PLANNING TECHNOLOGICAL BUSINESSES: A STUDY OF MARKET POSITIONING AND THE VALUE CHAIN

FERNANDES, JUNE MARQUES; REIS, LUCIANA PAULA; SERIO, LUIZ CARLOS DI

doi:10.1590/1678-69712017/administracao.v18n3p70-116

JUNE MARQUES FERNANDES

Master's Degree in Production Engineering from the Department of Production Engineering, Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG). Doctorate student from the School of Business Administration, Fundação Getúlio Vargas (FGV). Professor and Researcher at the Department of Production Engineering, Federal University of Ouro Preto (UFOP). Rua 36, 115, Bloco G, Sala 208, Loanda, João Monlevade - MG - Brasil - CEP 35931-008. E-mail: june.marques@gmail.com

Fundação Getúlio Vargas, School of Business Administration, Fundação Getúlio Vargas, Brasil

Federal University of Ouro Preto, Department of Production Engineering, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Brasil

LUCIANA PAULA REIS

PhD in Business Administration from the Department of Business Administration, Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG). Professor and Researcher from the Department of Production Engineering, Federal University of Ouro Preto (UFOP). Rua 36, 115, Bloco G, Sala 208, Loanda, João Monlevade - MG - Brasil - CEP 35931-008. E-mail: luciana.preis@gmail.com

Federal University of Ouro Preto, Department of Production Engineering, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Brasil

LUIZ CARLOS DI SERIO

PhD in Procuction Engineering from the School of Engineering, University of São Paulo (USP). Full Professor from the Department of Operations Management, Fundação Getúlio Vargas (FGV). Rua Itapeva, 474, 8º andar, Bela Vista, São Paulo - SP - Brasil - CEP 01313-902. E-mail: luiz.diserio@fgv.br

Fundação Getúlio Vargas, School of Business Administration, Fundação Getúlio Vargas, Brasil

Master's Degree in Production Engineering from the Department of Production Engineering, Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG). Doctorate student from the School of Business Administration, Fundação Getúlio Vargas (FGV). Professor and Researcher at the Department of Production Engineering, Federal University of Ouro Preto (UFOP). Rua 36, 115, Bloco G, Sala 208, Loanda, João Monlevade - MG - Brasil - CEP 35931-008. E-mail: june.marques@gmail.com

Fundação Getúlio Vargas, School of Business Administration, Fundação Getúlio Vargas, Brasil

Federal University of Ouro Preto, Department of Production Engineering, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Brasil

PhD in Business Administration from the Department of Business Administration, Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG). Professor and Researcher from the Department of Production Engineering, Federal University of Ouro Preto (UFOP). Rua 36, 115, Bloco G, Sala 208, Loanda, João Monlevade - MG - Brasil - CEP 35931-008. E-mail: luciana.preis@gmail.com

PhD in Procuction Engineering from the School of Engineering, University of São Paulo (USP). Full Professor from the Department of Operations Management, Fundação Getúlio Vargas (FGV). Rua Itapeva, 474, 8º andar, Bela Vista, São Paulo - SP - Brasil - CEP 01313-902. E-mail: luiz.diserio@fgv.br

Steps		Concept	Author
Definition of market positioning	Market players	It is understood that a company or organization plays some role in a transaction market. This expression comes from the economic area and refers to competitors and/or investors operating in a common market [1]. The first step is to analyse the agents involved in the market and the functions that each performs in order to identify the competitive differentials for the business [2].	[1] [2] Reis (2013)
Definition of market positioning	Positioning	The term "positioning" is often used in the context of a company's marketing decisions to indicate the place that the company, brand, and its products will occupy in a given industry [1/ and to indicate a distinct place in the perception and mind of its public [2], in addition to helping determine the market segment that will bring significant returns [3]. Positioning the company in the market means using the approprieate resources and adjusting the strategies in response to market changes, directing the marketing resources between the desired segments [4].	[1] Ries & Trout (1986); Douglas & Crai (1995); Ries (1996); Morgan, Strong, & Mcguinness (2003) [2] Darling (2001); Kotler & Keller (2006) [3] Jackson (2007) [4] Hassan & Craft (2005); Wilson & Amine (2009)
Definition of market positioning	Positioning prioritization	The authors [1] point out important factors that influence the effectiveness of positioning, the choice of the customer and the potential for profitability, the products and services to be offered, the marketing methods, and the relationship strategies with the various business partners, among others. For Reis (2013), one has to consider the criteria that should be considered when choosing market positioning: financial (level of investment, origin of investment, and financial return), market (size and scale to capability), and team (experience, competence, and network of contacts). After the mapping, a qualitative analysis is done by means of the AHP (analytic hierarchy process)method to expose the best path to be followed based on the evaluated criteria [2].	[1] Ordanini, Micelli, & Maria (2004); Gengatharen & Standing (2004); Pai & Yeh (2008); Balocco, Perego, & Perotti (2010) [2] Reis (2013)
Strucutre the value chain	Mapping Activities	Refers to the mapping of the primary activities inherent to the chosen positioning. For this decision, it is necessary to evaluate the technical ability of those involved in carefully separating the different tasks, process activities, and product components in order to decide which activities/processes/components will be outsourced and which will be internalized by the company [2].	[1] Reis (2013) [2] Glimstedt, Bratt, & Karlsson (2010)
Strucutre the value chain	Identification of dubious activities	This process consists of internal and external (market) mapping for the company to understand the players that operate in the EBT market and the activities that the company must internalize or outsource (also identifying dubious activities regarding the decision to outsource or internalize). These mapping represent an important activity for the identification of the alternatives to be prioritized (market positioning alternatives and the identification of dubious activities to then decide how to outsource or internalize them).	[1] Reis (2013)
Strucutre the value chain	Make-or-buy decision	The planning of the decision to outsource or internalize during the value chain struturing represents one of the most complex choices of the companies' managers, since it affects company performance [1] [2]. For the activities considered dubious, it is suggested that the AHP method is applied as a decision-making (make-or-buy decision), based on hierarchical multicriteria factors: financial (cost to outsource or internalize activities and investment), time, quality of product, process, and information flow), flexibility (which with speed and cost capacity chould be subdivided in relation to engineering changes and variation of demand, in addition to comprehensiveness), and, finally, security main competence, criticality of the activity, and feasibility of protection) [3].	[1] Leiblein, Reuer & Dalsace (2002) [2] Mcvivor & Humphreys (2000); McIvor (2000) [3] Reis (2013)

Nº	(Technical projects)	Knowledg area of technology	Number of researchers involved	Internal managers and external partners
1	Increased sperm production	Biology	1	Interns to UFOP:
2	Calibration of polymer machine	Mechanical Engineering	1	1 General manager
3	Digital coupons	Information Technology	2	1 Coordinator
4	Crack Detection	Metallurgy	1	14 Scholars
5	Pap smear	Pharmacy	1	2 Teachers/researchers
6	Food sticker	Food Engineering	1
7	Power generation	Sustainable Energy	1	External to UFOP:
8	Quorum sensing	Food Engineering	2	2 SECTES representatives
9	Integrated remote network	Environmental Analysis	1	2 SEBRAE Representatives
10	Sound cage	Control Engineering and Automation	2	3 Consulting

Description	Marketplace
Project: Case 1 Knowledge area: Pharmaceuticals Application: Male infertility regarding low sperm count and/or sperm motility.
Medication based on a species of plant that changes male behavior and induces an increase in the number of spermatozoa produced by it, in addition to an improvement in semen quality.	15% of Brazilian couples have problems with infertility, and male infertility is linked with 30% to 60% of these cases.
Project: Case 2 Knowledge area: Mechanics and organic chemistry Application: The manufacture of organic electronic devices, conductive tracks, resistors, capacitors, flat inductors and laser diodes, transistors, and OLEDs.
Polymer printing machine that allows you to mold objects from polymers (plastic). This equipment aims for the production of a detailed object with volume and depth, obtained by overlapping several layers of polymers, layer by layer, giving the final shape.	Companies and institutions of scientific and technological interest, who need an efficient and low-cost machine in their research. This machine will be useful for research into ways of building circuits with organic components such as the manufacture of organic sensors and discrete organic components.
Project: Case 3 Knowledge area: Mobile and cloud computing Application: Document management and cloud storage.
The technology developed was born from a concept called "information management in the agent life cycle" (IMALC), which consists of a new paradigm of information and document management.	General population with access to smartphones and Internet access. Brazil had record sales of smartphones in the third quarter of 2014, surpassing the 15 million mark, which supports the deployment of software that operates under the concept of cloud computing and mobility.
Project: Case 4 Knowledge area: Applied mechanics Application: Detection of fractures in sleepers made of steel.
The purpose of the technology is to detect deterioration of the geometry of the rails and the appearance of its fractures. The process for obtaining the data is done by producing a stimulus on one end of the sleepers with a hammer or similar tool.	Large companies that use railroads as part of the flow of their production, mainly for the ore. An important context for the analysis of the trinkets of sleepers, since the loads are considered heavy and the incidence of cracks is higher than compared with those lines that are used just for the transport of passengers.
Project: Case 5 Knowledge area: Computation and cytology Application: External quality monitoring for cytopathological type II exams.
Analysis of cervical cell samples by imaging treatment. It is intended to create a high-performance semiautomatic computational tool capable of identifying and quantifying cellular components.	Laboratories of cytopathological examinations. Actors and target market of public policies to support technology: Viva Mulher Program (created in 1996) that encourages the control of cervical cancer; National Policy on Cancer Care (BRASIL, 2005), Pact for Health (BRASIL, 2006); National Plan to Strengthen the Network for the Prevention, Diagnosis, and Treatment of Cervical Cancer.
Project: Case 6 Knowledge area: Food and chemistry Application: Quality monitoring and deterioration of meat in real time.
Sensor of the chemical type the verification of the pH alteration of foods. It undergoes a change of color (light pink to violet) when in the presence of compounds released from the metabolism of decaying bacteria. The technology contributes to reducing the excess of meat waste in Brazil caused by bad conditions.	Population in general are configured as consumers in order to evaluate the quality of products to be consumed, avoiding various diseases such as salmonella. The food industries are the potential customers.
Project: Case 7 Knowledge area: Electrical Application: Economic and sustainable energy generation.
Generation of electrical energy by means of the waterfall of the residential or building reservoir. It works in a similar way to a hydroelectric plant.	The population in general represents the potential consumers to reduce the cost of energy (with the lack of rainfall, the value of the electricity tariff may raise the value of the product by 45.7%).
Project: Case 8 Knowledge area: Food and chemistry Application: Smart packaging with natural preservatives.
The research studies a way to incorporate the extract (Brazilian fruit isolates) of antimicrobial action in cellulosic film, in which the extract would be released from the same on the packaged food product. In addition to economic benefits, it can reduce losses and reduce intoxications and other problems related to food consumption.	Food and packaging industries (cellulosic film with compounds inhibiting bacterial quantum sensing may add value to a market already consolidated).
Project: Case 9 Knowledge area: Geotechnology Application: Control/monitoring of water systems, energy, and mass gravitational movements.
The goal of the technology is to monitor and report any pre-defined site/equipment changes in which it is deployed, in real time, bringing the information to the interested parties through an already developed software.	Brazilian cities. Brazil has a large number of cities that do not have remote monitoring and/or control for water management. Another fact is that large companies already seek management and monitoring by this type of technology.
Project: Case 10 Knowledge area: Blockbuster Games – Technology and Innovation Application: Social inclusion of visually impaired people through assistive technology in the gaming market.
Simple and innovative equipment, which integrates two technologies that already exist in the market, and enables the creation of games with sounds, through a virtual 3D environment, making its use viable for the visually impaired.	Entertainment market for the visually impaired. Other applications of technology may be embedded in the education and military markets.

BUSINESS MODEL
MARKET POSITIONING	VALUE CHAIN
Project 1: Case 1	Strategy: Transfer
Client/market: • Market problem: 15% of couples have fertility problems, 50% of which are caused by the male factor. • Customer profile: Human. • Market trends: High demand for methods that expansion and/or allow human fertility. • Geographical area: Pharmaceutical market worldwide.	Outsourcing activities: There were none.
Product: • Technological platform: Increase of fertility. • Description of products/services: The intended end product is an effective medicine for the treatment of male infertility. This is able to increase fertility in men who have sperm production deficits. • Minimum viable product (MPV): Performed pivotal tests on an increase of fertility in mice. • Value attributes: Human fertility, innovation, healthy method.	Make-or-buy decision: • Selection of plants; • In vivo tests.
Channels: • Marketing channels: Resales in pharmacies, drugstores, e-commerce. • Channels of distribution: Third parties.	Internalyzed activities: • Preparation of the ethanolic extract/characterization of the compounds/material collection/statistical analysis of the material.
Project 2: Case 2	Strategy: Transfer
Client/market: • Market problem: The need for technologies that support organic electronics. • Customer profile: Research centers such as universities and electronics companies. • Market trends: In the market there is polymer deposition equipment; however, it is generally imported and has a comparatively high cost. The equipment developed has a relatively low cost; in addition, there is no specific research using automotive injection nozzles in the injection of polymers, which is the potential for innovation, and technology already patented by the project researchers. • Geographical area: Minas Gerais, southeast Brazil.	Outsourcing activities: • Product formalization, adjustments, and industrial adaptation; • Product delivery; • Training for handling
Project 2: Case 2	Strategy: Transfer
Product/service: • Technology platform: Organic electronics. • Description of the product/service: The polymer printing machine is a technology that enables the molding of objects from polymers (plastic) using a machine. • Minimum viable product (MPV): Pivotal realization from the concept of a nozzle automotive injector. • Value attributes: Quality, flexible, organic, exclusivity in the national market.	Make-or-buy decision: There were none.
Channels: • Channels of distribution: Distributors, developer companies, manufacturing companies, and research institutions. • Marketing channels: Social networks and direct contact with possible buyers.	Internalyzed activities: • Research and development/structuring/programming/mechanical assembly/software development.
Project 3: Case 3	Strategy: Entrepreneur
Client/market: • Market Problem: Paper-based document management. • Customer profile: Department stores, credit card companies, hypermarkets, supermarkets, shops, pharmacies, bars, bookstores, etc. • Market trends: Greater use of mobile devices and internet access, cloud storage. • Geographical area: Minas Gerais and later to expansion to Brazil and to the world.	Outsourcing activities: There were none.
Product: • Technology platform: cloud storage. • Description of products/services: tax coupons, personal documents, contracts, other. • Minimum viable product (MPV): Pivotal use made of storage of coupons and cloud data. • Value attributes: Functional reliability of the service, leve of customization, degree of innovation, superiority of value proposition.	Make-or-buy decision: There were none.
Project 3: Case 3	Strategy: Entrepreneur
Channels: • Marketing channels: Strength of own sale, e-commerce. • Distribution: Technical representatives, servers/network.	Internalyzed activities: • Research and study on tools to aid in the development phases/analysis of the requirements for coding the server in each cash register/implementation of the server and client module (to be executed in the cash registers)/tests, validations, and debugging of the client module/study of interface and usability for creation of the interface with end user (foreground)/analysis of the requirements for coding the interface with end user.
Project 4: Case 4	Strategy: Transfer
Client/market: • Market problem: Detection of cracks in steel sleepers based on tacit knowledge. • Customer profile: Mining companies, steel mills, responsible for maintaining the sleepers. • Market trends: The incentive to innovation is very big. Companies are adopting increasingly automated systems. Due to the change in the sleepers, many of these are potential buyers of the technology. • Geographical area: Brazil, specifically in the southeast region.	Outsourcing activities: • Product delivery; • Installation.
Project 4: Case 4	Strategy: Transfer
Product/service: • Technology platform: A wide range of problems involving vibratory aspects can be approached and solved through the technology in question. • Description of the product/service: Crack detector or failures due to mechanical vibrations on steel objects. • Minimum viable product (MPV): Laboratory tests using similar structures, such as steel billets and discarded bed scraps, which helped to analyze vibration in a quick and practical way, identifying ruptures. • Value attributes: Quality, functional availability, deadline, reliability, ease of data collection, innovative and sustainable character.	Make-or-buy decision: • Functional tests of quality control.
Channels: • Distribution: Direct mail, sales representatives. • Marketing: Sales representatives, websites, and exhibitions.	Internalyzed activities: • Software implementation/accelerometer deployment/system assembly/product formalization/handling/maintenance guidance.
Project 5: Case 5	Strategy: Transfer
Client/market: • Market problem: Maintenance and quality assurance in cytological tests. • Clients' profile: Cytological examination laboratories (public and private). • Market trends: Institution of National Qualification in Cytopathology (QualiCito) – FEDERAL GOVERNMENT LETTER No. 1,504, JULY 23, 2013. • Geographical area: Minas Gerais.	Outsourcing activities: • Installation of the system/tests and validations/distribution/ installation of the system for the client/ monitoring (provision of the service).
Project 5: Case 5	Strategy: Transfer
Product: • Technological platform: reassessment of type II cytopathological examinations by standardized mathematical methods. • Description of products/services: Analysis software for cytopathological examinations (reevaluation). • Minimum viable product (MPV): Laboratory test for reevaluation of type II cytopathological exams. • Value attributes: Quality, leve of customization adaptation to other types of analysis, reliability, degree of innovation, and low cost.	Make-or-buy decision: There were none.
Channels: • Marketing channels: Strength of own sale, dissemination in websites, specialized sellers, laboratories (partners). • Distribution: partnership with companies, specialized vendors, fairs, and congresses in the area.	Internalyzed activities: • Software development/training for the use of software
Project 6: Case 6	Strategy: Entrepreneur
Client/market: • Market problem: Deterioration of food products due to poor storage conditions. • Customer profile: Companies in the food industry, supermarkets, farms, among others of the genre. • Market trends: Greater concern of people with food. • Geographical area: Minas Gerais and expansion to Brazil and the world.	Outsourcing activities: There were none.
Project 6: Case 6	Strategy: Entrepreneur
Product: • Technological platform: Adhesive that adapts to the environment where it is inserted given the previously established restrictions. • Description of products/services: A product that aims to monitor in real time deterioration changes in meat and show the consumer that it is no longer in a position to be consumed. • Minimum viable product (MPV): Pivotal tests made with adhesive paper and in natural products to verify color change according to the pH variation of the food. • Value attributes: Quality, biodegradable, innovative and sustainable, low cost, and non-toxic.	Make-or-buy decision: • Product delivery; • Training for handling.
Channels: • Marketing Channels: Dissemination in social networks, publication in articles, and own sales force. • Distribution: Accomplished by third parties and consumer companies.	Internalyzed activities: • Research and development/structuring/programming/functional tests/project analysis/formalization of the product.
Project 7: Case 7	Strategy: Entrepreneur
Client/market: • Market problem: Frequent absence of rain leading to the compromise of the supply of electricity. • Customer profile: Construction companies, hotels, resorts, housing programs, etc. • Market trends: Increasing increase in the supply of electrical energy. • Geographic area: Minas Gerais and expansion to Brazil.	Outsourcing activities: • Construction of the microturbine.
Project 7: Case 7	Strategy: Entrepreneur
Product: • Technological platform: Generation of energy from the waterfall of water tanks in the property. • Description of products/services: The product aims to generate electricity through the waterfall of the residential or building reservoir (the concept works in a similar way to a hydroelectric plant). • Minimum viable product (MVP): Tests to generate a minimum acceptable amount of energy from the waterfall of a water tank. • Value attributes: Economy, sustainability, innovation, marketing argument.	Make-or-buy decision: • Sale of the product; • Installation of the system for the client.
Channels: • Marketing Channels: Reseller, e-commerce, and sales representative. • Distribution: Carried out by third parties and own freight system.	Internalyzed activities: • Adequacy of the microturbine for the water pipe.
Project 8: Case 8	Strategy: Transfer
Client/market: • Market problem: Loss of food Through growth of microorganisms. • Customer profile: Companies in the food industry, pharmaceutical industries, and chemical industries. • Market trends: High demand for methods that extend the shelf lives of products. • Geographical area: Minas Gerais and expansion to the southeast and later to Brazil.	Outsourcing activities: There were none.
Project 8: Case 8	Strategy: Transfer
Product: • Technology platform: Smart packaging. • Description of products/services: Product that becomes an extra barrier to microbial control. Extracts of proven antimicrobial action and inhibition of communication of microorganisms (quorum sensing) are released in packaged foods. • Minimum viable product (MPV): Pivotal tests regarding the stability of the compound. • Value attributes: Quality, biodegradability, and differentiation.	Make-or-buy decision: • Product delivery; • Training for handling.
Channels: • Marketing Channels: through rural producers, suppliers, sale by own sales force, and resales. • Distribution: Rural producers, suppliers, third parties, and consumer companies.	Internalyzed activities: • Research and development/structuring/programming/testing plastic films/inhibitory effects tests/product formalization.
Project 9: Case 9	Strategy: Entrepreneur
Client/market: • Market problem: Water management and availability of information processed in real time to agencies and citizens. • Client profile: Condominiums, prefectures, water agencies, inns and hotels, individuals, environmental engineering companies, sanitary engineering companies. • Geographical area: Regional (100 km radius from Ouro Preto).	Outsourcing activities: • Manufacture of printed circuit boards; • Assembly of printed circuit boards (centralizer/remote and antenna); • Installation of the system for the client (procedures).
Project 9: Case 9	Strategy: Entrepreneur
Product/service: • Technology platform: based on geotechnology. • Description of products/services: Centralizing station with monitoring and control software via the web; remote station with photovoltaic panel; remote station with mains power. • Minimum viable product (MPV): Pivotally made in laboratory with electronic circuit board to define the technology that is embedded in the product. • Value attributes: Quality; high customization capacity; affordable cost to the target markets; easy implementation of the network; easy network expansion; reliability; artificial intelligence; self-monitoring health network; providing real-time information on the monitored/controlled system; registration and availability of information in database for historical generation.	Make-or-buy decision: There were none.
Channels: • Marketing channels: door-to-door; automation companies, environmental engineering company, sanitary engineering companies; disclosure on own site; technical representative; sales representatives; publication of articles in specialized journals. • Distribution: Own freight; third-party freight; post offices; partnership with companies.	Internalyzed activities: • Recording of the firmwares on the boards/making the cables between subsystems/validating the boards (application area)/installing the remote card in a metal enclosure/installing the control card in a metal enclosure/installing the antenna plate in a plastic enclosure/rack mounting remote control and control rack/signal cable manufacturing/validation of remote and control racks/commissioning/monitoring and analysis of data/annual database maintenance/development and implementation of interactive artificial intelligence built in for optimized control.
Project 10: Case 10	Strategy: Transfer
Client/market: • Market problem: Lack of entertaining games for people with a high degree of visual impairment. • Customer profile: People with visual impairment. • Market trends: Great market potential. Many investments being made in the assistive technology area. • Geographical area: São Paulo, southeast region, Brazil.	Outsourcing activities: • Distribution; • Installation.
Product/service: • Technological platform: Interchange of the visually impaired, visual training with the use of sensors, learning of children through didactic games. • Description of the product/service: Highly structured sensory stimulation game, and use of 3D sounds. • Minimum viable product (MPV): Pivotally made from carton box, used speakers and support structure with pvc for a good simulation platform. In addition to this model, new concept of the structure in virtual environment was carried out using design concepts. • Value attributes: Quality, reliability, social inclusion, degree of innovation, affordable price to the market.	Make-or-buy decision: • Distribution; • Structural construction and assembly; • Development of printed circuit board of the sound signal.
Channels: • Channels of distribution: Participation in events, dissemination in own site and specialized websites, own sales force, partners. • Marketing channels: Partnership with retailers, specialized stores, education institutes, and Ministry of Defense.	Internalyzed activities: • Application programming; • Integration between structure and control; • Assembly of the system; • Maintenance of the system.

Case analisys
Definition of Market Positioning	Market Players	Cases 1, 3, 8, and 10 presented a broad market application of their technologies, demonstrating adaptability to different market segments. This stage involved collaboration during the initial phases of the business formulation process because this enabled the identification of all the possible applications of the technologies and aided in the survey of each client's specific needs. In addition, collaboration helped in the mapping of all the processes necessary for the execution of the production of the product or service. It also contributed to the identification of suppliers and the importance they represent in the product development process. In relation to cases 2 and 5, this process contributed to a clear objective and visual organization of the work structure in order to facilitate and characterize the immediate needs (in relation to the resources made available for this project) and market demands through feedback to managers. These measures aimed to identify processes that could be improved, as well as assisting in the search for new sources of resources. For cases 4 and 9, the stage contributed mainly to the facilitation of the company's formalization, the management of the productive processes, the administration of resources, and decision-making. However, with regard to case 6, because it is a more specific product for the food sector, the researchers-entrepreneurs considered that its adoption could bring greater contributions in the future, more specifically with the insertion of the technology in the market. In case 7, it was identified that the analysis of market players can be a useful tool; however, it was difficult for project designers to recognize and identify the management tools for the business model.
Definition of marketing positioning	Identification of maketing positions	The cases studied covered several areas of knowledge. Many of their representatives had no experience in the field of business, as found in Case 1, where the researchers-entrepreneurs had many uncertainties about the types of positioning to be adopted. The researchers-entrepreneurs could not even identify the types. In cases 2 and 3, this step guided and helped to identify the opportunities and requirements to serve the types of positioning, especially those that had as their objective more than one segment to be served by technology. For cases 4, 5, and 7, identifying model-based placements helped to make the academic research more applicable and with a greater impact on the market because it improved the perspective of the demands from the beginning and used them as the basis for development. In cases 6, 8, and 10, the researchers had already identified some positions. The adoption of this stage helped the researchers to reflect on other aspects that could benefit the future of a business. As an example, they used the technology platform concept and were able to identify new, previously unknown market segments. Complementarily, for case 9, where the researcher understood the importance of positioning identification, the concept served as an aid to the implementation of strategies geared toward a segment that would be suitable.
Definition of marketing positioning	Positioning priorization	With the introduction of the prioritization of positioning, it was noticed that in cases 2, 4, and 9, the financial criterion was significantly important. In cases 1, 3, 5, and 10, the criterion on market accessibility was identified as very relevant, especially when associated with an innovative product. This aspect has shown that having a criterion of evaluation and a direction for a business is desirable. This stage also contributed to the projects whose developed technologies incorporated the prescriptions established by the clients, as happened in case 4. In case 5, the tool was valid to help the choice of positioning. The same was observed in case 7, which as a technology focused on the generation of energy, presented several segments as options for performance. Each of the positioning options observed in case 7 should be explored in order to classify them in relation to their respective potentials. In cases 6, 8, and 9, this step served to reinforce the prioritization of existing positions, as well as to aggregate new knowledge about the main alternatives that can be invested.
Structuring the value chain	Mapping activities	For cases 1, 3, and 4, during the design of the research project, the activity mapping had already been carried out. This is where the hypotheses of the productive processes were created. In cases 1, 5, and 10, with the presentation of the methodology, the researchers began to have a more systemic view of the market, obtaining greater detail of the activities and the process as a whole. Specifically in case 5, it was possible to visualize the steps and to understand the process and all the macro activities more effectively. This was in relation to the part that would involve the production process, the development of the software, the assembly of the system, the tests and validations, and also the provision of services, distribution, installation of the system for the client, the training to use the software, and the monitoring of the same. From this, it was possible to understand at what stage of the production process the technology in question was positioned. However, in case 9, in addition to helping organize the process documentation (production or service provision), the tool made it possible to improve communication between the members of the entrepreneurial team involved with the mapped activities. For cases 2, 6, 7, and 8, the mapping stage was of great importance for the researchers, having been applied since the beginning of the development of the technology until the moment of definition of the business model. In this way, it was possible to assist both the systematization of documentation and the visualization of the steps that constituted the process, as well as the organization of the information that involved the managerial part of the business.
Structuring the Value Chain	Identification of Dubious Activities	For all the analyzed cases, this step was considered of great importance because it was necessary in order to identify the activities that add value to the developed technology. At this step, it was possible to associate each case with a predominant activity, whether of the production process or of service rendering. For cases 6, 8, and 10, this step contributed to a better visualization of the structure of the value chain. As observed in case 1, each project within its particularity needed to go through an analysis of the decision to internalize or outsource its activities in the value chain. In case 1, for example, there was a need to outsource some activities (not mentioned by the researcher), since the technology was largely developed in the research laboratory of the university. This fact demonstrated that the project could not enjoy an infrastructure adequate enough for its development as a whole, mainly because of the complexity of the technology. For case 2, from the analysis of the activities, it was possible to verify that some activities, when outsourced, would be able to add higher quality to the product to the detriment of its internalization. As an illustrative example of case 2, it can be mentioned that the construction activity of the circuit boards would in theory avoid the loss of resources for the development of a part already on the market. Similarly, considering case 7, the construction of a large-scale turbine within the laboratories would be impracticable, thus demonstrating the pertinence in outsourcing this activity. For case 9, it would be more efficient to internalize activities, such as the development of test plate prototypes, or even the production of a few samples of a piece. However, if the researchers decided to undertake such activities, there would be a clear increase in production, making it more advantageous to outsource the plate-making process. In this way, the team (case 9) could focus on the productive process of the business. Analyzing cases 3 and 5 is significantly important at this stage because there was a demand from the entrepreneurial team to predetermine what would be outsourced or internalized from the early stages of technological development. With regard to cases 3 and 4, their applicability was not verified at this stage. The low utilization of this stage in cases 3 and 4 seems to be linked more to the decision to transfer the technology to established companies. Even though it is an important step in the structuring of the business value chain (since the company that receives the technology can benefit from this information), there was no interest in exploring the practical contributions, even though the benefits of technology-recipient companies were perceived.
Structuring the Value Chain	Make-or-Buy Decision	For cases 1, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10, this stage demonstrated usefulness in the decision-making process regarding the future of technology. The contribution of this step is that after the elaboration of the functional prototype, and following preparation for market entry, a product may have its development costs reduced. This was possible by evaluating the most costly stages of the production process. Another strategic point in which it was possible to observe the contribution of this stage concerns pricing policy. At this point, once you have investment and know the value that the market is willing to pay, you can determine if the direct and indirect costs will help to make the business structure feasible. In theory, this can help market entry and reduce financial uncertainties. Regarding case 2, this stage was interesting during the development of the technology, more specifically at the time of prototype elaboration. As in the other cases, we identified the need to adopt this step after establishing the prototype. However, for cases 3 and 5, the phase in question did not show applicability because its activities were already well defined; namely, the researchers already knew the steps that would be needed to be internalized and outsourced. Thus, this process would not add information relevant to the development of the business at the stage at which they were. However, it was evidenced by the researchers that the method could be adopted in the initial phases of the project during the process of structuring the opportunity and before the elaboration of any formalization of the technology.

[TFN1] Source: Adapted from Reis, Ladeira, and Fernandes (2015).

Brasil

Brasil

PLANNING TECHNOLOGICAL BUSINESSES: A STUDY OF MARKET POSITIONING AND THE VALUE CHAIN

PLANEJANDO NEGÓCIOS TECNOLÓGICOS: UM ESTUDO SOBRE POSICIONAMENTO MERCADOLÓGICO E CADEIA DE VALOR

PLANEANDO NEGOCIOS TECNOLÓGICOS: UM STUDIO SOBRE POSICIONAMIENTO MERCADOLÓGICO Y CADENA DE VALOR

ABSTRACT

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