This study examines the relationship between creativity, innovation, and family business management within the context of regional development in the Alto Vale do Itajaí region, Santa Catarina, Brazil. Adopting a qualitative multiple-case study approach, data will be collected through semi-structured interviews, document analysis, and participant observation. The research aims to identify management practices that foster creativity and innovation and to analyze their contribution to organizational performance and regional development. The study is grounded in the literature on creativity, family business management, innovation, and regional development. The central hypothesis is that family businesses that adopt creative and innovative management practices possess a greater capacity to contribute to regional development. The principal outcome of the research will be the development of a Framework for the Analysis of Strategic Proximity between Management Style and Creativity, providing a tool to assess the extent to which managerial approaches are aligned with creativity-driven practices and innovation processes.

Keywords

Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Family Businesses, Creative Management Practices, Strategic Management, and Regional Development.