Acumulação de competências tecnológicas e processos de aprendizagem no setor de serviços públicos: o caso do metrô de São Paulo

Abstract

This dissertation examines the influence of learning processes in the development of technological capabilities in firms. This subject was analyzed by means of a case study in Metro SP, covering the period from its foundation in 1968 until 2010. The accumulation of technological capabilities in developing countries is directly related to technology transfer from developed countries. For an effective transfer process, which allows the creation of necessary skills for developing technological innovations it is essential that companies and countries make efforts toward individual and organizational learning. In the case study of Metro SP, the analysis of the trajectory of technological skills was conducted based on the definition of three technical functions: Design and Project Management, Operations Management and Maintenance Management. For these functions, we examined the learning processes throughout the company's history, based on four key features: variety, functioning, intensity and interaction, noting that the company went through two distinct periods. In the first period, between 1968 and 1974, when there was a technology transfer process from abroad, an intense learning stage occurred, allowing the accumulation of routine technological capabilities. The second period, between 1975 and 2010, was characterized by the accumulation of innovative capabilities. As observed in previous studies, the learning processes had a direct influence in the accumulation of technological capabilities throughout the company s life