Brazilian Companies’ Investment Decisions Concerning Long-term Assets: How Do They Adhere to the Theoretical Model?

ID: 6985

Authors: Fábio Frezatti, Diógenes de Souza Bido, Ana Paula Capuano da Cruz, Marcelo Francini Girão Barroso, Maria José de Camargo Machado De Zen.

Source: Revista de Administração Contemporânea, v. 16, n. 1, p. 1-22, January-February, 2012. 22 page(s).

Keyword: investment decisions , investment evaluation , long-term assets , project monitoring

Document type: Article (Portuguese) Show Abstract

This study sought to determine how large Brazilian organizations treat long-term investments. The theoretical construct took into account literature from the fields of strategy and finance, both of which offer hypotheses that use methods and mechanisms in order to evaluate investments. Using an online questionnaire, a survey including 82 companies was developed. Utilizing structural equation modeling, partial adherence to the theoretical model was found. It was found that the mechanisms of investment analysis are positively associated with concern about the perceived risk analysis. In addition, it was discovered that projects approved through strategic planning have relatively more structured monitoring; and also that a greater need for defining funding and opportunity costs is positively associated with a project’s inclusion in strategic planning.

Editorial

ID: 6984

Authors: Rogério H. Quintella.

Source: Revista de Administração Contemporânea, v. 16, n. 1, p. 1-3, January-February, 2012. 3 page(s).

Document type: Editorial (Portuguese)

Building Social Capital for Internationalization

ID: 6986

Authors: Suzana Braga Rodrigues, John Child.

Source: Revista de Administração Contemporânea, v. 16, n. 1, p. 23-38, January-February, 2012. 16 page(s).

Keyword: internationalization , oil and gas sector , SMEs , social capital , trust

Document type: Article (English) Show Abstract

Social capital may be defined as social relationships that confer actual or potential benefits. It can therefore be understood as a particular type of resource. Recent research has drawn attention to how connections and relationships (networking) both at home and abroad can be crucially important for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) seeking to export or invest abroad. However, relatively little is known about how SMEs initiate, develop and maintain network relationships. This paper reports a study of 32 British SMEs exporting, or attempting to export, to Brazil and of domestic institutional agencies whose role was to facilitate business conducted between British and Brazilian SMEs. The study explored both the functions of social capital for the SMEs and the process whereby it was developed. Its findings confirm the value of social capital in international entrepreneurship. It can provide information, interpretation, market opportunities, and some degree of protection against the risks associated with foreignness, newness and smallness. The study also confirms the vital importance of personal trust in sustaining social capital between small firms.

The Evolution of Knowledge in the Buyer-Supplier Relationship

ID: 6987

Authors: Sérgio Fernando Loureiro Rezende, Walmir Marques de Andrade Lima, Ângela França Versiani.

Source: Revista de Administração Contemporânea, v. 16, n. 1, p. 39-58, January-February, 2012. 20 page(s).

Keyword: buyer , evolution , relationship , supplier , types of knowledge

Document type: Article (Portuguese) Show Abstract

From a dynamic standpoint, this article aims to analyze how the buyer-supplier relationship influences the evolution of the technological, market, logistics, process and relational knowledge held by both actors. For this purpose, a qualitative case study of a relationship between two industrial firms was conducted using a longitudinal perspective. Based on data collected from a variety of sources, the results of the research point out that the transfer and/or development of knowledge in the buyer-supplier relationship under study is contingent on the type of knowledge. Furthermore, an ecological pattern of evolution of knowledge was identified in which the alteration of the dimensions of variety and depth of a type of knowledge is linked to another type of knowledge, e.g., technological/market and logistic/process.

Factors that Influence the University-Industry Technology Transfer Process: the Case of PUCRS

ID: 6988

Authors: Lisiane Closs, Gabriela Ferreira, Cláudio Sampaio, Marcelo Gattermann Perin.

Source: Revista de Administração Contemporânea, v. 16, n. 1, p. 59-78, January-February, 2012. 20 page(s).

Keyword: patents , technology transfer , university-industry

Document type: Article (Portuguese) Show Abstract

Few studies have addressed the university-industry technology transfer (UITT) process in developing countries (Póvoa & Rapini, 2010); especially, in Brazilian private universities (Closs & Ferreira, 2010). This paper seeks to identify and analyze elements in processes involving academic patents through a case study investigating researchers and the TTO manager of PUCRS. Many results were similar to those identified by other national and international studies. Among the drivers that stand out are scientific challenges and competition to produce patents. An innovative environment was favored by institutional policies. Access to information structures, laboratories, skilled staff and multidisciplinary research groups favored invention. The existence of the technology park in the university also facilitated the dissemination of tacit knowledge between universities and companies. Reconciling research, teaching, and patenting with each other is an issue that requires special attention, because researchers were essential to successful commercialization of academic technology. We suggest the creation of policies which allow researchers more time for UITT and developing their interpersonal and commercial skills.

Identifying the Socially Constructed (Enacted) Conditions of Strategic Practices in Highly Institutionalized Environments

ID: 6989

Authors: Cristiano de Oliveira Maciel, Alex Sandro Quadros Weymer, Paulo Otávio Mussi Augusto.

Source: Revista de Administração Contemporânea, v. 16, n. 1, p. 79-97, January-February, 2012. 19 page(s).

Keyword: content analysis , environment , practices , Protestant Churches , strategy

Document type: Article (Portuguese) Show Abstract

This article‟s objective was to investigate the relationship between strategic practices and context properties enacted by directors of a Protestant Church in Curitiba. Churches are considered highly institutionalized environments. Data collection was conducted through in-depth interviews to compose a body of text, which was then analyzed by content analysis using the software ATLAS.ti. The empirical findings show that there is equifinality of strategic practices, because different actions are employed to reinforce the same properties of a collectively enacted context. These practices were centered mainly in: (a) communication and (b) relationships with congregants. It can be concluded that these strategic practices support and are recursively sustained by the relationships among three main socially constructed (enacted) properties: (a) Contextual pressures; (b) the Bible, and (c) Denominational Offices.

Social Representations of Kinship Relations: a Case Study in a Family Business Group

ID: 6990

Authors: Carolina Lescura, Mozar José de Brito, Alex Fernando Borges, Mônica Carvalho Alves Cappelle.

Source: Revista de Administração Contemporânea, v. 16, n. 1, p. 98-117, January-February, 2012. 20 page(s).

Keyword: family , family business , kinship relations , social representations

Document type: Article (Portuguese) Show Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to comprehend social representations of kinship relations in a group consisting of twelve family firms from the pharmaceutical industry, located in the State of Minas Gerais, Brazil. In addition, the theory of social representations was employed as the methodological approach, in order to uncover representations produced by different actors about the influence of kinship relations on the family group. The results revealed the occurrence of two major representations: kinship as social integration and a mechanism for the maintenance of the established organizational order, and kinship as a source of conflict. We concluded that the family businesses all shared aspects of contradictory practices and diverse objectives; at times focusing on business objectives and needs, while at other times being dominated by personal and/or family desires. As such, it is difficult to develop formulas and analytical models to understand study objects such as the family business group. This is because its actions are characterized by simultaneous subjective and objective aspects, in a constant dynamic of interaction between family and business.

Learning Orientation, Market Orientation and organizational performance: empirical evidences

ID: 6991

Authors: Eduardo Botti Abbade, Roselaine Ruviaro Zanini, Adriano Mendonça Souza.

Source: Revista de Administração Contemporânea, v. 16, n. 1, p. 118-136, January-February, 2012. 19 page(s).

Keyword: learning orientation , market orientation , organizational performance , strategy , structural equations

Document type: Article (Portuguese) Show Abstract

This study aims to identify how learning orientation (LO) and market orientation (MO) influence the performance of enterprises in the central region of the state of Rio Grande do Sul (RS), Brazil. The method used involved a survey of 123 companies in central RS. The instrument for data collection was developed using the LO scale (Sinkula, Baker, & Noordewier, 1997), the MARKOR scale (Kohli, Jaworski, & Kumar, 1993) and items for evaluation of organizational performance proposed by Narver and Slater (1990) and Baker and Sinkula (1999). The results suggest that MO has a significant positive influence on the organizational performance of the companies surveyed. It was also noted that the MO significantly influences organizational performance when mediated by the LO, just as the LO has a significant influence on organizational performance when mediated by MO.

The Influence of Organizational Values on Bank Branch Performance

ID: 6992

Authors: Wagner Fabiano de Melo, Silvia Marcia Russi De Domenico.

Source: Revista de Administração Contemporânea, v. 16, n. 1, p. 137-156, January-February, 2012. 20 page(s).

Keyword: bank branch , organizational performance , organizational values

Document type: Article (Portuguese) Show Abstract

This paper aimed to investigate the influence organizational values at bank branches have on bank branch performance. The research was undertaken at branches of a Brazilian publicly held bank. The questionnaire called Inventário de Perfis de Valores Organizacionais (IPVO, or Inventory of Organizational Values Profiles) was adapted to measure the organizational values of bank branches. Bank branch performance was measured objectively, using the percentage of goals accomplished during the year 2009. The sample is non-probabilistic and is formed by 271 bank branches and the data about the organizational values of bank branches was provided by 720 respondents. Data analysis revealed that the organizational values of bank branches are organized into four factors: respect for stakeholders, employee entertainment, competent performance, and prestige. Prestige is positively correlated with bank branch performance, and respect for stakeholders and employee entertainment are negatively correlated with the dependent variable. The multiple regression analysis yielded an equation that accounts for 9.5% of the variance in performance and contains two factors as independent variables which positively influence bank branch performance: prestige and competent performance. The results showed that organizational values are one of the variables that can impact bank branch performance.

Kenner Flipflops

ID: 6993

Authors: Fernanda Chagas Borelli, Marcus Wilcox Hemais, Pedro Ivo Rogedo Costa Dias.

Source: Revista de Administração Contemporânea, v. 16, n. 1, p. 157-171, January-February, 2012. 15 page(s).

Keyword: marketing mix , market segmentation , positioning , target market

Document type: Teaching Case (Portuguese) Show Abstract

This case describes the story of Kenner, a company that traditionally focused only on its product and is now realizing that its target market has changed drastically: from young higher-income consumers they are now lower-income consumers. Because of the excessive care with product quality, part of the company did not accept this new consumer, believing that the original consumer of the product should be their target market. As part of the restructuring of the company, in 2007 a marketing department was created, concerned with getting to know its consumers and their preferences better. In 2009, the year the case is set, the image of the company still appeared to be defined by its consumers, being associated with criminals, guns, drugs and violence. It was necessary to take control of the situation and decide on the market positioning the company would adopt. But before this, it was necessary to decide what the company’s target market would be. The case invites the reader to analyze the company’s situation and present and evaluate different alternatives in order to debate concepts of market segmentation, target market decisions and market positioning, as well as decisions related to the marketing mix.

Sustainability Strategies: When Does It Pay to Be Green?

ID: 6994

Authors: Mauro M. Laruccia.

Source: Revista de Administração Contemporânea, v. 16, n. 1, p. 172-174, January-February, 2012. 3 page(s).

Document type: Book Review (Portuguese)

Resenha: - Marketing – Em Busca do Óbvio - (Jack Trout - 2010)

ID: 6995

Authors: Maria Virginia Cantagallo.

Source: Revista de Administração Contemporânea, v. 16, n. 1, p. 175-177, January-February, 2012. 3 page(s).

Document type: Book Review ()

Casos de ensino: Cooperativismo e Associativismo

ID: 6996

Authors: Magnus Luiz Emmendoerfer.

Source: Revista de Administração Contemporânea, v. 16, n. 1, p. 178-178, January-February, 2012. 1 page(s).

Document type: Bibliographical Note (Portuguese)