Sérgio Fernando Loureiro Rezende

Mobilizando relacionamentos e acessando recursos na criação e evolução de novos negócios

Grounded on the social embeddedness approach, this article aims to analyze how entrepreneurs mobilize relationships to access resources in the set-up and evolution of new ventures. Based on the conceptualization of entrepreneurship as an evolutionary process, we developed a comparative case study of two high-technology firms that participated in incubators through face-to-face, in-depth interviews with the founders as well as with the actors that represented their main relationships during the existence of the firms. In terms of data analysis, we divided up the trajectories of the firms into three phases dubbed pre-incubation, incubation and graduation as well as categorized the resources accessed in each phase. Based on this, we found out that the entrepreneurs mobilized their main relationships to access simple and complex resources in the set-up phase. However, in the phase of evolution, the mobilization of these relationships was contingent on the degree of complexity of resources.

Em direção a uma tipologia de processos de internacionalização

This article aims to build a typology for internationalization processes by combining two theoretical fields of the behavioral approach of internationalization that have evolved separately: the relational model of internationalization and the literature of subsidiary development. We developed a comparative case study with 12 British multinational firms that operate in the Brazilian market. This study was based on a vast secondary data collection coupled with 42 semi-structured interviews carried out with individuals from headquarters and subsidiaries. The individual data analysis involved the mapping of internationalization processes, which relied on the mode of operation as the critical event. In its turn, the comparative analysis involved defining the dimensions of the typology and associating its groups with the researched cases. As a result, the internationalization processes were classified into four typological groups which enabled us to delve into the spatial and temporal dimensions of firm internationalization.This article aims to build a typology for internationalization processes by combining two theoretical fields of the behavioral approach of internationalization that have evolved separately: the relational model of internationalization and the literature of subsidiary development. We developed a comparative case study with 12 British multinational firms that operate in the Brazilian market. This study was based on a vast secondary data collection coupled with 42 semi-structured interviews carried out with individuals from headquarters and subsidiaries. The individual data analysis involved the mapping of internationalization processes, which relied on the mode of operation as the critical event. In its turn, the comparative analysis involved defining the dimensions of the typology and associating its groups with the researched cases. As a result, the internationalization processes were classified into four typological groups which enabled us to delve into the spatial and temporal dimensions of firm internationalization.

Multinationals and interdependence in internationalisation processes

This article deals with interdependence and the internationalisation process of multinationals (MNCs); a topic that has received scarce attention in the literature (e.g. Bell & Young, 1998; Holm et al., 1995). By reviewing the literature on behavioural models of internationalisation, initially, the article suggests that MNCs should be regarded as loosely coupled systems in which independence and interdependence of operations shape how MNCs evolve and organise activities across borders. Subsequently, the article models the internationalisation process of MNCs by highlighting three dimensions that characterise their pattern of evolution - uniformity, direction and rhythm, and lays out three hypotheses on the relationship between these dimensions and interdependence. The direction of the relationship is suggested to be negative, i.e., other things being equal, interdependence is negatively related to uniformity, direction and the rhythm of the internationalisation processes. The article concludes by claiming that the internationalisation of MNCs results from an intricate combination of independent, yet interdependent, internationalisation processes that evolve in various spatial and temporal contexts within the MNC network.

A dinâmica de relacionamentos nacionais e internacionais em processos de internacionalização: um estudo de caso de uma agência norte-americana de publicidade no mercado Brasileiro

This article deals with internationalization processes from the standpoint of interorganizational relationships that are established, developed and broken off at the national and international levels between a firm and its clients. Specifically, the aim is to examine whether and how the dynamics of these relationships influence the selection and subsequent change of the entry mode in a particular foreign market. To do so, we have conducted a qualitative case study in a North American advertising agency that entered the Brazilian market in 1984. The results show that the internationalization of this agency is better explained by its interorganizational relationships with its clients. As the development of these relationships is embedded in multiple interdependent spatial contexts, the relationships with Brazilian clients affect and are affected by the relationships with international clients, which, in turn, promote international account alignment.

Mudanças pós-aquisição internacional na rede de fornecedores da adquirida

This article deals with post-acquisition changes at the level of the supplier network of the acquired firm. Specifically, we investigate if and how acquisition processes affect the relationships between the acquired firm and its suppliers, which are theoretically categorized into Arms Length Relationships [ALR] and Embedded Relationships [ER] on the basis of the degree of interdependence with the acquired firm. To do so, we developed a case study based on interviews with the acquiree, the acquired firm and three suppliers ALR and three suppliers ER. The results point out that acquisition processes trigger changes at the level of the supplier net in relation to price, quantity and information sharing. Based on these results, five hypotheses are suggested. Whereas the first one is concerned with the relation between acquisition processes and post-acquisition changes at the supplier network of the acquired firm in relation to price, the other four hypotheses suggest that post-acquisition changes in relation to quantity and information sharing are positively correlated with the degree of interdependence between the acquired firm and its suppliers.

Evolução de conhecimentos no relacionamento comprador-fornecedor

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.

A Relação entre Confiança e Custos de Transação em Relacionamentos Interorganizacionais

Based on the assumption that trust is a mechanism of relational governance, which can influence the costs associated with the formation, development and maintenance of interorganizational relationships, in this article one aims to test the relation between trust and transaction costs in these relationships. Based on the literature on trust and on transaction costs, one puts forward four new hypotheses, which suggest a negative relation between trust and costs of information, of negotiation, of implementation and of monitoring in interorganizational relationships. These hypotheses were tested using multiple regression analysis in a quantitative case study where the buyer is illustrated by an automaker and its suppliers are represented by a sample of the major ones. The results suggest that there are significant, yet negative relations between trust and costs of negotiation and of monitoring. The relations between trust and costs of information and of implementation, in turn, are not statistically significant. We believe that these results represent a more-fined grained understanding of the relation between trust and transaction costs in interorganizational relationships to the degree that it is suggested that the four types of transaction costs are not perfectly correlated.

Internationalisation processes: an analytical framework

In this article we propose a framework for analysing internationalisation processes, manifested through a sequence of servicing modes. A servicing turn is, in turn, the institutional arrangement whereby firms operate in foreign markets. The framework borrows conceptual notions from the literature on foreign market entry, internationalisation and subsidiary development. Three implications for empirical studies are subsequently suggested. First, it is argued that internationalisation processes should be analysed in light of intra and inter-organisational relationships embedded in distinct spatial and temporal contexts. Secondly, the framework takes into account not only incremental but also discontinuous internationalisation processes. Thirdly, it is proposed that internationalisation processes are endless phenomena and, therefore, should consider sequences of servicing modes that take place in the foreign market where the entry mode is originally embedded as well as in foreign markets reached from the initial host country.

A aprendizagem das organizações gerada pelas práticas formais no ambiente de trabalho

Este artigo tem por objetivo avaliar em que medida praticas formais instituidas no ambiente de trabalho contribuem para a aprendizagem organizacional. O quadro teorico baseia-se no reconhecimento de que a adaptacao das empresas ao ambiente implica a absorcao do conhecimento dos individuos em propriedades coletivas legitimamente reconhecidas e incorporadas nas suas praticas. A aprendizagem se da no momento em que as empresas, ao lidarem com o ambiente, aproveitam os recursos de que dispoem e concomitantemente exploram novas oportunidades, mudando as praticas correntes. O metodo de analise de solucao sistematica de problemas e reconhecido como uma das praticas formais mais recomendadas para promover aprendizagem organizacional. Entretanto, se, por um lado, constata-se a exaltacao de tal metodo para gerar aprendizado, por outro, a literatura se ressente de uma avaliacao mais critica. Isto e, ha escassez de pesquisa empirica que visa verificar a sua real contribuicao em promover a aprendizagem organizacional. Desse modo, verifica-se uma lacuna entre recomendacoes praticas e sustentacao teorica de tais recomendacoes. Este artigo, ao indagar em que medida os metodos de solucao sistematica de problemas contribuem para a aprendizagem organizacional, tem por principal contribuicao esclarecer os seus efeitos nas organizacoes que os utilizam. Assim, focalizou-se o Masp, um dos metodos de solucao sistematica de problemas mais difundidos no Brasil. Para proceder a essa avaliacao, considerou-se que aprendizagem organizacional e composta de quatro dimensoes: aquisicao do conhecimento, distribuicao e interpretacao da informacao e memoria organizacional. O foco da pesquisa foi verificar, em uma pesquisa quantitativa junto a tres diferentes organizacoes, como o Masp relaciona-se a tais dimensoes. Mais especificamente, buscou-se identificar quais sao as dimensoes e os tipos de aprendizado sustentados pelo Masp. Os testes estatisticos revelaram que a utilizacao do Masp contribui para todas as dimensoes da aprendizagem organizacional, ou seja, aquisicao do conhecimento, distribuicao e interpretacao da informacao e memoria organizacional. Contudo, tal aprendizagem tende a se restringir frequentemente as correcoes em rotinas, o que significa que a utilizacao do metodo em si nao e capaz de gerar aprendizados mais profundos. A profundidade do aprendizado parece correlacionar-se mais fortemente aos fatores contextuais das organizacoes.

Relações de poder e mudanças pós-aquisição internacional na rede de relacionamentos da adquirida

Based on the industrial network perspective and the distribution channel literature, this article deals with power and international post-acquisition changes that occurred in the relationships of the acquired firm with suppliers and buyers. Specifically, we investigate if and how the power variable affects international post-acquisition changes at the network level of the acquired firm. To do so, we developed a case study based on semi-structured interviews with a number of individuals from the acquirer, the acquired firm, suppliers and buyers. The main results point out that the acquisition triggered economic and non economic organizational practice changes at the supplier and buyer levels. Furthermore, they indicate that the acquirer used coercive and non coercive sources of power in order to introduce these changes. The use of these sources of power, in turn, was associated with the degree of dependence of suppliers and buyers in relation to the acquirer. Based on these results, we have developed a model with five new hypotheses that can be tested in future empirical studies.