Sieglinde Kindl da Cunha

Tourism cluster competitiveness and sustainability: proposal for a systemic model to measure the impact of tourism on local development

This article proposes a model to measure tourism cluster impact on local development with a view to assessing tourism cluster interaction, competitiveness and sustainability impacts on the economy, society and the environment. The theoretical basis for this model is founded on cluster concept and typology adapting and integrating the systemic competitiveness and sustainability concepts within economic, social, cultural, environmental and political dimensions. The proposed model shows a holistic, multidisciplinary and multi-sector view of local development brought back through a systemic approach to the concepts of competitiveness, social equity and sustainability. Its results make possible strategic guidance to agents responsible for public sector tourism policies, as well as the strategies for competitiveness, competition, cooperation and sustainability in private companies and institutions.

Competitividade e sustentabilidade de um cluster de turismo: uma proposta de modelo sistêmico de medida do impacto do turismo no desenvolvimento local

This article proposes a model to measure tourism cluster impact on local development with a view to assessing tourism cluster interaction, competitiveness and sustainability impacts on the economy, society and the environment. The theoretical basis for this model is founded on cluster concept and typology (MYTELKA; FARINELLI, 2004; PORTER, 1999), adapting and integrating the systemic competitiveness and sustainability concepts (ALTENBURG et al., 1998) within economic, social, cultural, environmental and political dimensions (RUSCHMANN, 2001). The proposed model shows a holistic, multidisciplinary and multi-sector view of local development brought back through a systemic approach to the concepts of competitiveness, social equity and sustainability. Its results make possible strategic guidance to agents responsible for public sector tourism policies, as well as the strategies for competitiveness, competition, cooperation and sustainability in private companies and institutions.

Drivers of the Adoption of Eco-Innovations in the Pulp, Paper, and Paper Products Industry in Brazil

ABSTRACT This study analyzes the production of knowledge in the field of eco-innovation, checking its state of the art in order to discuss topics of future research. Specifically, it assesses the pulp, paper, and paper products industry in Brazil in order to examine the drivers of the adoption of eco-innovation strategies. The study is essentially a review of the literature, with a methodology based on exploratory research, and using the documental and bibliographical qualitative method. The empirical research was based on a quantitative approach using the strategy of a cross-sectional survey by means of a self-administered online questionnaire. It was verified that the studies related to eco-innovation are still preliminary and that the subject lacks specific research with empirical data from survey and in-depth case studies. The following topics were checked for studies on innovation in environmental issues on conceptual and theoretical discussion; models and indicators for evaluating the eco-innovation; types; and political arguments for their development, with the proposition of research lines within this context. The results of the empirical research allow us to conclude that factors such as environmental regulation, the use of environmental incentives and innovation, reputation effects, top management support, technological expertise, and environmental formalization in the context of domestic enterprises are crucial to the adoption of eco-innovation. Further, the higher the extent to which companies embrace an environmental and innovative culture, the greater the internalization of eco-innovative practices.

Inovação e sustentabilidade na produção de energia: o caso do sistema setorial de energia eólica no Brasil

This paper aims to determine how actions by the Brazilian wind power generating system are related to the economic, social, and environmental prospects characterizing sustainable innovations. It argues that energy issues are at the core of human development throughout its history and that, due to the current climate change scenery, the development of alternative energy sources is of paramount importance nowadays. Methodologically, the study may be regarded as

Internationalization Process and Technological Capability Trajectory of Iguaçu

This article focuses on the influence of the internationalization process in the evolution of technological capability. This implication was studied in Iguacu between 1967 and 2009. To achieve the proposed goal it was used the Internationalization of Brazilian Export Producer Companies Model, built by Kraus (2006) and the Model of Technological Capabilities in Companies of Emerging Economies, built by Figueiredo (2004). The study found that different stages of internationalization require different functions and different levels of technology. The discussion proposed by this paper found a close association between the process of internationalization and the development of technological capability in the company studied. It can be concluded that for companies of Soluble Coffee to conquer, reach and remain competitive in international markets it should engage efforts to build diverse organizational skills, alliances and technological capabilities.

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN INNOVATION AND SUSTAINABLE PERFORMANCE

Economic activities, and more intensely the business environment, are being pressured to direct their actions towards sustainable performance, more specifically in its social and environmental facets. One of the alternatives to deal with these pressures is innovation. In this paper, we present results of a study conducted on the electrical and electronics industry operating in Brazil in order to examine the relationship between innovation and sustainable performance. The methodology adopted was the strategy of cross-sectional survey, conducted in 112 electrical and electronic manufacturing companies of all sizes and from all regions of Brazil. Data analysis was carried out mainly through Cronbach’s Alpha reliability analysis of scales, descriptive analysis of measures, and especially cluster analysis and analysis of variance (ANOVA). The main results categorise the companies into more sustainable, less sustainable and relatively sustainable, according to their performance profiles. The study shows that the companies in the sample categorised as more sustainable are more prone to innovation and to be collaborative to innovation than the others. These results indicate the importance of the relationship between innovation and sustainable performance, as highlighted by Barbieri (2007), Barbieri et al. (2010), Carvalho and Barbieri (2010), Scandelari (2011) and Scandelari and Cunha (2011). But of greater relevance is the relationship between collaboration and sustainable performance. This fact has not yet been demonstrated empirically, but has been highlighted by Hartman, Hofman and Stafford (1999), Fadeeva (2004), Petzel, Archer and Fei (2010), Bos-Brouwers (2010), Murray, Haynes and Hudson (2010) and especially by Sarkis, Lamb and Brust (2010). The study contributes to the advancement of knowledge of the relationship between innovation and sustainable performance from empirical evidences, providing information on this relationship in Brazilian companies.

O PERFIL DO EMPREENDEDORISMO NOS PAÍSES LATINO-AMERICANOS NA PERSPECTIVA DA CAPACIDADE DE INOVAÇÃO

O objetivo deste trabalho e analisar o perfil do empreendedor nos paises latino-americanos na perspectiva da inovacao. Utiliza-se, como referencial teorico, o conceito adotado pela Pesquisa Global Entrepreneurship Monitor – GEM sobre o empreendedor e o potencial de inovacao dos empreendimentos a partir da analise de tres variaveis, a saber: conhecimento do produto pelo mercado, numero de concorrentes e idade das tecnologias e processos. O levantamento dos dados desta pesquisa foi possivel por meio do intercâmbio entre os parceiros consorciados do GEM. Os resultados mostram que, apesar da America Latina ser uma das regioes mais empreendedoras, as idiossincrasias sociais e economicas e politicas locais geram resultados diferentes para os paises analisados. Os que possuem o maior potencial de inovacao mostram elevadas taxas de escolaridade, o que traz, como insights iniciais, a relevância da escolaridade para desenvolver este perfil que, na maioria das vezes, esta associado ao empreendedorismo por oportunidade ou voluntario.

The contribution of the concept of social practice to the field of innovation

This essay aims to present some foundations for the construction of a concept of practice in activity theory (AT) from the perspective of socio-historical and cultural psychology to supply the activity of innovative practice and the expansive learning, which is essential for new organisational network formats. Innovation gains importance when it moves towards a constructivist perspective, deviating from the representational views of language and individual dichotomies, to name a few, and contribute to the debate on the links between actors and innovation systems. It examines the dimensions held in common by the two approaches and shows their counterpoints and complementarities.

ADOÇÃO DE ESTRATÉGIAS ECOINOVATIVAS NA INDÚSTRIA QUÍMICA BRASILEIRA

Neste estudo sao apresentados os resultados de pesquisa realizada na industria quimica brasileira, que analisou a adocao de estrategias de ecoinovacao. A metodologia envolveu um survey em 124 industrias quimicas de tamanhos variados que operam em varias regioes do Brasil. Os resultados categorizaram as empresas com base nas dimensoes dos adotantes de estrategias reativas de ecoinovacao, acoes ambientais e estrategias de ecoinovacao proativas. Este estudo mostra que as empresas da amostra tinham maior tendencia para desenvolver acoes ambientais, que sao praticas relacionadas ao uso de tecnologias end-of-pipe , para reduzir os recursos utilizados aos processos de trabalho administrativos e de producao. Isso sugere que as empresas consideram as questoes ambientais em relacao ao curto prazo, estrategias reativas. No entanto, considerando as questoes ambientais a longo prazo, por meio das estrategias proativas, poderia revelar-se mais eficaz e promissor para o meio ambiente e as empresas.

The interface of innovation and activity theory

The phenomenon of learning and innovation can be explained through activity theory (AT) and socio-technical theory (STT), with the Association International des Etudiants en Sciences Economiques et Commerciales (AIESEC) in Curitiba as the empirical field. This association offers a leadership training course to young university students. The methodology used was labour development research (LDR), which studies expansive and remediative learning. The results showed that AT enabled an explanation of the rise and construction of a historical perspective of the object. STT demonstrated the diffusion of innovation in local projects, from the formulation of expectations to summarisation.