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The purpose of this paper is to comment on the article by Forrester-Jones and Carvalho and examine some issues on notions of disability in Brazil.

Analysis of the specialized literature and a critical appraisal of key issues regarding notions of disability in Brazil.

The authors focus on three issues: what could be characterized as learning disability in Brazil and how social movements, institutions and public policies shape and are shaped by local conceptions of disability; the limits of individual autonomy, independence and freedom in the case of learning disabilities and the social and historical particularities of the Brazilian case; and the role of the APAES and Pestalozzi Society both as a site of social exclusion and, more recently, as a source of expertise in the movement toward the development of “inclusive special education.”

The commentary highlights some of the complexities of the local field of disability in Brazil.

This teaching case was based on both primary and secondary sources of information. An interview with the entrepreneur and protagonist of the case was conducted, recorded and fully transcribed. Also, secondary data (digital and print media) were obtained from the interviewee, before, during and after the interview, as well as on governmental, institutional and company websites.

The Ninho da Águia Farm is a family business located in Minas Gerais and specialized in coffee production. Although founded in 1969 by Aides Gomes Monteiro, it was only when his surfer son Clayton Barbosa Monteiro took over the business that the small farm started focusing on specialty coffee, quality beans and international markets. With no formal education, Clayton managed to implement several managerial, organizational and strategic changes in the company, including its internationalization. Understanding the logic behind the development of the farm can help students understand several important concepts in International Business in relation to international entrepreneurs and effectuation/causation decision-making logics.

This teaching case was designed for graduate courses in international business/international strategy. But because of the richness of the case, it could also be used in other courses (e.g. marketing or international marketing). However, should this be the case, different teaching notes would be necessary.

Students should learn gradual process of internationalization and commitment; reasons for internationalization; and role of networks.

This case is about Bazzar, a small company that sells sauces, toppings and desserts made only with high-quality Brazilian ingredients. The case dilemma refers to market entry strategies and commitment, although other IB topics are addressed.

Originally designed for MBA courses.

CSS 5: International Business

Teaching Notes are available for educators only.

Starting from the knowledge-based view as a theoretical perspective, this study aims to examine how an emerging market multinational enterprise (EMMNE) engages in reverse knowledge transfer (RKT) processes and how such processes are managed by headquarters. Therefore, this paper captures the perspective of top management concerning RKT and the processes used to create, transfer and integrate knowledge.

The study uses a longitudinal design based on the case method of investigation. The case selected for the study was a Brazilian company theoretically sampled for being a domestically, regionally and globally important, information-rich company that operates in an industry in which technology plays a crucial role. The company was also selected for having had asset-seeking motives in at least some of its foreign market entries and for having successfully absorbed foreign-acquired capabilities.

The study provides counterfactual evidence to the springboard perspective, considering timing and speed of the internationalization and catch-up processes and the size of acquisitions. The study also highlights differences to other emerging market multinational enterprises, concerning the internationalization trajectory and catch-up moves, and to traditional MNEs, regarding RKT challenges and practices.

The main limitations of the study relate to the case study method, which does not allow for statistical generalization, although it does support analytical generalization.

The study contributes to the literature by shedding light on the process by which a Latin American multinational firm developed technological capabilities to compete globally, focusing on the symbiotic, self-nurturing relationship between internationalization processes and technology acquisition and integration processes. Moreover, the work provides novel theoretical insights regarding timing, location, size and execution of the RKT activities. Finally, the paper contributes to the understanding of the relational aspects of the RKT process by focusing on building human relationships as the major force behind knowledge integration and examining the resistance of the acquired companies from developed markets to adopt the parent company’s best practices, or to contribute to its integrated knowledge, when the parent company is an EMMNE.

To identify the instruments and organizational mechanisms that provide the development of the innovative capacities of companies that (i) no longer work with technology-based incubators, and (ii) are associated with the community universities of the state of Rio Grande do Sul.

Empirical research, qualitative approach and descriptive nature, conducted through multiple case studies in 21 companies from IEBTs in the state of Rio Grande do Sul. Data were organized and analyzed through content analysis.

Results show that the development of IC occurred through behaviors and skills, routines and processes and mechanisms of learning and knowledge governance that support the development of product, process and behavioral dimensions. It became evident that the companies that are emerging from IEBTs need innovation capacity to survive in the market. These innovations are related to product, process and behavioral innovations.

The study cannot be generalized to other segments, since it was restricted to a set of IEBT egress companies, with specific realities and based on the perception of the managers of these companies.

The mechanisms and instruments for the development of innovative capacity can be used by companies from different sectors to make them more competitive before the current economic scenario.

It is justified by the scarcity of studies related to the dynamic capacity component (DC) elements, constituting a theoretical gap regarding the innovative capacity.

The purpose of this paper is to examine gender issues in Brazil from the perceptions, experiences, and discourses of professional women in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo.

The study is based on 26 in-depth interviews with female professionals. The methodology consists of an exploratory approach through content analysis.

Despite the fact that Brazil demonstrates an idealized national ethos that promotes equality, gender roles are still very traditional. Participants recognized gender issues at work, including covert discrimination, though most did not acknowledge experiencing them personally.

There is dissonance between global trends and the actual experience of female professionals in Brazil. Although participants rejected the idea of personally experiencing inequality, they acknowledge its existence in human resources (HR) practices. This leads to a self-fulfilling prophecy where gender inequality is perpetuated and organizations and HR departments do not seem to have a proactive role as change agents.

The aim of this paper was to analyze the role of the Cooperative of Farmers and Fishermen of the Lago do Cuniã Extractive Reserve (COOPCUNIÃ) in the inclusion of residents in the caiman meat value chain in Porto Velho, Brazil.

A total of six interviews were conducted with key actors to investigate the research problem in the Lago do Cuniã EXRES, namely the president and project advisor of the cooperative, two extractivist members of the cooperative and two non-member residents. The key actors were selected based on the following criteria: being over 18 years old, residing within the reserve and having participated in some stage of the caiman meat value chain.

The results demonstrate that the cooperative contributes to the inclusion of extractivist residents in the value chain, income generation and poverty reduction, enabling the production and marketing of caiman meat. Additionally, it overcomes challenges and improves the quality of life of the local population.

This study emphasizes the social and economic benefits for isolated regions with low productive development. For public policymakers, the results demonstrate that inclusion has enabled access to technology and markets. For the cooperative, it showcases actions oriented towards development, social inclusion and quality of life.

The originality of the article lies in the analysis of the role of a value chain within an environmental protection area in the Amazon, balancing economic, social and environmental factors.

O objetivo foi analisar o papel da Cooperativa dos Agricultores e Pescadores da Reserva Extrativista Lago do Cuniã (COOPCUNIÃ) na inclusão dos moradores na cadeia de valor da carne de jacaré em Porto Velho, Brasil.

Foram realizadas 06 (seis) entrevistas com atores-chave para investigar o problema de pesquisa na RESEX Lago do Cuniã, a saber: o presidente e o assessor de projetos da cooperativa, dois extrativistas cooperados e dois moradores não cooperados. Os atores-chave foram selecionados com base nos seguintes critérios: ser maior de 18 anos, residir na reserva e ter participado de alguma etapa da cadeia de valor da carne de jacaré.

Os resultados demonstram que a cooperativa contribui para a inclusão dos extrativistas na cadeia de valor, com a geração de renda e redução da pobreza, viabilizando a produção e comercialização da carne de jacaré. Além disso, supera desafios e melhora a qualidade de vida da população local.

Este estudo enfatiza os benefícios sociais e econômicos para regiões isoladas e com baixo desenvolvimento produtivo. Para os formuladores de políticas públicas, os resultados demonstram que a inclusão possibilitou o acesso à tecnologia e aos mercados. Para a cooperativa, mostra ações voltadas para o desenvolvimento, inclusão social e qualidade de vida.

A originalidade do artigo está na análise do papel de uma cadeia de valor dentro de uma área de proteção ambiental na Amazônia, equilibrando fatores econômicos, sociais e ambientais.

The purpose of this work is to explore what determines a country’s entrepreneurial environment attractiveness, by understanding how countries compare regarding their business environment and entrepreneurial opportunities and whether such aspects have changed over time.

Through a longitudinal country-level cluster analysis of business environments (years 2001 and 2016), this study captures changes in classification of both emerging and developed market economies throughout an attractiveness spectrum, from least to most attractive environments.

Interesting findings involve the difference in trajectories of emerging economies, such as India compared to the stagnation of Brazil, Argentina and South Korea in the 15-year period. The paper seeks to contribute to the debate on the attractiveness of the entrepreneurial environment beyond the simple notion of most and least economically developed countries by providing a framework for dynamic cross-country analysis of entrepreneurial environmental attractiveness that can be further explored, tested and expanded.

Main limitations relate to the non-exhaustive sample of countries and variables. Contributions are both academic and managerial: helping to fill important research gaps in international entrepreneurship, namely, environmental conditions, cross-country comparisons (Coombs et al., 2009) and the understanding of elements of the investment climate (Stern, 2002); and assisting managers, entrepreneurs and policymakers understand what defines a country’s entrepreneurial environment attractiveness to better evaluate potential locations for investment.

The originality of the paper lies in using cluster analysis in a longitudinal study of country attractiveness, as well as in advancing the debate of country attractiveness, by adding a temporal dimension (from factors that are less structural to more conjunctural) and a comparative dimension in a new cross-country comparison framework of analysis.

This study investigates how the extant literature approached the issue of small firms’ international market entry enabled by digital platforms.

The paper presents a systematic literature review of the internationalization of small firms using digital platforms. It includes only empirical papers from Scopus and Web of Science databases, covering 2016 to mid-2023.

The study provides both (1) a descriptive analysis of the selected papers, encompassing their temporal and spatial distribution, methods, theoretical perspectives and the type of platform examined and (2) a qualitative analysis of the articles’ content in a narrative review structure, culminating in an integrated framework of key findings and suggested research questions on the role of digital platforms in small firm internationalization.

There is still a very limited number of studies addressing the phenomenon, with several scholars recently calling for further research. This paper compiles, synthesizes, analyzes and integrates the empirical literature on SME internationalization enabled by digital platforms, offering possible future avenues to advance research.

The second decade of the twenty-first century finds Brazil racked by a series of scandals that are extreme even by world standards. This chapter presents an explanation for one of the behaviors that have produced these scandals. Specifically, it is the offering of bribes to public officials by individuals or companies that stand to benefit from contracts to perform public services and, furthermore, the paying of kickbacks to the officials if the contract is awarded. I liken this behavior to the making of vows to the saints in the “popular” or “folk” form of Catholicism – and other popular religions that accept its basic premises – and the fulfillment of the promise if and when the otherworldly being provides what the petitioner requested. Part 1 of the chapter examines an election for mayor of the city of Fortaleza in 2012 in which the office was “bought” for what seemed to be an exorbitant amount of money. I hypothesize that this is to be explained by the anticipation of the city receiving government contracts to build a soccer stadium, a rail system, and other projects related to the 2014 World Cup. In Part 2, I examine Brazil’s religions beginning with popular Catholicism, to show that the normative way of gaining something desired from a supernatural – be it the restoration of health or the recovery of a lost item – is to offer it something it values and then fulfilling the promise if and when the petitioner receives what was requested. I contend that this important religious pattern continues to provide the template for the secular behavior that is being judged to be corrupt by standards other than those found in the religiously based worldview of many Brazilians.