Angela da Rocha

Perception of export barriers to Mercosur by Brazilian firms

This study analyzes the perceptions of export obstacles to the Mercosur by top executives of Brazilian companies located in the state of Riode Janeiro. Differences in perceptions were studied in order to determine to what extent they were associated with industry type, firmsize, export experience and geographic scope of export activities. Self‐administered questionnaires were sent to top executives of Rio de Janeiro companies that had recently exported to Mercosur countries. A total of 69 companies returned the questionnaire, representing a total response rate of 50.36 per cent. Data were analyzed using factor analysis and stepwise linear discriminant analysis. Results confirmed the hypothesized relationships.

Aggressive and Passive Exporters: A Study in the Brazilian Furniture Industry

The firm and chief executive officer correlates of aggressive export behaviour were examined in a random sample of 45 Brazilian wood‐furniture manufacturers. Because of the importance of earning foreign exchange to make payments on international loans, the Brazilian government has made major efforts to stimulate firms to export. This study examines whether the characteristics of aggressive exporters under such stimulation are different from those found in other environments. The results indicate that governmental intervention does not materially affect the characteristics of aggressive exporters and that the aggressive‐passive dichotomous model is, with a few exceptions, valid under export stimulation programmes in Brazil. However, it was not possible to affirm that aggressiveness was correlated with firm export performance.

The entry of Wal‐Mart in Brazil and the competitive responses of multinational and domestic firms

Investigates the entry of Wal‐Mart in Brazil, and subsequent moves of established retailers and new entrants with data taken from secondary sources and interviews with executives. First, internationalization of Wal‐Mart and its entry are discussed, which caused an impact on Brazilian retailing by accelerating the concentration, automation and modernization of the industry. Competitive reactions were classified in four categories: neutralizing competitors actions, establishing competitive advantage, redefining markets, and changing ownership. It is argued that Wal‐Mart’s experience in Brazil could be an interesting source of learning for foreign retailers desirous of entering the Brazilian market as well as for local companies that need to remain competitive to survive.

Do Perceived Export Barriers Change over Time? A Longitudinal Study of Brazilian Exporters of Manufactured Goods

ABSTRACT The literature on export barriers suggests the need for longitudinal studies in order to “capture the variations in export barriers due to time…” (Leonidou, 2004, p. 297). This study aimed for a better understanding of this issue by exploring the following research questions: To what extent does the perception of export obstacles vary over time? Is such perception contingent on specific factors, or do its underlying dimensions remain the same over a long period of time? No studies were found in the literature regarding barriers to exporting that could give an answer to such questions. In the present study, the same sample of exporting firms was visited in three different moments over a period of 27 years (1978, 1999, 2005) to identify latent dimensions underlying the perception of specific obstacles and their change over time. Results showed a surprising stability in the perception of obstacles, although specific changes were determined to exist that were associated with change in environmental factors. RESUMEN. La literatura disponible sobre las barreras a la exportación sugieren que se hace imprescindible realizar estudios longitudinales para “capturar las variaciones que el tiempo provoca en las barreras a la exportación…” (Leonidou, 2004, p. 297). Este estudio pretende comprender mejor este tema, explorando las siguientes cuestiones investigatorias: ¿Hasta que punto puede variar la percepción de los obstáculos a la exportación a lo largo del tiempo? ¿Es que dicha percepción depende de factores específicos o es que sus dimensiones subyacentes permanecen inalteradas a lo largo del tiempo? No encontramos ningún estudio en la literatura sobre las barreras a la exportación que podrían responder estos cuestionamientos. Hemos tomado como ejemplo a las empresas exportadoras en tres momentos distintos, a lo largo de un período de 27 años (1978, 1999, 2005), para identificar las dimensiones subyacentes vinculadas a la percepción de obstáculos específicos, y su cambio a lo largo del tiempo. Los resultados obtenidos demostraron una estabilidad sorprendente en la percepción de los obstáculos, pese a que se determinó la existencia de cambios específicos, asociados al cambio ocurrido en los factores ambientales. RESUMO. A literatura existente sobre as barreiras à exportação sugere a necessidade de estudos longitudinais para “captar as variações das barreiras à exportação ocasionadas pelo tempo…” (Leonidou, 2004, p. 297). Este estudo pretende compreender melhor este assunto, através da exploração das seguintes questões pesquisadas: até que ponto a percepção dos obstáculos à exportação variam ao longo do tempo? Tal percepção depende dos fatores específicos, ou as suas dimensões fundamentais permanecem inalteradas durante um longo período? Nenhum estudo foi encontrado na literatura sobre as barreiras à exportação, que respondessem tais questões. Neste estudo, o mesmo tipo de empresas exportadoras foi visitado em três momentos diferentes, durante um período de 27 anos (1978, 1999, 2005), a fim de identificar as dimensões fundamentais latentes para a percepção de barreiras específicas e a sua mudança com o tempo. Os resultados mostraram uma estabilidade surpreendente em relação à percepção de barreiras, embora tenham sido constatadas mudanças específicas, associadas à alteração de fatores ambientais.

Determinants of export performance: a study of large brazilian manufacturing firms

This research investigated the impact the external environment, firm characteristics and firm strategy have on export performance. To this end, a survey was administered to 448 large Brazilian exporters of manufactured products. A structural equation modeling (SEM) approach was used to fit the conceptual model to empirical data. An extensive set of procedures for the validation of measurement models was used. Export performance exhibited a multidimensional structure and the model explained 76.6% and 40.1% of the observed variance of past export revenues and of past export profitability, respectively.

A critical analysis of measurement models of export performance

Poor conceptualization of the export performance construct may undermine theory development efforts and may be one of the reasons behind the often conflicting findings in empirical research on the export performance phenomenon. This article reviews the conceptual and empirical literature and proposes a new analytical scheme that may serve as a standard for judging content validity and a guiding yardstick for drawing operational representations of the construct. A critical assessment of some of the most frequently cited measurement frameworks, followed by an analysis of recent (1999-2004) empirical research, leaves no doubt that there are flaws in the conceptualization and operationalization of the performance construct that ought to be addressed. A new measurement model is advanced along with some guidelines which are suggested for its future empirical validation. The new measurement framework allegedly improves on other past efforts in terms of breadth of coverage of the constructs domain (content validity). It also offers a measurement perspective (with the simultaneous use of both formative and reflective approaches) that appears to reflect better the nature of the construct.

Challenging the uppsala internationalization model: a contingent approach to the internationalization of services

Some authors have questioned whether the well-known Uppsala internationalization model would be generalizable to services. We take one of the models assumptions - that firms will follow a gradually increasing resource commitment path in each country - and challenge whether it would hold up under specific service characteristics or particular combinations of environmental variables and service characteristics. We review the literature in search of more appropriate dimensions for the classification of services that would allow for the test of the Uppsala models assumption. Based on purely conceptual reasoning, supported by previous empirical studies, we propose some hypotheses about how service firms would be expected to behave - in terms of their choice of foreign entry mode - under certain circumstances and what the performance implications would be expected to be. These hypotheses are contrary to the Uppsala models predictions. This paper is solely conceptual, so the key constructs (environment and service-specific variables) would still require operationalization before the hypotheses can be empirically tested.

Inclusão social e marketing na base da pirâmide: uma agenda de pesquisa

ISSN 1676-5648 www.fgv.br/raeeletronica ARTIGOS ARTICULOS ARTICLES INCLUSAO SOCIAL E MARKETING NA BASE DA PIRÂMIDE: UMA AGENDA DE PESQUISA INCLUSION SOCIAL Y MARKETING EN LA BASE DE LA PIRAMIDE: UNA AGENDA DE INVESTIGACION SOCIAL INCLUSION AND MARKETING AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PYRAMID: A RESEARCH AGENDA Angela da Rocha Professora do Instituto de Pos-Graduacao e Pesquisa em Administracao, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro angela@coppead.ufrj.br Jorge Ferreira da Silva Professor da Escola de Negocios, Pontificia Universidade Catolica do Rio de Janeiro shopshop@iag.puc-rio.br Recebido em 14.02.2008. Aprovado em 22.08.2008. Disponibilizado em 28.08.2008 Avaliado pelo sistema double blind review Editor Cientifico: Carlos Alberto Vargas Rossi RAE-eletronica, v. 7, n. 2, Art. 23, jul./dez. 2008. http://www.rae.com.br/eletronica/index.cfm?FuseAction=Artigo&ID=5367&Secao=ARTIGOS&Volume=7&Numero=2&Ano=2008

The diffusion of exporting in Brazilian industrial clusters

The present research aimed at understanding the process by which firms in a cluster start to export based on systemic interactions, and the process of diffusion of exporting as a business strategy within the cluster. Diffusion was defined, following Rogers’ (1995: 5) seminal work, as ‘the process by which an innovation is communicated through certain channels over time among the members of a social system’. The research method used was industry case studies and the unit of analysis selected was the cluster. Two manufacturing industries were chosen to be investigated, and within each geographic area clusters were identified as the origin of dynamic export growth in the industry. Players in each industrial cluster, as well as other significant actors, were interviewed. Extensive secondary data research was done to study clusters’ historical development. Detailed analysis and a comparison of the experiences permitted the extraction of some general conclusions concerning the similarities and differences between the clusters in terms of the adoption and diffusion of exporting. Results showed that the diffusion of exporting in an industrial cluster is quite similar to the dissemination of technical innovation. Social ties were important to facilitate the diffusion of exporting in one of the clusters studied. Also, the role of domestically-owned flagship firms in leading the internationalization process proved to be important in only one of the clusters, while the role of external actors was fully supported in the two industries studied. Finally, a number of support institutions, private and public, interfered in different stages of the internationalization process. In both industries, the federal government had only a late and limited impact on export initiation and development.

Characteristics of innovative firms in the Brazilian computer industry

A number of studies have reported characteristics of innovative firms; however, these studies have typically been conducted in freely competitive markets. Angela da Rocha, Carl Christensen and Newton Paim have studied firms within the Brazilian computer industry. The Brazilian government regulates the entrance of foreign competitors to this market. Thus, the authors are able to ask whether the characteristics of innovative firms in a protected market differ from characteristics previously reported in competitive markets. With only a few minor exceptions, the reported profiles of innovative firms are quite similar. These results suggest that characteristics of innovative firms are generalizable across certain industry and environmental conditions, including protected markets.