Product design and social needs: the case of North–East Brazil

Abstract

Product design has a significant role within the overall process of innovation. It is through design that ideas and demands from the market are expressed in material form and transformed into hardware. This paper presents the findings of a survey of small firms producing light engineering products in Paraiba, a state in the north–eastern region of Brazil. The aim of the survey was to obtain an overview of the activities of entrepreneurs, evidence of innovation, methods used in new product development, and the level of training and institutional support available. It argues that this important aspect of innovation has been neglected in the development literature. Recognition of this innovative potential is crucial to the development of small firms in developing countries.