E-marketing in perspective: a three country comparison of business use of the Internet

Presents an inter-country comparison of the business use of the Internet as part of a competitive marketing strategy. Firstly, examines online marketing strategy, reporting that the professed benefits from Internet use are mostly illusory, particularly for the small business sector. Next, describes a survey of 400 businesses in Australia and New Zealand plus a questionnaire survey of 140 business-to-business marketing organizations in the UK and compares the results in terms of the strategic function, marketing communication function, marketing logistics function and relationship management function. Discovers that there are both similarities and differences in the way the three countries use the Internet. Reports that the major difference is in the strategic use of the Internet to gain competitive advantage, improve cost-effectiveness and relationship management, with Australian and New Zealand firms using the Internet to communicate with local firms and maintain relationships at a local level to support sales made through traditional channels.

Understanding the policy implications of ICT for development

Information and communication technologies are thought by some to offer a new solution to world poverty.
It is argued that information and communication technologies (ICT) allow poor countries to ‘leap-frog’
traditional stages of development and become immediately engaged with the ‘new economy’. Such an
optimistic view requires appropriate government policies to facilitate this shift. Interventions required
would include improving access levels and quality of telecommunication and electricity infrastructure,
improved quality of education and numbers of those accessing education, and providing both direct
and indirect support to encourage local firms to become engaged with the global economy. Ironically,
these policies are consistent with current orthodox development policies currently pursued within the
‘traditional’ economy. This chapter therefore considers what exactly is new about ICT in terms of its
potential impact on the poor.

Estratrégias empresariais no setor avícola: estudo comparativo de duas regiões produtoras

Essa tese analisa dois temas muito relevantes: o processo estratégico enfrentado pelas firmas líderes do segmento produtor de aves durante os anos 80 e a possibilidade de firmas emergentes situadas em regiões que experimentaram intensos processos desenvolvimentistas alcançarem a fronteira tecnológica a partir de 'Janelas de oportunidades" específicas. A idéia desenvolvida foi a de comparar as condições de emergência e desenvolvimento das indústrias de aves da região Sul com aquelas que deram origem à implantação de projetos avícolas na porção sulmatogrossense.

Rent dissipation, political viability and the strategic adoption of free trade agreements

This paper studies the political viability of free trade agreements (FTAs). The key element of the analysis is the “rent dissipation” that these arrangements induce: by eliminating intra-bloc trade barriers, an FTA reduces the incentives of the local firms to lobby for higher external tariffs, thereby causing a reduction of the rents created in the lobbying process. The prospect of rent dissipation moderates the governments’ willingness to participate in FTAs; they will support only arrangements that are “substantially” welfare improving, and no FTA that reduces welfare. Rent dissipation also implies that the prospects of political turnover may create strategic reasons for the formation of FTAs. Specifically, a government facing a high enough probability of losing power may want to form a trade bloc simply to “tie the hands” of its successor. An FTA can affect the likelihood of political turnover as well. If the incumbent party has a known bias toward special interests, it may want to commit to less distortionary policies in order to reduce its electoral disadvantage; the rent dissipation effect ensures that an FTA can serve as the vehicle for such a commitment. In nascent/unstable democracies, the incumbent government can use a free trade agreement also to reduce the likelihood of a dictatorial takeover and to “consolidate” democracy – a finding that is consistent with the timing of numerous accessions to and formations of preferential arrangements.

Modelo institucional do processo de estruturação de empresas de desenvolvimento de software: um estudo de múltiplos casos

Some authors have shown the need of understanding the technological structuring process in contemporary firms. From this perspective, the software industry is a very important element because it provides products and services directly to many organizations from many fields. In this case, the Brazilian software industry has some peculiarities that distinguish it from other industries located in developed countries, which makes its understanding even more relevant. There is evidence that local firms take different strategies and structural configurations to enter into a market naturally dominated by large multinational firms. Therefore, this study aims to understand not only the structural configurations assumed by domestic firms but also the dynamic and the process that lead to these different configurations. To do so, this PhD dissertation investigates the institutional environment, its entities and the isomorphic movements, by employing an exploratory, descriptive and explanatory multiple cases study. Eight software development companies from the Recife's information technology Cluster were visited. Also, a form was applied and an interview with one of the main firm s professional was conducted. Although the study is predominantly qualitative, part of the data was analyzed through charts and graphs, providing a companies and environment overview that was very useful to analysis done through the interviews interpretation. As a result, it was realized that companies are structured around hybrids business models from two ideal types of software development companies, which are: software factory and technology-based company. Regarding the development process, it was found that there is a balanced distribution between the traditional and agile development paradigm. Among the traditional methodologies, the Rational Unified Process (RUP) is predominant. The Scrum is the most used methodology among the organizations based on the Agile Manifesto's principles. Regarding the structuring process, each institutional entity acts in such way that generates different isomorphic pressure. Emphasis was given to entities such as customers, research agencies, clusters, market-leading businesses, public universities, incubators, software industry organizations, technology vendors, development tool suppliers and manager s school and background because they relate themselves in a close way with the software firms. About this relationship, a dual and bilateral influence was found. Finally, the structuring level of the organizational field has been also identified as low, which gives a chance to organizational actors of acting independently

A indústria de calçados de Nova Serrana (MG)

Utilizando resultados de trabalho estatístico com base nos dados da Relação Anual de Informações Sociais (RAIS), que permitem caracterizar a indústria de calçados de Nova Serrana (MG) como um sistema local de produção, e nos resultados de pesquisa de campo efetuada em abril de 2002, quando foram realizadas entrevistas e visitas em empresas e instituições locais, o artigo estuda o sistema local de produção de Nova Serrana tanto em termos do sistema como um todo quanto das empresas e instituições que o compõem. O objetivo é produzir, nesses dois níveis de análise, evidências que possam orientar ações públicas e privadas, visando ao aprimoramento do sistema e das empresas locais em duas esferas: (1) produtiva e tecnológica, em seus vários desdobramentos, e (2) institucional e organizacional. Para isso, caracteriza e dimensiona primeiramente o sistema local em termos de sua localização e região de influência, sua logística, população e empregos gerados, história e evolução, estrutura de produção, instituições de apoio, contexto social, cultural e político. em seguida, caracteriza as empresas em termos de tamanho e quanto a: desenvolvimento de produto, sistemas de comercialização, relações cooperativas, interações com fornecedores, fontes de informação para desenvolvimento de produtos e sobre mercados e processos de fabricação, práticas e políticas quanto à qualidade, ao financiamento e a outros aspectos pertinentes ao caso em estudo. Por fim, ressalta os problemas mais relevantes que podem ser objeto de políticas públicas e/ou de ações conjuntas das empresas e instituições locais.

The international competitiveness of the Costa Rican clothing industry

Includes bibliography

Flying geese or sitting ducks? Transnationals and industry in developing countries

Includes bibliography

The strategies of multinational companies in 1990s Argentina

Includes bibliography

The performance of transnational corporations: Evidence for the manufacturing industry in Chile

Includes bibliography.

Indian Patent Policy and Publich Health : implications from the Japanese Experience

The introduction of pharmaceutical product patents in India and other developing countries is expected to have a significant effect on public health and local pharmaceutical industries. This paper draws implications from the historical experience of Japan when it introduced product patents in 1976. In Japan, narrow patents and promotion of cross-licensing were effective tools to keep drug prices in check while ensuring the introduction of new drugs. While the global pharmaceutical market surrounding India today differs considerably from that of the 1970's, the Japanese experience offers a policy option that may profitably be considered by India today. The Indian patent system emphasizes the patentability requirement in contrast to the Japanese patent policy which relied on narrow patents and extensive licensing. R&D by local firms and the development of local products may be promoted more effectively under the Japanese model.

Patent policy and public health in developing countries: lessons from Japan

The introduction of pharmaceutical product patents in India and other developing countries is expected to have a significant effect on public health and local pharmaceutical industries. This paper draws implications from the historical experience of Japan when it introduced product patents in 1976. In Japan, narrow patents and promotion of cross-licensing were effective tools to keep drug prices in check while ensuring the introduction of new drugs. While the global pharmaceutical market surrounding India today differs considerably from that of the 1970's, the Japanese experience offers a policy option that may profitably be considered by India today. The Indian patent system emphasizes the patentability requirement in contrast to the Japanese patent policy which relied on narrow patents and extensive licensing. R&D by local firms and the development of local products may be promoted more effectively under the Japanese model.

A Divergent Path of Industrial Upgrading: Emergence and Evolution of the Mobile Handset Industry in China

Starting from almost null in the late 1990s, China's mobile phone handset industry has grown to account for more than 40 percent of the current world production. While export growth has been overwhelmingly led by multi-national corporations (MNCs), increasingly fierce competition in the domestic market ignited by the advent of local handset makers has induced unique industrial evolution: (1) outgrowth of independent design houses specialized in handset development and (2) emergence of IC fabless ventures that design core ICs for handsets. In the background of this evolutionary industrial growth there are factors such as, the scale and increasing diversity of China's domestic market that advantages local firms vis-a-vis MNCs; modularization of handset and semiconductor technologies; policy interventions that supports local startups. The emergence and evolution of China's handset industry is likely to have international implications as the growth of the global demand for low-cost and multi-function mobile phone handsets is expected to accelerate. Thus, our case suggests that the conventional view of latecomer industrialization and upgrading that emphasizes the key role of international production networks organized by MNCs needs to be modified in order to accommodate China's rise into perspective.

Clothing Export from sub-Saharan Africa : Impact on Poverty and Potential for Growth

Increases in clothing exports after 2000 signaled the first incidence of large-scale manufacturing exports from sub-Saharan Africa. Using firm-level information, this paper explores the potential of clothing exports for poverty reduction and further growth as seen in other low income countries. It shows that the garment exporting industries in Kenya and Madagascar have contributed poverty reduction in the short term by providing mass employment for female and less educated workers with wages beyond the poverty line. However, the long-term impact is not certain. High production costs and limited development of local firms weaken potential for further growth in the competitive world market. Upgrading of the market and improvement of efficiency are required to remain competitive for African industries, and governmental support for local participation are needed to facilitate technology transfer.

Asian Industrial Development from the Perspective of the Motorcycle Industry

This paper discusses the diversity of industrial development among Asian countries that emerges through an investigation of the motorcycle industry despite its uniform industrial attributes. The paper then explores factors that generate diversity, focusing attention on the differences in knowledge-based assets accumulated in each country. It finds that diversity is brought about through the differences in domestic industrial resources and the capabilities of local firms. The analysis underscores each country’s intrinsic logic in industrial development, contrary to the current trend of stressing assimilation through the global production networks of multinational corporations.