WHAT'S THE RECIPE TO INNOVATE? AN ANALYSIS OF THE DETERMINANTS OF THE DEGREE OF INNOVATION IN THE GASTRONOMY SEGMENT

Innovation represents the search for the new that allows organisations to increase their competitiveness and face market competition. Although they have fewer resources and smaller capacities, small businesses have a number of advantages that enable the innovation process. Therefore, it is necessary to gain a greater understanding on the stage of innovation in small firms and on how the aspects of management influence their development and are useful for such organisations. In this sense, the present paper analyses the determinants of organisational management that influence the degree of innovation of small firms in the gastronomic segment. The sample of the study counted on data compilation of 67 small gastronomic firms of a northeastern state capital in Brazil collected during almost two years. The determinants of innovation were identified through the theoretical framework composed of leadership; strategies; customers; society; information and knowledge; people; processes and results. The degree of innovation was measured from the degree of sectorial innovation achieved by the innovation radar. The proposed relationships were analysed by means of multiple regression with panel data, in which the degree of innovation was the dependent variable of the model and the determinants of innovation were the independent variables. The results demonstrate that the degree of innovation is influenced mainly by the internal processes that the company develops and by the results that it achieves. On the contrary, it was verified that the regulatory aspects that the firms attend can inhibit the development of innovation. The results reinforce the importance of organisational management for the development of innovation in small business, presenting the facilities and the obstacles.