the investment made in R&D, in order to decrease the unit cost of knowledge. Portuguese engineering should be more about product design than production processes. The involvement of top management must be greater. Originality/value This investigation contributes to the innovation and quality body of knowledge, since it explores the complementarity between the two concepts as sources of value creation. This case study is one of the first Portuguese empirical research works about value creation through quality and innovation in Portugal. It also allows to know in detail the Portuguese business reality in terms of innovation management.

Environmental management system according toISO14001:2015 as a driver to sustainable development

“…On the business side, the centrality in the global debate of the concept of “sustainable” has meant that the environmental management of production processes became a critical success factor in order to compete on the market. In fact, if recently the green character was a peculiarity of some organization particularly sensitive to environmental issues, today it becomes a crucial aspect for business competitiveness (Baek, 2018; Lee, Noh, Choi, & Rha, 2017; Riaz & Saeed, 2019; Santos, Rebelo, Lopes, Alves, & Silva, 2016), in a world looking for new business (Bravi, Murmura, & Santos, 2017; Félix, Gonçalves, Jimenez, & Santos, 2019) where customers are very demanding (Bravi, Murmura, & Santos, 2018; Santos, Murmura, & Bravi, 2018b) in search of value (Costa, Barbosa, Santos, & Alves, 2019; Santos et al, 2018; Santos et al, 2019) and product quality (Araújo, Santos, Costa, & Sá, 2019; Rodrigues, Sá, Ferreira, Silva, & Santos, 2019; Sá, Amaral, Barreto, Carvalho, & Santos, 2019; Santos, Ferreira Rebelo, Doiro, & Santos, 2017; Santos, Murmura, & Bravi, 2018b; Santos, Murmura, & Bravi, 2019; Vieira et al, 2019; Zgodavova, Hudec, & Palfy, 2017).…”

Main Benefits of Integrated Management Systems Through Literature Review

“…But the largest share of value created is for the economies that project/design and develop new products. This is one of the main reasons why the economies of poor or developing countries are almost always in crisis (Santos et al, 2019c). Appreciating integration of different management systems has own strategic and tactical component.…”

“…(Santos et al, 2019a;Costa et al, 2019;Araújo et al, 2019;Dahlgaard-Park & Dahlgaard-Park, 2019;Marques et al, 2018;Bravi et al, 2019;Santos & Barbosa, 2006;Batista & Santos, 2015;Lee et al, 2009;Tari et al, 2012;Ferreira et al, 2015;Khan & Farooquie, 2016;Babakian et al, 2015;Ng et a., 2008). It is very importante to créate a quality culture in the Organization (Zgodavova et al, 2017;Santos et al, 1996;Weckenmann et al, 2015;Santos et al, 2019c). Similarly, EMS can offer saving in energy consumption, pollution prevention, customer satisfaction on environmental protection etc.…”

Critical analysis of information about integrated management systems and environmental policy on the Portuguese firms' website, towards sustainable development

“…Further, the process of accession of Portugal to the European Economic Community (EEC) in 1986, the national economy has benefited from then until today, important instruments of modernization of Portuguese industry, among which is the Specific Programme of Portuguese Industry Development (“Programa Específico de Desenvolvimento da Indústria Portuguesa” – “PEDIP I”) in force between 1988 and 1992 and later the Strategic Program of Streamlining and Modernization of Portuguese Industry (“Programa Estratégico de Dinamização e Modernização da Indústria Portuguesa” – “PEDIP II”) in force between 1994 and 1999. These programs of modernization of Portuguese industry, were grounded to a strategy of “SD” industry, with which it was intended to implement structural improvements in firm's neuralgic areas, such as: production, quality, environment, occupational health and safety, human resources, innovation and value creation (Santos et al, ), economy, energy, and ICTs (websites). By the conditions of eligibility of the typology of projects in legal terms (conditions), the largest membership of such government support was the responsibility of firms classified in the sector of economic activity designated by the secondary sector (industry).…”