Aprendizagem organizacional e a aquisição de competências frente às exigências dos órgãos de regulação ambiental: um estudo de múltiplos casos de lavanderias de jeans em Toritama – PE

Abstract

The aim of this study was to analyze how the jeans laundries in the city of Toritama/PE have been developing their organizational learning and competences acquisition before the environmental suitability requirements. This manufacture activity began in Toritama, in 1977. Its growth has led to laundries foundation for washing and finishing of jeans components. There are, currently, about 55 laundries in the city. The washing process consumes large volumes of water which, in turn, are necessary to treat the water again in order to avoid negative effluents into the environment. Because of these effluents, the Government is involved with public policies and regulations in the laundries in order to adapt their wash processes. There are also support projects consisting in courses and training for entrepreneurs and their laundries, as they need to develop new competences and learning about their business operations related to environmental issues. Organizational learning and competences are the focus of this work. Organizational learning refers to knowledge and practices acquired by firms through internal and external sources. The competences are related to the mastery and the application of the knowledge learned by companies. In addition to these concepts, the literature review deals with sustainable development since it„s considered the conservation of nature in the jeans wash activity; public policies, according to environmental laws and regulatory norms, and organizational changes because the entrepreneurs need to reform their laundries, required by regulation bodies. This work has used an exploratory research based on interviews, observation and documents collection, as well as the case study method with a qualitative approach and content analysis. This survey was carried out in three laundries (a small, a medium and a large one). During the intervention process, the greatest requirement from regulation bodies are focused on the use of water, boiler, sludge treatment and chemicals storage – these are the biggest pollution causes. It can also be seen the labor safety due to the employees exposure to accidents. The results indicate that after the intervention, the laundries have been acquiring new learning and competences of their technical and operational procedures for washing jeans, and following the instructions, regulations and environmental laws. In the small and medium laundries the suitability has been gradually coming through the itens with a greater requirement; the largest laundry is already adequate, being a reference in water treatment. It‟s been concluded that entrepreneurs have been acquiring an understanding about the importance of operating the laundries without polluting the environment.