INVESTIGATION OF INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL DESIGN TEAMS DURING THE PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT PROCESS IN FOOTWEAR COMPANIES

This paper aims to analyze the management of internal and external design teams during the product development process in two footwear companies of Paranhana Valley in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. A case study was conducted in both companies that worked with both types of teams. The study provided a valuable discussion about how a company can work with internal or external design teams or both of them once the literature does not provide sufficient background to this matter. It also discusses the advantages and disadvantages of working with each team. Results indicated that differences in the way of managing the teams are related with the decision-making autonomy given to the members of each design team at the beginning of the development of new projects.