Yes / This study investigates how buyer-supplier interfirm networks with foreign affiliates affect the internationalization of local firms in developing countries. In a study of 1601 sub-Saharan African manufacturing firms, we find that foreign supply linkages positively influence firm internationalization, but this does not relate to marketing linkages. We further examine the role of absorptive capacity and find that both potential and realized absorptive capacity has positive and independent effects on firm internationalization. However, potential absorptive capacity has no moderating effect and realized absorptive capacity negatively moderates the relationship between foreign supplying networks and internationalization. Finally, implications for public policy and managerial practice are discussed.

This dissertation consists of three independent essays in Macroeconomics. The first essay analyzes monetary coordination between currency areas. It is shown that search frictions can generate the deviations from the law of one price and that each country is tempted to exploit these deviations by inflation. Monetary coordination eliminates the inefficiency caused by inflation. The welfare gains from coordination increase when the two economies become more integrated. In contrast to traditional models, the need for coordination exists even after each country is allowed to directly tax foreign holdings of its currency. The second essay studies the behavior of exchange rates in an environment with search frictions. In contrast to traditional models, even without any nominal rigidity, the model can generate enough volatility of exchange rates found in the data. The changes in the behavior of exchange rates under different regimes are also examined in this essay. The model shows a sharp increase in the volatility of exchange rates when moving from a pegged to a floating exchange regime, while there is no such systematic change in fluctuations of output or consumption. Moreover, the co-movements of output and consumption across countries are higher under a fixed rate regime than under a flexible rate regime. These results are consistent with empirical findings. The final essay focuses on the competition between groups of allied firms. In the essay we propose a model of group fitness and develop an approach to evaluate the fitness of groups and the utility of their member firms. A group has high fitness if member firms have four features: (i) high capacity, (ii) being embedded in dense relationships, (iii) holding complementary resources and (iv) having limited competition and conflict. We illustrate the effectiveness of our model and methodology by applying it to the airline groups between 1997 and 2002. By examining what really happened to the airline groups afterwards, we found that the predictions based on the comparison between the fitness scores of actual groups formed and those of the corresponding population constructed are reasonably accurate, and that the implications based on the ranking of individual firm utility within each group are generally supported.

This dissertation consists of three independent essays in Macroeconomics. The first essay analyzes monetary coordination between currency areas. It is shown that search frictions can generate the deviations from the law of one price and that each country is tempted to exploit these deviations by inflation. Monetary coordination eliminates the inefficiency caused by inflation. The welfare gains from coordination increase when the two economies become more integrated. In contrast to traditional models, the need for coordination exists even after each country is allowed to directly tax foreign holdings of its currency. The second essay studies the behavior of exchange rates in an environment with search frictions. In contrast to traditional models, even without any nominal rigidity, the model can generate enough volatility of exchange rates found in the data. The changes in the behavior of exchange rates under different regimes are also examined in this essay. The model shows a sharp increase in the volatility of exchange rates when moving from a pegged to a floating exchange regime, while there is no such systematic change in fluctuations of output or consumption. Moreover, the co-movements of output and consumption across countries are higher under a fixed rate regime than under a flexible rate regime. These results are consistent with empirical findings. The final essay focuses on the competition between groups of allied firms. In the essay we propose a model of group fitness and develop an approach to evaluate the fitness of groups and the utility of their member firms. A group has high fitness if member firms have four features: (i) high capacity, (ii) being embedded in dense relationships, (iii) holding complementary resources and (iv) having limited competition and conflict. We illustrate the effectiveness of our model and methodology by applying it to the airline groups between 1997 and 2002. By examining what really happened to the airline groups afterwards, we found that the predictions based on the comparison between the fitness scores of actual groups formed and those of the corresponding population constructed are reasonably accurate, and that the implications based on the ranking of individual firm utility within each group are generally supported.

Na literatura sobre redes empresariais é notada a importância de dois temas interligados: competitividade e gestão tecnológica. Atualmente, a competitividade interfirmas é dependente dos investimentos em tecnologias organizacionais realizados por empresas individuais que, por sua vez, estão baseados, primariamente, nos referenciais de comportamento da demanda. Em relação ao ambiente interno das empresas que compõem uma rede, os fatores de competitividade (que dependem dos referenciais de demanda) são usados como base para se determinar as \"melhores práticas\" e tecnologias organizacionais que podem otimizar o desempenho individual das empresas e, conseqüentemente, melhoram a competitividade interorganizacional. O estudo consiste na seguinte questão: em uma rede, em quais tecnologias as empresas devem investir para obterem um real aumento de competitividade sistêmica? Para isso, o presente trabalho propôs uma metodologia qualitativa e quantitativa para melhorar a competitividade de rede através de investimentos tecnológicos adequados. Normalmente, uma competitividade melhorada pode ser constatada através do aumento nas vendas de produtos, proporcionando, conseqüentemente, uma maior participação de mercado. Como sistemática de validação, o estudo de caso desenvolvido em uma rede interfirmas do setor citrícola serviu como laboratório da metodologia proposta, denominada de \"Metodologia de Análise Competitiva e Tecnológica\" (MACT). O principal resultado da aplicação da MACT é uma prescrição de tecnologias organizacionais para aumentar o desempenho de empresas individuais, bem como a competitividade de toda a rede. Portanto, esse trabalho contribui com a gestão de redes interfirmas através da determinação de investimentos em tecnologias que melhorem processos de negócio em uma perspectiva individual e coletiva. / In the business networks literature has been noticing the importance of two interlinked themes: competitiveness and technological management. Nowadays, the interfirm competitiveness is dependent of investments in organizational technologies accomplished by individual enterprises that, for its time, are based, primarily, in demand behavior patterns. In relation to internal ambient of companies that compose a network, the competitiveness factors (that depend of demand patterns) are used as references to determine the best practices and organizational technologies that can optimize the individual performance of enterprises and, consequently, improve the interorganizational competitiveness. The study consists of following question: in an interfirm network, in which technologies the companies should invest to obtain a real increase of systemic competitiveness? For that, the present work proposed a qualitative/quantitative methodology to improve the network competitiveness through appropriate technological investments. Usually, an improved competitiveness can be verified through the increase in the products sales, providing, consequently, a larger market share. As validation systematic, the case study developed in a interfirm network belonging to citrus segment served as laboratory of proposed methodology, denominated of \"Methodology of Competitive and Technological Analysis\" (MCTA). The main result of MCTA application is a prescription of organizational technologies toincrease the performance of individual firms, as well the whole network competitiveness. Therefore, this work contributes with the management of interfirm networks through determination of investments in technologies that improve business processes in individual and collective perspectives.

Na literatura sobre redes empresariais é notada a importância de dois temas interligados: competitividade e gestão tecnológica. Atualmente, a competitividade interfirmas é dependente dos investimentos em tecnologias organizacionais realizados por empresas individuais que, por sua vez, estão baseados, primariamente, nos referenciais de comportamento da demanda. Em relação ao ambiente interno das empresas que compõem uma rede, os fatores de competitividade (que dependem dos referenciais de demanda) são usados como base para se determinar as \"melhores práticas\" e tecnologias organizacionais que podem otimizar o desempenho individual das empresas e, conseqüentemente, melhoram a competitividade interorganizacional. O estudo consiste na seguinte questão: em uma rede, em quais tecnologias as empresas devem investir para obterem um real aumento de competitividade sistêmica? Para isso, o presente trabalho propôs uma metodologia qualitativa e quantitativa para melhorar a competitividade de rede através de investimentos tecnológicos adequados. Normalmente, uma competitividade melhorada pode ser constatada através do aumento nas vendas de produtos, proporcionando, conseqüentemente, uma maior participação de mercado. Como sistemática de validação, o estudo de caso desenvolvido em uma rede interfirmas do setor citrícola serviu como laboratório da metodologia proposta, denominada de \"Metodologia de Análise Competitiva e Tecnológica\" (MACT). O principal resultado da aplicação da MACT é uma prescrição de tecnologias organizacionais para aumentar o desempenho de empresas individuais, bem como a competitividade de toda a rede. Portanto, esse trabalho contribui com a gestão de redes interfirmas através da determinação de investimentos em tecnologias que melhorem processos de negócio em uma perspectiva individual e coletiva. / In the business networks literature has been noticing the importance of two interlinked themes: competitiveness and technological management. Nowadays, the interfirm competitiveness is dependent of investments in organizational technologies accomplished by individual enterprises that, for its time, are based, primarily, in demand behavior patterns. In relation to internal ambient of companies that compose a network, the competitiveness factors (that depend of demand patterns) are used as references to determine the best practices and organizational technologies that can optimize the individual performance of enterprises and, consequently, improve the interorganizational competitiveness. The study consists of following question: in an interfirm network, in which technologies the companies should invest to obtain a real increase of systemic competitiveness? For that, the present work proposed a qualitative/quantitative methodology to improve the network competitiveness through appropriate technological investments. Usually, an improved competitiveness can be verified through the increase in the products sales, providing, consequently, a larger market share. As validation systematic, the case study developed in a interfirm network belonging to citrus segment served as laboratory of proposed methodology, denominated of \"Methodology of Competitive and Technological Analysis\" (MCTA). The main result of MCTA application is a prescription of organizational technologies toincrease the performance of individual firms, as well the whole network competitiveness. Therefore, this work contributes with the management of interfirm networks through determination of investments in technologies that improve business processes in individual and collective perspectives.