O valor percebido do design de novos produtos nas micro e pequenas empresas do setor moveleiro

Abstract

With the intention of promoting improvement or production processes of the furniture organizations, this study sought to determine the value assigned to the design developed, considering the perception of the participants involved in the processes of design and implementation of new products, through the application of the method Quality Function Deployment (QFD), in order to identify the main divergences between different views over planning and implementing new products within furniture organizations of micro and small potential. For this purpose, a multiple case study was conducted in three furniture companies of micro and small potential located in the city of Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul. This research was developed from the mapping and characterization of the processes of product conception based on design, focusing on topics that surround the design exercised by the management of new product planning and which impact on the final product in both tangible and intangible aspects. Regarding the production management, the study sought to identify the procedures for transferring control and information, as well as the qualification of the design developed by the management of planning. The study also addressed issues related to final costumers in the form of entry of product development processes, including suitability of the product to the required needs, evaluation of processes and tools for project formulation, and definition of morphological, structural, and ergonomic and functional aspects of the product developed. As a result, it was possible to detect that the inclusion of design in the furniture industry goes through a lot of difficulties, mainly related to its location within the organizational structure, distancing itself from the functions related to executive and productive planning of furniture projects, and thus fragmenting the processes of development and implementation of new products.