Editorial

ID: 4446

Authors: Nicolau Reinhard.

Source: RAUSP Management Journal, v. 45, n. 4, p. 312-312, October-December, 2010. 1 page(s).

Document type: Editorial (Portuguese)

Rent appropriation among rural entrepreneurs: three experiences in coffee production in Brazil

ID: 4447

Authors: Maria Sylvia Macchione Saes.

Source: RAUSP Management Journal, v. 45, n. 4, p. 313-327, October-December, 2010. 15 page(s).

Keyword: coffee agribusiness , Knight's profit theory , resource based view , strategic positioning analysis , transaction cost economics , value adding strategies

Document type: Article (English) Show Abstract

The purpose of this article is to answer the question of whether there are sustainable, economically feasible strategies that can capture agricultural income. To this end, the body of work on why entrepreneurs choose value-capturing and value-adding strategies is analyzed and then a model is built to analyze differentiation in the rural sphere. Four theoretical perspectives are presented: Strategic Positioning Analysis, Resource-Based View, Transaction Cost Economics, and Knight's Profit Theory. Drawing on the model, three strategic experiences from the Brazilian coffee agro-industrial system are examined, divided into three categories: joint interdependence, which presents the strategic focus of value creation through direct exports of good quality coffee, by the Guaxupé Regional Cooperative of Coffee Producers (Cooxupé); sequential interdependence, which examines the quality coffee brand strategy of the roasting company illycaffè; and mutual interdependence, in which the experience of Poço Fundo producers, aimed at adding value to coffee based on the sustainable coffee market, is analyzed. The most successful strategy in terms of representation (number of producers involved) appears to be that which focuses on scale and scope in the marketing of specialty coffees. Another interesting finding regards a new paradigm in the relations between the rural sector and the downstream segment regarding beverage quality and sustainability issues.

Marketing autonomy of foreign subsidiaries in Brazil regarding new product development in multinationals

ID: 4448

Authors: Thelma Valéria Rocha, Felipe Mendes Borini, Eduardo Eugênio Spers.

Source: RAUSP Management Journal, v. 45, n. 4, p. 328-342, October-December, 2010. 15 page(s).

Keyword: marketing autonomy , marketing strategy , new product development , subsidiaries

Document type: Article (Portuguese) Show Abstract

This article analyses marketing autonomy in new product development in multinationals. The objective is to verify the relationship between global integration strategies and local adaptation in terms of marketing autonomy in the Brazilian subsidiaries of foreign firms. The subject is addressed by means of a theoretical review of three topics - new product development decisions, autonomy within the context of multinationals, and subsidiary marketing autonomy, which give rise to the hypotheses tested. The research is quantitative: a survey with 104 managers of foreign subsidiaries in Brazil. The results show a negative correlation between the degree of global integration of the multinational and global strategic alignment and marketing autonomy regarding new products. On the other hand, the greater the local adaptation, the greater the marketing autonomy in new product development. The authors conclude that despite the dilemma between global integration and local adaptation in terms of new product development autonomy, this dilemma, when analyzed within the evolutionary process of the strategies of subsidiaries, explains why some subsidiaries have greater competitive advantage than others in the corporation.

The survival of new companies in São Paulo state: a study about human capital, social capital and management practices

ID: 4449

Authors: Fábio Matuoka Mizumoto, Rinaldo Artes, Sérgio Giovanetti Lazzarini, Marcos Hashimoto, Marco Aurélio Bedê.

Source: RAUSP Management Journal, v. 45, n. 4, p. 343-355, October-December, 2010. 13 page(s).

Keyword: company survival , entrepreneurship , human capital , social capital

Document type: Article (Portuguese) Show Abstract

The literature indicates that small young firms face a greater risk of closing than bigger, established enterprises in their respective sectors. The objective of our research is to examine empirically the impact of three factors that may contribute to the survival of rising companies: the human capital of the entrepreneurs, their social capital and the use of management practices after the startup of the new firm. Based on a sample of 1,961 companies opened and registered at State of São Paulo Registry of Commerce (Jucesp) from 1999 to 2003, we conducted a quantitative study to examine the probability of survival of these enterprises. Certain variables were shown to be statistically significant in terms of explaining the likelihood of survival of new companies, such as the entrepreneurs' degree of education and their previous preparation before opening the business (related to their human capital), the existence of family members in similar businesses (related to their social capital) and, mainly, the adoption of management practices such as attempting to foresee facts and the search for relevant information. These results highlight the need to consider elements of different theoretical approaches in order to explain the likelihood of new enterprises surviving.

Flows and power in the distribution channels for fuel ethanol: a qualitative study in São Paulo state

ID: 4450

Authors: Maíra Bacha Lopes, Andrea Lago da Silva, Marco Antonio Conejero.

Source: RAUSP Management Journal, v. 45, n. 4, p. 356-372, October-December, 2010. 17 page(s).

Keyword: distribution channels , fuel ethanol , marketing flows , power

Document type: Article (Portuguese) Show Abstract

Although the expansion of sugarcane ethanol in the domestic market has been extensively discussed, little attention has been paid to understanding how this product is distributed. The objective of this paper is to analyze the functions, flows, and power of sugarcane ethanol distribution channels in terms of meeting the domestic demand for this fuel. After conducting a review of the literature on distribution channels and power bases applied to the study of distribution channels, field research of a qualitative nature was conducted, using the multi-case study method to collect and analyze data in 14 companies (ethanol production plants, marketing groups, distributors and service stations) in the state of São Paulo. The results indicate that the ethanol production plants are responsible for the production flow and storage of ethanol; the distributors bear greater responsibility for storage flows, orders and payment, financing, promotions and services; and the service stations look after the flow of services and promotion. One can conclude that the relations among these different channel members are based on the powers of legitimacy and reference. The existence of these two forms of power influences the establishment of marketing structures in the channel.

Television food advertising: a threat to consumer health?

ID: 4451

Authors: Silvana Lopes dos Santos, Mário Otávio Batalha.

Source: RAUSP Management Journal, v. 45, n. 4, p. 373-382, October-December, 2010. 10 page(s).

Keyword: consumer behavior , food advertising , food choices , television commercials

Document type: Article (Portuguese) Show Abstract

Food advertising and its influence on food choice generates frequent discussions and it has been blamed for contributing heavily to poor eating habits. This study looks into television advertising content, taking into account the strategies that concern the characteristics of the message, of the food, of the consumer, and of the arguments used. Data were collected from recordings of the broadcasts of three different open TV networks throughout the day at predetermined times and the commercials' contents were analyzed. The results show that the messages are based mainly on emotions, focusing on food flavor and eating pleasure, with little mention of nutritional and health issues. The study also indicated that the focus of those TV commercials is mainly children. At the end of this article, the authors voice their thoughts on the need to analyze food choices within a broader context, concluding that only joint public and private efforts could help to promote healthier eating habits.

The planning profile and the organizational lifecycle of Brazilian companies

ID: 4452

Authors: Fábio Frezatti, Tânia Regina Sordi Relvas, Artur Roberto do Nascimento, Emanuel Rodrigues Junqueira, Diógenes de Souza Bido.

Source: RAUSP Management Journal, v. 45, n. 4, p. 383-399, October-December, 2010. 17 page(s).

Keyword: Brazilian companies , lifecycle , management control , planning

Document type: Article (Portuguese) Show Abstract

This study aims to analyze the profile of Brazilian companies in terms of their structuring of the planning process, in relation to their organizational lifecycle stage. It focuses on understanding how the structured process of planning, including strategic planning, the budget and budgetary control is being used by Brazilian companies in various stages of the organizational lifecycle. This empirical study was based on a survey of a sample of 111 companies. The data treatment methods were confirmatory factor analysis with PLS-PM estimation and correlation. The reason for conducting the study was the observation that the development of a structured planning process, among other factors, depends on the stage at which the organization finds itself, which may help one to understand its management control change process. The study concludes that there is a correlation between organizational lifecycle stages and the formal planning profile among the companies surveyed. However, the lack of a budget at company startup, when this is not regarded as an enterprise priority, and when the firm is in decline, when it should be seen as a lever for recovery, induces reflections on the opportunities missed by those organizations that do not prioritize a structured planning process.

Organizational identity: a critical analysis of Brazilian academic production from 2004 to 2009

ID: 4453

Authors: Tânia Tisser Beyda, T. Diana L. van Aduard de Macedo-Soares.

Source: RAUSP Management Journal, v. 45, n. 4, p. 400-414, October-December, 2010. 15 page(s).

Keyword: bibliographic research , Brazilian academic production , organizational change , organizational identity

Document type: Article (Portuguese) Show Abstract

A certain discomfort was identified among academics when addressing organizational identity (OI) as an established field of scientific research. This is probably the case because there are many different definitions of OI that derive from distinct philosophical, epistemological and methodological perspectives, all of which contribute to the lack of conceptual clarity and empirical uncertainty around this subject. This article presents the main results of a study that aimed to identify the ontological, epistemological and methodological approaches of Brazilian academic literature regarding OI. To this end, an exploratory bibliographical survey was conducted aided by a qualitative method. The results point to similarities in the critique of both of Brazilian and of international academic production. One outcome concerns the omission of the criteria used to determine the characteristics of centrality, distinction and temporal continuity of the elements chosen as part of the identity of the organizations studied. Another relates to the abstract manner in which organizational studies address OI, several gaps having been highlighted. The article closes with recommendations to carry out further research on the subject in a more structured and consistent fashion in order to contribute effectively to the advancement of OI knowledge and theory building.