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A documentary review was carried out on the bibliography identified as publications in high impact journals indexed in Scopus database regarding the variables Expansion and Application of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) as a Competitive Business Strategy, in order to identify and describe the main characteristics presented in the volume of production of publications during the period between 2015 and 2020, when a total of 716 publications were identified. This production level was classified by means of figures that allow a bibliometric analysis and a qualitative analysis of published case studies is established, with the purpose of describing the position of different authors. Among the main findings is that the year in which more publications on the proposed topic were made was 2020, with a total of 166 published papers; Brazil is the Latin American country with the highest number of publications, registering 194 documents, the area of knowledge with the highest number of contributions in research and scientific publications was Social Sciences, with 203 documents related to this area; and 74% of publications were managed as journal papers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Exacta is the property of Exacta - Engenharia de Producao and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Cultural Studies of Science Education is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Purpose: This paper aims to examine how competitive intelligence (CI) relates to the strategy formulation process of firms. Design/methodology/approach: Due to the novelty of the phenomenon and to the depth of the investigation required to grasp the mechanisms and logics of CI, a multiple case study has been performed related to four companies located in Brazil that adopted CI practices within dedicated business units to inform and support strategic decision-making. Findings: The authors provide detailed empirical evidence on the connection and use of CI practices throughout each stage of the strategy formulation process. Moreover, the study suggests that CI practices, despite their strategic relevance and diffusion, are still extensively adopted for tactical use. Originality/value: This study sheds light on how CI practices may inform, support, and be integrated in the strategy formulation process, as few studies have done before. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista de Economia e Sociologia Rural is the property of Sociedade Brasileira de Economia e Sociologia Rural and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Purpose -- The purpose of this paper is to study the level of importance existing among the indicators that were previously defined for a Performance Measurement Systems (PMS) and are relative to franchises in Brazil, using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) methodology, together with a series of tests, which are responsible by verifying the degree of reliability, robustness and stability of the parameters used and the results obtained. As a result, the author suggests that the diagnosing of the five delimited indicators have different relevance assigned to them. Design/methodology/approach -- This paper reviews extant literatures in Franchise, PMS, Multiple Criteria Decision Making (MCDM), in specific the theory about AHP. Findings -- The authors found that it was possible justified, for both the relative and the evaluative method, that the I3 was the main point of the system and, as a consequence, be considered as priority when talking about sectorial development of franchises in Brazil. As for the other indicators, even being located in a level lower than 13, they must be taken into contemplation in these measurements, however, with a relatively inferior importance degree. Practical implications -- It was possible to better comprehend which economics and non-economic factors selected have a more predominance in the Brazilian franchise context, according to characteristics of the companies present. Originality/value -- The absence of scientific papers that describe the relevance level of the main factors that influence in the Brazilian franchise system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of RAP: Revista Brasileira de Administração Pública is the property of RAP: Revista Brasileira de Administracao Publica and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Gestão e Regionalidade is the property of Universidade Municipal de Sao Caetano do Sul and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Competitiveness on a small and large scale is necessary for growth. A definitive link between the level of competitiveness and growth has been difficult to prove. One of the primary objectives of economic planning is to promote price and exchange rate stability. Entrepreneurialism and productivity also increase the country's export competitiveness. The aim of this study is to test for the convergence in competitiveness and convergence club existence in selected economies. No previous research had tested for convergence in competitiveness using a nonlinear timevarying factor model. This paper provides an overview on convergence in competitiveness and convergence clubs' existence for 42 countries using quarterly data from 1994q1 to 2020q4 testing on competitiveness. Convergence log (t) test results show differences in competitiveness between classified convergence clubs. Russia, Brazil, and Turkey are the clubs (groups of countries) that show a transitional path (convergence in competitiveness) that differs entirely from the rest of the sample. Countries with more natural resources and exogenous monetary policies follow a unique development path to competitiveness. We find no evidence of divergence in countries within the clubs. However, we find a club (group of countries) following a clear divergence path from the other countries (Russia, Brazil, and Turkey). Our findings could potentially explain the increase in divergence in competitiveness across countries after the financial crisis of 2008. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Brazilian Review of Economics & Agribusiness / Revista de Economia e Agronegócio is the property of Brazilian Review of Economics & Agribusiness / Revista de Economia e Agronegocio and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present a new method for benchmarking, which allows the construction of scales of competitiveness for the comparison of products using Item Response Theory (IRT). Design/methodology/approach – Theoretically, the method combines classic benchmarking process steps with IRT steps and demonstrates through mathematical models how this technique can measure the competitiveness of products by means of a latent trait. Findings – The IRT method uses the theories of psychometrics to measure the competitiveness of products through qualitative and quantitative interpretation of the tangible and intangible characteristics of those products. To demonstrate the application of the developed method, the items were constructed for teaching staff. Research limitations/implications – The application of the developed method will increase the accuracy of assessments of the competitiveness of a product because this method uses a mathematical model of the IRT to evaluate the characteristics product that reflect market competitiveness. Items must be selected based on theories relevant to the product and/or expert opinion or customers. Practical implications – The applicability of the method results in the construction of a scale in which items identify good practice with greater difficulty because they are represented in the same units that index competitiveness. Thus, managers of companies obtain knowledge about their products and the market, which allows them to assess their performance against their competitors and to make decisions regarding the continuous improvement of their production process and expansion of product characteristics. Originality/value – This work presents a new method for benchmarking using a quantitative technique that enables measurement of the latent trait of “competitiveness” through robust mathematical models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Eletrônica em Gestão, Educação e Tecnologia Ambiental is the property of Revista Eletronica em Gestao, Educacao e Tecnologia Ambiental and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Revista Eletrônica em Gestão, Educação e Tecnologia Ambiental is the property of Revista Eletronica em Gestao, Educacao e Tecnologia Ambiental and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Cuadernos de Administración (01203592) is the property of Pontificia Universidad Javeriana and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Investigaciones Turisticas is the property of Investigaciones Turisticas and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This paper addresses the influence of social capital in collaborative networks. With the social context of collaborative networks becoming increasingly important, research has broadened the traditional concept of competitiveness to include and emphasise 'soft' elements, like social capital. The social capital concept can be attained in two different contexts: intra- and inter-groups. The objective of this study is to identify inter-organisational social capital elements and the relationship with collaborative network competitiveness. The idea is to answer some questions such as (1) what are the elements that explain inter-organisational social capital? (2) how are these elements related to competitiveness? (3) what organisational characteristics facilitate social capital formation? A survey was conducted in the enterprises from the Brazilian Wine Industry Cluster. The data were analysed using factorial analysis and bivariate correlations. The results point out three social capital factors that correspond to the social capital dimensions found in literature: structural, relational and cognitive. The research shows that the correlations among social capital dimensions and competitiveness are strong and significant, specially the structural and relational dimensions. Finally, implications for research and managerial practice were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Software development companies face a globalized, highly competitive and turbulent environment, where efficiency, efficacy and innovation capacity are critical for survival. In this context, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) tend to suffer the most due to the scarcity of resources to which they are usually subjected and their dependence on a few more powerful customers. This paper describes the elaboration and test of a model that draws on the resource-based view and knowledge-based view to explain the differences in performance of software SMEs. The analysis of data collected from 265 Brazilian companies suggests that: absorptive capacity contributes significantly to the development of a company's stock of technological knowledge: the flexibility of the IT infrastructure, managerial capacity, and IT technological knowledge are strong predictors of software development performance; and organizational performance is positively influenced by software development performance and managerial capacity. The implications of these findings are then discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyses knowledge transfer among clustered firms and its relation to the competitiveness of a tourism destination in southern Brazil. It is assumed that knowledge is a strategic resource transferred among clustered firms. Research methods used were secondary data analysis followed by a survey conducted with 49 respondents. Findings show that the access to resources is more evident for the third sector and public administration than to firms. Besides, it was found that the knowledge transfer happens in different ways, but especially through the periodic meetings among the tourism firms. It was demonstrated that there is a better access and communication and information exchange among tourist firms, but the data have not connected knowledge transfer to destination competitiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista de Contabilidade e Organizações is the property of Revista de Contabilidade e Organizacoes and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This paper studies two aspects of the automobile insurance market in Brazil: first, it determines the degree of competition among insurance companies, and second, it estimates and analyzes the demand for automobile insurance. Most of the studies on the automobile insurance market in Brazil analyze the performance of the firms in this sector or present regional studies of the demand for insurance and its determinants. Thus, this study innovates both in showing the competition among the firms and estimating the demand for insurance in the country. The relevance of this research lies in the sequential and ordered way it analyzes the demand in a sector. Firstly, it identifies the type of competition that takes place in the sector and then, based on this, it proposes a structural framework based on optimizing decisions for estimating the price, income, and market power elasticities of demand. Furthermore, analyzing the insurance industry is of the utmost importance since it moves significant amounts of financial resources and provides an essential service in the economy. With information about the market structure and demand profile in the automobile insurance sector it is possible to propose strategic policies for individual firms as well as for the whole sector in order to introduce more efficiency. To analyze the degree of competitiveness, several concentration indices were calculated using annually-aggregated monthly data on the premium paid to all the automobile insurance firms in the period from 2001 to 2016. To estimate the demand for automobile insurance, half-yearly data from 2002 to 2010 for each one of the 27 federative units of Brazil were used. Two main findings are presented in this study. First, we find evidence of little concentration in the Brazilian automobile insurance market, with shares being well distributed among the players. Second, we estimate the demand for automobile insurance in Brazil and find a price-elasticity of -0.47 in the short run and -1.33 in the long run, while the lagged profitability has a negative impact on the amount insured: -0.21 in the short run and -0.59 in the long run. Income does not significantly influence the demand for insurance in Brazil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper presents a study based on the Systems Thinking and Scenario Planning (STSP) method, focusing the biodiesel production chain of Rio Grande do Sul State. The aim of the study was to identify key elements to comprehend the systemic structure of interaction among the ties of this chain. The study was held by a team of specialists over five months, including 15 meetings. Discussions were based on quantitative and qualitative data and a systemic map was constructed and refined. Based on this modeling, four different prospective scenarios were comparatively analyzed in order to propose strategic actions to promote the sustainability and competitiveness of the chain. The results were then presented to two different groups of external specialists in order to validate the conclusions drawn and the proposals. Both groups agreed with the ideas presented. The paper is constructed as follows: a brief introduction focusing on contextual elements of the biodiesel production in Brazil and in Rio Grande do Sul; some background material regarding agroindustrial production chains and an overview of the biodiesel production chain of interest; a description of the method used to perform the research; main results and discussion; and conclusions. With this paper the authors also hope to contribute to the discussion regarding competitiveness and sustainability of biofuel chains in Brazil. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Copyright of Estudios y Perspectivas en Turismo is the property of Centro de Investigaciones y Estudios Turisticos and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of RAE: Revista de Administração de Empresas is the property of Fundacao Getulio Vargas and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Revista de Estudios Sociales is the property of Universidad de los Andes and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of RAE: Revista de Administração de Empresas is the property of Fundacao Getulio Vargas and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The Brazilian polymer industry (plastics, rubbers, fibers, adhesives, paints, and varnishes) is the fastest growing segment of the Petrochemical Chain. Since the polymer industry is characterized as science based, the capacity to create technology is vital for its long-range survival in the market. This paper analyzes how Brazilian polymer firms maintain their technological competitiveness, explains the main modes of technology transfer, and evaluates the degree of technological dependence of this industry. The methodology consisted of a database built with data from the Brazilian Patent Office. To confirm the findings, interviews were conducted with staff members from seven Brazilian polymer firms. The data base analysis and the interviews reveal that, in spite of the fact that Research and Development (R&D) and technological innovation have a fundamental role in their competitiveness, the firms are technologically dependent upon foreign suppliers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Innovation plays a crucial role in the economy of nations worldwide. In Latin America, countries foster competitiveness through public and private incentives to support innovation. Moreover, entrepreneurship incentives seek to improve countries' performance, although factors such as low business growth rates and informality can compromise it. Despite the efforts, there are several difficulties in achieving competitiveness, and few studies in developing countries. Therefore, the article explores the relationship between the factors that influence competitiveness, especially the role of innovation and entrepreneurship in Brazil and Peru. The research uses quantitative-qualitative methodology through modeling and simulation and a case study. The authors use the Affinities Theory to verify the relationship between the indicators that make up the competitiveness landscape and its most significant and attractive factors, adapting the methodology established by the International Institute for Management Development (IMD) World Competitiveness ranking. As a result, this algorithm allows us to know the relationships between five factors of economic attractiveness and four competitiveness indicators. As its main contributions, the study advances the frontier of knowledge about innovation and entrepreneurship, as few studies explore competitiveness in developing countries. Also, it offers a detailed explanation of the application of this algorithm, allowing researchers to reproduce this methodology in other scenarios. Practically, it might support policymakers in formulating development strategies and stimuli for business competitiveness. In addition, academic and business leaders can strengthen university-business collaboration with applied research in innovation and entrepreneurship. One limitation would be the number of countries participating in the research. The authors suggest future lines of research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cotton is a significant raw material source for textiles, food, and other sectors, as well as a major influence in worldwide and national trade and industry. The primary goals of this research are to examine the cotton production and trade in which Türkiye plays a significant role in global production; to analyse international competitiveness; and to forecast the next ten years using data from 1961 to 2020. The Revealed Symmetric Comparative Advantage (RSCA) method will be employed to investigate its international competitiveness, and the Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) Box-Jenkins model will be used to forecast the comparative advantage of the Turkish cotton industry. According to the findings, Türkiye ranks seventh in cotton production, but there was a 21% decrease in 2020 (1.8 million tonnes) compared to 2005 (2.3 million tonnes). When world cotton exports were examined, the USA, Brazil, and India came to the fore, while Türkiye ranked 14th with 87 thousand tonnes in 2020. When the observed cotton RSCA indices for Türkiye were examined, the results revealed no competitive advantage and no specialisation in cotton exports over time. While the RSCA index was 0.68 in 1980, it was down until -0.42 in 2010. In 2020, the RSCA index was -0.03. Furthermore, the forecasting analysis shows that the RSCA indices for cotton export will gradually decline due to periodic fluctuations, eventually falling to -0.18 by 2030. Consequently, the inadequacy of cotton production to meet consumption, as well as cotton imports, may be expressed as reasons for Türkiye's comparative disadvantage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sanitary requirements, geopolitical crises, and other factors that increase price volatility have an impact on the organization of markets and changes in investment policies and business strategies. The COVID-19 pandemic interrupted the trade of chicken meat, due to the drastic reduction in the circulation of goods, interrupted the supply of production chains, changed consumption habits, and made it difficult to reorganize business due to the slow resumption of operations by suppliers of inputs and in distribution logistics. The magnitude of these impacts has not been studied despite the high relevance of this economic dimension and the managerial implications for sector governance and trade management. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the production costs and competitiveness of the Brazilian chicken meat production chain. The methodology consisted of the detailed collection of information and data on private and social prices carried out using the Policy Analysis Matrix (PAM) method. The competitiveness coefficients and policy effects in the Brazilian broiler production chain before (2015) and during (2022) the COVID-19 pandemic were quantified and compared. Generally, the significant increases in the production costs of chicken meat (30.49%) caused a decrease in total factor productivity (−19.54%), a reduction in gross revenue, and lower tax collection. The pandemic has reduced the profitability of the chicken production chain in Brazil by 32.31%, reduced the competitiveness of exports, and worsened other economic indicators of the production chain. To the best of our knowledge, no other study has investigated the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the competitiveness of the Brazilian chicken meat production chain. The PAM method allows for prices paid and received to be updated in real terms in projects representative of Brazil, the world leader in exports. This information is important for both national and international stakeholders. Additionally, this model is applicable to other meats traded in the international market, as it provides greater precision in business management and can estimate the impacts of risks on the availability or quality of food and health crises with robust results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista de Economia e Sociologia Rural is the property of Sociedade Brasileira de Economia e Sociologia Rural and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In September 2010, Brazil's Finance Minister, Guido Mantega, used the term 'currency war' with reference to monetary policies implemented by different countries to generate an artificial devaluation of their currency and achieve a cheaper, more competitive domestic economy that may be attractive to foreign investors. Similar cases have been documented since the 1930's Great Depression, when several countries abandoned the gold standard as backing for their currencies. More recently, a large-scale asset purchase by Japan's Central Bank in 2013 was singled out as a strategy aimed at generating devaluation of the yen. This research uses statistics of new business formation density reported by Doing Business for 30 emerging countries in the period from 2004 through 2011 to evaluate the impact of devaluation measured by the behavior of the real effective exchange rate (REER) on the rate of new business formation (NBF). It is determined how variables associated with competitiveness affect the relationship between devaluation and business formation. Results show that devaluation has a positive effect on NBF in the short term, which gets diluted in the long term. Countries with greater competitiveness have less dependence on devaluation to increase the number of businesses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes to conduct a multi case study of the evaluation of the capabilities and strategic resources of seven private institutions of higher education in Brazil. For this, we conducted an exploratory study of qualitative nature, by means of documental and bibliographic data collection, and interviews with managers from seven private higher education institutions nationally recognized. The results showed there is a tendency of the formation and growth of large educational groups but these groups also face various challenges, with competitive disadvantages that must be observed, indicating the need for innovation in the sector. The data collected and processed of the interviews showed that the choice of the correct strategies represent an important turning point to ensure success in a scenario increasingly demanding and competitive, listing a number of features that can help in building a diffused look of private higher education in Brazil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Brazilian Review of Economics & Agribusiness / Revista de Economia e Agronegócio is the property of Brazilian Review of Economics & Agribusiness / Revista de Economia e Agronegocio and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Brazilian Review of Economics & Agribusiness / Revista de Economia e Agronegócio is the property of Brazilian Review of Economics & Agribusiness / Revista de Economia e Agronegocio and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The aim of this paper is to discuss in a succinct way the dynamics of the Brazilian productive structure from  on, and its deployments inthe context of ST&I. It gets clear that there is low technological insertion in the country when its comes to the new techno-economical paradigm and the consequent fragility of its productive structure, which is greatly concentrated in low worth products and/or in mid level properties from the structuralist thought. Moreover, it presents the perspectives of a nucleus of knowledge from the viewpoint of the Economics of Innovation and considerations on forms of funding for introduction of new technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cooperation among firms in a network form has been stressed as an alternative organizational configuration in response to recent economic transformation. The increased number of initiatives and the empirical research scarcity on the network formation in Brazil motivated the present study. The main objective of this paper is to comprehend the factors which effect the establishment of network cooperation in the Southern Brazilian context. In order to achieve this objective a quantitative research was carried out with 443 enterprise representatives, associated to 120 cooperation networks. The empirical data were collected by the researchers in 2005 and statistically processed through a conjoint analysis. The results confirmed the theoretical propositions built by the researchers, appointing the relevance of factors, such as learning and innovation, increased scale and market power, and access to solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista de Economia e Administração is the property of INSPER Instituto de Ensino e Pesquisa and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The recent behavior of the Brazilian direct investment abroad in perspective. This paper analyzes the recent behavior of the Brazilian direct investment abroad, as captured by an annual census conducted by the Central Bank of Brazil since 2001, by putting it in a broader perspective that includes international official data sources and early sample studies. Though the Central Bank has not been making available more disaggregated data than those analyzed here, it is intended to contribute to a better grasping of the perspectives of competitive internationalization of local firms, which is desirable not only as far as the external accounts are concerned, but also from the viewpoint of the technological capabilities of the local firms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Ibero-Americana de Estratégia (RIAE) is the property of Revista Ibero-Americana de Estrategia/UNINOVE and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This article presents a working definition of 'competitiveness' and 'social capabilities' which should be taken into consideration when dealing with industrializing countries that are facing the challenges and opportunities of the ICT techno-economic paradigm. Empirical evidence from nine production and innovation 'arrangements' in Brazil are used in order to indicate the need for public policy, so that these challenges can be properly managed and the opportunities fully captured at a time of intense competition in the world market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The common bean crop (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) occupies 5.5 million hectares in Brazil and provides about 30% of the population’s protein needs. Yield remains low mainly due to limited availability of N and P, and to the often acid soil conditions. Surprisingly, there have been only very limited studies in Brazil in which the isolation and evaluation of efficient N2-fixing bean strains has been attempted. This paper reports the selection of bean rhizobia for the “Cerrados”, the savannas that represent one-fourth of Brazilian land. Two-hundred strains were selected from large pink-colored nodules collected in the Cerrados region and biological nitrogen fixation was evaluated under optimal (27/21 °C, day/night) and high (37/21 °C) temperature conditions. Thirty-six strains were selected and their nitrogen-fixing capacity and competitiveness further evaluated with black-seeded “Negro Argel”, and colored “Carioca” cultivars. One-fifth of the strains showed low genetic stability of nodulation genes, but some strains were as or more competitive than the strains currently recommended for use in commercial bean inoculants in Brazil. The superior performance of five strains was confirmed under field conditions and re-inoculation in the second year increased bean yield. The DNA fingerprintings obtained by the ERIC–REP-PCR analyses indicated a high level of genetic diversity, and among the 36 strains, six different patterns of RFLP-PCR of the 16S rRNA gene region were detected. The 16S rDNA sequences of the most efficient and competitive strains were genetically similar to Rhizobium tropici, suggesting that further studies on inoculant strains in the hot and acid soils of the Brazilian Cerrados and Africa should emphasize this species. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The construction of innovative environments has been understood as one of the basic conditions for sustaining and expanding the competitive capacity of organizations. This work proposes to fill gaps in the studies about innovativeness effects on competitiveness in emerging countries specifically from the electric and electronic industry perspective. The innovativeness was analysed from three first-order constructs: organizational learning, predisposition for innovation and innovation diffusivity. Competitiveness was studied by performance. The cross-section data were collected through a survey with 102 executives from the supply network of the Brazilian electrical and electronic industry and were analysed using descriptive statistics and partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) techniques. The results indicate that there is a significant positive relationship between innovativeness and competitiveness, highlighting the robustness of two factors (predisposition for innovation and innovation diffusivity), and the three first-order constructs are significant predictors of competitiveness. The theoretical and managerial implications recommend knowledge-sharing practices, technical qualification and management incentive to people's innovative attitude as a basis for building innovative environments and expanding competitiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper addresses the theme of accessibility and digital inclusion in Brazil, having as research territory the city of Campo Grande in Mato Grosso do Sul, which is compared to the city of Busan in South Korea. The research's objective is to investigate the main differences between the two countries, regarding investments in accessibility and digital inclusion in the respective cities, and its consequences for the society and economy. Using a descriptive–comparative methodology, the data surveyed were used to describe the quality of services offered in each city. As for the results, they converge to the fact that the benefits of technology and governance in tune with education and societal needs, improve competitiveness rankings of the country, besides promoting the improvement of social relations and economic growth. • Comparison between Brazil and South Korea. • Differences in competitiveness between Brazil and South Korea. • The challenges of development in Brazil and Campo Grande. • How Campo Grande can become a smart city. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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We trace the coevolution of industrial organization and the ideas and policies that have influenced Britain’s industrial development from Alfred Marshall’s pioneering work on the English industrial districts to the present. Then, we examine four contemporary districts — in footwear, motorsport, sparkling wine, and cyber security — that are internationally competitive, despite decades of ill-informed policy choices, if not neglect. We also investigate the case of British elite sport as a high-performance industrial cluster with potentially transferrable institutional arrangements, particularly with regard to the nature and role of the strategic lead body and the state, as well as relationships within the system. We conclude that Marshall’s methodological and theoretical approach to understanding industrial organization — and his belief that industrial districts would coexist with other forms of industrial organization (rather than be superseded by them) — helps to explain the dynamism of contemporary British industrial districts, with important implications for Britain’s industrial revitalization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Copyright of Revista da Universidade Vale do Rio Verde is the property of UNINCOR - Universidade Vale do Rio Verde and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This article aims to survey the evolution of technology policy in Brazil from its inception to the mid 1990s, paying particular at- tention to the impact of rapid trade and market liberalisation. The analy- sis reveals that the onset of liberalisation has done relatively little to intensify attempts to become more technologically self-reliant or capable. Instead, long established modes of technological acquisition and de- velopment–based on imported basic designs and minor local adaptations– have stubbornly remained in place. The very persistence of this situation is suggestive of the scale of institutional and policy changes which would need to be wrought in order to induce greater technological dynamism. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]