Technology transfer in the Brazilian textile industry: usual practices and recommendations for improvements

• Grant number: 14/08105-9
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: August 01, 2014
• End date: July 31, 2016
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Production Engineering
• Principal Investigator: Wagner Cezar Lucato
• Grantee: Wagner Cezar Lucato
• Host Institution: Universidade Nove de Julho (UNINOVE). Campus Memorial. São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• City of the host institution: São Paulo
• Associated researchers: Milton Vieira Junior ; Rosangela Maria Vanalle

Abstract

The Brazilian textile industry has been facing a fierce competition from low cost imports coming from Far East countries. In order to keep their ability to compete, Brazilian companies have been adopting a product differentiation strategy. This has been achieved by developing new products and manufacturing processes with better quality at lower costs, characteristics to be provided by new technology in manufacturing equipment and processes. Usually this new technology has been transferred to the Brazilian firms by international equipment manufacturers. Hence this research proposal aims at contributing to increase the competitiveness of the Brazilian textile companies by supporting them with theoretical knowledge and practical guidance to allow them to improve the effectiveness of their technology transfer (TT) processes. For that purpose, an exploratory evaluation of Brazilian textile companies belonging to the spinning, weaving, knitting and finishing sectors will be considered with the objective of generating knowledge to allow the development of a subsequent in-depth survey to identify the common TT practices being currently used by the companies located in the main textile production centers in Brazil. As a result of the knowledge acquired, this research proposal is also planning to identify a set of best practices to be integrated in a TT model that could be adopted by the Brazilian textile companies as a way to maximize the efficacy and the effectiveness of their respective TT processes, consequently contributing to the competitiveness strengthening of the Brazilian textile industry. (AU)