Coaching for mindfulness and wisdom in complex environment

The primary objective for this paper is to build a compendium for a systemic intervention program for managers working in high-reliability organizations on an offshore rig. The second objective is then to work as a coach for these managers.

Distribution strategies for the base of the pyramid: an exploratory study in Brazil

Access has been one of the main difficulties companies have faced in emerging markets (PRAHALAD, 2005). The capillarity of the market, the existence of small, not professionalized and sometimes informal retailers, the lack of infrastructure and high transportation costs are some of the distribution challenges companies face in poorer regions. The literature concerning the Base of the Pyramid (BoP) is still recent and only after the seminal article by Prahalad and Hart (2002), it evolved into many different management perspectives. However, there is a lack of researches concerning distribution strategies to the BoP. Therefore, the main objective of this research is to identify, in the perception of executives working in the market, the conditions associated to a satisfactory distribution for the BoP market in Brazil and to build a substantive theory that helps to shed light to the understanding of the distribution phenomenon adopted by consumer goods companies to reach the BoP market in Brazil. In order to accomplish the objectives of this thesis, a grounded theory methodology (Glaser; Strauss, 1967; Corbin; Strauss, 2008) was used. This approach helped to identify the channel strategies used by local and global companies in the market. Many techniques for data collection were applied. The most important one was in-depth interviews with 26 executives from 24 different consumer goods companies in Brazil. Among the companies there were small, medium and large enterprises; which were also grouped as manufacturers, distributors and retailers. Furthermore, secondary data were examined to identify business strategies to reach BoP and map global distribution initiatives. A database from a consumer panel was also used to analyze what and where BoP consumers purchase non-durable goods. It was verified that small and traditional retailing is a very strong format in BoP markets and in the Northern/Northeastern regions. Cash & Carry is a format that is growing a lot. On the other hand, hypermarkets are not very used by low income population. The results suggest that three major categories are associated to a satisfactory distribution: (a) willingness, which means the effort, knowledge and enthusiasm a firm has to operate at BoP markets; (b) well-done execution, which is related to designing correctly the marketing channel and operating efficiently in an environment full of obstacles, such as lack of infrastructure, capillarity, lack of safety, regional differences and informality, and (c) relationship, which was perceived to be friendlier and essential at BoP markets, since it is very difficult for manufacturers to reach the entire market alone. It is more likely to have a satisfactory distribution when manufacturers establish strong relationships in the marketing channel. Besides, small retailers have a perception of isolation and expect a higher level of relationship. These major categories explain also the competitive advantage that local companies have in relation to MNCs and large companies. Despite of the limitations of an exploratory study, it is expected that this thesis will contribute to the BoP knowledge as well as to the identification of the peculiarities of distribution in BoP markets.

Informal wages in an economy with active labor courts

In most developing countries, job regulations and the justice branch interfere on several aspects of labor contracts. Inspired by this fact, we build a model that explores the role of labor courts in the determination of the di¤erence between formal and informal wages. We show that the presence of active labor courts in an environment where labor relations are subject to asymmetries of information reproduces features documented by the empirical literature. The main implications of our model are tested using Brazilian data.

Performance of incentive contracts in highway PPP projects in Brazil

Private-Public Partnerships (P.P.P.) is a new contractual model institutionalized in 2004 that could be used to remedy to the infrastructure deficit in Brazil. In a context of a principal and agent relation, the public partner goal is to give incentives to the private partner in the contract so that their interests are aligned. This qualitative research presents the findings of an empirical study examining the performance of incentive PPP contracts in Brazil in the highway sector. The goal is to explain how the contracting parties can align their interests in an environment of asymmetric information. Literature identified the factors that can influence PPP design and efficient incentive contracts. The study assesses the contribution of these factors in the building of PPP contracts by focusing on the case of the first and only PPP signed in the highway sector in Brazil which is the MG-050. The first step is to describe the condition of the highway network and the level of compliance of the private partner with the contract PPP MG-050. The second step is to explain the performance of the private partner and conclude if the interests of both partners were aligned in contractual aspects. On the basis of these findings and the analysis of the contract, the study formulates suggestions to improve the draft of PPP contracts from the perspective of the incentive theory of contracts.

Análise do custo-aluno das creches municipais diretas do município de Santo André

O presente estudo tem como foco o levantamento e análise do custo-aluno das creches, primeira etapa da Educação Infantil, que compreende as crianças de 0 a 3 anos de idade. Ele responde à situação problema apresentada pela Secretaria de Educação do Município de Santo André (SP), caracterizada pela necessidade do aprimoramento da gestão dos recursos financeiros em um cenário de dificuldades orçamentárias e aumento de demanda. Foram selecionadas 12 unidades municipais da rede direta, com atendimento exclusivo a crianças nesta faixa etária. A metodologia utilizada teve como base a utilização do Sistema de Informações do Orçamento Público municipal, a partir do qual foram realizadas as consultas e definições dos componentes do custo do objeto em estudo, sendo que a metodologia de acumulação de custos utilizada foi o custeio por absorção. Adicionalmente, os autores analisaram os processos administrativos relacionados aos itens de custeio e realizaram entrevistas com os diversos atores envolvidos nos processos de gestão daquela e de outras secretarias, bem como acadêmicos dedicados ao estudo de custos no setor público, cujas experiências relatadas subsidiaram a pesquisa e as avaliações realizadas. O estudo apontou um custo-aluno médio de R$ 11.970,72 sendo que, para melhor análise dos resultados, as unidades escolares foram agrupadas em três categorias de acordo com o número de alunos: i) pequeno porte: com até 149 alunos (três unidades); ii) médio porte: entre 150 e 190 alunos (cinco unidades); e, iii) grande porte: com mais de 190 alunos (quatro unidades). A partir dessa divisão foi possível concluir que as creches de grande porte apresentaram vantagem comparativa em relação às demais, com custo-aluno médio de R$ 11.684,03, seguidas das creches de médio porte, R$ 11.751,46 e pelas unidades de pequeno porte, que apresentaram o custo-aluno de R$ 13.235,88, ou seja, 13,23% acima das escolas de grande porte. Esses resultados indicam a existência de ganhos de escalas de acordo com o porte da creche e pode subsidiar a tomada de decisão dos gestores para futuros projetos de expansão da rede pública de creches.

Coordination in brazilian pharmaceutical supply chains

Supply chain coordination (SCC) can be a challenge for many organizations as different firms in the same chain has different expectations and interdependencies (Arshinder & Deshmukh, 2008). Lack of SCC can result in the bullwhip effect and poor performance for a firm and its partners. By investigating the phenomenon in the Brazilian pharmaceutical supply chain using a qualitative research, this paper aims to understand the main issues that avoid a better integrated chain. Results of 21 interviews suggested that the lack of coordination in this environment was influenced by the network design and the history of the sector in Brazil, as well as scarce resources