Abstract
This chapter analyzes the challenges faced by a glass bottle manufacturer when incorporating the research, development, and innovation (RDI) standards into the firm's integrated management systems. Based on a case study, this chapter explores how the firm managed to incorporate the new standards into the already set of integrated management system based on the ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and OHSAS 18001 standards that the firm has managed to internalize in its continuous improvement process. In order to incorporate this new RDI management system, the firm developed a set of three procedures that involve an ideas management and opportunity evaluation procedure, a production knowledge interface management procedure, and an RDI project management system. These three procedures are now internalized as part of the integrated management system.
TopInnovation
Innovation and quality are receiving more importance as competitive and differentiation factors among competitors are becoming an important part of many management processes. In the recent context of globalization, businesses must have the capacity to innovate in order to maintain their competitiveness. On the other hand, quality management systems have an important administrative role in today’s businesses, as an organizational change vehicle (Zeng et al., 2011).
As Moreira (2011) refers, innovation is a key factor to improve the competitiveness of the institutions. However, the concept of innovation has been analyzed abusively to talk about products, services, processes and values (Dantas & Moreira, 2011) without taking into consideration the multidisciplinary and systemic perspective that have characterized a more embracing usefulness of innovation (Volberda, Van Den Bosch, & Heij, 2013).
According to Moreira and Karachun (2014), without continuous product innovation, businesses run serious risks of succumbing; only those capable of growing in the long-term can become specialists in the process of innovating and creating new products.
The success of an innovation does not reside on being successful in a short term period, but in its capacity of contributing consistently for a sustained growth, supported by a continuous adaptation (Dantas & Moreira, 2011).
Key Terms in this Chapter
Environmental Management System (EMS): Refers to all the management of an organization’s environmental programs and procedures in order to achieve a continuous improvement process for developing, implementing and maintaining policy for environmental protection.
Integrated Management System: Is an integrated system that manages the totality of an organization’s processes in order to achieve a continuous improvement process and equitably satisfy its main stakeholders. It may combine quality, environmental and safety management systems into one system in order to facilitate management operations.
Environmental Standards: Involve business relationship in which one company is involved in a business relationship in the supply chain with other firm, involving the provision of raw materials, components, spare parts, products or services. Normally, this type of relationship is celebrated between two firms to abandon adversarial, transaction-based involvements and to embrace on a partnership-like involvement.
Management Systems: It is the set of frameworks of procedures and processes used by organizations to ensure that they achieve a certain predefined set of objectives and equitably satisfy the stakeholders. They are normally based on a set of “Plan, Do, Check, Act” subroutine in order to achieve a continuous improvement process. They normally involve the certification process according to quality, environmental or an occupational health and safety management system to ensure the organization is improving its performance by means of continuous improvement.
Innovation: It is the process of translating a new idea or invention into the market. It can be a good or a service that creates value to the consumers, who are willing to pay. It is related with the concept of newness, in which a new idea, in the form of a good or service, must satisfy a specific need. Innovation can include the renovation and expansion of the range of products and services and their markets; the creation of new production methods, new sourcing activities and new distribution methods; and the introduction of management changes, in organization of the firm, and also in the workers qualifications. It is normally structured around three main blocks: products, processes and organizations.
Research, Development, and Innovation Standards: Are designed to ensure that there is a management system that ensures research, development, and innovation (RDI) programs and procedures to achieve a certain predefined set of objectives and equitably satisfy the stakeholders.