Com base em estudos teóricos e ilustrado com análises que representam a prática, este trabalho visa a contribuir para a discussão a respeito da importância da estratégia para o desenvolvimento das empresas, em especial as de médio porte. Apontando as diferenças e aplicações das várias correntes existentes sobre o assunto, busca identificar as dificuldades enfrentadas pelas empresas na sua implementação. Este tema vem sendo abordado com base, principalmente, em duas correntes. A primeira, baseada na noção de equilíbrio de mercado, onde se destacam a Teoria de Posicionamento Estratégico e a Teoria Baseada nos Recursos. A segunda corrente é associada a uma visão dinâmica de mercado, onde se destacam a Teoria de Processos de Mercado e a Teoria das Capacidades Dinâmicas, na qual inclui-se a Teoria da Competição Baseada em Competência (RUAS; ANTONELLO; BOFF, 2005). A Teoria de Posicionamento Estratégico ganhou força na década de 70, com o trabalho de Porter, e coloca as decisões estratégicas de forma dependente de fatores exógenos, onde os diferenciais competitivos das empresas estão vinculados à sua capacidade de adaptação aos setores onde estão inseridas. A Teoria Baseada em Recursos nasceu a partir das ideias de Penrose (1959) e foi desenvolvida por Barney e Hesterly (1991) e atribuía as vantagens competitivas das empresas aos seus recursos e sua capacidade de utilizá-los de forma ótima. A Teoria da Competição Baseada em Competência aborda as capacidades das organizações para sustentar alocações coordenadas de recursos a fim de atingir os seus objetivos. Esta Teoria nasceu a partir do trabalho de Prahalad e Hamel (1995), que criaram o conceito de Core Competence. Tomando como base teórica a Teoria de Posicionamento Estratégico e a Teoria Baseada em Recursos, restringindo a análise sobre competências à premissa de que a capacidade de utilização ótima de recursos pode ser identificada como tal, foi possível, a partir da análise dos relatos resultantes das reuniões com gestores de 4 empresas de médio porte com atuação em segmentos diferentes, concluir que, apesar das diferenças conceituais, não há evidências de que alguma das abordagens seja totalmente inválida ou negada pelas demais. Suas influências nas estratégias corporativas são de ordens distintas e o grande desafio de obter resultados superiores demanda profundo conhecimento e, principalmente, análise de como a empresa está trabalhando cada uma das dimensões apresentadas. / Based on theoretical studies and illustrated with case studies, this study aims at contributing to the discussion about the importance of the strategy for companies' development, especially medium-sized companies. Pointing out the differences and applications of various existing tendencies on the subject, and the difficulties faced by companies in their implementation. This theme has been approached mainly on the basis of two tendencies. The first, based on the notion of market equilibrium, where we highlight the Strategic Positioning Theory and the Resource-Based Theory. The second tendency is associated with a dynamic view of the market, where we highlight the Market Process Theory and the Dynamic Capabilities Theory, which includes the Theory of Competence-Based Competition (RUAS; ANTONELLO; BOFF, 2005). The Strategic Positioning Theory gained momentum in the 70s, with the works of Porter, and puts the strategic decisions dependent on exogenous factors, where the competitive advantages of companies are linked to its ability to adapt to the sectors where they are inserted. The Resource-Based Theory sprang from the ideas of Penrose (1959) and was developed by Barney and Hesterly (1991) and attributed the competitive advantages of companies to their resources and their ability to use them optimally. The Theory of Competence-Based Competition addresses the capacity of organizations to support coordinated allocation of resources to achieve their goals. This theory rose from the works of Prahalad and Hamel (1995), who created the concept of Core Competence. Taking into account the Strategic Positioning Theory and the Resource-Based Theory as the theoretical basis, restricting the analysis on competences to the premise that the ability to optimal use of resources can be identified as such, it was possible, from the analysis of reports arising from meetings with managers from 3 midsize companies with operations in different segments, it was concluded that, despite the conceptual differences, there is no evidence that any of the approaches is totally invalid or denied by other. Their influence on corporate strategies are of different orders and the great challenge of obtaining superior results demand a deep understanding and, especially, an analysis of how the company is working each of the shown dimensions.

Com base na relação entre a literatura de capacidades dinâmicas e os estudos de inovação, argumenta-se nesse trabalho que a capacidade de inovação é sustentada pelo desenvolvimento constante das diferentes capacidades da empresa: de desenvolvimento tecnológico; de operação; de gestão e de transação. Sendo assim, essa pesquisa teve como objetivo investigar de que forma uma decisão estratégica de mudança voltada para a inovação influencia a reconfiguração destas capacidades das empresas. Para tanto, foi realizado um estudo de casos em empresas dos setores moveleiro e têxtil, considerados como de baixa intensidade tecnológica. Os dois casos foram analisados separadamente e depois comparados, buscando semelhanças que ampliassem a compreensão do fenômeno da reconfiguração nas capacidades a partir de uma decisão estratégica que buscava a inovação. Os resultados sugerem que a integração entre as diferentes capacidades e a reconfiguração estratégica das capacidades substantivas explicam as inovações produzidas pelas empresas. As principais conclusões são: que há uma relação entre as capacidades de desenvolvimento e de transação; que na reconfiguração decorrente de decisões estratégicas orientadas para a inovação a capacidade predominante na empresa é a menos alterada; e que as capacidades substantivas da empresa exercem influências positivas entre si na reconfiguração dos seus recursos internos. A contribuição deste estudo está em relacionar as capacidades substantivas com as decisões estratégicas que são características das capacidades dinâmicas, operacionalizando este conceito pela junção com um modelo que explica a capacidade de inovação. A limitação da pesquisa reside na concentração em apenas um tipo de inovação. Estudos futuros que incluam a análise de decisões estratégicas que resultem em inovações tecnológicas, gerenciais e de produção podem ampliar a compreensão do fenômeno. Estudos setoriais qualitativos usando as conclusões como proposições teóricas podem possibilitar generalizar os resultados. / This research relates the literature of dynamic capabilities with the studies on innovation capability, and assumes that innovation capability is supported by the constant development of the different capabilities of the company and, therefore, seeks to identify the influence of a strategic decision focused on innovation in the process of changing enterprises´ different capabilities: technology development; operation; managerial and transactional. A multiple case study in firms of the furniture and textile industry, considered low- technologic intensity firms was conducted to reach the research goals. The two cases were analyzed separately and then compared, looking for similarities that would broaden the understanding of the phenomenon. The results suggest that the integration between the different capabilities and strategic reconfiguration of substantive capabilities explain the innovations produced by firms. The main conclusions are that there is a relationship between technology development and transaction capability, due to the reconfiguration of innovation oriented to prevailing capacity in strategic business decisions is the least influenced, and that the substantive company's capabilities exert positive influences between itself in the reconfiguration of its internal resources. The contribution of this study is to relate the substantive capabilities with the strategic decisions that are characteristics of dynamic capabilities, operationalizing this concept in combination with a model that explains innovation capability. The limitation of the research is the concentration on only one type of innovation. Future studies including the analysis of strategic decisions that result in technological, managerial and production innovations can broaden the understanding of the phenomenon. Sector studies using qualitative conclusions as theoretical propositions can enable to generalize the results.

Recent literature on economic geography suggests the emergence of a new theory of advantage for the 21st century - constructed advantage - following absolute, comparative and competitive advantage theories in the previous three centuries. However, current definitions and descriptions of this construct suffer from conceptual ambiguity and unclear distinstion from former theories, in particular competitive advantage. This study attempts to clarify current knowledge of the concept of constructed advantage at the regional level and extend it to the organizational level. The main question addressed by the present study are: 1) What is "Constructed Advantage?" and 2) What are the differences between construcyed advantage and competitive advantage? These research questions are "what-type"questions, reflecting the exploratory nature of this study. The present study is grounded in a chronological review of the four refered theories of advantage, drawing from different bodies od literature - internatioal economics, industrial economics, industrial marketing and purchasing, and economic geography. For that purpose, the bibliography was carefully selected and analysed, without directly refering to data collection and analysis. Thus, this research is exclusively theoretical. A structured view of the theories of advantage is proposed. These theories are arranged according to an integrative matrix model with two dimensions, relating four centuries of advantages theories. Industrial marketing and purchasing proponents see business relationships as a network of suppliersand customers, thus suggesting a distinction between supply and demand, the two dimensions of the matrix. Economic goegraphers and strategists argue in favor of a more dynamic approach to the "construction" of advantage, which suggests the existence of a static-dynamic dichotony. Given this model, we then redefine constructed advantage. This study concludes with a discussion of implications (...)

Sustainable development reduces construction waste by 43%, generating 50% cost savings. Residential construction executives lacking adequate knowledge regarding the benefits of sustainable development practices are at a competitive disadvantage. Drawing from the diffusion of innovation theory, the purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore knowledge acquisition within the bounds of sustainable residential construction. The purposive sample size of 11 executive decision makers fulfilled the sample size requirements and enabled the extraction of meaningful data. Participants were members of the National Home Builders Association and had experience of a minimum of 5 years in residential construction. The research question addressed how to improve knowledge acquisition relating to the cost benefits of building green homes and increase the adoption rate of sustainable development among residential builders. Data were collected via semistructured telephone interviews, field observation, and document analysis. Transcribed data were validated via respondent validation, coded into 5 initial categories aligned to the focus of the research, then reduced to 3 interlocking themes of environment, competitive advantage, and marketing. Recommendations include developing comprehensive public policies, horizontal and vertical communications networks, and green banks to capitalize sustainable development programs to improve the diffusion of green innovation as a competitive advantage strategy. Business leaders could benefit from this data by integrating sustainable development practices into their business processes. Sustainable development reduces operational costs, increases competitive advantage for builders, and reduces greenhouse gas emissions. Implications for social change increase energy independence through conservation and developing a legislative policy template for comprehensive energy strategies. A comprehensive energy strategy promotes economic development, technological gains in all business sectors within the energy industry, and reduces energy costs for consumers.

Research Doctorate - Doctor of Philosphy (PhD) / Over the last three decades there has been increasing pressure from stakeholders on businesses to be environmentally responsible. Business organisations cannot help but take this consideration seriously because it has a far-reaching impact on their very survival. This research is intended to bring insights into how and why a business’s management responds to environmental pressure from stakeholders. How a business responds to its stakeholders is known as environmental strategy. In addition, this study also investigates how proactiveness in implementation of each type of environmental strategy impacts on a business’s environmental effectiveness and competitive advantage. In Malaysia palm oil is the most important agricultural commodity in the country, and contributes substantially to the economy. Unfortunately, its activities are not without environmental costs. Deforestation, depletion of flora and fauna, excessive use of chemicals, air and water pollution are the results of the industry’s activity. But due to stakeholders’ pressures, the industry has embraced environmental management in its activities, albeit at a slow pace. Against this background, this study seeks to investigate the efficacy of corporate environmentalism, using a number of palm oil companies as case studies. This study is paramount as no such study has previously been conducted in Malaysia. The Malaysian palm oil industry offers an interesting case for studying corporate environmentalism in developing countries. Using a mixed-methods or triangulation of analysis of nine palm oil companies, which are listed on the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange, as case studies, this research investigates the environmental practices of the palm oil companies, and the relationship of these practices with stakeholders’ pressures, environmental effectiveness and competitive advantages. The results of the study reveal that three levels of overall environmental strategy are adopted by the participating palm oil companies. They are labelled by the researcher as minimalists - four companies; intermediators - two companies; and proactivists - three companies. The minimalists refer to companies that exercised the lowest environmental strategy, while the proactivists are those who exercised the highest environmental strategy. The intermediators are in the middle, that is, those companies that seem to be in the early stage of becoming proactivists, but have yet to achieve such a level. The proactivists were classified as those who exercised a proactive strategy, but both intermediators and minimalists exercised a reactive environmental strategy. In terms of the relationship between environmental proactiveness and stakeholders’ pressure it was found that the management of the more proactive companies tended to perceive a wider range of threats from environmental stakeholders compared with reactive companies. Apart from regulatory stakeholders, they also perceived pressure from primary stakeholders, especially their top management, as well as secondary stakeholders including ENGOs, competitors, and the media. On the contrary, reactive companies only perceived threats from regulatory stakeholders. Not only did proactivists differ in terms of stakeholders’ pressure, they were at the same time perceived to be more environmentally effective and to gain more competitive advantages than less proactive companies. Based on the research findings it seems there is a significant positive correlation between a proactive environmental strategy and both environmental effectiveness and competitive advantage among Malaysian palm oil companies. In this study measurement of the environmental strategies and environmental effectiveness was solely based on a triangulation of surveys (seven-point scale items) and in-depth interviews. In order to increase the validity of the study, future researchers need to triangulate these data with other quantitative data. For instance, at a company level, a company’s resources can be measured based on its financial statistics such as sales, net profit, return on investment, and the amount spend on research and development. Moreover, the environmental effectiveness of a mill can be measured in terms of monthly data of biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), of palm oil mill effluents and Ringelmann Chart of air emissions, and the amount of money expended on de-sludging for certain periods of time. In both plantations and mills, future researchers can gather data related to environmental accidents, fines and court cases. The key findings of this research are instructive. The majority of the participating palm oil companies in Malaysia adopted reactive environmental strategies. Only a few adopted proactive environmental strategies, and they were more likely to exercise environmental practices at strategic and tactical levels such as top management involvement in environmental issues as well as deploying environmental management systems which mostly related to the bottom line of their businesses. Serious attention towards the destruction of the tropical rainforest as a result of their activities is lacking among participating companies.

From 1995 the Internet attracted commercial investment, but financially measurable benefits and competitive advantage proved elusive. Usage for personal communication and business information only slowly translated into commercial transactions. This reflects a unique feature of Internet development. Unlike other media of the 19th and 20th centuries, widespread Internet use preceded commercial investment. The early military and research use led to an architecture that poorly supported the certainty and security requirements of commercial transactions. Subsequent attempts to align this architecture with commercial transactional requirements were expensive and mostly unsuccessful. This multi-disciplinary thesis describes these commercial factors from historical, usage, technical, regulatory and commercial perspectives. It provides a new and balanced understanding in a subject area dominated by poor communication between separate perspectives.

台灣今天所面對的國際競爭壓力與經營困境不是突然發生的，觀察台灣高科技產業獲利能力的持續下滑現象，企業經營者早就應該想到，台灣代工製造模式要如何繼續發展下去？透過對台灣網路通訊設備產業持續性競爭優勢之探討，分析企業的競爭策略，期望協助台灣廠商及投資大眾在對的時間做對的決定，讓台灣產業掌握提升價值及持續成長的契機，強化獨特的優勢與資源，增進國際競爭力。 學術上有許多篇論文探討網通產業競爭優勢，並建議很多的策略，網通業為了成長與獲利，必然採取類似的競爭策略，但近年來產業獲利結果卻呈現衰退，這是大部分台灣電子代工業的宿命嗎？是否台灣品牌廠商仍有持續的競爭優勢？本研究將依據相關理論，從獲利能力來看企業的績效變化，從競爭優勢來探討企業獨特能耐、資源與經營策略的差距，並從未來產業發展趨勢來看台灣企業應如何改變或加強策略，才能開創或持續其競爭優勢。 以台灣網通產業而言，品牌廠商過去的超額利潤，隨著經營環境的改變，成功要件不復存在，勢必調整商業獲利模式；而取得被重要供應鏈整合的代工業者，保有較低的代工利潤，加上深耕研發及製程技術，在市場需求增溫時，發揮規模經濟的低成本優勢，因此較具持續性競爭優勢。 依本研究發現即便網通業有機會創造出未來黃金十年，隨產品售價與獲利下滑後，台灣網通產業的淨獲利率只在3%至4%之間，建議各企業依據所處的競爭形勢，適度調整經營策略，方可提升或維持其競爭優勢。 / Observing the phenomenon of continuous declining profitability in Taiwan’s high-tech industry, enterprises in Taiwan should have long anticipated that functioning businesses nowadays face higher difficulties in sustaining international competitive advantage. How Taiwan’s Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) involves in development process should be taken into prior consideration. Analyzing the competitive strategy of Taiwan’s network communications equipment industry, not only allows the industry to strengthen its values and enhance the efficiency of interior resources; it can also help investors grasp the right timing in making investing decision. In order to gain profit and growth, most competitors in the industry chose to yield a similar operating strategy when confronting its rival. However, as the issue of deteriorating profitability rise to the surface, it is necessary to reconsider the options. Can major Taiwanese brand companies maintain its competitive advantage? Based on relevant theories, this research will evaluate alterations in business performance though profitability and estimate business competitiveness according to the difference in resources and operating strategies. In addition, this study will give suggestion on how to create or strengthen competitive advantage in perspective of future industrial trends. In the past, brand companies in the CNC industry had excessing profits. However, due to changes in business environment, the elements of past success no longer exist and companies are focus to adjust their profitability formula; the companies that were integrated into key supply chains are able to maintain low OEM margins, achieve economies of scale when market demand rises though their R&D bedrock and manufacturing technology. This study reveals that even the Network industry has the opportunity to create its golden years. Due to declining sale prices and profitability, Taiwan CNC industry's net profit is merely 3% to 4%, therefore companies are recommended to base on its current competitive position, moderately adjust its business strategy, to enhance or maintain their competitive advantage.

<p></p><p><strong>Title:</strong> Competitive Strategies of Ethnic Food Companies in Sweden</p><p><strong>Authors:</strong> Düriye Canbaz – Aktuğ Yılmaz</p><p><strong>Instructor:</strong> Prafulla Acharya</p><p><strong>Course:</strong> EFO 705-Master Thesis</p><p><strong>Date:</strong> 25/05/2009</p><p><strong>Introduction:</strong> Sweden has a population of 9.1 million habitants and approximately 1.2 million people or 13% of the Swedish population consists of foreign nationalities or individuals born abroad. If the second generation is included in the consideration then the number increases to approximately 1.6 million which in the end corresponds to over 17% of the total population. (Market Brief Focus on Swedish Market, 2007, p.3) Under such circumstances, it is not unusual to see demand for ethnic food. During the last few years, ethnic food products have experienced a very positive market trend and the development is a reflection of both the increasing number of immigrants and native Swedes increasing interest in ethnic foods. (Ibid, p.6) “<em>Several years ago, immigrants constituted the principal consumer group of ethnic foods, but this has changed over the years</em>” that “<em>Swedish consumers are now more and more regarded as the main consumer group of ethnic foods</em>” (Ibid, p.6) Under such circumstances, the competition among the companies rise that companies try to raise their level of competitiveness. Doing so, companies adopt some strategies and develop some competences to outperform the rivals.</p><p><strong>Problem: </strong>How to compete in Swedish ethnic food stuff industry?</p><p>Sub questions;</p><p>-          What competitive strategies should be carried out?</p><p>-          What competences and competitive advantages should be developed?</p><p> </p><p><strong>Purpose:</strong> The aim of this thesis is to identify the competitive strategies of existent ethnic food stuff companies in Sweden in order to set a success model for the new entrants as a guideline. To be able to set a clear model the distinctive competences of the companies on which strategies are constructed will be identified.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>In this dissertation we used both primary and the secondary data. The primary data that we used consists of interviews that we made with the informants from the ethnic food stuff companies and retailers. The secondary data that is used in the thesis generally consists of resources that are relevant and valid such as reports from Swedish Chambers, European Union and reports from United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) as well as some dissertations from Swedish universities.</p><p><strong>Analysis and Conclusions: </strong>In Swedish ethnic food market both market structure and companies’ resources play important role in the shaping of competitive strategies. Case companies Laroc AB and Sevan AB follows the product differentiation strategy. Companies differentiate in quality, price and product variety. Also, they follow special strategies in branding and target different consumers groups. We recommend to new entrants to follow Sevan’s strategy in the short time which is providing well known brands from Middle Eastern region. However, in the long run, we recommend them to follow Laroc’s strategy which is generally based on creating its own brand name. One of the other recommendations we have for the new entrants is working with the independent stores that are not explored by the other ethnic food stuff companies. Another recommendation that we have for new entrants is the processed food and ready meal products. In the market for Middle Eastern processed food and ready meal products, there is a limited range of products. Ethnic food market is changing, as the only thing that does not change is change itself. Ethnic food is losing its ethnicity as it gets appreciated by the consumers and embeds into culture. Thus, both current competitors and new entrants should be aware of the changes and orient themselves accordingly.</p><p> </p>

<p>The main objective of this thesis is to understand why there is imbalance of exchange students of Sweden and Thailand. We have analyzed the interviewed data of Swedish students who had experience of studying at universities in Thailand. Our research has revealed the factors and issues behind the imbalance situation. After analyzing factors we have proposed some recommendations in order to improve the pedagogy to increase the number of Swedish students deciding to study at Universities in Thailand so that the exchange imbalance could be reduced. Furthermore, we have proposed a favor product package for Swedish students that can help them to decide to study in Thailand.</p>

<p> </p><p>The main objective of this thesis is to understand why there is imbalance of exchange students of Sweden and Thailand. We have analyzed the interviewed data of Swedish students who had experience of studying at universities in Thailand. Our research has revealed the factors and issues behind the imbalance situation. After analyzing factors we have proposed some recommendations in order to improve the pedagogy to increase the number of Swedish students deciding to study at Universities in Thailand so that the exchange imbalance could be reduced. Furthermore, we have proposed a favor product package for Swedish students that can help them to decide to study in Thailand.</p><p> </p>