Critical modernity, creative thinking, and innovation: startups in Brazil

Abstract This study aims to understand the criteria that influence the decision-making process of selecting startups that have innovated successfully. In this article, this kind of selection was made by venture capital enterprises. We studied the view of the investors, venture capital professionals, and startup entrepreneurs interviewed. We present the actual global characteristics of the main cities where innovation takes place and the modernism and critical modernism aspects and creative thinking beliefs (Einstein, Habermas). The qualitative research was carried out using an exploratory approach and case study methodology based on semi-structured interviews (nine in total) with professionals from venture capital funds, startup entrepreneurs, and investors. The interviews confirmed several relationships between theories found in the business management literature. Findings such as post-bureaucratic environments (Heckscher), Mintzberg’s (1995) Adhocracy, and Simon’s decision-making process (1987) for pattern recognition were corroborated by the analysis of the interviews. We present some initiatives for innovation such as Station F in France, El Espacio La Nave, Madrid, the Project Porto Maravilha in Rio, and Vila Olimpia e Paulista avenue, São Paulo.

摘要 本研究旨在厘清影响遴选成功创新初创企业决策过程的评判标准。本文所探讨的遴选主体为风险投资企业，本研究围绕受访投资者、风险投资专业人士与初创企业创业者的视角展开。本文阐述了全球范围内开展创新活动的主要城市的真实特征，以及现代主义与批判现代主义的维度，还有创造性思维理念（以爱因斯坦、哈贝马斯的思想为代表）。本研究采用探索性研究范式与案例研究方法，通过对风险投资基金从业者、初创企业创业者及投资者开展半结构化访谈（共计9场）完成质性研究。访谈分析证实了商业管理文献中若干理论间的关联：赫克希尔提出的后官僚制环境、明茨伯格（1995）的Adhocracy灵活型组织，以及西蒙（1987）提出的面向模式识别的决策过程。本文还介绍了若干创新实践案例，包括法国的Station F创业园区、马德里的El Espacio La Nave空间、里约热内卢的奇迹港项目，以及圣保罗的奥林匹亚村与保利斯塔大道。