The Development of a Methodology for Innovation Management at Utilities Companies at Brazilian Electricity Distribution Sector

Beginning in the late 1990s, reforms were initiated in the R&D Programs for the Electricity Sector coordinated by ANEEL (Brazil's National Electric Energy Regulatory Agency created in 1996 to regulate and oversee the electricity sector). More emphasis was given to the commercialization of successful R&D projects. In this environment, a joint project for collaboration between the Innovation Management Center of a public university and a utility company in the electricity distribution sector was started in 2008, with the purpose of developing a methodology for management of R&D,I for the utility company. What emerged as a result was a methodology for the management of R&D, I that includes the following: changes in organizational structure; systematic training programs in R&D,I, the dissemination of the goals and results of the company and new channels and processes to improve the interaction between the internal and external partners in R&D,I.