Vítor da Conceição Gonçalves

The Concept of Life Cycle: An Application to the Tourist Product

The concept of life cycle is widely discussed, both in the marketing and the strategic management fields. Nevertheless, operational problems make this concept difficult to put into practice. This article clarifies the life cycle concept and its effective use, especially as it applies to the tourist product. First, the object, the tourist product, is defined, then the life cycle concept is presented and developed by explaining its different stages and their respective strategic implications. Finally, following this conceptual framework, a case study of the Algarve (a province of Portugal) is presented to illustrate the proposed methods for identifying each life cycle stage.

The role of the alliance management capability

This paper proposes that the frequently established association between alliances and performance can be further explained by the alliance management capability. It unfolds some relationships that are encapsulated in the simple link between the alliance-related construct and the performance measures. The research hypothesis formed a structural model and the results confirmed that the proposed moderating role for the alliance management capability is significant and that alliances are effectively used for growing and for innovating.The main outcomes are: (a) a discussion and a test of ‘what is’ the alliance management capability; (b) a better understanding of the reasons why alliances enhance performance, namely by leveraging growth and innovation.

Twenty years after the Porter Report for Portugal

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to discuss the contribution of the Porter Report toward increasing the competitiveness of the Portuguese economy and highlights the factors that affected its operationalization. Design/methodology/approach – This paper considers the contributions of the Porter Report, entitled “Building the Competitive Advantages of Portugal”, presented in 1994, particularly with regard to the recommended clusters and public policies, as well as the assessment and warnings provided by Michael Porter in 2002, examining both in the present perspective. Findings – Although Michael Porter, in 2002, made a critical judgment about the country’s evolution since the 1994 report, it is clear that, on the one hand, the recommended development model attracted high attention and had positive repercussion in academic and business circles, while on the other hand, some of the objectives were achieved, albeit at a slower pace than would have been desirable. Political and economic context and the ti...

Higher Education in Management: The Case of Portugal

Formal management education started in Portugal by 1759 when the Board of Trade, with the support of the Prime Minister, Marquis of Pombal, founded the School of Commerce in Lisbon. ISEG Lisbon School of Economics and Management, actually integrated in the University of Lisbon, is the heir of this eighteenth-century venture.