O crowdsourcing como fator de competitividade para micro e pequenas empresas

Abstract

Crowdsourcing, or outsourcing to the crowds, has become an important tool in aiding companies to become closer to their target market. As people are asked to participate in the development or solution of a product, they feel a sense of belonging to the organization. In times of hyperconnectivity, companies must learn to catalyze, in support of its strategies, the contribution of the public that supports the brand aiming to maximize its creative and innovative power while reducing costs furthering themselves from the statistic of insolvency that plagues a considerate amount of micro and small Brazilian businesses. From the literature research and the official statistics, this monograph showed how the benefits provided by crowdsourcing might contribute to the reduction of the main reasons for the extinction of this category of companies. By conducting a survey with a group of entrepreneurs from the Fashion sector in the Metropolitan area of Fortaleza, this study also showed that it is still needed to obtain an open mind in regards to modern marketing practices. Companies need to put less emphasis on the manipulation of the traditional marketing mix (4Ps), which generates short-term results and more emphasis on their core reason for existing, on the co-creation, stimulating the involvement and loyalty. The survey also found that most of the entrepreneurs interviewed acknowledges the need to evolve in this area and showed interest in the implementation of actions based on crowdsourcing model in an attempt to outperform the competition and ensure long life to the company.