Nilson de Paula

Institutional entrepreneurship in building the Brazilian market of functional yogurts

Purpose – The aim of this paper is to present an analytical narrative of the construction of the Brazilian market of functional yogurt, highlighting the role of Danone as an institutional entrepreneur. Design/methodology/approach – After putting together a theoretical basis from business studies and institutional economics, the paper explores factual evidence of strategic moves by dairy firms in Brazil. Findings – Danone, despite being a second mover, has been able to effectively make use of new values and collective concerns regarding food functionality to create a favourable institutional set in which to operate. Other firms have not been able to challenge its position in the market, simply abiding by the concepts and values created by Danone. Practical implications – On the one hand, case studies based on traditional economic theories usually approach markets with supply and demand adjustment tools or taking technology as exogenous and the sole determinant of the existence of a market. On the other han...

Lack of commitment of Brazilian federal institutions to ethanol competitiveness

Brazil is regarded as pioneer in developing a market for sugarcane ethanol, to a large extent due to initiatives of federal government in setting up this sector in the past by a heavy use of public policies to provide a fair environment for the development of a complete production chain of ethanol. The aim of this paper is to present the level of commitment of Brazilian federal institutions to ethanol market by means of public policies, especially those related to second-generation technology which is a crucial ingredient for the long-term development in the ethanol industry because of its technological impacts. For this purpose, this paper assesses the actions taken and decisions made by Brazilian federal institutions aiming the production and competitiveness of sugarcane ethanol based on the concept of sectorial system of innovation and production (SSIP).

Agricultural Trade Negotiations and the Challenges of Food Security

Multilateral trade negotiations during the Doha Round (DR) have faced great difficulties in reaching a conclusion, raising scepticism regarding the possibility of an acceptable deal. The slow pace of reforms in agricultural policies in the developed countries has reinforced this assessment. The debate about the prospects of the DR has focused on the impacts of liberalization on all trading partners. The argument of this article contains a critical review of liberalization as a guide to the organization of the international market and domestic food systems. The prevailing view of free trade is criticized with emphasis on the weakness and flaws of the multilateral arrangements, despite the results of the Bali Conference. Also, the need for change in the direction of national policies is considered, away from their liberal promises, with particular attention given to the recent food crisis and the challenges for a global food security agenda.

Os fluxos de IDE no Brasil nos anos 1990: uma revisão de literatura à luz das transformações em curso

The flows of foreign investments in Brazil starting from the 1990s have called attention due to the magnitude of the invested value, the prevalence of properties acquisitions as a preferential way of carrying out these investments, and for the primacy of the operations involving rivals companies. This article searches for an explanation for the cycle of foreign direct investment flows, which is happening in Brazil. Arguments were reconsidered on the existence of sole assets and the advantages of property and control as a basis for carrying out overseas investments, and to explicit their link with the M&As.