Purpose. Supply chain visibility is among the top concerns expressed by many supply chain leaders. While the traditional enablers of supply chain visibility are information sharing, IT implementation, and relationships between supply chain partners; the role of global supply chain standards as an integral part of each of these enablers is often underestimated. The purpose of this thesis is to investigate the adoption and applicability of global supply chain standards within the provisions of supply chain visibility among various supply chain designs. Methodology. With the aim of theoretical replication, three case studies within the retail industry were conducted. Axfood and IKEA cases were analyzed as examples of opposite types of supply chain design and as companies with different degrees of implementation regarding their global data identification standards. The Clas Ohlson case was analyzed to illustrate a company with open paths in regards to its adoption of future global supply chain standards. In-depth, semi-structured interviews were performed directly with company representatives as well as with GS1, which is one of the assignors of this project. Finally, an analytical model for the potential adoption of global standards was developed. Findings. The results of case analysis clearly illustrate that global data identification standards are one of the pillars of supply chain visibility. Different practices of global standard adoption in different supply chain designs are explained by a different need for supply chain visibility among various supply chains. Moreover, the higher the degree of adoption of global standards, the higher the possibility of gaining strategic benefits. Practical implication. The model developed in this research aims to help logistics and supply chain managers estimate the need for supply chain visibility within their supply chains, and to also assess the potential adoption of global data identification standards within their supply chain practices. Originality/value. This study contributes to theory in such areas of research as supply chain visibility, standardization in supply chain management, and supply chain design. The main contribution is made to the resource-based view (RBV) theory, which according to supply chain visibility can be seen as both a strategic resource and a tool for efficiency optimization. A new term in supply chain design which suggests many-to-many and exclusive supply chain classifications is proposed, as is a framework for assessing the need for supply chain visibility. An analytical model for the potential adoption of global standards is also developed. / Research project “The role of global standards for supply chain visibility” at the Industrial Engineering and Management department of KTH

This study is to investigate how acquiring firms within the Swedish construction industry work towards successful post-acquisition integration during the early stages of post-acquisition and which factors they consider when doing so. When researching the five cases, the study adopted a qualitative approach, using semi-structured interviews with five managers from acquiring firms to gather in-depth, first-hand data for thematic analysis. The empirical findings highlight the significance of corporate culture, organizational structure, and leadership structure in the integration process. Acquiring firms prioritize cultural compatibility, recognizing that differences can hinder successful integration. They also emphasize the positive impact of similar business models and the creation of new leadership groups combining resources and capabilities. Supportive leadership plays a crucial role in smoothening the integration process. To achieve a successful post-acquisition integration, firms in the Swedish construction industry focus on assessing corporate culture compatibility, restructuring leadership, and effective integration planning. They aim to integrate cultures, develop thorough integration plans, and ensure employee satisfaction and financial success. The studied cases challenges theories that emphasize organizational structure as the main obstacle in acquisitions, suggesting that cultural factors are more critical. Similarly, it contradicts theories highlighting directive leadership, emphasizing the importance of supportive leadership instead. The study contributes to the understanding of integrating human resources, cultural factors, and clear integration plans as essential elements for acquisition success.

Submitted by Silvana Teresinha Dornelles Studzinski (sstudzinski) on 2015-10-26T10:43:14Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Thiago Beiler dos Santos Breyer_.pdf: 2064624 bytes, checksum: 75178b365c1d71570452bfc09234913c (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2015-10-26T10:43:14Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Thiago Beiler dos Santos Breyer_.pdf: 2064624 bytes, checksum: 75178b365c1d71570452bfc09234913c (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-05-18 / Nenhuma / As transformações empresariais vividas pelas empresas nos últimos anos chegaram ao mundo jurídico com diversos autores em artigos e publicações referindo-se e ao mercado jurídico em transformação, em especial no que se refere à Advocacia Empresarial. Dentre os diversos motivos para esta transformação, apresentam-se a mudança em sua gestão e posicionamento estratégico decorrentes de fatores mercadológicos, tais como tecnologia, sócio econômico, financeiro e os efeitos próprios da globalização. Observa-se, no entanto, que se as organizações empresariais evoluíram e se aperfeiçoaram administrativa e estrategicamente, o mesmo não se podendo dizer da advocacia empresarial, quer por muitos anos permaneceu inerte em sua estratégia, gestão e organização administrativa. Ocorre que a partir de determinado momento, as empresas que, por necessidade, interesse em crescimento ou competitividade vieram a se profissionalizar, passaram a exigir o mesmo de seus fornecedores, dentre eles os escritórios de advocacia empresarial Por tais razões e pelo crescente número de advogados e sociedades de advogados empresariais, se faz presente à advocacia empresarial uma estratégia clara e oportuna e voltada às características da sua indústria, qual seja, a prestação de serviços tendo o conhecimento como elemento precípuo de sua atuação. A Visão Baseada em Recursos (‘VBR’) vem ao encontro desta necessidade estratégica da advocacia empresarial, ao focar a sua estratégia nos recursos internos de uma organização empresarial como elemento norteador estratégico de sua teoria, indo ao encontro dos anseios e necessidades da advocacia empresarial. O presente estudo analisa a estratégia da advocacia empresarial a partir dos norteadores advindos da literatura de campo, Pessoas, Tecnologia, Organização, Preço e Geografia que, alinhados aos conceitos e recursos estratégicos da VBR como referência central para delinear a direção estratégica de um escritório de advocacia empresarial. / Business transformations experienced by businesses in recent years reached the legal world. And several authors in articles and publications refer to the legal market in transformation, particularly in relation to the field of Business and Corporate Law. Among the many reasons for this transformation on Business and Corporate Law, it can be presented the changes in management and strategic positioning due to market factors, such as technology, economic, financial partner and the effects of globalization itself. It is observed, however, that even though business organizations have evolved and improved administrative and strategically, the same can not be said of business and corporate law, taking in account that for many years it remained inert in its strategy, management and administrative organization. It happens that after a certain time, the companies that, by necessity, interest in growth or competitiveness came to professionalize themselves, and began to demand the same of its suppliers, including the Corporate Law Firms. For all this and the growing numbers of lawyers and corporate business lawyers, it is necessary to business law professionals a clear and timely strategy, geared and focused to the characteristics of their industry, namely, the provision of services taking knowledge as essential element of its performance. The Resource Based View ('VBR') meets this strategic need of business law, to force its strategy on internal resources of a business organization as an element and guidance strategy of its theory, meeting the wishes and needs of law business. This study analyzes the business advocacy strategy based on the concepts and VBR resources as a central strategic guidance starting from the this guidance coming from the field of literature, People, Technology, Organization, price and geography that aligned with the concepts and strategic resources of VBR as a central reference to outline the strategic direction of a business law firm

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-25T16:44:37Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Antonio Thomaz Pacheco Lessa Neto.pdf: 3151767 bytes, checksum: d39f096f36e24de37a2e846d245fa19e (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013-11-05 / Knowledge flows, especially in subsidiaries of multinational corporations, now have an increasing importance in organizations and therefore the discussion of research in the field. The aim of this work is to analyze flows not only through transfers, but also conversions of knowledge between the three families of intangible assets (external structure, internal structure and individual competence), since, for the creation of value, the key lies in the fact that such transfers and conversions be effective (SVEIBY, 2001). Concerning the method, this dissertation presents an empirical study through a survey applied along the Brazilian subsidiaries of multinational corporations, from a theoretical construct Knowledge-based view (KBV) where makes an analysis of the assets of individual competence, internal structure and external structure, and having for its object of study brazilian companies in Brazil listed in data collection known as the best and biggest from business magazine EXAME covering the year 2012. The study indicates, for the sample data (nine respondents) removed of the universe effectively researched (140 companies and not the initial 565), that there is the maximization of value creation from knowledge flows in two directions only by knowledge transfers and conversions of Individual Competencies for External Structure, within the Internal Structure, of Internal Structure for Individual Competencies and within the External Structure / Os fluxos de conhecimento, de modo especial em subsidiárias de corporações multinacionais, passam a ter uma importância crescente nas organizações e por consequência nas discussões de pesquisas no campo. O objetivo deste trabalho é a análise dos fluxos, não somente através das transferências, mas também das conversões, de conhecimento entre as três famílias de ativos intangíveis (estrutura externa, estrutura interna e competência individual), uma vez que, para a criação de valor, a chave reside no fato de tais transferências e conversões serem eficazes (SVEIBY, 2001). Quanto ao método, esta dissertação apresenta um estudo empírico desenvolvido através de uma survey aplicada junto às subsidiárias brasileiras de corporações multinacionais, a partir de um construto teórico da visão baseada no conhecimento (VBC) - ou Knowledge-based View (KBV) - onde se faz uma análise dos ativos de competência individual, de estrutura interna e de estrutura externa, e tendo por objeto de estudo as empresas do Brasil listadas no levantamento de dados conhecido como Melhores e Maiores da Revista EXAME referente ao ano de 2012. O estudo indica, para a amostra dos dados (nove respondentes) retirada do universo efetivamente pesquisado (140 empresas e não as 565 iniciais), que existe a maximização de criação de valor a partir dos fluxos de conhecimento em duas direções somente pelas transferências e conversões de conhecimento de Competências Individuais para a Estrutura Externa, dentro da Estrutura Interna, da Estrutura Interna para as Competências Individuais e dentro da Estrutura Externa

Submitted by Ariela Zanetta Simoni (arielazsimoni@gmail.com) on 2018-04-18T21:21:56Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertacao_ArielaSimoni_VF2_2018.pdf: 2154592 bytes, checksum: 3ed46fe4510f5360ed0ab60012235df1 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Debora Nunes Ferreira (debora.nunes@fgv.br) on 2018-04-20T17:07:30Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertacao_ArielaSimoni_VF2_2018.pdf: 2154592 bytes, checksum: 3ed46fe4510f5360ed0ab60012235df1 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Suzane Guimarães (suzane.guimaraes@fgv.br) on 2018-04-20T17:34:32Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertacao_ArielaSimoni_VF2_2018.pdf: 2154592 bytes, checksum: 3ed46fe4510f5360ed0ab60012235df1 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-04-20T17:34:32Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertacao_ArielaSimoni_VF2_2018.pdf: 2154592 bytes, checksum: 3ed46fe4510f5360ed0ab60012235df1 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2018-03-14 / No âmbito das atividades políticas corporativas (CPA) com auxílio das variáveis de recursos, rotina e capacidades da Teoria da Visão Baseada em Recursos (RBV), esta pesquisa pretendeu analisar como as atividades políticas corporativas de Lobby das empresas são realizadas em ambientes de mudanças políticas. O Lobby é uma das táticas mais utilizadas de CPA. Estudos que visam a compreensão por intermédio de fatores econômicos e de outras naturezas são de suma importância na explicação da variação dentro de um determinado sistema, porém, raramente levam em consideração o ambiente político doméstico de um país (YADAV, 2008). O contexto de imprevisibilidade gera incertezas a respeito do ambiente no qual implementa-se a tática de Lobby e diminui a capacidade de previsão de cenários. A consequência disso é a possibilidade de redução da vantagem competitiva das firmas as quais se engajam em estratégias de não mercado. Além disso, ambientes de mudanças políticas caracterizam-se por trocas de executivos no poder provenientes de eleições nacionais (YASUDA; MITSUHASHI, 2017) ou por impedimento em completar o mandato governamental. O cenário político e econômico do ano de 2016 no Brasil serviu como laboratório para o estudo, na medida em que apresenta características do ambiente de mudanças políticas necessárias à pesquisa. Por intermédio de uma pesquisa qualitativa positivista com triangulação de dados primários – obtidos por meio de entrevistas – e secundários – principalmente para entendimento do ambiente político, a pesquisa justifica-se pela importância no aprofundamento da compreensão do fenômeno. / In the scope of corporate policy activities (CPA) aided by resource variables, routine and resource-based capabilities (RBV), this research aimed to analyze how corporate lobbying activities are carried out in politically changing environments. Lobby is one of CPA's most commonly used tactics. Studies that aim at understanding through economic and other factors are indeed important in explaining variation within a given system, but rarely take into account a country's domestic political environment (YADAV, 2008). The context of unpredictability creates uncertainties about the environment in which lobby tactic is implemented and reduces the predictability of scenarios. The consequence of this is the possibility of diminishing the competitive advantage of companies that engage in non-market strategies. In addition, politically changing environments are characterized by exchanges of power executives from national elections (YASUDA; MITSUHASHI, 2017) or by impediment in completing the government mandate. The political and economic scenario of 2016 in Brazil served as a laboratory for the study, as it presents characteristics of the environment of political changes demanded for the research. Through a qualitative positivist research with triangulation of primary data - obtained through interviews - and secondary data - mainly for understanding the political environment, the research is justified by the importance of deeper understanding of the phenomenon.

This research evaluates the technological, organizational, and environmental determinants of emerging technologies adoption represented by Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Internet of Things (IoT) driving SMEs’ competitive advantage within a resource-based view (RBV) theoretical approach supported by the technological-organizational-environmental (TOE)-framework setting. Current literature on SMEs competitive advantage as outcome of emerging technologies in the technological, organisational, and environmental contexts presents models focused on these contexts individual components. There are no models in the literature to represent the TOE framework as an integrated structure with gradual levels of complexity, allowing for incremental evaluation of the business context in support of decision making towards emerging technologies adoption supporting the firm competitive advantage. This research gap is addressed with the introduction of a new concept, the IT resource-based renewal, underpinned by the RBV, and supported by the TOE framework for providing a holistic understanding of the SMEs strategic renewal decision through information technology. This is achieved through a complex measurement model with four level constructs, leading into a parsimonious structural model that evaluates the relationships between IT resource-based renewal, and emerging technologies adoption driving SMEs competitive advantage. The model confirms the positive association between the IT resource-based renewal and emerging technologies adoption, and between the IT resource-based renewal and SME competitive advantage for the SMEs managers model, with the SME owners model outcomes are found not being supportive towards emerging technologies adoption driving SME competitive advantage. As methodology, PLS-SEM is used for its capabilities of assessing complex paths among model variables. Analysis is done on three models, one for the full sample, with two subsequent ones for owners and managers, respectively, as SME decision makers, with data collected using a web-based survey in Canada, the UK, and the US, that has provided 510 usable answers. This research has a theoretical contribution represented by the introduction of the IT resource-based renewal concept, that integrates the RBV perspective and the TOE framework for supporting organization’s decision on emerging technologies adoption driving SMEs competitive advantage. As practical implications, this thesis provides SMEs with a reference framework on adopting emerging technologies, offering SME managers and owners a comprehensive model of hierarchical factors contributing to SMEs competitive advantage acquired as outcome of AI and IoT adoption. This research makes an original contribution to the enterprise management, information systems adoption, and SME competitive advantage literature, with an empirical approach that verifies a model of emerging technologies adoption determinants driving SMEs competitive advantage.

Purpose -- Given the enduring COVID-19 pandemic, this thesis set out to reveal an updated perspective of the service-oriented small business experience, particularly in their access and choice of financial resources to fund operations and adapt marketing strategy. By the time this study started, it was clear which businesses had been rising with the new tides of swelled categorical demand vs. those that were persevering like embers in a 'slow burn' state of low income against persistent expenses. Therefore, the research sought to compare the results of marketing experimentation with current plans for increasing resiliency, or enabling robust growth, coming out of the pandemic.  Methodology / Design / Approach -- As the quantitative understanding of the business impacts had been generalized, a closer look was needed into what entrepreneurs and small business leaders were thinking about in the present moment, by reflecting on factors for survival / thriving, until this point and going forward. To capture this wide range of perspectives and strategies in formulation, qualitative methods with a diverse set of businesses were selected. Theoretically, customer-centric marketing principles were employed, focusing on three intangible firm resources (of the resource-based view): 1) Stakeholder Relationships; 2) Brand Equity and 3) Knowledge / Capabilities. Findings -- With the realization that adequate financing is inaccessible and government support perceivably unreliable, small businesses naturally tested several emergent strategies within the limits of their available resources. During times of crisis and radical change, as entire industry ecosystems are reassuming their fundamentals, companies have the opportunity to maximize and develop their resources, in alignment with differing and changing customer demands.  Practical Implications -- While the recommendations are tailored for small business and optimistically many, cities are also suggested to take a resource-based VRIO (Value, Rarity, Imitability and Organizability) approach to supporting the economic value and potential of their retail, restaurant and service-oriented business communities.  Originality / Value -- Applying a modern customer-centric view for the small business resources most potentially valuable and developable, this research contributes a unique crisis-borne framework, which may be conceptually used as a hotbed -- by both internal and external (i.e. municipalities, partners and customers) stakeholders -- for ideating novel marketing strategies and supporting business growth / resilience.  Keywords: Adaptation, Crisis Management, Financial Liquidity, Access to Capital, Government Aid, Alternative Finance, Marketing Strategy, Resource-based View (RBV), Customer-Centric, Stakeholder View, Brand, Authenticity, Knowledge, Capabilities, Marketing Management, Marketing-Finance Interface, Paid Marketing, Organic Marketing, Customer Loyalty, Community and Decision-Making