Organisational Narratives of Applied Knowledge in Technology-Based Organisations

This paper presents the conclusions of four case studies in technology-based (TB) organisations. These companies have a strong international presence and also represent success-stories of Portuguese innovation, covering the 1980s through to the 2000s. Using a qualitative approach, the authors pinpoint the critical success factors that made these companies a reference in terms of innovation. These cases were chosen as they all recount the successful application of sustainable innovation in social processes to organisations. The research question was: What are the key factors that drive innovation processes in successful Portuguese technology-based organisations? Results show that the lessons learned from narratives of innovation play an instrumental role in the comprehension of social interaction complexities. Furthermore, the study identifies several management practices that highlight the significance of the players involved in innovation. The findings show that a passion for knowledge and its productive applications are key differentiating factors.