The role of entrepreneurial networking on internationalization of a micro-sized Born Global Swedish fashion company : A narrative ethnographic research

Background: In recent studies a lot of attention is drawn to the connection between networking and entrepreneurship. Many scholars consider successful business and networking inseparable. Taking into consideration the topicality of the two notions discussed above the authors of this thesis decided to conduct the research dedicated to these phenomena in the field that interests them most – in the field of Swedish fashion. Purpose: The purpose of the thesis is to gain a deeper insight into entrepreneur’s experiences to point out the role of entrepreneurial networking in the process of internationalization of a micro-sized Swedish fashion company and to contribute to the research in this field by telling its unique story. Method: To achieve the purpose of the research a narrative ethnographic research was conducted. This research strategy was chosen because it suits the purpose best by giving an opportunity to get fresh insights into the field of entrepreneurial networking from the point of view of the entrepreneur. The data collected has a narrative nature therefore narrative analysis is used to present it. The methods of gathering the data are face-to-face interview and documents. Conclusion: we can define the most important role of entrepreneurial networking on the internationalization process of Odeur as an effective accelerator and a tool to fulfil the knowledge and expertise gaps in certain areas through other actors in the network.

Identity and image – the story of expertise in a manufacturing company

This thesis is an investigation on the corporate identity of the firm SSAB from a managerial viewpoint (1), the company communication through press releases (2), and the image of the company as portrayed in news press articles (3). The managerial view of the corporate identity is researched through interviews with a communication manager of SSAB (1), the corporate communication is researched through press releases from the company (2) and the image is researched in news press articles (3). The results have been deducted using content analysis. The three dimensions are compared in order to see if the topics are coherent. This work builds on earlier research in corporate identity and image research, stakeholder theory, corporate communication and media reputation theory. This is interesting to research as the image of the company framed by the media affects, among other things, the possibility for the company to attract new talent and employees. If there are different stories, or topics, told in the three dimensions then the future employees may not share the view of the company with the managers in it. The analysis show that there is a discrepancy between the topics on the three dimensions, both between the corporate identity and the communication through press releases, as well as between the communication through press releases and the image in news press articles.

Ed Tilin, Specialist Product Service, General Electric Company

Ed Tilin a graduate of the New York Trade School's Advanced Television program is pictured here as part of the General Electric Company. Original caption reads, "Ed Tilin - Advanced Television 1954, joined G.E. in 1956 and has risen rapidly. He now supervises all television product service, product training and consumer relations activities for the New York district. He is a member of the exemtive [sic] board of CETA (Certified Electronic Technicians Association). Black and white photograph with original caption glued to reverse.

Dennis Mahoney, Electrician, Consolidated Edison Company, New York

A graduate of the New York Trade School's Electrical program in 1958, Dennis Mahoney is show at work for the Consolidated Edison Company in New York. Caption written on reverse reads "Dennis J. Mahoney is shown closing the Armature Switch of a Rotary Converter in a D.C. substation. The average rotary in our stations has a capacity of 4,200 K.W. and there are 30 such stations in Manhattan with an annual output of 800,000 amperes. Although the D.C. load is gradually being reduced, it can be seen that there is still considerable demand for direct current in Manhattan." Black and white photograph.

Benefícios fiscais nas importações executadas pelas Trading Company e as Comerciais Exportadoras pelos estados do Espírito Santo e Santa Catarina versus o fomento à exportação brasileira

Dissertação apresentada ao Programa de Pós – Graduação em Administração da Universidade Municipal de São Caetano do Sul como requisito parcial para obtenção do titulo de Mestre em Administração.

Uma avaliação ex-ante do impacto sobre a capacidade tecnológica da localidade acolhedora das empresas que aderiram ao regime automotivo brasileiro e os seus desdobramentos estaduais : o caso da instalação da General Motors do Brasil em Gravataí, Rio Grande do Sul

Esta tese discute três temas: políticas públicas, gestão tecnológica, e setor automotivo. Tendo por objetivo abreviar o ciclo de absorção e desenvolvimento de tecnologia, um volume expressivo de recursos tem sido transferido do setor público para o setor privado através do que é denominado de Política Pública Indutora (PPI). Os governos pretendem, assim, atrair aquelas empresas tecnologicamente mais capacitadas, na expectativa de que transfiram para a localidade onde se instalam o conhecimento que detêm. No Brasil, um dos setores-alvo deste tipo de política tem sido o automotivo, circunstância observada em diferentes momentos da história. Efetivamente, o Regime Automotivo Brasileiro pretende não apenas acelerar o desenvolvimento do país, mas também promover uma significativa transferência de tecnologia. A análise das PPI, por ser de extrema importância, é bastante influenciada e dificultada quer por seus defensores, quer por seus destratores, que as veêm sob os aspectos de sucesso ou não; mas, não bastasse essa dificuldade, há também o elevado conteúdo ideológico que sustenta as argumentações, que faz com que a avaliação se perca num quadro inconclusivo. Afinal, estas iniciativas são benéficas ou não para o país e para as economias regionais? Finalmente, a eficácia, e portanto o acerto desta estratégia só pode ser avaliado expost facto, quando já comprometidos, quiçá irremediavelmente, os recursos públicos. Por essa razão, este estudo desenvolve uma análise ex-ante das políticas públicas do tipo indutoras, fazendo uso de um modelo compreensivo que permite uma análise longitudinal, captando assim, as mudanças no ambiente. Entre outras, procurou-se responder à seguinte questão: é possível, hoje, inferir quanto à contrib uição, se positiva ou negativa, que o Regime Automotivo Brasileiro e os seus desdobramentos estaduais trarão à capacidade tecnológica no entorno da empresa atraída? O problema e a questão de pesquisa foram abordados, predominantemente, sob um enfoque qualitativo, e o método escolhido foi o estudo de caso. Com o auxílio do modelo proposto foi analisada e avaliada a potencialidade de aumento na capacidade tecnológica induzida pela instalação da unidade montadora da General Motors do Brasil, em Gravataí, Rio Grande do Sul. Ao final conclui- se que os benefícios previstos pelo Regime Automotivo Brasileiro, no que diz respeito a capacitação tecnológica local, dificilmente serão atingidos pela instalação de novas empresas automotivas ou a modernização das existentes.

Resultados uniformemente seguros e equilíbrio de Nash em jogos compactos

Nós introduzimos uma condição, resultados uniformemente seguros, para jogos compactos e resultados (“payoffs”) limitados e mensur´aveis nas estrat´egias. Demonstramos que se um jogo compacto tem resultados uniformemente seguros, ent˜ao sua extens˜ao mista tem resultados seguros.

Nash equilibrium under knightian uncertainty: breaking down backward induction (extensively revised version)

We define Nash equilibrium for two-person normal form games in the presence of uncertainty, in the sense of Knight(1921). We use the fonna1iution of uncertainty due to Schmeidler and Gilboa. We show tbat there exist Nash equilibria for any degree of uncertainty, as measured by the uncertainty aversion (Dow anel Wer1ang(l992a». We show by example tbat prudent behaviour (maxmin) can be obtained as an outcome even when it is not rationaliuble in the usual sense. Next, we break down backward industion in the twice repeated prisoner's dilemma. We link these results with those on cooperation in the finitely repeated prisoner's dilemma obtained by Kreps-Milgrom-Roberts-Wdson(1982), and withthe 1iterature on epistemological conditions underlying Nash equilibrium. The knowledge notion implicit in this mode1 of equilibrium does not display logical omniscience.

Nash equilibrium under knightian uncertainty: breaking-down backward induction

We present two alternative definitions of Nash equilibrium for two person games in the presence af uncertainty, in the sense of Knight. We use the formalization of uncertainty due to Schmeidler and Gilboa. We show that, with one of the definitions, prudent behaviour (maxmin) can be obtained as an outcome even when it is not rationalizable in the usual sense. Most striking is that with the Same definition we break down backward induction in the twice repeated prisoner's dilemma. We also link these results with the Kreps-Milgrom-Roberts-Wilson explanation of cooperation in the finitely repeated prisoner's dilemma.

A comment on "Rational learning lead to nash equilibrium" by professors Ehud Kalai and Ehud Lehrer

Kalai and Lebrer (93a, b) have recently show that for the case of infinitely repeated games, a coordination assumption on beliefs and optimal strategies ensures convergence to Nash equilibrium. In this paper, we show that for the case of repeated games with long (but finite) horizon, their condition does not imply approximate Nash equilibrium play. Recently Kalai and Lehrer (93a, b) proved that a coordination assumption on beliefs and optimal strategies, ensures that pIayers of an infinitely repeated game eventually pIay 'E-close" to an E-Nash equilibrium. Their coordination assumption requires that if players believes that certain set of outcomes have positive probability then it must be the case that this set of outcomes have, in fact, positive probability. This coordination assumption is called absolute continuity. For the case of finitely repeated games, the absolute continuity assumption is a quite innocuous assumption that just ensures that pIayers' can revise their priors by Bayes' Law. However, for the case of infinitely repeated games, the absolute continuity assumption is a stronger requirement because it also refers to events that can never be observed in finite time.

Orientação para o mercado e desempenho financeiro: o panorama das concessionárias general motors no ramo automobilístico brasileiro

Este relatório trata de uma pesquisa sobre o Impacto da Orientação para o Mercado sobre o Desempenho Financeiro. Foi realizada uma revisão teórica e seguiu-se o delineamento de um modelo conceitual. Tal modelo foi testado empiricamente com os dados de uma amostra de 192 concessionárias de veículos General Motors operando no Brasil, utilizando-se do método de modelagem de equações estruturais. Apesar das limitações incidentes, o ajustamento global do Modelo revelou-se bem pequeno. Em especial, os vínculos causais entre os três componentes da Orientação para o Mercado (Orientação para o Consumidor, Orientação para a Concorrência e Coordenação Interdepartamental) mostraram-se como não significantes. Os resultados são discutidos à luz da literatura e suas implicações avaliadas. Mais pesquisas são necessárias para compreender esses complexos fenômenos.

Organizational design as an enabler for innovation: evidence from a German Mechanical Engineering Company

Over the past two decades there has been a profusion of empirical studies of organizational design and its relationship to efficiency, productivity and flexibility of an organization. In parallel, there has been a wide range of studies about innovation management in different kind of industries and firms. However, with some exceptions, the organizational and innovation management bodies of literature tend to examine the issues of organizational design and innovation management individually, mainly in the context of large firms operating at the technological frontier. There seems to be a scarcity of empirical studies that bring together organizational design and innovation and examine them empirically and over time in the context of small and medium sized enterprises. This dissertation seeks to provide a small contribution in that direction. This dissertation examines the dynamic relationship between organizational design and innovation. This relationship is examined on the basis of a single-case design in a medium sized mechanical engineering company in Germany. The covered time period ranges from 1958 until 2009, although the actual focus falls on the recent past. This dissertation draws on first-hand qualitative empirical evidence gathered through extensive field work. The main findings are: 1. There is always a bundle of organizational dimensions which impacts innovation. These main organizational design dimensions are: (1) Strategy & Leadership, (2) Resources & Capabilities, (3) Structure, (4) Culture, (5) Networks & Partnerships, (6) Processes and (7) Knowledge Management. However, the importance of the different organizational design dimensions changes over time. While for example for the production of simple, standardized parts, a simple organizational design was appropriate, the company needed to have a more advanced organizational design in order to be able to produce customized, complex parts with high quality. Hence the technological maturity of a company is related to its organizational maturity. 2. The introduction of innovations of the analyzed company were highly dependent on organizational conditions which enabled their introduction. The results of the long term case study show, that some innovations would not have been introduced successfully if the organizational elements like for example training and qualification, the build of network and partnerships or the acquisition of appropriate resources and capabilities, were not in place. Hence it can be concluded, that organizational design is an enabling factor for innovation. These findings contribute to advance our understanding of the complex relationship between organizational design and innovation. This highlights the growing importance of a comprehensive, innovation stimulating organizational design of companies. The results suggest to managers that innovation is not only dependent on a single organizational factor but on the appropriate, comprehensive design of the organization. Hence manager should consider to review regularly the design of their organizations in order to maintain a innovation stimulating environment.

Sistema aprimorado de gestão ambiental : um estudo de caso na empresa Tritec Motors Ltda

Um sistema de gestão ambiental fornece uma estrutura eficiente para uma empresa gerenciar suas responsabilidades ambientais, sendo também um componente essencial em sua estratégia comercial. O presente trabalho descreve a implantação de um sistema de gestão ambiental na empresa Tritec Motors Ltda, de acordo com a norma NBR ISO 14001:1996, a fim de garantir um gerenciamento adequado de riscos, com um desempenho ambiental melhorado, refletindo na imagem corporativa, entre outros benefícios. Partindo da experiência de outras implantações similares realizadas pela corporação DaimlerChrysler em várias partes do mundo, a Tritec Motors implantou seu sistema aprimorado de gestão ambiental. A metodologia utilizada para implantar este sistema foi a criação de um plano de trabalho detalhado, baseado nos cinco princípios de um sistema de gestão ambiental: comprometimento, planejamento, implementação, medição e análise crítica. O plano de trabalho permitiu a implantação do sistema de gestão ambiental, que resultou na conquista do certificado ISO 14001. Este trabalho também apresenta um conjunto de propostas adicionais, como a criação de um calendário ambiental, a implantação de uma sistemática de auditorias em processadores de resíduos e o desenvolvimento de um software de gerenciamento ambiental, que irão garantir a manutenção e o aprimoramento do sistema de gestão ambiental da empresa.