Chapter XI
Investigation e
Innovation in MCC
Present and Future
Autor: Manuel Quevedo
BASIC TEXTS OF OTALORA
EDUCATION AREA And
COOPERATIVE DIFFUSION
INDICE
0. Introduction ..............................................................................................................3
1. The Traditional Model of the Technological Approach
2. The first years of the cooperativismo
6
3. The approach traditional nológico complexion
8
4. The Ikerlan Project
11
5. Antecedents. Eskola Pliteknikoa/Cooperativas/CLP
6. Philosophy of performance 15
7. Ideko
20
8. A dynamic sector
21
9. Paper of Ideko like technological support 22
10. Present situation and future approach of Ideko
11. General policy
24
5
12
23
12. Other technological supports of Grupo
26
13. Eskola Politeknikoa 27
14. The technological research centers in the Vasco Country 30
15. The paper of the University in the technological development
16. The Internationalization of the company
35
17. The Paper of the Technology 38
18. A classification of the technologies 43
19. The concept of the Innovation like attitude 46
20. The Innovation. A specific concept and a new approach
21. The forms and the places of the innovation process 49
22. Policy of Innovation 50
23. The Quality, an encounter with the affluent work done
24. The I+D in the Corporation
25. As a summary
58
65
-2-
47
55
33
0. INTRODUCTION
0.- INTRODUCTION
-3-
When Jose Maria Ormaechea suggested to me collaborated in the edition of these Basic Texts
of Otalora with the subject of the investigation in the world of the cooperatives, my disposition
was totally affirmative, without more reflection. But later, when I put myself to work in the
matter, I realized little that knew the paper that has played the investigation, and consequently
the technology, in the development of the set of the cooperatives.
Our culture is, and continues being, the productive one.We are "factory man", the best thing
of our "knowledge to do" been always has bound to the tivo concept produc and, within this
great field, our vocation has tended to the manipulation of materials, fundamentally metals.
We have had a great battle area where we could have exercised the collaboration. What little
transparency has had between enterprise realities and others. When one is arranged to fulfill
the work assumed in this collaboration, his first reflections are directed towards all sinergia
lost for the sake of an independence badly interpreted, of as much work in solitaire and so
little in shared in common.
It is very probable that our solitary approach is consequence of a lack of instruments that
caused the creation of technological forums that as "communication bridges" could have put
in contact technological realities very varied. In ahead it will be difficult to use this type of
excuses: or we learn to live sharing our positive experiences and negative or the wastefulness
that represents losing this opportunity can have an invoice difficult to digest and j to ustificar,
given the social cost that represents all delay in the way of the competitiveness.
Of this form, we were in the beginning of a new culture, being its implicit development in the
organization of Mondragón Cooperative Corporation (MCC), when reuniting to the
cooperatives in groupings and divisions of sectorial cut. If our vocation has that productive
root, we already have fundamental parcels of communication, and consequently of sinergias,
and if we added to these what represents the beginning of a developed concept of the Total
Quality, integrating all the functions of the company, the field of putting in common is
extended without more limits than those than put our will.
The text of this notebook is based on the description of concrete realities, to which a series of
partial reflections is added reason why it is easy that it defrauds to which hopes to find a
philosophy coherent of the technological approach of the Corporation. It is possible that it
must hope few years to be able to present/display a panel of accomplishments as a result of the
initiate collaboration in technological matter. Corporation MCC has between its foundations
the mission to find, and if not to cause, sinergia there where it is. And, in Technology and
Quality, we have everything to share.
-4-
1. THE TRADITIONAL MODEL OF
TECHNOLOGICAL ENFORQUE
1.1.
THE FIRST YEARS OF IT COOPERATES TIVISMO
1.2.
THE TRADITIONAL TECHNOLOGICAL APPROACH
1.- THE TRADITIONAL MODEL OF THE TECHNOLOGICAL APPROACH
-5-
1.1. LOS PRIMEROS AÑOS DEL COOPERTIVISMO
When analyzing the paper that has played the technology in the creation of the cooperative
companies we can detect, in his first time, a certain parallelism with the rest of the industrial
activity of Euskadi, as much by the type of sectors that were approached, like by the size of
the company. In both structures the individual commitment played an important role at the
expansive time of Basque industrialization.
The human factor is the base of all cooperative activity, and is the promotional equipment the
turn point on which the creation of all enterprise initiative weighs. The professional formation,
acquired in the classrooms of the Eskola Politeknikoa (or in the schools of the surroundings)
or the acquired one in exercise of the profession in other companies, was the departure point of
the professionals who thickened the rows of the incipiente cooperative movement.
D. Jose Maria Arizmendiarrieta, conscious like anybody of the importance of the education in
the development of the community, a jump in the process of establishment of technical
education showed a vision of future when giving. It is a situation in which little has been
deepened, but that supposed the strongpoint of the new reality. Then of creation of the levels
of professional qualification - what later it formed the Oficialía and Maestri'a -, instead of
consolidating and strengthening this educative level, that could seem logical and the sensible
thing, it fomented the education of the Industrial Expert work, goal that nor the most dared
could dream.
This process was repeated more ahead with the creation of Ikerlan. When the common sense
requested to consolidate the knowledge of just assumed Technical Engineering on the part of
Eskola, a jump sticks and the creation of a Research center is approached, which in the mid
term generates a wealth of knowhow that has its repercussion in own education. This point we
will deal with more amplitude when describing the birth of Ikerlan.
Once fact the test to study the Industrial Expert work in Zaragoza, was stated that this
educative level had echo between the students, who assumed the unpublished challenge facing
the long way of personal sacrifices that supposes to share the work with the study. And, with
this generalized formation more, this spirit of contagious sacrifice, one obtained actually what
in theory it seemed impossible: the equality of oportunidade s.
This formativo process was one of the differentiating factors of the industrial surroundings in
which the cooperativismo was born. What was privilege of few happened to be patrimony of
which they were arranged to fight and to sacrifice themselves for that reason, and not only in
the educative plane, but that took the transcendental step to create an enterprise activity. The
saying "we did not know that it was impossible, for that reason we made it" gathers that wise
ignorance of which turns the difficulties opinions without by ell or demands recognitions and
applause.
-6-
The initiate cooperative experience welcomed in her rows in these new promotions of young
people who, next to professionals already consecrated, assumed the commitment to create
companies contributing what is traditional in the surroundings: the knowledge to produce.
The cooperatives were then mainly productive organizations, the technical character arose by
all the organization, the Direction, the Administration, Sales, etc., were occupied by
technicians who imprimían a form to interpret the enterprise phenomenon. This culture had
one long tradition and would be necessary several decades and important changes of
surroundings so that little by little the product and the market adapted and assumed the
protagonism that corresponded to them.
In this first stage that we are analyzing, the cooperative needed a product that fulfilled a series
of requirements to be coherent with its productive character. First it would have to be that to
the product him an added ºvalor could be incorporated; that something made and if this
something were mechanic, better - there is an historical commitment with the mechanics -. the
following factors very were bound to the market concept: it had to be a stable product in the
market, of average technology, that outside able to generate in its shade an enterprise activity
average and that the investment by job was in syntony with the cooperative concept of selffinancing. This product came, normally, of the hand of a license, being Europe prin cipal
supplier.
Putting this first stone, the rest of products was elaborated by own development. The normal
thing was that, given that first "pair of starting", the movement continued and the products
replaced an a others impelled by nec esidades of the market, but always within the same
technology; if a technological change in the product were needed, again the support was the
license that covered this necessity. This process that is typical in the Spanish industrialization
and that is gone s denominated "tooth of mountain range" (tooth jump = new license) did not
generate a knowhow based on the product, reason why our technological culture has been
developed more around the process than to the product.
To the being the concept product ivo the enterprise base, occurs great importance to the
investment in equipment. Within a scale of values, the productive investment in machines and
elements were high-priority. From the implantation of equipment goods, often of world-wide
forward edge, all a new technological culture is impregnated that, based on the process,
harnessed the productivity but it did not assure the survival.
This base was complemented with the social recognition that had the good professional. The
different offices, and the men who incarnated the most outstanding abilities within them, were
known and recognized.
This social recognition, that later was deteriorated, is today one of the bases of the concept of
-7-
quality discovered by other latitudes.
The enterprise cycle that we are describing has other important premises already developed in
other texts. Of between these subjects we can emphasize the product concept. This it was
conceived under the form of license, having guaranteed his
regularity in rcado to me. The stability was one of the norms in which the cooperative
company was based. The risk, the opportunity to generate a fast benefit, and similarly to leave
the business badly, to produce a bankruptcy, did not fit like enterprise model, these
"adventures" did not correspond in the style of company that was wanted to consolidate.
The product must have long life, was based in the accumulated knowledge in the promotional
equipment and, as it has been indicated, it had as it bases the productive concept. The
commercial concept was supeditado and its mission was to sell what it took place - culture
coined during decades in the Basque Country -; all it fed by a permanent reinvestment, meant
a remarkable growth of the cooperative movement.
1.2. TRADITIONAL APPROACH YOU CNOLÓGICO
The form to consider the technological concept intimately was bound to how the enterprise
phenomenon in the cooperativismo was conceived.
By concept, the type of technology that could be approached had to be agreed with the idea
that the company to create most intensive outside possible in manual labor. In the exposition it
was left from the principle of which a cooperative, surpassed first stage of launching, must
have a minimum of people integrated within that cooperative figure. In its elementary state,
they could form a cooperative, for example, fifty people. The growth had marchamo of social
conquest.
Another one of the premises that the type of activity fitted, and consequently the technology to
acquire, was the type of necessary investment. The cooperative had as development base the
reinvestment of the benefits that together with the contributions to capital of the working
partners they had to be able to generate the investment necessary so that s could ubsistir like
company.
These frames, next to already enumerated of the stability of products and the consequent
stability of the demand, gave like fruit that the product was derived from the license. The visits
to different pa were very normal European íses to contact companies that could provide
licenses. An idea preconceived based on the productive capacities was had and the success
-8-
depended to a great extent on the degree of relation, penetration and confidence of the
assigning one of technology. Normally a company was taken from forward edge and it scored
at stable products for his sale in the national market (market, on the other hand, little dice to
demands of emergent products). Therefore, the philosophy that characterized the beginning of
the cooperativismo more was oriented to the pursuit of a leader who to the obtaining of the
leadership at sectorial level with novel products based on own Investigation and Development.
When arriving with certain facility at the yield threshold, it was the time of the easy
development, the cooperative that initiated its activity had practically insured the success.
Adding the favorable factors of the demand and the capacity of delivery of the human groups
(with long days of work), the competitiveness and staba assured if the sufficient money had to
make investments.
The convulsion that supposed that the worker acceded, for the first time, to be cocontributor of
the property of the company generated a great hunger to enter in the rows of the
cooperativismo. This allowed to welcome in the most qualified professionals of the
surroundings, being generated a certain spiral of success.
Parallelly, the technology that was accumulated in the cooperatives came from the hand of the
equipment and machinery that was selected with great mimo between the first world-wide
companies. Some case occurred, like is the one of Electronic Fagor, in which, by the type of
product that made and by the necessity to as much dominate it at product level as of process
(totally atypical), the necessity arose from the beginning from an activity of Investigation and
Development, in ahead (I+D). This first experience demanded another level of professionals.
In this case the classic mechanical technology was not sufficient to prevail like company, were
necessary other levels of formation. Its implantation needed to recruit college students who,
agreeing with other professionals of the same level which they were gotten up to the rest of the
cooperatives, caused a diversification in the traditional level format ivo.
This process arrived until years 70. The necessity to be much more self-sufficient in expensive
technological matter to the future and the great success achieved by Popular Labor Box, in
ahead (CLP) when releasing to the cooperatives of the dependency of other financial
organizations, caused that it also thought about a certain degree of autarky in technological
matter.
It is certain that never the creation of a research center like unique element of technology
generation considered, but also is certain that the necessity that was felt the cooperative
companies were dominating a series of technologies of coherent and much more more direct
form, necessity than ended at the possibility of creating a research center that collaborated
with the companies in the product generation and at the creation of new technological
expectations that allowed to give a qualitative jump in the knowledge of the own cooperatives.
-9-
But, to be sincere, the exposition of Ikerlan was plus a bet of certain people who a felt
necessity of urgent form by the cooperative companies. The capacity to believe in the people
and to bet of common form before an idea was what the creation of the Ikerlan allowed that
today we know. They were moments of good results and the experience was very based like
not playing with a capacity of technology generation that, more than less, was conceived could
be interesting in the future. The birth of Ikerlan, which we can locate it in 1974, was formed
like the necessity to create a research center that outside some form a motor of technological
development of the future.
The exhibition of reasons that it gave as consequence the creation of the research center said
that from 1956 to 1972 had been more than 300 million pesetas those that had been consumed
in the cooperatives in reception of patents and models of utility and that the cooperatives,
counting some exceptions, embraced manufacturing productions of second generation or
intermediate technology. It was necessary to help that industrial vocation to give the jump and
to look for solutions in end more than they could be conjugated with new conceptions of
which it could be the company of the future.
For the creation in this new technological approach it was counted on Eskola Politeknikoa
that, in addition to its traditional formativa activity from year 1968, had a I+D department.
- 10 -
2.- PROJECT IKERLAN
2.1. ANTECEDENTS, COOPERATIVE ESKOLA
POLITEKNIKOA/OF PRODUCTION/POPULAR LABOR
BOX.
2.2.
FILOSOFIA OF PERFORMANCE
2.- PROJECT IKERLAN
ANTECEDENTS, COOPERATIVE ESKOLA POLITEKNIKOA/OF PR
ODUCCIÓN/POPULAR LABOR BOX
- 11 -
In order to give a retrospective vision of Ikerlan it is obligatory to talk about to the triangle
formed by Eskola Politeknikoa, a group of industrial cooperatives and Popular Labor Box.
- In 1968, Eskola Politeknikoa it analyzed if ` productó that it was developing at that
moment, the man that formed in the school, must not have agreed technological contents
with which in the evolution of the industrial surroundings it was being detected. The
possibility supposed one devises renovadora of creating a small department of I+D with
the fundamental function to approach the Didactics the technological evolution; in that
sense, immediate goal of this department was to translate in didactic methods or methods
of education the technological evolution that was already detecting in the outer world.
They were the years in which the electronics was experiencing a fort advances and still
there was a computer science incipiente that had not passed the threshold of which the
great computers of then could suppose. But the automatization in their different variables
and the electronics in individual were glimpsing a new enterprise generation and from the
creation of this department of I+D it went focusing an extension of which the permanent
formation was then; the deep renovation of some lessons, fundamentally of the
electronics, and the creation of a new Masters.
The mechanical automatism formed a experience that stops its academic justification
forced an exposition of creation of a new specialty, presented/displayed in Madrid like a
formation plan that gave capacity to this new specialty that was created with general
character.
These first experiences also were sprinkled with some approaches to industrial applications
in which the kindness of the different techniques was shaped that were tried to approach.
And the one was east initial equipment that was taken as it bases for the creation of the
research center on year 74.
-
A group of cooperative companies or singular men of the cooperatives came together
with this initiative that were had boarded in Eskola Politeknikoa and with the decided
will of CLP to create infrastructures which they allowed a permanent development in
model or cooperative.
The justification that occurred at the time of affiliating different cooperatives in the
adventure to create a research center was the necessity to be surpassing the technical
servitudes derived from the manufacture licenses, since, in addition, they eroded the
economic results of the companies and prevented that their products were located On
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guard of head, and the necessity to burst in into the market with a greater freedom of
commercialization, since many of the licenses entailed l imitations of markets.
On the other hand, it was wanted to create a new industrial front, in a more
international plane and in that one went ahead to which soon it was the survival
necessity, but already in these dawn of the years 70 the necessity was felt to burst in
more within the framework international as it unfolds of the new comercializadora
activity that they had to have the cooperatives.
Other aspects like the type of organization or specific functions that must have the
Center were enough free in their definition, although from the beginning the necessity
that was marked the investigation was mainly applied investigation. A route became of
which could be the purest investigation and it saw that the field was not that in which it
had to move this center that was wanted to create.
These premises and the consequence to physically be near the Eskola Politeknikoa, like
generating source of men, gave the surroundings adapted for the study of the
configuration of the present Ikerlan. In order to define in broad strokes with what type
of philosophy had to act this center, different countries were visited and the activities in
which studied the diverse applied research centers were working in the European
surroundings. Diverse centers of France, Germany were visited, England and Italy,
with the purpose of successfully obtaining data and models of operation that oriented to
the direction of the center at the time of presenting/displaying to the promotional
equipment the organizational model of research center applied to servi cio of industrial
surroundings.
- From Popular Labor Box the initiative starts up. A study made by Jose Maria
Ormaechea "TOWARDS a RESEARCH CENTER. 7 AS 1973"JULIO it serves as
aglutinante of initiatives and it has the potentiality to create the surroundings that later
would
be
materialized
in
fact
makes
specific.
- 13 -
The exhibition of reasons and justification of the implantation of the Center that offers
this study leaves seating the following ideas:
1)
The necessity of the implantation of a Research center becomes patent after 17
years of industrial activity, in which the great development had been
fundamentally due to the reception of foreign technique and whose cost
represented more than 300 million pesetas.
2)
Such Center of Inves tigación had to be supported by men of recognized was
worth social professional and who integrated themselves in the cooperative
context like qualified people in charge of their future development for the
attainment of the reform of structures of the company and from the country to
which they served.
3)
A Research center needs to be supported by an educational function, since, with
ordinary, the conjugación of the educative budgets of the specialists in
investigation covers three purposes:
-
first, to show educ andos the last advances in the matter of techniques
that soon have to apply in the company;
-
second, that the obligation to give education classes constitutes relax
emotional in the permanent state of scientific saturation in which inves
moves tigador;
-
third, that the transmission of these knowledge to the educandos is the
future support of the companies to which these have to get up
themselves.
Eskola Politeknikoa has given samples to be in possession of this quality, since
the professors are several who have arisen from the School to confront the
problematic one derived from a Research center.
4)
In accordance with the importance that is going to represent the financing of the
Center and considering that the development of the same one must benefit to
the most remarkable part of the cooperatives associated, in a detailed analysis
of the cooperatives we reached the conclusion that the Research center must
confront three sectors of applied investigation: Facilities for use and domestic
comfort, machine-tools, components and electronic equipment.
5)
The financing must be provided with the cooperatives that are going away to
benefit from the Center. Their contributions will be corresponded by the
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investigating action and their rights will be proportional to the support that
render.
The financing of the project is based on the philosophy adopted by CLP for the distribution of
the Social Work Bottoms: "Once applied the Social Work Bottoms with a criterion that
covered the most elementary necessities with which we were or it jeopardize, it was due to
come to destine the rest to materialize it in institutions to develop by Box, of duration in the
time, and that constituted the base of the socioeconomic or cultural infrastructure of the
country".
Tea plan, then, with very realistic vision that the paper that can and must play CLP limits to
create the platform that allows the reality of the Center, but it is not committed in the support
of the same one, that will have to be sustained by the industrial cooperatives that make use of
him and by the own effectiveness of the people who integrate it. The idea is suggested to share
the financing of the current expenses between a 50% with a quota fixes and other 50% on the
basis of the works that are made.
There is deci r that the study raises the consolidation of the Center with 36 people, which
allows to glimpse the horizon that is perceived then.
With respect to the legal form it is decided that during the consolidation stage it is acted under
the trusteeship of Eskola Politeknikoa; consequently, their control systems are the own ones of
Eskola, although one is created ` Together Delegadá Director with ample attributions. For this
constituent time statutes and regulations are written up that, without having legal character,
suppose the frame of performance of the Ikerlan east. Once surpassed this stage it would be
necessary to equip it with own legal personality.
Finally, it is requested to Eskola Politeknikoa that jeopardizes its men, throughout years 73-74,
in a complementary study that shapes the necessities of installation and laboratories, in order
that in the 75 the project is a reality.
2.1.
FILOSOFIA OF PERFORMANCE
First Plan of Management
Based on the study made in the 74, and after visiting diverse centers of investi gación, as
already saying is had, of Italy, France, England and Germany, elaborates the first Plan of
Management of the then Search and development center.
One of immediate goal that marked was the creation of the investigating equipment. The
- 15 -
transferred human equipment of Eskola to the Center was made up of 6 people (not all on time
complete), considering the hiring of other 3 people, plus a group of students who worked in
Alecop.
In the first exposition, the technological organization was centered in the sectors of Ma'quinaHerramienta, Electronics and Use and Domestic Comfort, being the mightiest sectors and, in
principle, more plaintiffs of technological support.
One of the premises that were not fulfilled was the one to thicken the rows of the incipiente
Center by means of pick up of personnel experienced in the company, because this type of
people was scarce in the same ones. This supposed a more realistic policy of personnel and,
consequently, a boundary of the areas of activity based on the real capacity to create the own
knowledge of the human equipment. The necessity to form to the equipment available
precipitated the dedication in novel areas of technological activity and allowed not to fall in
the error to try rtos technological dominions already cubie by the companies.
The first budget represented 13.500.000 pesetas, to finance in charge of the companies
associated based on the number of workers of each cooperative.
The contribution of the first associate companies was:
Ulgor:
5.235.865
Soraluce:
298.344
Danobat:
957.513 Goiti:
182.755
Copreci:
1.207.435
Egurko:
117.151
Fagelectro:
1.077.788
Zubiola:
146.829
Arrasate:
766.320
by a total amount of 10 million pesetas. Self-financing for the first exercise stood in and l 20%
of the budget.
The forecasts for quinquennium 75-79 anticipated an increase of people from 10 in 25. With a
budget that oscillated between the 13.5 million pesetas of year 75 and the 60.2 of the one of
1979. Predicted self-financing happened of the 20 to 30% and quotas of the companies of 10
million to 40.6 million pesetas.
With this situation the activity and in parallel begins almost the construction of which would
be its definitive seat. The work was developed in the beginning with the natural outside
successful preoccupation so that. He was very conscious that was to gain the confidence of the
companies, reason why the guarantee to give sufficient satisfaction to which it demanded a
project was from the beginning of Ikerlan a basic norm of conduct.
It began his activities in the premises of the Eskola Politeknikoa, since the nucleus of the
initial human equipment came from this center of formation.
- 16 -
It was in 1977 when one settled in the buildings that occupy at the present time, contributed by
Labor Box. In year 1982 an agreement of collaboration with the Basque Government was
signed, by means of who this one was committed to finance a series of projects of
investigation of generic technologies, that are those that locates to the center in the adapted
level to respond with effectiveness to the problems that raise the companies, as it is seen more
ahead. Since then, Ikerlan is a center opened to any company that asks for its services.
The defined social object in the foundation of the center and that follows effective is the one to
collaborate, through the applied investigation and of the technological development, in the
technological and organizational renovation of the companies. In order to fulfill this objective
of suitable form three phases or levels in the performance process are defined: identification
and selection, assimilation and generation, and transference and diffusion of technologies, all
it with the purpose of transferring technology of vanguard to the companies.
Of summarized way, we could define to Ikerlan like an organization without spirit of profit
and with a clear vocation on watch, dedicated to the investigation, development and
application of technologies product outposts and processes by means of the execution of
projects under contract in collaboration with private companies and organisms or public.
Technological areas and activities
The technological areas that are investigated in Ikerlan are grouped in the departments of
Technologies of the Information (Automatic and Sensorial Engineering of Control, Systems
and Artificial Vision, Architectures of Processing and Communications, Artificial intelligence,
Electronic Design and Prototyping), Technologies of Design and Manufacture (CAD/CAM,
Mechanical, Robotic Engineering and Automatization Outpost, Design and Mechanical
Management of Production systems, Design and Prototyping) and Energy (Renewable Energy
in Buildings, Energies, Energy in the Industry).
The center tells on an ample experience in the introduction of technologies end in the industry
to the developed salary more than 400 industrial projects of new products, innovation of
design processes, manufacture, control, verification, etc. Its battle area includes/understands
from the study and the analysis of the problem to the practical attainment of the solution. It
includes the works of I+D until the prototyping and facilities pilot, special development of
"software " of applications and systems, construction of components and apparatuses, as well
as the systems integration, in addition to technical advisory services and advising, short
courses
and
seminaries
of
diffusion
and
formation.
- 17 -
In order to be able to give a degree of satisfaction adapted to the companies in all this work the
projects of generic investigation are developed that serve to deepen and to advance in the
different areas before indicated, to the object to generate technologies adaptable, to acquire
new knowhows and to be able to transfer them to the industry when this one needs them.
These projects are financed mainly by the Basque Government and the Central Administration
through the Inter-ministerial Commission of Science and Tecnologi'a (CICYT) and the
Leasehold Delegation of Gipuzkoa.
The rest of the activity is dedicated to the accomplishment of projects under contract with
companies, logically financed by these and whose objective is to look for a solution the
problem that raises the company. The works are made in narrow collaboration with this one,
forming a mixed equipment of work and confidentially treating the obtained results and the
used information in the development about the project. The maximum care at the time of
defining the objective of these works of collaboration is observed to assure the satisfaction the
company with the results that are tried to obtain, at the same time that takes shape the
acionados aspects rel with the industrial property of these.
International projects
It is necessary to emphasize the participation of Ikerlan in the European projects of I+D,
initiate in 1986, after the incorporation of the Spanish State to the EEC. The first collaboration
was in project PAQO of the program ESPRIT, that culminated successfully at the end of 1988,
continuing at the present time with the projects 2349 and 5136 within area CIM and 2431 in
the Home area Systems, participating also in communitarian program TELEMAN, the Tm-17
project. This activity includes in addition program EUREKA, with advanced projects AMR on
robots movable, FAMOS on automatic and flexible systems of assembly, and the SBS on
space bioseparación that will be embarked in the Spacelab, in mission IML2.
In the field of the international cooperation it is necessary to emphasize in addition the recent
entrance to Ikerlan in the European Association of Organizations of Investigation under
contract (EACRO). This action is framed in a process of a greater internationalization of the
center facing the Europe of Mercado Unico to establish the suitable collaborations and to look
for the complementarinesses that interest to offer complete solutions to the demands of the
companies.
- 18 -
Between the zadas activities reali in year 1991 emphasizes nine projects of generic
investigation, 65 projects under contract (57 industrial projects and eight international) and 34
studies and services. The volume of income by projects and services the past reached year the
1,053 million pesetas, of which 563 million correspond to industrial projects, with a growth of
the 34 percent in relation to the preceding exercise. In order to be able to develop the different
activities with the sufficient level from knowledge and the quality of which had answer, it
counts on a human team of 112 people in group highly specialized, the 50 percent of which
has superior degree and the 20 percent average degree, having in addition 60 scholarship
holders and students in practices.
- 19 -
3.- IDEKO
3.1.
A DYNAMIC SECTOR
PAPER OF IDEKO LIKE TECHNOLOGICAL
SUPPORT
3.2.
3.
PRESENT SITUATION And FUTURE APPROACH OF
IDEKO
3.4.
GENERAL POLICY
- 20 -
3.- IDEKO
3.1.
A DYNAMIC SECTOR
The one indeed had to be the sector of the machine tool that approached a project of this
singularity. From the creation of Ikerlan the sector had showed in diverse occasions its
intention to give a unified content to the I+D of the cooperatives that operated in the sector of
Ma'quina-Herramienta. The dynamic character that this sector has, his forced presence in the
international markets, its ample knowledge of the competitors creates a mentalización of the
necessity of the technology like strategic tool for the own survival.
This sector, more than others, has remained in contrast to its international competitors and has
known to create, through the Association of Manufacturers of Ma'quina-Herramienta, bows of
union with other international Associations of the same sector. The creation of these bows has
not been easy, then, although the concentration of companies of a same sector in a limited
geographic area creates inevitably one sinergia horizontal, also it is certain that this same
proximity generates personal competitions and separations that prevent a organico
development.
"pedagogía of the time" makes the synthesis of which really it exists within the people and
organizations. If this one were and is a dynamic sector that believes in the technology, it had to
canalize a route to give exit to that internal belief. History, as we say, has demonstrated that
that dynamics really existed, that was not pure formulations of devoid intentions of real
convictions. Today Ideko represents on time to have assumed which the machine tool not only
has a mechanical content, that the machines are not sold like isolated elements of a productive
process, that the new technologies are changing the concept of the design, etc., that everything
a technological framework is changing the sector and that to this one cannot be given like
answer isolated wills him, but that the only sensible form to take and serious n what it is said,
often with too much facility, is to be united, to group itself around what it represents the own
necessity.
Clear that they do not have been single in that materialization of hunger. They have had the
support of CLP, pawned on the support infrastructure creation and, like model of reference,
Ikerlan it has been doing of technological support in the measurement in which it has been
demanded to him.
In this new walking, Ideko will be datum point for new initiatives that, as the case of
Ma'quina-Herramienta, need the technology to subsist in that turbulent ocean of the
international competition.
- 21 -
PAPER OF IDEKO LIKE TECHNOLOGICAL SUPPORT
From year 1980, date in which Grupo Debako was created, a tending strategy considers to
create a joint Search and development center, to give answer to a market that requested
products equipped with new technologies and that at level of individual company were
practically impossible to assimilate.
As therefore one has confirmed 10 years later, one hoped that the technological advance would
constitute the dominant aspect in the sector of the machine tool during the next years. The
electronics and the computer science, that is supported by first, were going to cause an
industrial revolution whose consequences were difficult to anticipate.
In these circumstances, supported in the strong potential of the offices of engineering and units
of I+D of the companies of Grupo Debako, a long period of formation of engineers is
programmed, like step necessary and essential to raise a Research center specialized that
gathers and harnesses, by means of a centralization, part of the existing I+D able to know, to
assimilate and to develop new technologies.
With these precedents, after previous experiences, the Search and development center is
created year 1986 Ideko, that is an institution without spirit of profit, integrated by Danobat,
Goiti, Izarraitz, Soraluce and Txurtxil, which they constitute Grupo Debako and Ona Pres, of
Bilbao, Lealde, of Ea and Ortza, Pamplona. All these companies partners of Ideko agglutinate
about 1,200 workers, with a invoicing in 1990 of 13,000 million pesetas.
Ideko is born with the vocation to help to plan and to coordinate a technological policy in the
field of Ma'quina-Herramienta and Bienes de Equipo de Tecnologi'a outpost, collaborating in
making the companies viable and complementary that integrate it, formulating initiatives that
give answer to the necessity of profitable creation of use, that demands n uestra society.
The primary target of this Center is to collaborate with its partners to obtain that the products
that they develop and they make are competitive at international level. For it, through a twenty
of investigators who constitute the fixed group at this moment, it tries to know and to
assimilate the world of the new technologies, with the purpose of developing and transmitting
all those knowledge that are applicable and contribute to develop products of the partners.
The projects of investigation and development in the short and mid term, with the intention of
quickly transmitting the technology to the companies, the direction of projects and l is made
by means of the formation of mixed equipment of work between company and Center,
assuming Ideko of responsibility of the results.
The Center has departments of Mechanics, Production systems, Electronics and Factory of
- 22 -
prototypes, that they develop activities of static and dynamic calculations, software to flexible
systems of manufacture, systems integration advanced of manufacture, development and
personalización of numerical controls, expert systems to the diagnosis of failures, robotics,
laser technology, etc.
To first from 1988, after two years of experience and consolidation, having itself demonstrated
that Ideko was a valid and necessary project, the decision was taken to construct a singular
building to extend the investigation departments and to have a factory of prototypes, with the
purpose of shortening and optimizing the process of accomplishment of new products, from its
birth, happening through the prototyping final, verification and tests, to guarantee its launching
to the market.
3.2.
PRESENT SITUATION And FUTURE APPROACH OF IDEKO
In May of 1990 inaugu ró the new building, located in a parcel of 6,000 m2. Account with a
constructed surface of 3,100 m2, of which 1,500 are destined to rooms of research laboratories
and the 1,600 rest to factory of prototypes. The investments made from the creation of Ideko,
in computer science means, buildings, facilities, etc., exceed the number of 400 million
pesetas.
Parallelly the qualification of the personnel by means of the incorporation of new investigating
technicians has been harnessed, with which it has been possible to give answer in new areas of
investigation working in mixed equipment, with the purpose of obtaining that the products that
are developed and made are competitive in the international market.
The goal anticipated in the project of Joint Unit of Investigation and development of
Ma'quina-Herramienta, elaborated in January of 1986 has been reached, where the
construction of a singular building was contemplated, sufficiently equipped, so that to
activities of I+D and Factory of prototypes can be developed, with the purpose of analyzing
and optimizing the process of development, verification, tests and validation of new products,
before its launching to the market; permanent exhibition and training of personnel.
- 23 -
For the future, Ideko c onfigura like a valid and necessary instrument for the companies that
integrate it. The companies, from now on, counted on the technological expositions and will
use of progressive form the average humans and infrastructure that Ideko offers. On the other
hand, the Center will continue paying special attention to obtain a greater knowledge and
development of new technologies, being assimilated those that are of interest, in regard to their
application in the machine tool and goods of technology equipment outpost, fomenting the
quick spreading towards the companies that compose this Center.
3.3.
GENERAL POLICY
Ideko maintains a vocation of planning and coordination of a technological policy within the
machine sector - tool and goods of technology equipment outpost and assumes, of
complementary form, those functions that are not profitable at level of each cooperative, but as
a whole.
For the financing of specific projects one projects, every greater day, is present at in the plans
of Investigation programmed by the European Community, as well as a permanent action in
the set of the Administrations, so that the necessary aids for the development of the new
technologies are canalized.
In the technological plane, the policy of Ideko is very clear and it is framed in the development
of the technologies that are of interest and have application in Ma'quina-Herramienta. The
assimilated and developed technologies will be disclosed by means of the organization of short
courses, presentation of infor month, etc., allowing this way to transmit to the personnel of the
associate cooperatives the acquired knowledge.
In the concrete projects, Ideko collaborates with the associate cooperatives forming mixed
equipment of work and assuming the leadership and responsibilities of these projects.
Finally, for the qualification of the personnel of Ideko the generic projects are programmed
that have the objective to assimilate and to generate the technologies that later will be taken
advantage
of
by
the
set
empr
those
partners
the
Center.
- 24 -
The fast incorporation of technologies in the sector makes of the formula of Ideko a very
interesting experience to acquire the technology of associative form. This formula will be
guide for new sectorial groupings where the technology plays, like in Ma'quina-Herramienta, a
high-priority paper of competitiveness.
- 25 -
4.- OTHER TECHNOLOGICAL SUPPORTS
OF GRUPO
4.1.
ESKOLA POLITEKNIKOA
4.2.
THE TECHNOLOGICAL RESEARCH CENTERS
OF THE BASQUE COUNTRY.
4.
THE PAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY IN THE
DEVELOPMENT
TECHNOLOGICAL.
4.- OTHER TECHNOLOGICAL SUPPORTS OF GRUPO
- 26 -
4.1.
ESKOLA POLITEKNIKOA
From the descriptive point profu is not necessary to ndizar in the paper that Eskola is playing
in the different levels from regulated education, and I am only going to talk about to the
initiatives directed to the posgraduados ones that they lock up, to my to understand, a
knowledge to undertake with success which a society with hunger of initiatives would request
to an educative organization.
-
One of these initiatives is Saiolan. Its objective is defined as a program for "forming
entrepreneurs through the development of a product, of which their technicalenterprise facets expensive to the promotion of an activity are analyzed all".
In many tables it leaves the subject the lack of entrepreneurs. Often one considers that
one of the problems of these vocations is the excessive compartmentation that has our
education. The Saiolan project deals with this form, from young people who have
finished technical engineering (also the originating ones of other races can participate),
to consider a company promotion, for which they study in one first stage the theoretical
aspects of economy of the company that in a technical race have not had a
preponderant position but that at the time of the management they are necessary to
analyze the different industrial sectors, and concludes this first stage of 4 months with
the selection of a product. In the second stage, of a minimum duration of 8 months, all
the factors are analyzed interdisciplinarily that affect the launching of this product until
their completion like industrial activity.
The success of the idea is based on the integral formation that acquires these
posgraduados that, throughout a year, are seeing the paper that plays each knowledge
in the enterprise life.To study the commercial area with its investigation of market and
organization, the economic area with its analyses of costs and value, and to face it the
technical studies of the product, give a wealth of knowledge of the set that hardly has
parallelism with another experience. It is necessary to say that in these 12 months of
minimum permanence in the Saiolan project the posgraduados ones work all the day
and receive a scholarship that allows them to autofinanciar these studies.
The idea of Saiolan is come to ruin if in addition to this formativo process it is landed
with a promotion; that is to say, if these scholarship holders happen of the analysis of
company on the basis of product or to the active part to commit itself with the
launching of a new enterprise activity.
- 27 -
In its short experience, all the formativa methodology has started up and has given
origin the promotion of two enterprise activities. It is an initiative that has good cover
on the part of the Department of Work of the Basque Government, as well as of the
Delegation of Gipuzkoa, and maintain a permanent relation with the companies of the
zone, with the purpose of advising and guiding the activity of Saíolan.
-
Another one of the s singular initiatives is the creation of Goier. The idea, of pure
simple, is almost brilliant. Part of the following premise: in the surroundings there is
no capacity to give life to a variety of specialties that need at level superior education
and, on the other hand, the development of the communications between the towns is
so intense that today almost infinite possibilities of study in our every day more
interrelated world exist.
Really, Goier must by objective "make the studies in the ex- tranjero viable of
whichever pos graduated own as technical engineering have demonstrated to
disposition and sufficient aptitudes, face to supply to the industrial society highly
qualified men". Eskola has one long tradition in the direction and shipment to foreign
universities (mainly to the French), but when adding themselves the rank who provide
themselves to him to this objective, the supply of study in Eskola multiplies its
attractiveness and allows to be present in the more important points of technological
development of the world.
In addition to the technological content, this opening equips with a human wealth reason why
it means the knowledge of a new country, a language different and the coexistence with
another type from people and institutions.
The project is conceived like a service of management that tries to coordinate the following
variables:
a) The scientific necessities of the industrial society.
b) The aptitudes of the engineering students who foreseeably are going to be able to
respond to such necessities.
c) L ace universities that are going to be able to contribute the scientific baggage that is to
catch.
d) The economic means that allow the application of the principle of equality of
opportunities.
For its operation, the center of Goier management considers l ace following functions:
- 28 -
1. Direction of the technologies to approach.
2. Determination of the university centers.
3. Establishment of relations and agreements with such centers.
4. Relation with the students from its entrance in the Center to conclusion d and the
studies.
5. Transaction and management of the aids, scholarships and subventions that will be
understood of shared in common character.
6. Relation with the public and deprived organizations, to the object to catch bottoms.
7. To maintain relations with organizations able to contribute informaci ón on
technological necessities of the country, and with the possible universities that can give
answer them.
In course 86/87 they were the 39 posgraduados ones of technical engineering that studied in 12
university centers of France, England, Italy, Canada and the U.S.A.. The future perspective are
enormous, because for Course almost 89/90 the number of students is duplicated who will
happen through this formativo process.
-
The Iraunkor center completes the picture of actions of regulated lessons , dedicated
to the permanent formation and the recycling, not adopting in the last years a very
incisive programming in the new technologies. As its supply is made jointly with the
School of Enterprise Technical Studies (ETEO), the fan of subjects includes all the
facets that the company needs.
Happening now to the lessons regulated, from a technological point of view we must
emphasize the paper that are playing the projects final of race as much for formation in real
subjects for the futures graduated as Technical Engineering like for the solution of problems
and interrelation between Eskola and the industry. The philosophy of which the final project of
race has the content of a real project, so that the student considers the materialization of a
novel subject, represents a first challenge that not only faces the student books and texts, but
with its own initiative and capacity to interpret. It is in this activity where the student lets be
receiving of knowledge, dosed by the group of professors, to happen to a dynamic and
fundamentally emitting paper, because he must program himself and take to happy term the
project that has corresponded to him. As many of these projects are related to real cases of the
companies, is for the first time the student faced another great subjet, the relation with the
different controls from the company. In this new walking it is going to find of everything, but
- 29 -
all it is, without doubting it, of an important human enrichment. From a technological point of
view, this finishing touch, this sour cherry of the pie of the technological race has, if we know
to put into play all the abilities of the communication and mutual enrichment, impressive
possibilities.
With Eskola it happens that we do not know it to value in his just to size; to the being a so
domestic reality, so "of house", finishes being a stranger. They are the commentaries of
experts and professionals of other latitudes those that raise manifestations of astonishment
when they know the ample fan concrete realities that offers Eskola, especially when it thinks
that the sector of education is not, by tradition, the most given this type of initiatives, where
the risk enormously makes difficult as much to the management of its directors like the work
of monitors and professors.
4.2.
THE TECHNOLOGICAL RESEARCH CENTERS IN THE PAIS VASCO
4.2.1. Origin and evolution
The present reality of the research centers Ceit, Ikerlan, Inasmet, Labein and Tekniker is
the result of the development of different initiatives from the private sector that occurred in
the Basque Country between years 1955 and 1980 to try to give to answer to certain problems
and technical-technological necessities of the companies of the industrial surroundings.
Although the adopted legal forms vary of an a others, have in common the characteristic of
being organizations without spirit of profit, as well as its vocation on watch to the companies
in general and his commitment with the industrial development.
In the beginnings of the decade of the 80 they get to harmonize his objectives and general
principles of performance, which facilitates to them to establish joint relations with just
created Basque Government, reaching a collaboration agreement that is shaped in an
agreement orchestrated through the decree of had the charge of organizations of investigation
of Department of Industry, year 1982 and later renewed at the end of 1986, making possible
the financing of a series of projects of technological investigation that are used for the
acquisition and involution of the knowhows of the Centers in their corresponding fields of
specialty. The commitment acquired before the Basque Government represents to reinforce the
will of opening to all the industrial framework in its paper of technological support of the
companies.
Same year 1986 the five organizations before create the Basque Grouping of Technological
Centers, EITE, advancing in the way initiated six years towards a greater interrelation between
- 30 -
such, strengthening the figure of Technological Centers like investigation organizations under
contract and to carry out a joint supply to the companies. EITE has a mission towards the
outside to make a global presentation of the Centers, recently being formed like an office of
transference of technology - Otri- and another internal mission like platform of relation
between the centers to share management methods, to carry out calls of investigation
scholarships, etc.
4.2.2. Present situation
Economic and technological happening of the companies has been the motor of the
uninterrupted adaptation of the integral Technological Centers of the EllE to the necessities
that, to accelerated rate, have appeared during the last decade. The present potential of the
EllE takes shape in the capacity of performance of 600 investigators specialized in the
disciplines that repeatedly have been considered like high-priority scientific objectives by all
the institutional plans of aid to the investigation, including the contemplated ones within the
Marco Program of the EEC Between these preferred areas of performance of the EllE can be
mentioned:
 Systems and processes of manufacture.
 Automatic industrialist and control.
 CAD/CAM.
 Communications.
 Microelectronics.
 Artificial intelligence.
 Applied mechanics.
 Robotics.
 New metallic, ceramic, poliméricos and composed materials.
 Tribología.
 Electrical engineering.
 Chemical technology.
 Civil engineering and of construction.
 Medio.ambiente.
 Hydraulics.
 Energy.
The global supply of the EITE for 1990 reached very considerable numbers to all the levels
and it is credited by the massive participation of the Technological Centers in the European
programs: Brite-Euram, leleman, Eureka, Esprit, Race, Primary Raw Materials, Secondary
- 31 -
Raw Materials, That, Stimulation, Mint, Sprint, Star and others. The EITE at the beginning of
1991 was implied in 60 incursos projects within European programs of technological
investigation. This participation is so considerable that it constitutes a very significant part of
the global Spanish presence in such programs and has contributed to the remarkable increase
of returns by this concept in the last years.
4.2.3. The technological Groups
The Leasehold Delegation of Bizkaia initiated, in 1985, a consisting of innovating experience
associating to usuary companies and plaintiffs of a certain technology, to the universities,
technological centers and to the own Public Administration in the creation of Technological
Groups of sectorial character. The work of these centers is developed in the following
activities:
• Development of projects of invest igación.
• Services of transference of technologies.
• Services to companies.
• Formation and advising in fields related to the areas of activity of each group.
Center
Location
Robotiker
Mungia
Qaiker
Trapagaran
Biotek
Year of
Constitution
1985
Personal
Technological Areas
59
Robótica y automatización
1985
29
Nuevos materiales
Trapagaran
1988
22
Biotecnología
Teletek
Mungia
1988
22
Telecomunicación
Embiker
Alonsotegi
1990
5
Envase y embalaje
4.3.
The PAPER FROM L To UNIVERSITY IN The TECHNOLOGICAL
DEVELOPMENT
Unless one has a monolithic concept of the university and a deformed vision of the educative
- 32 -
mission of this one and the services that the same one must lend the society, it is more and
more evident that it is precise to extend the paper from the university to the industrial
innovation. This does not mean that the university must replace the company, far from this. It
means that being an essential member of the scientific system, the university must totally play
its expensive role to the productive system.
However, if on the one hand the tendency must to assimilate immediately the productive
system to the set of production factors (for example, work, capital, equipment, etc.) it is
precise to recognize on the other hand that to means or length term the new ideas are really a
potential factor of production and that, once transformed and made specific in industrial
innovation, they constitute a very important element of technological and economic progress.
Therefore, the constituent elements of the innovation chain are really the factors of
development of all industrial economy.
Since the innovation is not more than the result of a new idea and the profit of its
incorporation in a productive system, it is of the greater importance of reinforcing the
interconnections between the scientific system that produces such new ideas and the
productive system that it absorbs them. For it he is inevitable to happen through the "crucible"
of the university, since this one must be the place privileged for the acquisition of new
knowledge, preoccupation by new ideas and formation of "takers of decisions". This logic
leads naturally to the conclusion that the university would fail lamentably in its paper if did
not produce the dynamic elements that assure our socioeconomic progress and made our more
competitive productive system in the markets of a more and more interdependent world.
This beautiful rhetoric is nevertheless full of sense. How, in effect, could the university
prepare the "agents of change" if she were not closely associate to the productive system and
not outside evolution ferment? How to conceive the university like progress factor if she is
isolated of the world of the work? How can the university be dynamic if it is not intrinsically a
strong link in the chain of the industrial innovation? How the university can demand more
financial resources of the contributor if their scientific works are inspired more by the onales
tastes pers of the investigators who in the necessities of the market.
Of course which it is not tried here to praise a vilely utilitarian vocation of the university, but
rather one is to make be worth the necessary contribution from the university to the industrial
innovation, but in a climate of free investigation. In a society marked with the seal of the
technology in constant and irremediable evolution, he would be aberrant to cultivate an elitist
or middle-aged notion of the university. On the contrary, the modern university must be not
only a place of "also high-knowing" but to a place of encounter of the diverse social
interlocutors and a site of participation and advantage of new knowledge. For it and without of
form some dismi nuyan their norms of quality, the university it must open wide his doors.
In a context of technological university like the one of Eskola Politeknikoa, it is precise that
- 33 -
this opening is pronounced mainly towards the companies of any stature but in particular
benefit of the manufacturing PME, since these rarely have internal sources to assure their
development. This opening must be also pronounced towards the technological industralists
and to the individual inventors who are still more lacking that the PME. Finally, he is precise
that this opening takes place in the same interior of the university towards the professors and
students of type industralist, unfortunately very little numerous, who are susceptible to
contribute directly to the industrial innovation.
This contribution tries to show the problematic one of the university contribution to the
industrial innovation and to stress the paper that the technological university must carry out
please in the PME, so that it obtains that our productive system is more competitive in the
national and international markets.
- 34 -
5.- THE INTERNATIONALIZATION
OF THE COMPANY
5.- THE INTERNATIONALIZATION OF THE COMPANY
Our will from property to ampler surroundings every as much social day as politicians, is
making darken a reality of competitive confrontation that is every cruder day and behaved
shamelessly.
We are living in these last years that initial phase on the internationalization on the markets.
- 35 -
All we are feeling how our competitors increase in amount and quality putting with it in
danger markets that we have considered traditionally more insurances, how voices rise
permanently that repeat with machacona persistence the concept of competitiveness like safeconduct that allows to elbow itself between the best ones and to leave victorious in that
confrontation, but the commitment of the competitiveness have many facets and are necessary
to focus the process as a whole.
It is evident that it is needed to adapt the methods of internal work, giving a greater coherence
them like set. The permanent confrontation between the different departments within the
company entails clear a competitive inefficiency, reason why all the implied parts will have to
reflect with the purpose of detecting where they are the main problems that they totally
prevent us to be competitive. It will be necessary to raise a principle of "complicity" between
all the mechanisms that form the enterprise concept, so that we are able to produce products
desired by the different markets and with a compared quality that equals or improves our
competitors, far from easy task given the mental change that represents. The approach of a
policy of permanent innovation very is bound to concep to of "total quality" that, like all
"slogans", can be assumed without deepening in the vast conceptual change that entails the
term.
On the other hand, we have the commitments that the different Administrations must assume
at the time of equipping the industrial framework with necessary means that they allow to
prop up the enterprise initiatives with indirect supports that represent a good technological and
formativa infrastructure.
The change of the direct aid to the company must turn in Eu clothes towards an indirect aid
that allows to have professionals with deep knowledge that complement the action of the
Research centers and Services, so that they give to cover to new advances in the product
development and competitive improvements in the production process.
A little while extremely delicate, it is given the low hours that the industrial sector in general
is living, but is time of joint reflection if we do not want to repeat errors that we have lived
years in the last. To create support infrastructure is more difficult and slow than the direct aid.
Both will have to overlap themselves if we want that our enterprise framework plays an
important role in our creation of wealth. The internationalization of the company supposes, in
the first place, a perfect knowledge of this new surroundings, knowledge that implies to know
how to catch what wants and how they love our new clients to it, and not only like an export
concept, but as a presence of natural market. It is not, consequently, a style "to go" but "to be".
The dominion of the surroundings supposes to conceive the enterprise project with a new
relation producto/mercados with a dominion of each present country in all its shades, with a
knowledge of our competitors, knowing strategies, strongpoints and weak, and harnessing our
abilities to as much maintain a quality level of permanent product as on watch to the client.
- 36 -
The preparation from our company to this new surroundings is going to take with himself a
new plan of formation of the professionals whom they have to live in situations still I am
strange for us. "To move" in international forums as we know it to do in the near institutions it
is a new paper that we must program for inclui rlo in ours know-to do.
The participation in European partnerships, international projects, mixed participation of
companies, associations, companies, etc. will not let have its initial complication, but the
sooner we see ourselves it jeopardize in this reality before we will enter the game of the
international competition. This presence is going to be bound to one planned option of marks
within a taken care of selection of markets, where we will have to compete going with
tempting products, as much by its price as by its benefits. Today there is no site for the low
product in the scale of calidad/prestaciones, because the market, that knows its force, wants
discharge quality to a competitive price and like a service of Maxima guarantee.
To travel, know r the different languages, to dominate the different legislations, in addition to
the European, it is not a reserved necessity to commercial experts, but who to all the directive
estates of the company, beginning by the own management, as much technicians as of
commercial design and.
We know how much it costs to open each door and how this cost increases as this door is more
distant. Why a well-taken care of prospection and planning of the potential market have to be
careful and concientious, without no of the alternatives of relation with the native companies
for the creation of pacts and alliances is eliminated "a priori". It is possible that our concepts of
property must share in ampler scopes of coproperty. It is, in any case, a new dimension, where
what changes they are the coordinates and consequently our datum point
- 37 -
6.- THE PAPER OF THE TECHNOLOGY
6.1.
A CLASSIFICATION OF THE TECHNOLOGIES
6.- THE PAPER OF THE TECHNOLOGY
It is of all well-known that the Manual of Frascati, instrument which we have come using
during almost two decades to homogeneizar the measurements of I+D has remained obsolete.
He is conscious, on the one hand, that the borders, at his moment established to distinguish
what was investigation and development of which are not, deserve to be reviewed. From
another one, new activities, much have arisen in the last years certain from them difficult to
quantify, that we are not measuring and who therefore we are not able to evaluate.
An example that shows inadequate of our measurements consti tuye the Italian case. Italy has
- 38 -
traditional indicators, such as clear registered in the U.S.A. or expenses of I+D, in relation to
its gross inner product, below the communitarian average; and nevertheless Italy is
demonstrating a great technological efficiency that it is translated in an increase of his
competitiveness in the international markets.
In addition to the investigation and development, that is to say, of the efforts to generate
technology own and to incorporate it to the productive process, the company can undertake
different activities, all of them generating ones of technological development. It is obvious that
a company when acquiring an equipment of new generation incorporates a superior
technological level, soon, consequently, is improving the technological level of the production.
A new concept, "humanware " is being coined, that makes reference to the existing
interaction between the workers and the physical equipment with which it works; really, to the
incorporation of increasing doses of intelligence of the productive processes.
This bond gives rise to two extreme models: one, in that the interaction is minimum - the
changes in the motivations, attitudes, qualification, etc. of the personnel have little effect in the
result of the production - and another one, in that this interaction is Maxima - the productive
system is tremendously vulnerable to changes in these characteristics -.
Then, great part of the productive activities seems to direct itself towards this second end.
Like example of these intangible activities, for which there are no indicators and that are
related to that increasing contribution of intelligence to the productive process, we can
mention the following ones:
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a) Investments made with the objective to obtain a relaxation of the production
processes. The concept of range economies, that allow to adapt the process to
desires or necessities of the client, begins to replace the one of economies of scale
like objectives to obtain.
b) Expenses derived of changes in the organization from the production. The
introduction of the strategic planning, the decentralized control, the substitution of
the "fordismo" and the "taylorismo" by new principles, the involution of the work
in equipment, the implication of the workers in the control of quality of each phase
of the productive process, the reduction of the costs of warehouse by the use of
mechanisms ` just in timι, the mobility or flexibility of the workers in the own
company, etc. is all of them sample of those changes organizat ivos that in many
cases is being determining of the enterprise success.
c) Tending activities to produce innovations of incremental type during the
productive process. These innovating activities are carried out uniting the efforts
of operating ios, engineers and supervisors in an attempt to improve the capacity of
the machines and the productive systems being modified or adding excellent
functions; really, it is that the utility of an equipment varies of significant form
depending on the quality and the characteristics of the human resources that work
in this equipment.
d) The expenses to improve the formation of the own personnel of the company.
For groups a) and b) they do not exist at the present time indicating; nevertheless, his elaborac
ion is perfectly feasible, since the company can easily identify the costs which it incurs one or
another case as much.
The establishment of indicator for group b) is enough more difficult, since the own companies
have difficulties at the moment to define the costs in which they incur to make these
organizational changes. It is very possible that new instruments and mechanisms of accounting
of the enterprise expenses are necessary to be able to identify to clar this type of activities
amente.
With respect to group c), the situation is, if it fits, more complicated, since it is not clear that
the activities that in him are contemplated give rise to costs and, therefore, for his
measurement would be necessary to go to indicators of type more qualitative than quantitative.
ESSENTIAL PROBLEMS OF SOME INDICATORS. THE I+D
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The concept of expenses of indicating I+D as of technological development has been object of
numerous critics. One of the main ones is - later we will extend with detail the one to make
reference to its character of measurer of ` inputs', that is to say, of measurer of resources used
in the investigating activity without it contributes no knowledge to us about the efficiency of
the investigating process. It is clear that two companies can have the same volume of
resources dedicated to investigation and to have better results one than another one, simply,
being the first most efficient one.
Another key problem that presents/displays the indicator that we are commenting is the
absence of homogeneity in the calculation of I+D costs, as much at public level as private, in
this aspect we could indicate that with respect to the private activity a lack of own diffusion of
the manual of Frascati exists. Although in the surveys that the Spanish companies receive to
provide on the I+D activities is collected some of the fundamental concepts that they are
described in manual saying, the experience demonstrates that many companies do not know
what concepts must be including and which must be excluded.
The first conflicting idea that it arises when we tried to measure the results is the one of yield.
In the first place, it has many results that is not easily cuantificables, like are majority that
produces yield social, increase in quality of product or of service (is difficult for example to
measure in terms quantitative improvement in quality in provision of energy electrical, which
always it arrives with the intensity, which cuts in the provision do not take place, etc.). The
same it happens if we want to see the beneficial effects that the results of the investigation
have had on the medio.ambiente. It is equally difficult to quantify the value of the appearance
of new line of work or a before nonexistent possibility. In addition, an agreement generalized
in the idea that exists the simple count of innovations is a bad measurement of the results of
the investigation.
In other cases, the leader of an innovation process not always obtains the maximum benefits of
the same one, but that is the second or third introducer of the innovation, that is to say,
companies which they have not undertaken the effort of I+D, that only act as diffusing of the
innovation at the initial moments can have results similar to those of the leader, with clearly
smaller costs associated to the innovation.
A temporary phase angle between the allegiance of the resources to the innovation and the
obtaining of results of the same one also exists, that depend to a great extent on the sector or
the type of activity in which we move. This temporary, uncertain phase angle, does difficult to
connect
both
subjects
quantitatively.
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Nowadays a company is impossible to be autarkic technologically, and is suicidal to depend
totally on the outer technology to the company. In the measurement in which both activities,
generation of technology and acquisition of technology to third, are complementary, would be
very difficult to distinguish the bottoms dedicated to each one of them. In a same department
of I+D it can have dedicated people to generate new technology and dedicated people to adapt
and to improve the technology acquired to third. The processes of generation and diffusion of
technology more and more are interrelated, existing in addition one retroalimentaCiófl
between both, taking place what it denominates "increasing yields of adoption".
They are precise measurements of the new mechanisms of enterprise organization.
The question that arises in this subject is if a new enterprise culture is susceptible to be
measured and if we can apply it like criterion of analysis for all type of companies. The
present reality seems to demonstrate that this last one is certain, since concepts such as control
of quality, strategic planning, necessity of recycling of the workers, etc., is imperative of any
type of economic unit, not only for the industrial companies but also for the companies of
services and also for the companies of different size or sector from activity. What yes it is
obvious is that there are companies in which exists an inclined enterprise culture to the
innovation and that the same one usually is determining of the technological success of the
company. A truely innovating organization is that in which the innovation is task of all, which
without a doubt is difficult to translate in numbers and data. It is very possible that this
enterprise culture is measurable, but is precise to look for and to present with the suitable
questions it.
There is a difficult situation in the small and medium companies. Most of them they do not
have I+D department, they do not register patents, the volumes of purchase or sale of
technology with the outside usually they are insignificant, etc. It is difficult that the same ones
are represented in the indicators that we come using. As we said in the beginning, this absence
can be explaining cases like the Italian.
Therefore, the necessity to measure the scientific and technological activities of the small and
medium company is very clear. It is suggested, in this sense, a battery of indicators that could
offer an image of this group. It is possible to mention the following ones:
-
The use of external technological services.
-
The cooperation with organisms technological public of investigation and centers.
-
The use of services of technological diagnosis or diagnosis of innovation.
-
The participation in seminaries and use of external data bases.
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-
The subscription to scientific publications
-
The number of presented/displayed projects to ask for bottoms before organism you
officials.
An increasing network of interrelations between companies and research centers exists and
companies of the same or different sector whose characteristics of effects we are not knowing
to measure. They lack indicators of the networks between companies, of the interconnection
and communication channels that are settling down between the same ones.
As a summary we can say that the I+D indicators have remained obsolete by the new
characteristics of the present company, in which what one is to measure is the repercussion
that has the technological concept more than the technological concept in itself. In this sense,
it is tried to measure, of a form much more activates, the innovating will of the company, more
than the cold expenses in themselves. This concept of innovating will must look for in new
variables, so that we pruned to easily detect this characteristic in comparison and based on
objectives to fulfill.
6.1.
A CLASSIFICATION OF THE TECHNOLOGIES
Common terminology
The terminology little needs, with meaning perhaps totally different when it applies a technical
director, a director of marketing or a director to it of investigation and development,
constitutes in himself a problem, anecdotal, but perhaps tremendously important at the time of
obtaining a consensus between the directive equipment on a strategic planning of the
technology.
Pair that this concept of "technology" can be used in an analysis system, must be defined of
such form that facilitates east analysis. An appropriate definition and that us has been very
useful in many real cases has been the one of specific technology like "know-how "; that is to
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say, everything what a company can explain in a simple phrase, expressed in the following
terms could be considered like technology: We know how… (verb)… (complement).
Example: We know how to design circuits semi-customs.
To know to us how to join optical fibers
Identification, analysis and classification of the technologies
If we defined the technologies of this form, will be able to disturb each product, process or
service of a company in a finite series of different technologies. Each one of these
technologies has as well a greater or smaller impact on the profile of products or services in
terms as much of the answers that those give to the motivations of purchase of the clients like
of the potential of the company satisfying the volume with demand of the market.
If we extended the analysis of the technologies of products of a company to the one of its
competitors, will be able to establish the list of own technologies of a certain industry and,
analyzing the impact on the profile of products, we will be able to establish a classification of
the technologies according to its impact.
This classification we will establish it in three levels:
- Technologies nail,
- Technologies base and
- Incipientes technologies,
In the category of technologies it nails we will include those that have a greater impact on the
competitive effectiveness of the product or considered service; that is to say, those that allow
to the manufacturer who holds them to be different itself from the others, by the benefits of the
good produced like by their capacity through the processes of manufacture and launching to
the market minimum costs as much.
Within the category of basic technologies we will include all those that without them are not
possible to be present in the market. They are, therefore, essential for the company, because
without them it would not be possible to be tried to compete, but to the same t iempo is not
key, because they do not produce between the competitors any remarkable difference.
We will include within the incipientes technologies to which, although they are in an initial
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stage of his development, a demonstrated potential of CAP is recognized acidad to modify the
bases of the competition in a determined industry or market.
In the process of identification of the technologies it is precise to avoid two standard errors:
The technologies technologies base are not key
The technologies base perfectly are dominated by all the competitors of the industry
and are essential for all or most of products or services that that industry offers;
therefore, it allows an important differentiation neither in cost nor in another type of
advantage facing the market.
They were perhaps in technologies the past key, but in the present situation no longer it
is thus. They are even easily accessible technologies by companies without tradition in
the industry.
This error as far as the consideration of a technology bases as key lamentably takes to
that many industries reinviertan great sums of money in trying to improve these
technologies, obtaining marginal advantages without importance on the competitors.
The technologies nail of today does not have why to be the morning technologies
key
The strategic paper of the technologies changes with time. Its strategic impact is
reduced or because it increases to the number of competitors whom are assimilating it,
or because they are replaced by other technologies. In relation to this last possibility,
the necessity is immediate that has the companies to watch the incipientes
technologies, some of which can become the technologies nails morning.
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7.- CONCEP TO OF THE INNOVATION LIKE
ATTITUDE
7.1. The INNOVATION, A SPECIFIC CONCEPT And A NEW
APPROACH.
7.2. The FORMS And The PLACES Of The INNOVATION
PROCESS
7.3. INNOVATION POLICY
7.- THE CONCEPT OF THE INNOVATION LIKE ATTITUDE
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7.1.
A CLASSIFICATION OF THE TECHNOLOGIES
The innovation constitutes the first active conceptual answer to the technological mutation and
the turbulent situations and of crises that have accompanied it.
A positive concept. - To is concep that has put in height by its semantic wealth and its
emotional load. Their importance and its englobante character have turned it a term that has
great wealth of sense: the innovation can include so much the idea of a technological change
generates lizado like the one of a change of articles of incorporation within the company.
On the other hand, the innovation is the triumph of the new thing, is a term that praises the
originality, but that also unites the invention and its economic valuation, that is, that reconciles
the scope of the technological creativity with the one of economic success of the company.
The concept that the society associates with the term innovation has a strong connotation of
dimension of autonomy in the human creativity and this like priority factor of the creation of r
iqueza.Is exists a species of "small beautiful" in this concept of the innovation.
7.1.1 The technological innovation favored by the mutation
The central nucleus, in which we are going away to center here, and that recently has
integrated to ` management' of the company, is the one of the technological innovation, its
génesis, their stimulus and its conduct. It consists of the permanent preoccupation to generate
positive a change technological and multiforms. The technological innovation in the company
has become a key element since, in the context of the turbulent technological change, it
constitutes greater means to improve the possibilities of survival and its results.
Already in the beginning of the crisis, whole sectors of the industrial activity have been
threatened of technological obsolescencia and strongly have been put in prohibition because of
the competition of Third World Countries. This it was the case in individual of the sector of
the textile and the preparation in the countries developed, until the moment that answers in
innovation terms allowed to recover this activity with solutions as the cut by means of laser,
the cut optimized by computer, or the dye in made bath of jerseys, which they allow to adapt
immediately ofe rta to the demand (Benetton).
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LA INNOVACIO N ES UN ENCUENTRO

Investigation

Products

Know-how
 Markets
INNOVATION
 Relations
 Marketing
Processes
Commercial pacts
The technologically possible thing
The economically possible thing
Consequently, this new concept of the innovation represents a rupture in relation to the
previous concepts of technical progress in the company, but also a new form of integration of
the technology in the company
7.1.2 Integration
The innovation represents a new form of integration of the technology the company since the
innovation leads to diversify the sources of the technological progress and to integrate them in
the diverse sectors of the activity of the company. Still more deep integration, since one is
which the different services and centers of decision of the company adopt this project of
innovation. The characteristic of the innovation process consists of which it will have to be
derived biologically from the weave of the company and its interchange with the integrated
surroundings and to his structure and its operation.
7.2.
The FORMS And The PLACES Of The INNOVATION PROCESS
It turns out habitual to distinguish the innovation according to the place where it is inserted:
product or process, and according to the newness degree that introduces. This leads to
distinguish the innovation of rupture of the adaptation innovation. In order to evaluate the
amplitude of the impact of an innovation process, his organizativas and competitive
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implications, it is important also to take into account the degree from newness that introduces
in relation to the market. We will conclude this picture of set in this point.
7.2.1 The places of applications of the innovation
The INNOVACJON OF PRODUCT or external innovation allows the company to supply
better products than the existing ones in the market, since they offer more functionalities, or
act lighter, less voluminous, simpler as of more effective way being, etc. Tambié n can be
dealed with totally new, different products in the own concept.
We can mention the diverse forms:
-
it can be an innovation of "function", that is to say, being based on an idea of product
or tie new functionality to a new technology;
-
it can be based on a new form to make the "function" or to conceive the product or the
machine; it can be the introduction of new materials or new components;
-
it can also consist of a new design, that often are more than a simple modification of
forms, but of industrial solutions and ergonomic approaches;
-
it can be new services of support or on the contrary of the transformation in a product
of which before it was a service. Tratars and of the discovery of new uses, that can
sometimes often they can be obtained with a minimum modification.
The PROCESS INNOVATION is destined to improve that internal capacity that allows or to
reduce the times of manufacture, or to increase the quality - reducing rejections -, or
improving the information systems and internal control. It is, in sum, a constant series of
improvements that allows a better advantage of our productive capacities.
On the other hand, the improvements of material character are inseparable of those of
immaterial character. In this sense, the formation in the deepening and knowledge of the
process originate an improvement spiral that allows to develop to advantages and new
formativos processes.
With the purpose of giving to an order of ma gnitud, according to the survey of McGraw Hill
in the U.S.A. in 1977, 13% of the innovation destined to new processes and 87% to products,
and within the product, 59% to the improvement of already existing and only 28% it destined
to the generation of nue vos products.
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7.3.
INNOVATION POLICY
Corporation MCC is living, like all the industrial sector of our surroundings, a transcendental
change in its exposition of future survival. The model that there are been living was based,
fundamentally, in a competition of "cost". In this model, that has been generalized in our
Basque industrial surroundings, the cooperatives have located themselves, generally, in a head
position and this domestic market has formed a concrete enterprise character that is necessary
to surpass to take step to a new more complex international situation.
To the competitiveness on the basis of costs him a competitive advantage is due to incorporate
more dynamics, where the technological innovation plays a fundamental role, and the increase
of the quality in the development of new products and the improvement of the management
techniques.
The next years, nevertheless, will be the best ones for those than they learn to balance dreams
and disciplines. The future it will belong to those who take advantage of the potential greater
opportunities but they recognize the realities of limited resources at the same time more and
find new solutions that allow to do more with less.
Today it has been shown that the prosperity of the Corpor ación is going to depend every day
more of its adaptation to the changing circumstances of the international competition. Our new
industrial surroundings impose, we want or no, its own law. The adoption or not of strategies
of market in the European scope is not a mere alternative and, if we admitted like obvious that
the only strategy that can guarantee the future economic development is the one that as much
articulates around the product innovation, as of processes and methods of management, we
would have to be consequent s with the expositions that of these affirmations are given off.
The mental change that is being called on to us to live is accelerated of all the history of the
cooperativismo; this is necessary to admit it in all its depth and to analyze from the
coordinates of the grouping which are the new habits to acquire and what repercussions can
have the different expositions from set that are becoming. An example we can have it in the
exposition of the image of Group, since taken from domestic coordinates it has a different
affluent perspective to take it with European coordinates.
The first conclusion to that it is arrived in this reflection is that the "internationalization of the
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company" is a way without return. We cannot fall in sterile nostalgia that to the only thing that
they force to us is to lukewarm positions at the time of making decisions. To grasp us to a past
where we had a certain leadership and to want to plan in solitaire and in shared in common are
not a little consequent attitude with ual the historical reality act.
This acceptance of the term "internationalization of the company" has different consequences.
From a technological point of view it is a declaration that takes implicit the acceptance of the
participation in all those international forums in which something is had to obtain; it implies,
also, to know the norm and its programs European and to insert to us totally in them with the
same facility that we can be aimed at the actions of the nearest Administrations. From the
point of view of market it represents a knowledge of the particularitities of each specific area:
to know what hunger exist and how these with products or present and/or future services can
be satisfied, to metodizar the engarzamiento of these potential demands with the technology,
so that the union of innovation programs, of products, organizational processes or, project the
company in their totality to a mentality of satisfaction to the client like slogan of quality and,
in sum, securing of the super experience.
Europe is delivering enormous attacks economic to increase to the competitiveness of its
companies by means of shared projects and multienterprise alliances, and the cooperative
world is not represented the level that could be expected by its volume of set. We are
participating in the European forum of timid form and little decided. It is a pending subjet that
with decision we must approach.
Our condition of cooperative would not have to be an international brake in the establishment
of relations and alliances, but factor that it harnesses to us and it consolidates like group.
This new style is going to have important repercussions and will be necessary to initiate a
campaign of knowledge, enterprise as as much cultural, at different levels from management,
with the serious commitment of imbuir itself in this philosophy. The more one gains in time of
assumption of the idea, the more quickly will start up the mechanisms that determine the
proportions the new concept of business and the more evident pa will be the necessary
collaboration between all ra to approach the new frame. Sinergia that hopes that it arises
from static form and passive it will have to be looked for of dynamic form, because nobody is
sufficiently autarkic as to raise single he the increasing enterprise challenge. The second base
of the reflection is centered in the paper that it has to play the technology in the development
of new products and processes. It is clear that, admitting the exposition of the
internationalization of the company, we will have to reflect our products in this frame, doing a
change of axes between the domestic surroundings and the European.
In our surroundings leaderships in concrete parcels exist that respond to this international
homologation. Like group mission, we will have to generalize this attitude for which the
"intelligent control of the leaders" has to be a development motor that spurs the innovating
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concept that we must acquire, or to complement, to obtain that "dynamic competitiveness".
The message deserves a certain deepening. "Control" implies to know, to be worried by where
and with what new tools and technologies are raising the leaders their presence in the market.
To be ready to jump and to take advantage of the work the "pioneers" is a dynamic and terribly
innovating style.
The "intelligent control of the leaders" is going to us to force to have methods and
mechanisms of assimilation of technologies very adapted to our reality. It implies a
management of the very active innovation, so that the function "time", as much developing
and putting in practice of a new method like in formation of necessary equipment, today takes
a not known dimension between us.
This culture of permanent adaptation is going to demand active and agile a frame of decisions,
so that the actions jump as tightened crossbows as soon as a concrete way is decided. It is
obvious that the information in "real time" is a key factor in this type of strategies of pursuit
and control of the activities of our competitors. In our surroundings groups of experts in the
handling of data bases like in the treatment and information of patents exist as much anywhere
in the world.
A suitable use of these means allows to make meticulous analyses of "how" and "who" it
operates of more active form in a determined parcel or segment of market, as well as making
the histogram of a certain company with which we want to establish relations of any type. This
service can easily be generalized all the Group, with which a basic tool will be able to be had
that allows to make that control; but the tool is good if use becomes of her and has with it a
multiplying effect, because if no, it is a cost more than, as it ballast, it makes difficult the own
yield of the company.
To adopt the attitude of "intelligent control of l leaders" is going to suppose to you to assume a
flexible dynamics, letter to cover hollows in the market as soon as these have been opened; it
implies to have a good balance between the technological dependency and generation of
technology, as well as the capacity to add ex- periencias and knowledge that in MCC, as joint
of actions and presences you will multidiscipline, are had in an important degree.
The philosophy that we are trying to describe is more feasible in a conception of group that as
individual company and would have to allow, by the sum of abilities and knowledge, a
horizontal transference, updating products and processes.One of the missions of the
Department of Technological Development and Quality it will be to cause this knowledge and
to prepare the way so that the technology flows in that direction.
An active communication estimates the creation of a forum of permanent debate where each
one can identify opportunities. By the knowledge of other realities, in MCC it must be
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generated a flow of communication and support, because nobody is totally self-sufficient in
anything and less in innovation, and all we are in the same race of the active survival.
This innovating attitude will have to cause new currents, a flow of new possibilities within the
groupings actively. For it it is needed to create a culture that implies that all partner feels the
innovation like which comprises of its work and not to only depend on which a lucky
innovation arises spontaneously in some corner of the company and ends up calling the
attention of the director. Instead of it, to create official channels to accelerate the flow of new
ideas, to cause the creativity will be an important subject in this reconstruction of the
cooperative company.
This last note takes step to us to raise the third reflection of the Technological Policy; .
LIDERAZGO EN LO ORGANIZATIVO Y FUNCIONAL The other two previous concepts, la
INTERNACIONALIZACION Y EL CONTROL INTELIGENTE DE LOS LIDERESare
attitudes that come to us imposed by the force from the facts. The increasing international
competition and the creation of a single market force to watch the new challenge front and to
make decisions that confront the problem of the best possible way, but the third premise
depends on we ourself. The cooperative can be great or small, it can operate in an increasing
or stable market, but on her it depends that their organization and the will of their men is
creative or passive, who the confrontation of ideas is a renovadora source of contributions or a
sterile mutual cancellation. We needed to resort to the same essence of the cooperative; to
cooperate in the permanent creation of a company like method shared in common to assure the
necessity generation of economic resources.
The commitment on which the viability of the company depends on all would have to cause a
starting point that allows to create a company organizational leader in and the functional thing.
Many hours will be had to dedicate to the analysis and search of that forum that does possible
to file to f rustraciones at all the levels, giving a new impulse to the individual and collective
commitment.
From a purely technological component, this message of organizational leadership in and the
functional thing can be translated in a concept of "total quality" like motor of innovation at all
the levels of the company. In essence, an organizational style based on the "total quality"
implies a conjunction of two ideas, often opposed, as they are: a discipline in the method and a
creative mind. To unite a spirit i nnovador to the discipline and work in equipment is the new
answer that it has to cause itself from the motto of "total quality". For it, it is necessary to not
only add "capacities" and "abilities
This concept of "total quality" must print in MCC a spirit of permanent improvement of the
enterprise management and cause a generalized process of innovation.
- 53 -
- 54 -
8.- THE QUALITY, AN ENCOUNTER WITH
THE AFFLUENT WORK DONE
8.- THE CONCEPT OF THE INNOVATION LIKE ATTITUDE
He is CALIDADit fashionable. It has never been spoken as much of CALIDADas in these last
two years.
The Japanese myth has put our productive system against the cords and today no longer it is
possible to compete with a cost concept if a reference to the quality is not had. The mutation
which it underwent the Japanese company of years 60, where the product of those latitudes
with the product under quality and of low price was identified, has happened with time to be a
product of high quality to the most competitive price. Our products are located, of a general
form, in average range: neither they are the calls "sweepings", own of the countries that are
arranged to sell like is, nor are the products of high content in benefits, with excellent quality,
that satisfy to a niche of very select market. Our products are in that crossroads in which the
- 55 -
effort has to be permanent, since the lowest products of the market want to ascend by the slope
of the hunger of the clients and those of the summit want to have insured their future
diversifying that elitist but little trustworthy position as it is the niche of the selective ones.
Every day more competitors with falsified products leave more than they leave to stable
products in the market totally obsolete.
In this dynamics, that we have not chosen but she is called on to us to live, only we it has left
the exit of the permanent improvement. This process of permanent improvement is so
important that it has happened to be considered like a responsibility of the quality departments
to be directly employee of the manager of the company; today the responsibility of the bad
quality is necessary to impute it to the highest administration of the company. The messages
are too many that have been sent so that the high directions do not assume the concept of the
permanent improvement.
Frequently h to indicated that one of the main differences between the styles of Japanese and
western administration is their marks of time.Whereas the Japanese administration has a longterm perspective, the western managers tend to look for results in the short term. It is an irony
of our managements that the more elevated is the manager in the hierarchy, the more worried
is with the short term results, and he is not stranger who expositions of inferior levels which
they focus improvements with benef icios long term potentials in the short term hit the criteria
of their superior levels with perspective and criteria.
The shock that has produced has left to many directions without a clear enterprise philosophy.
In the years previous to the crisis of petroleum, the manager who was able to give satisfaction
to a market in expansion in which she reigned plus the amount that the quality, where the
resources were abundant and of low cost, the director that it had as it bases of the business the
increase of sales instead of reducing the costs was crowned with the success. Today, all this
that was the base of the system, the datum points, let have value and the enterprise viability
considers of radically different form. The new situation is characterized by the strong
increases of the costs of materials, energy and manual labor, an excessive capacity of you raise
of production and little flexibility to change fast and effectively of product to make, an
increase of the competition with a saturated market s or in declivity, changes of the hunger of
the consumers with exigencies on quality that leave us perplex, and next to it a greater
necessity to leave to the market with new products.
The previous solutions today do not give answer to these new challenges, are too many
problems to confront them with the typical measures of investments and displacements of
personnel. Today it is necessary to imply to all in the process of continuous improvement if it
is wanted to attack the problem in all the levels. It is necessary to recognize that it is not only a
control problem (that also has its parcel of responsibility), but that affects to all in the
measurement which we are implied in the process, and in him we are all it jeopardize by its
improvement. No longer there is site for the static ones. To obtain one more a more stable
customer means "to mimar" the key points of the satisfaction of the client. To know how to
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identify them to transmit to all how it affects to each one in his productive paper, how to
prepare new products and services that generate greater degrees of satisfaction and, really,
how to obtain of that etéreo and capricious concept of client a greater identification with the
company is the future guarantee.
The parcels, and many of them of attitude, those that there are changes r, and not only, as often
it considers, with a change of the productive system are many, but that there is to examine all
the organization, because all the departments of the company are susceptible to establish
permanent improvements. There is no corner in the organizational chart that is considered
arrived at its fullness. He would be suspicious a department, services, warehouses, etc. that did
not present/display improvements of periodic form. If in a single corner of our company there
is improvement reference no every month, is that the static idea of the passivity has entered
that point. There is so much to make to eliminate supérfluo, to more effectively organize the
job, to improve the quality, being eliminated expenses of nonquality, etc. that the static
thought does not fit of which it thinks that all this is well but the adressee is another one.
Today we are all it jeopardize, we want or we are not accomplices of the success or failure of
our business. We cannot appeal to more or less just reasonings of failures in the management,
the organization, control, etc. They can be certain, but all we must ask to us how to improve
our area of activity permanently, only premise of the enterprise success if mainly the company
moves in this direction with a dynamic and positive attitude. History, like always, will say the
last word on our attitudes.
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9.- THE I+D IN THE CORPORATION
9.- THE I+D IN THE CORPORATION
The definition of the expenses that are due to impute to the I+D has had from its beginning a
certain ambiguity. The concept of the Investigation as source of knowledge acquisition has not
been questioned at the time of imputing it like cost in this chapter. More discussed it is the
definition of the Development. Their limits are somewhat diffuse and is necessary a certain
pact in the definition of what it enters like cost this concept and what no.
At this moment we cannot say that a uniformity in the treatment of both concepts exists and,
most important, do not have security in its comparison between indices of other surroundings,
but in a work on the investigation in the Corporation notary's office the absence of data on the
effort that the set of the Cooperatives is doing in this matter.
The pictures have been grouped by divisions and in the end it exposes set d and the
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Corporation. In all the pictures we visualized the amount of every year in this epígrafe of I+D,
as well as its percentage on sales, more usual number to have datum points and comparison.
In the interpretation of the pictures a certain discontinuity in the data appears in the year ~8.
Reason fundamental is that from this year, in many cooperatives (fundamentally those that
they compose Grupo Fagor), a new definition of the concepts settles down that must enter this
epígrafe, representing a precision and purification of such.
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10.- As a SUMMARY
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10.- As a SUMMARY
Aspects of the technology and the innovation are had boarded in this notebook different
without with it we have a vision of the paper of the same ones in the cooperative world, main
mission of these texts.
The fundamental problem is in which it has been had never a ordered statistic of the
technological phenomenon within the cooperative world. The technology has been and
continues being a strategic variable within each cooperative company and not very often a
putting in common of sectorial form to altogether approach problems has been made that
always have been considered that was within the exclusive scope of the unitary company.We
do not have practice in sharing our problems of technological type and consequently, we have
not known to take advantage of the successes and failures our fellow travellers. We can say
that we did not have the organizational tool that allowed that sinergia.
There is today an objective clear to live in shared in common and not in solitaire the challenge
that represents to be competitive in this Europe in expansion. Of all it is responsibility. And to
incarnate together one more a more alive reality, this text on technology and innovation will
have a very different configuration in its next edition, because it will respond more to a
technological concept of the cooperative world that to loose pieces that do not form a weave of
the coherence that could be hoped of a cooperative reality that it has known in other matters to
put into play his talents to make extreme the most powerful one than the simple Arithmetic.
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