EXPANDING TECHNOLOGICAL CAPABILITIES: WOMEN AND MINORITIES STRENGTHENING THEIR MICRO ENTERPRISES THROUGH EDUCATION, DESIGN AND INNOVATION

The difficulties of entrepreneurs to access education, due to the lack of opportunities and economic restrictions, hinder their access to knowledge of new production technologies that optimize their processes and enhance their products, leaving them at a competitive disadvantage compared to their competitors. One of the diagnosed weaknesses is the lack of knowledge to implement current manufacturing processes that provide better results, greater efficiency and competitive manufacturing costs. The project developed with public funds by the University of Bío-Bío, Chile, aims to train nineteen women leaders of creative enterprises in the fashion sector, through workshops in the Digital Technologies Laboratory. The collaborative work between female entrepreneurs and designer mentors who are experts in digital technologies, leads the redesign of products currently in commercialization, towards a productive redefinition to obtain better results, optimize production times and standardized processes in the manufacture of small series. The entrepreneurs learn the potential of digital technologies for product design and manufacture; received training in the use of design software, 3D printers and laser cutters. They learned to determine manufacturing times and costs by exercising in the implementation of this productive innovation. Their creative abilities are complemented by learning technologies that lead to the realization of products with better results and, therefore, with better possibilities of positioning in the markets. Training in planning the integration of digital technologies is essential to complement the functionality issues integrated into the production process.
The methodology has five stages: Diagnosis of products and production processes; selection of a product as a case study; training in the Digital Technologies Laboratory; collaborative work between entrepreneur and mentor to improve the design and production process of the selected product; productive planning for implementation of changes. The results reveal the impact of contributing to creative and innovative capacity, which affects the strengthening of the regional productive matrix and opportunities for self-generation of employment. The conclusion refers to the impact that this training has meant for female entrepreneurs, evidenced in products with new projections, strengthened women and enterprises with better tools to function. Women-led companies have greater tools to compete with imported products. The promotion of knowledge transfer represents major changes in people's capacities, production, reduces material costs and optimizes manufacturing times and costs.