INTEGRAÇÃO ENTRE TECNOLOGIA, PARTICIPAÇÃO DOS COLABORADORES E CULTURA ORGANIZACIONAL EM PEQUENAS EMPRESAS CALÇADISTAS

Abstract

This study aimed to understand the implementation process of Industry 4.0 in small footwear companies in the Vale do Rio dos Sinos/RS region, specifically analyzing how automation and digitalization connect with worker participation and organizational culture. The method used was a multiple case study of a qualitative and descriptive nature, triangulating data from interviews, observation, and document analysis in four small companies in Vale do Rio dos Sinos/RS. The results revealed a scenario of heterogeneity in technological maturity. In the Automation and Digitalization category, companies are divided between initial stages (manual processes) and advanced stages (strategic adoption of real-time systems). In the Worker Participation and Organizational Culture category, the success of technological implementation was linked to the management of the human factor: while companies in incipient stages show resistance and informal communication, more mature organizations institutionalize feedback and operator participation in decisions and testing of new technologies. The conclusion points out that I4.0 in small footwear companies is a socio-technical phenomenon; Sustainable digitalization requires a cultural transformation that must be managed as a continuous and incremental process, in which the active participation of workers is crucial for consolidating gains in efficiency and competitiveness.