Gestão da inovação sob a perspectiva do desenvolvimento sustentável: lições das estratégias e práticas na indústria de higiene pessoal, perfumaria e cosméticos

Concerns about environmental issues have compelled the productive sector of the industries to search for new business opportunities to achieve sustained development. There are some Brazilian companies from the personal hygiene, cosmetics, and perfumery sector who have been incorporating natural ingredients from the Brazilian biodiversity in its products in response to the intense competition with the multinational companies of the sector based in Brazil, as well as on account of the search of participation in international markets. The objective of this research was to study the implications in the search of a technological innovation trajectory based on sustainable products, which brings more complexity and diversity to the technological innovation process management and the increase of expertise associated with it. To accomplish this, a survey was proposed within a sample of 12 companies which actuate in the sector with the objective to investigate its strategies and technological innovation management practices. The results allowed the construction of a deductive categorization matrix with the different approach regarding the usage of natural ingredients in company's products, also with different implications for technological and innovative activities and the principles of sustainable development.