The Petrochemical Industry (including the Brazilian Petrochemical industry) is a well-established and mature sector that has always introduced product and process incremental innovation. On the other hand, in order to maintain its competitiveness, this sector needs more radical innovation. According to the literature, companies that need both incremental and radical innovation should adopt an Ambidextrous Organization (or Semi-Structured Organization) using processes, management tools, and structures suitable for each innovation project. But how exactly should this ambidextrous organization be? This study attempts to contribute to this discussion by proposing criteria for an Organizational Design suitable for the development of incremental and radical innovations in a systematic manner in consolidated companies in mature industries, assuming that there would be no single model to be prescribed. The research method used was the multiple-case study of three innovative companies, in which eleven innovation projects were analyzed. The results indicate that although there is a concern about dividing structures for the development of incremental and radical innovations, in practice, there is no significant difference in the way projects are conducted. The model proposed offers a set of guidelines and criteria for each company to adapt its structure and processes to the different challenges faced by innovation projects at each stage of their development.
Innovation; Organizational design; Petrochemical industry
