Trajectories of technological capability accumulation and learning modes: evidence from Brazilian clothing industry

Piana, Janaina; Brustolin, Luiza Tagliari

doi:10.20396/rbi.v24i00.8676527

home Sumário navigate_before Anterior Atual Seguinte navigate_next

home Sumário

ARTICLES • Rev. Bras. Inov. 24 • 2025 • https://doi.org/10.20396/rbi.v24i00.8676527 linkcopy

Trajectories of technological capability accumulation and learning modes: evidence from Brazilian clothing industry

Authorship SCIMAGO INSTITUTIONS RANKINGS

ABSTRACT

While technology innovation and learning research draw considerable interest, most studies neglect low- and medium-tech (LMT) industries, which comprise over 70% of the GDP in emerging economies like Brazil. This study bridges that gap by analyzing technological capability accumulation and learning modes within the Brazilian clothing industry. Based on qualitative, longitudinal research with two Brazilian clothing firms, the findings reveal similar trajectories. Both firms advanced from production technological capability (Level 1) to intermediate innovation (Level 3) in management and product. In production organization and equipment, they reached basic innovation (Level 2), with varied speeds of accumulation. Firms primarily relied on the DUI (Doing, Using, and Interacting) learning mode, largely underutilizing STI (Science, Technology, and Innovation) mechanisms. The study underscores the significance of effectively managing learning modes by employing both STI and DUI learning in tandem to facilitate the development of innovation activities and, consequently, technological capabilities.

KEYWORDS
Clothing industry; Technological learning; Innovation; Innovation capability

Types and Levels of Technological Capabilities		Level 1 – Production Capability Capability to use existing technologies (operational activities)	Level 2 – Basic Innovation Capability Capability to implement technological activities through small adaptations and improvements to dominant technologies	Level 3 – Intermediate Innovation Capability Capability to perform complex incremental improvements and modifications	Level 4 – Advanced Innovation Capability Capability to carry out innovative activities and/or create new cutting-edge technologies for the world (based on R&D)
Function (technological areas) and related activities	Production Organization and Equipment	Examples: Structuring software modeling and fitting processes; machinery and equipment suitable for the established scale; compliance with environmental and quality standards established by certification.	Examples: Development of improvements and adaptations of processes and equipment based on experience, with a degree of local or company novelty.	Examples: Adaptation and implementation based on process and equipment engineering.	Examples: Internal or collaborative R&D for the development of new equipment and processes (automation technologies, IoT).
	Products	Examples: Replicate products with specifications patterns	Examples: Modify and adapt existing products; launch products with modifications and features requested by customers.	Examples: Complex solutions based on the integration of areas of specialization to achieve success in the process of launching new products; develop/adapt and launch new products based on design, research and engineering.	Examples: Development of new products (patents); R&D in new materials for fabrics and nanoparticles.
	Management	Examples: Formalization of management practices; use of management tools on a routine and continuous basis (e.g., sales targets); continuous monitoring of the basic routines of the firm's areas.	Examples: Improvements in the management of the firm's activities with a degree of newness locally or for the company; development of strategic planning; analysis of complaints to improve the management.	Examples: Proactive problem management; management team focused on integrated performance analysis, aligning business strategies with improvement initiatives.	Examples: R&D of highly complex management tools and solutions; execution of projects involving management of global and simultaneous processes.

Modes of learning	Related learning mechanisms	Definitions and examples
DUI learning mode	Hiring	Hiring of labor for operational activities.
	Participation in innovation fairs	Participation in industry fairs to acquire knowledge about innovations in the sector.
	Knowledge sharing and integration/discussion meetings	Participation in meetings, brainstorming sessions or informal sharing of information.
	Training/technical visits	Various training forms (classroom, on-the-job) observation tours, technical visits and supervised operations training in other firms (technical visits) and suppliers’ facilities; external training contracted through the acquisition of service and/or new technologies and production systems.
	Feedback from clients/employees and observation of the market/benchmarking	Knowledge exchange with lead clients/consumers/other firms, observation of the market/benchmarking to improve products, equipment, sales and production processes.
	Technical assistance and consulting services	Knowledge interactions to undertake the diagnosis and formulation of solutions regarding specialized areas, especially with suppliers. They are associated with responses to clothing firms’ specific demands.
	Engineering and experimentation	Practical technical problem-solving in concrete situations through iterative trial-and-error processes.
	Knowledge partnership with other firms	Sharing of information through strategic alliances between companies and/or mergers and acquisitions.
STI learning mode	Participation in scientific meetings	Active participation in local and/or international scientific conferences and related events (e.g., papers presentation).
	Hiring relevant expertise	Hiring graduates with relevant scientific backgrounds; poaching qualified professionals from competitors
	External training and education	Participation in lectures and tutorials; industrial courses and professional skills development courses (e.g., leadership and management, scientific/technical training), educational incentives (undergraduate and graduate).
	In-house research and design	Research and experimentation as part of design related to the adaptation and/or development of new products, lines of products and brands (modeling research).
	In-house formal R&D	Applied research and experimental development projects and search for technological innovations.
	Collaborative R&D	Basic and/or applied research and/or experimental development in collaboration with local and/or international universities and research institutes.

Firm	Area	Level of technological capability	Learning mode	Learning mechanisms
Company X	Management	From production capability (Level 1) to intermediate innovation capability (Level 3)	DUI learning mode	-Hiring
				-Training/technical visits
				- Knowledge partnership with other firms
				- Technical assistance and consulting services
			STI learning mode	-Hiring of expertise
	Product	From production capability (Level 1) to intermediate innovation capability (Level 3)	DUI learning mode	-Training/technical visits
				-Knowledge sharing and integration/discussion meetings
				- Knowledge partnership with other firms
			STI learning mode	- In-house research and design
			STI learning mode	-Hiring of expertise
	Production organization and equipment	From production capability (Level 1) to basic innovation capability (Level 2)	DUI learning mode	-Hiring
				-Training/technical visits
				-Knowledge partnership with other firms
Company Y	Management	From production capability (Level 1) to intermediate innovation capability (Level 3)	DUI learning mode	-Hiring
				- Training/technical visits
				- Feedback from clients/employees and observation of the market/benchmarking
				- Knowledge partnership with other firms
				-Technical visits
				-Knowledge sharing and integration/discussion meetings
			STI learning mode	-Education
			STI learning mode	-In-house research and design
	Product	From production capability (Level 1) to intermediate innovation capability (Level 3)	DUI learning mode	-Training/technical visits
			DUI learning mode	-Feedback from clients/employees and observation of the market/benchmarking
			STI learning mode	-In-house research and design
			STI learning mode	-Hiring of expertise
	Production organization and equipment	From production capability (Level 1) to basic innovation capability (Level 2)	DUI learning mode	-Hiring -Training/technical visits
				-Knowledge sharing and integration/discussion meetings
				-Participation in innovation fairs

vertical_align_top show_chart

more_horiz close
- image
- translate
- link
- article
- vertical_align_top
- file_download
- show_chart
- image
- translate
- link
- article

location_on

Universidade Estadual de Campinas Rua: Carlos Gomes, 250. Bairro Cidade Universitária, Cep: 13083-855 , Campinas - SP / Brasil , Tel: +55 (19) 3521-5176 - Campinas - SP - Brazil
E-mail: rbi@unicamp.br

rss_feed Acompanhe os números deste periódico no seu leitor de RSS

[1] Source: Adapted from Lall (1992); Piana and Brustolin (2023).