Estratégias de internacionalização de empresas multinacionais brasileiras: teoria versus prática

O objetivo desta dissertação é analisar algumas das principais teorias de internacionalização de empresas, comparando-as com a prática observada em duas empresas multinacionais brasileiras de grande porte. A busca por conhecimentos mais profundos sobre a expansão internacional das atividades empresariais tornouse muito importante a partir do final do século XX, considerando-se o crescente volume de fusões, aquisições, parcerias e joint-ventures realizadas entre empresas de diferentes países e estudadas por pesquisadores internacionais. Esses últimos começaram a desenvolver teorias em uma tentativa de explicar o comportamento internacionalizante de tais empresas. Ao longo dos anos, estas teorias se sofisticaram e começaram a dividir-se de acordo com condições pré-estabelecidas, como o volume de vendas, o grau de experiência no exterior, a presença de mercados culturalmente próximos e a localização geográfica. Uma vez que a maioria histórica das empresas internacionalmente expressivas é composta por corporações norte-americanas, européias e asiáticas, observou-se apenas um pequeno volume de estudos voltados à empresas oriundas de países emergentes. Assim, esta dissertação se baseia em exemplos brasileiros, representados pelas empresas Odebrecht e Petrobras, como forma de avaliar a aplicabilidade destas teorias frente a realidade de um expressivo mercado emergente.

Internacionalização da empresa Marcopolo S.A. : um estudo de caso

A experiência internacional de empresas de países em desenvolvimento é relativamente nova, assim como os estudos sobre o desenvolvimento dessas atividades por esses países e, em particular, pelo Brasil. Esta pesquisa visou contribuir para o conhecimento sobre como as empresas brasileiras se internacionalizam e, para tanto, foi realizado um estudo de caso em profundidade com a Marcopolo S. A., uma organização em estágio avançado de operações internacionais. Apoiando-se em vertentes comportamentais e econômicas da literatura sobre o tema, buscou-se investigar o processo de internacionalização dessa empresa – suas motivações, como ela expandiu seus negócios no exterior, quais foram os principais obstáculos enfrentados e fatores facilitadores do processo. Também se estudou a relação entre internacionalização e resultados financeiros obtidos e a influência de políticas públicas. Atuar em mercados externos foi uma forma de ampliação de mercados e de diversificação de riscos para a empresa e hoje é o foco de sua estratégia de crescimento. O processo se desenvolveu de forma incremental, evoluindo de operações de menor comprometimento e em países mais próximos do Brasil, até a instalação de unidades em mercados mais distantes. Obstáculos de natureza econômica e cultural influenciaram suas atividades e o domínio tecnológico de produtos e de processos, assim como parcerias com montadoras, foram facilitadores do seu desenvolvimento internacional. Os resultados da pesquisa confirmaram os pressupostos da abordagem comportamental, reforçando a hipótese gradualista sustentada pela Teoria de Uppsala. O Paradigma Eclético também explicou os investimentos diretos realizados pela empresa, o que levou à constatação de que as duas linhas teóricas se complementam para explicar o caso. As operações da companhia em mercados externos foram historicamente mais rentáveis do que no mercado doméstico e esses resultados tornaram-se mais expressivos com a instalação de unidades no exterior. Por fim, constatou-se que algumas medidas de apoio governamental geraram efeitos positivos para as exportações, mas que não houve influência de políticas públicas para instalação de fábricas em territórios estrangeiros.

Estratégias internacionais da fruticultura do RN: o caso finobrasa processo e evolução

The present inquiry has as main objective to understand the process of formation of the international strategies of the exporting companies of fruits of the RN through the theory of the resource dependence. Aiming at to clarify as the companies they can carry through the process of internationalization through this theory had been study the behavior and economic theories of the process of internationalization of companies. Amongst the economic theories they are distinguished the eclectic paradigm of Dunning (1958), Vernon (1669) through the theory of the cycle of the product and Bucley and Casson (1979) with the theory of the international operations. In the mannering boarding they had been investigated the school of Upsala through Johanson and Valnhe (1977) with the concept of the increasing of the markets and in the distance psychic starts and the interaction of the purchaser-salesman of Hallen and Wiedersheim-Paul (1979). In this perspective it observes main the occured changes in the organization in function of this process, following the rules observed by the gradual ingression in the international market, having as base ways of entrances in the external market used by these companies, in view of the frist phase that the company presents of businesses. Ahead of you analyze of these theories the study searches to analyze the convergence of the concepts proclaimed for the theory of the dependence of resources (PFEFFER; SALANCIK, 1978). and strategies of internationalization of the companies. The research is characterized as qualitative case study which adopts and exploratory and analytical type, retrospective matrix. The adopted strategy is of case study and the unit of analysis consisting of the Finobrasa, pertaining company to the Vicunha Group. The main method of collection of data was halfstructuralized interview allied the documentary research that together had presented an empirical perspective of the internationalization process. The analysis and quarrel of the results understand the description and the interpretation of the one of the information through the technique of analyzes of content. Initially the historical of the exportation of fruits of the Rio Grande do Norte with the focus in the region Açu/Mossoró is presented and after that the information of the Finobrasa are presented as base of the study. The main events are identified that had constituted the phases of the strategical model of the company. It was observed that the dimensions most excellent amongst those proclaimed by the School of Uppsala had been the learning, staffs and the step-starts is sufficiently gifts in the reality of the company, as well as the aspects of strategical alliances since the consolidated relationship of the Vicunha Group create a more solid trajectory in the international market allied the conditions created windows of marked . One understands, therefore, that the investigated process still has base the theoretical theories of the internationalization strategies corroborating for the theoretical convergence of the rules proclaimed for the theory of the dependence of resources.

Actor-network theory as a theoretical lens and research strategy for investigating firm internationalisation

Totally generalisable theories of firm internationalisation in the post-industrial era of international business, where national barriers are becoming less significant and technology becoming more influential, appear to be illusory. Stepwise or evolutionary models that predict gradual internationalisation are under challenge from empirical evidence of rapid internationalisation such as the phenomenon of the “born global” firm. Similarly, equilibrium models such as the eclectic paradigm have been criticised for being static and unable to account for process and path dependency. In this paper, the information and knowledge assumptions implied in theories of firm internationalisation are outlined and discussed. From this discussion, we suggest that actor-network theory, with its balance between description and explanation, may be a useful theoretical and empirical tool for investigating the complex and heterogeneous process of firm internationalisation whilst creating opportunities for further theory building.

Estratégias internacionais da fruticultura do RN: o caso finobrasa processo e evolução

The present inquiry has as main objective to understand the process of formation of the international strategies of the exporting companies of fruits of the RN through the theory of the resource dependence. Aiming at to clarify as the companies they can carry through the process of internationalization through this theory had been study the behavior and economic theories of the process of internationalization of companies. Amongst the economic theories they are distinguished the eclectic paradigm of Dunning (1958), Vernon (1669) through the theory of the cycle of the product and Bucley and Casson (1979) with the theory of the international operations. In the mannering boarding they had been investigated the school of Upsala through Johanson and Valnhe (1977) with the concept of the increasing of the markets and in the distance psychic starts and the interaction of the purchaser-salesman of Hallen and Wiedersheim-Paul (1979). In this perspective it observes main the occured changes in the organization in function of this process, following the rules observed by the gradual ingression in the international market, having as base ways of entrances in the external market used by these companies, in view of the frist phase that the company presents of businesses. Ahead of you analyze of these theories the study searches to analyze the convergence of the concepts proclaimed for the theory of the dependence of resources (PFEFFER; SALANCIK, 1978). and strategies of internationalization of the companies. The research is characterized as qualitative case study which adopts and exploratory and analytical type, retrospective matrix. The adopted strategy is of case study and the unit of analysis consisting of the Finobrasa, pertaining company to the Vicunha Group. The main method of collection of data was halfstructuralized interview allied the documentary research that together had presented an empirical perspective of the internationalization process. The analysis and quarrel of the results understand the description and the interpretation of the one of the information through the technique of analyzes of content. Initially the historical of the exportation of fruits of the Rio Grande do Norte with the focus in the region Açu/Mossoró is presented and after that the information of the Finobrasa are presented as base of the study. The main events are identified that had constituted the phases of the strategical model of the company. It was observed that the dimensions most excellent amongst those proclaimed by the School of Uppsala had been the learning, staffs and the step-starts is sufficiently gifts in the reality of the company, as well as the aspects of strategical alliances since the consolidated relationship of the Vicunha Group create a more solid trajectory in the international market allied the conditions created windows of marked . One understands, therefore, that the investigated process still has base the theoretical theories of the internationalization strategies corroborating for the theoretical convergence of the rules proclaimed for the theory of the dependence of resources.

Estratégias internacionais da fruticultura do RN: o caso finobrasa processo e evolução

The present inquiry has as main objective to understand the process of formation of the international strategies of the exporting companies of fruits of the RN through the theory of the resource dependence. Aiming at to clarify as the companies they can carry through the process of internationalization through this theory had been study the behavior and economic theories of the process of internationalization of companies. Amongst the economic theories they are distinguished the eclectic paradigm of Dunning (1958), Vernon (1669) through the theory of the cycle of the product and Bucley and Casson (1979) with the theory of the international operations. In the mannering boarding they had been investigated the school of Upsala through Johanson and Valnhe (1977) with the concept of the increasing of the markets and in the distance psychic starts and the interaction of the purchaser-salesman of Hallen and Wiedersheim-Paul (1979). In this perspective it observes main the occured changes in the organization in function of this process, following the rules observed by the gradual ingression in the international market, having as base ways of entrances in the external market used by these companies, in view of the frist phase that the company presents of businesses. Ahead of you analyze of these theories the study searches to analyze the convergence of the concepts proclaimed for the theory of the dependence of resources (PFEFFER; SALANCIK, 1978). and strategies of internationalization of the companies. The research is characterized as qualitative case study which adopts and exploratory and analytical type, retrospective matrix. The adopted strategy is of case study and the unit of analysis consisting of the Finobrasa, pertaining company to the Vicunha Group. The main method of collection of data was halfstructuralized interview allied the documentary research that together had presented an empirical perspective of the internationalization process. The analysis and quarrel of the results understand the description and the interpretation of the one of the information through the technique of analyzes of content. Initially the historical of the exportation of fruits of the Rio Grande do Norte with the focus in the region Açu/Mossoró is presented and after that the information of the Finobrasa are presented as base of the study. The main events are identified that had constituted the phases of the strategical model of the company. It was observed that the dimensions most excellent amongst those proclaimed by the School of Uppsala had been the learning, staffs and the step-starts is sufficiently gifts in the reality of the company, as well as the aspects of strategical alliances since the consolidated relationship of the Vicunha Group create a more solid trajectory in the international market allied the conditions created windows of marked . One understands, therefore, that the investigated process still has base the theoretical theories of the internationalization strategies corroborating for the theoretical convergence of the rules proclaimed for the theory of the dependence of resources.

A Paradigm Shift in Predoctoral Dental Curricula in Brazil: Evaluating the Process of Change

In 2002, the Brazilian Ministry of Education approved the official curricular guidelines for undergraduate courses in Brazil to be adopted by the nation's 188 dental schools. In 2005-06, the Brazilian Dental Education Association (BDEA) promoted workshops in forty-eight of the schools to verify the degree of transformation of the curriculum based on these guidelines. Among the areas analyzed were course philosophy (variables were v1: knowledge production based on the needs of the Brazilian Public Health System [BPHS]; v2: health determinants; and v3: postgraduate studies and permanent education); pedagogical skills (v4: curricular structure; v5: changes in pedagogic and didactic skills; and v6: course program orientation); and dental practice scenarios (v7: diversity of the scenarios for training/learning; v8: academic health care centers opened to the BPHS; and v9: participation of students in health care delivery for the population). The subjects consisted of faculty members (n=711), students (n=228), and employees (n=14). The results showed an incipient degree of curriculum transformation. The degree of innovation was statistically different depending on the type of university (public or private) for variables I, 2, 4, 5, 6, and 7. Private schools reported a higher level of innovation than public institutions. Resistance to transforming the dental curriculum according to the official guidelines may be linked to an ideological conception that supports the private practice model, continues to have faculty members direct all classroom activities, and prevents students from developing an understanding of professional practice as targeted towards the oral health needs of all segments of society.

Sagittal spinal alignment in paraplegics: a new paradigm for the rehabilitation under neuromuscular electrical stimulation

Study design: Radiographic analysis of sagittal spinal alignment of paraplegics in a standing position under surface neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES). Objectives: Describing the radiographic parameters of the sagittal spinal alignment of paraplegics going through a rehabilitation program with NMES. Setting: The University Hospital`s Ambulatory (UNICAMP), Campinas, Sao Paulo, Brazil. Methods: Panoramic X-ray images in profile were taken for 10 paraplegics. All patients participated in the rehabilitation program and were able to perform gait through NMES of the femoral quadriceps muscles. The radiographic parameters used for the analysis were the same as those described in the literature for healthy people. The results were didactically organized into three groups: anatomical shape of the spine, morphology and kinetics of the pelvis and spinopelvic alignment. Results: The physiological curvature of the spine in paraplegics showed average values similar to those described in the literature for healthy patients. The inversion of the pelvic tilt and the increase in the sacral slope were defined by the anterior backward rotation of the pelvis. The existing theoretical mathematical formulas that define lumbar lordosis, pelvic incidence and pelvic tilt showed normal values, despite the anterior intense sagittal imbalance. Conclusions: The adaptive posture of the spine in paraplegics standing through the stimulation of the femoral quadriceps does not allow for a neutral sagittal alignment. This novel radiographic detailed description of the various segments of the spine can be of assistance toward the understanding of the global postural control for such subjects. Spinal Cord (2010) 48, 251-256; doi: 10.1038/sc.2009.123; published online 29 September 2009

Integral Piezoactuator System with Optimum Placement of Functionally Graded Material - A Topology Optimization Paradigm

Piezoactuators consist of compliant mechanisms actuated by two or more piezoceramic devices. During the assembling process, such flexible structures are usually bonded to the piezoceramics. The thin bonding layer(s) between the compliant mechanism and the piezoceramic may induce undesirable behavior, including unusual interfacial nonlinearities. This constitutes a drawback of piezoelectric actuators and, in some applications, such as those associated to vibration control and structural health monitoring (e. g., aircraft industry), their use may become either unfeasible or at least limited. A possible solution to this standing problem can be achieved through the functionally graded material concept and consists of developing `integral piezoactuators`, that is those with no bonding layer(s) and whose performance can be improved by tailoring their structural topology and material gradation. Thus, a topology optimization formulation is developed, which allows simultaneous distribution of void and functionally graded piezoelectric materials (including both piezo and non-piezoelectric materials) in the design domain in order to achieve certain specified actuation movements. Two concurrent design problems are considered, that is the optimum design of the piezoceramic property gradation, and the design of the functionally graded structural topology. Two-dimensional piezoactuator designs are investigated because the applications of interest consist of planar devices. Moreover, material gradation is considered in only one direction in order to account for manufacturability issues. To broaden the range of such devices in the field of smart structures, the design of integral Moonie-type functionally graded piezoactuators is provided according to specified performance requirements.

Investigation of threat-related attentional bias in anxious children using the startle eyeblink modification paradigm

We used the startle eyeblink modification paradigm to investigate whether clinically anxious children, like high trait-anxious adults, display a bias in favour of threat words compared to neutral words. The present study included 16 clinically anxious children whose diagnostic status was determined using the parent version of a semistructured diagnostic interview as part of a larger childhood anxiety study. The children were presented with threat and neutral words fur 6 s each. A startle-eliciting auditory stimulus - a 100 dBA burst of white noise of 50 ms duration - was presented during the words at lead intervals of 60, 120, 240, or 3500 ms and during intertrial intervals. The overall pattern of startle eyeblink modification indicated inhibition at the 120 and 240 ms lead intervals and facilitation at the 3500 ms lead interval. startle-latency shortening during threat words at the :60 ms lead interval was larger than at other intervals, whereas there was no difference during neutral words. This result reflects an anxiety-related bias in favour of threat words occurring at a very early - and possibly preattentive stage - of information processing.

Effects of reversible inactivation of the medial septum on rat exploratory behavior in the elevated plus-maze using a test-retest paradigm

The effect of intraseptal injections of lidocaine before a first or a second session in the elevated plus-maze, in a test-retest paradigm, was investigated. In addition to gross session analyses, a minute-by-minute analysis of the sessions was used to evaluate both anxiety and memory. Lidocaine injections before the test session produced increases in the frequency of entries, time spent and distance run in the open arms without affecting activity occurring in the closed arms. During the retest session, saline- and lidocaine-treated rats exhibited increased indices of anxiety and lidocaine-treated rats exhibited decreased closed-arm entries. The minute-by-minute analysis showed a faster decrease in anxiety-related behaviors during the test session by saline- than by lidocaine-treated rats and a significant decrease in closed-arm exploration by saline-treated rats, but not by lidocaine-treated ones. Lidocaine injection before the retest session produced increases in the frequency of entries, time spent and distance run in the open arms in the second session when compared with saline-treated rats. Minute-by-minute analysis showed an increase in the time spent in the open arms by lidocaine animals at the beginning of the retest session in comparison to saline animals and a significant decrease in closed-arm exploration by both groups. These results suggest that inactivation of the medial septum by lidocaine affects the expression of unconditioned and conditioned forms of anxiety in the elevated plus-maze and, in a lesser way, the acquisition and retention of spatial information. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.