The process of information management from the perspective of a comparative case study between incubated and graduated technology-based companies

Abstract

Nowadays, competitiveness introduces new behaviors and leads companies to a situation of discomfort and often to non adaptation to environmental requirements. We see a growing number of challenges associated with control of information in organizations with engineering activities, in particularly the growing volumes of information from continuously changing nature. It can be stated that the innovative performance of an organization is directly proportional to its ability to manage information. Thus, the importance of information management is recognized by the search for more competent ways to face current demands. The purpose of this article is to analyze the four main stages of the information management process in technology-based companies. The comparative method of cases and qualitative research was used, conducted in nine technology-based companies, which were incubated or which passed recently by the incubating process in Technologic Park of São Carlos, state of São Paulo. Among the main results, it was found that in graduated companies the information management and its procedures was identified as more conscious and structured in contrast to the incubated companies.