Product Development Process In The Fashion Industry: A Case Study In A Brazilian Footwear Company

The product development process (PDP) involves transforming a set of ideas into a tangible, marketable product. In highly dynamic sectors with short product life cycles, such as the fashion industry, the importance of a rapid and accurate innovation process becomes crucial. This research aimed to map the PDP of the Brazilian footwear industry. A qualitative, exploratory, and descriptive investigation was conducted through a case study. Data was collected via interviews with fourteen employees, participant observation, and document analysis. By identifying key elements of the innovation processes within the department, the study verified the critical and influential factors contributing to the successful development of new products. The identified stages of the PDP partially diverged from the generic models proposed in the literature. The findings also provided managerial insights geared toward optimizing resources and aligning strategies. Additionally, the study offered theoretical insights into innovation process models, highlighting their distinct features and adapting them to the analyzed context. The limitations of this research include the inability to generalize the findings due to the specific characteristics of the company studied. Furthermore, the importance of comparing PDPs across two or more industries within the same sector is acknowledged, as it could reveal commonalities.