Submitted by Silvana Teresinha Dornelles Studzinski (sstudzinski) on 2016-10-31T18:21:13Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Lucas Henrique da Luz_.pdf: 4714328 bytes, checksum: 7e4a6b2e242fb6f4b28c3d6deef89c2a (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-10-31T18:21:13Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Lucas Henrique da Luz_.pdf: 4714328 bytes, checksum: 7e4a6b2e242fb6f4b28c3d6deef89c2a (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-06-20 / CAPES - Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / UNISINOS - Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos / As mudanças na sociedade e no ambiente organizacional têm ensejado diferentes formas de se pensar a estratégia ao longo do tempo. Nesse sentido, a presente tese busca analisar como o contexto de interação, conectividade e cooperação favorece ou não a adoção de estratégia emergente na lógica da multidão, com aportes metodológicos da Teoria Ator-Rede (ANT). Para tanto, realiza-se uma pesquisa qualitativa, com abordagem exploratória, analisando-se dois casos – O Espaço Comum Luiz Estrela (ECLE) e o Movimiento 15 de Mayo (15M) – que atuam em ambientes marcados pelas características citadas. Pode-se concluir que o estrategizar dos casos estudados assume lógicas da multidão, caracterizando-se por serem emergentes, auto-organizados, fruto das interações entre os praticantes humanos (singularidades) e não humanos, legitimando-se em forma de espiral e tendo governança enquanto abertura. É um estrategizar marcado pelo uso das tecnologias da informação e comunicação e pela participação mais direta, onde as interações e agências ocorrem por meio das diferenças e do comum, numa perspectiva de uno pelo múltiplo – agências e interações na lógica da multidão. São características que não constituem um modelo, mas uma lógica de estrategizar e que assumem formatos diferentes nos casos estudados. Conclui-se ainda que as inspirações metodológicas da ANT, tais como olhar a realidade de forma não essencialista, numa lógica performativa, valorizando as diferenças e considerando a atuação dos atores humanos e não humanos são adequadas para o estudo dessa lógica de estratégia. Diante do exposto, afirma-se que a presente tese contribui para avançar teoricamente nas formas de se pensar as agências, as relações entre microações e macrocontexto, bem como no entendimento do mistério, da experimentação e das diferenças como potência estratégica. Avança também construindo uma estratégia na lógica da multidão, adequada a contextos complexos, próprios da realidade atual e sugerindo inspirações metodológicas para sua apreensão e análise. Por fim, permite às organizações estudadas uma melhor compreensão das suas práticas estratégicas e da sua potência. / Changes in the society and the organizational environment have given rise to different forms of thinking strategy over time. In this sense, the present dissertation seeks to analyze how the context of interaction, connectivity and cooperation favors or not the adoption of an emerging strategy in the logic of the crowd, with methodological contributions by the Actor-Network Theory (ANT). For this, we have conducted a qualitative research with an exploratory approach to analyzing two cases: Espaço Comum Luiz Estrela (ECLE) and Movimiento 15 de Mayo (15M), which act in environments marked by such characteristics. We conclude that the strategizing of the cases studied assumes a logic of crowd for being emerging and self-organized, a result of interactions between the human and non-human practitioners (singularities), legitimizing themselves in the form of a spiral and having governance as openness. It is a strategizing marked by the use of information and communication technologies and by a more direct participation, where interactions and agencies occur through the differences and the commons under a perspective of the uno through the multiple – agencies and interactions in the logic of the crowd. They are characteristics that do not constitute a model, but a logic of strategizing and take up different shapes in the cases studied. We also come to the conclusion that the methodological inspirations by the ANT, such as looking reality in a non-essentialistic way in a performative logic, valuing differences and considering the agency of human and non-human actors, are appropriate for the study of this strategy logic. Furthermore, we affirm that the present dissertation contributes to advancing theoretically in the forms of thinking the agencies, the relationships between micro-actions and micro-contexts, as well as to the understanding of the mystery, experimentation and differences as a strategic power. It also advances by building a strategy in the logic of the crowd suitable for complex contexts, typical of the current moment, and suggesting methodological inspirations for its apprehension and analysis. Finally, this study allows the organizations studied a better comprehension of their strategic practices and their power.

The purpose of this study was to explore the strategising practices of chartered accountants (CAs) in the South African mining industry. Few studies have dealt with the practical skills CAs employ when they engage in strategising practices and, in particular, a gap could be identified on how CAs engage with strategy tools during strategising. Approximately two thirds of all directors in South Africa are CAs and only 11% of directors who are CAs also hold master‟s degrees in business administration. The question then arises of how do CAs engage with strategy tools during strategising? This study applied key concepts of social practice theory to explore the strategising practices of CAs from a strategy-as-practice perspective. The strategy-as-practice perspective entails studying strategy practitioners within their social constructs. The context of this study was the South African mining industry, a landscape seen as an essential part of the South African economy. An exploratory qualitative research design was applied whereby one-on-one interchanges during individual interviews provided rich, detailed descriptions of how CA strategists use strategy tools when they engage in strategising practices. The social nature of the practices and praxis of strategy practitioners from a strategy-as-practice perspective constantly changes. As such, the current study was conducted from a constructivist paradigm to describe the narrative reality of the strategy practitioners as they engage with strategy tools. The findings of the study portrayed participants as bricoleurs of strategy tools, i.e. craftspeople who adapted and interpreted strategy tools from an accounting perspective to serve the requirements of the situation they face. / Financial Accounting / M. Phil. (Accounting Sciences)

Esta pesquisa teve como objetivo compreender como os sujeitos organizacionais praticam a estratégia a partir de processos de gestão estratégica e de comunicação que visam coordenar sua ação laboral em torno de um quadro de significados compartilhado para alcance de objetivos institucionais. Para isso, parte de um referencial teórico sobre comunicação fundamentado nos estudos interacionistas - principalmente pelos trabalhos de Mead, Blumer, Goffman, Quéré e França - articulados com a teoria da prática, de Bourdieu, e da estruturação, de Giddens, que ajudam a compreender a vinculação entre indivíduos, organizações e sociedade. Para apresentar os esforços de gestão da comunicação organizacional, entendidos como prática de relações públicas, discutiram-se os desafios impostos pela busca por legitimação organizacional das organizações contemporâneas e como o pensamento estratégico tem se desenvolvido para, inclusive, dar conta desse objetivo. Em contraposição aos estudos clássicos da estratégia, que a tomam pela perspectiva gerencial, assume-se como núcleo teórico a Nova Teoria da Estratégia, proposta por Pérez e Massoni, que fundamenta a estratégia na comunicação, articulada com a corrente da estratégia como prática trazida, dentre outros, por Whittington, Golsorkhi, Jarzabkowski e Orlikowski. Para contextualização das análises, situa-se o objeto nas discussões sobre gestão pública e comunicação públicas contemporâneas, descrevendo o processo de implantação da gestão por resultados e do choque de gestão em Minas Gerais. Assim, para tratar da especificidade da implementação do Balanced Scorecard (BSC) na Secretaria de Fazenda de Minas Gerais (SEF/MG), elegeu-se uma abordagem metodológica de natureza qualitativa, com estudo de caso único, baseada na hermenêutica de profundidade proposta por Thompson e na Análise Crítica do Discurso, por Fairclough. Após pesquisa institucional que trouxe as principais definições estratégicas e esforços formais de comunicação da instituição, analisou-se o material por ela produzido, sobre sua estratégia, pautado nos princípios do Balanced Scorecard e da comunicação mobilizadora, buscando evidenciar os modos como a Fazenda interpela seus servidores no intuito de criar um quadro de significados compartilhado que oriente suas ações para o alcance dos seus objetivos corporativos. A prática da estratégia foi analisada a partir da observação de treze reuniões de Avaliação de Desempenho Estratégico (ADE), realizadas no 3º trimestre de 2013. Considerou-se como eixos de análise a caracterização dos praticantes da estratégia (os estrategistas da SEF/MG), das práticas que envolvem a gestão estratégica (local, recursos tecnológicos, humanos e simbólicos) e da prática situada da reunião de ADE como prática comunicativa (já que social e discursiva) da Fazenda. Propõe-se, assim, uma matriz conceitual para defender a indissociabilidade entre comunicação e estratégia, possibilitando situar as ações estratégicas (essencialistas ou práticas) e comunicacionais (transmissivas ou relacionais) das organizações, de modo a fomentar a reflexão crítica sobre elas. O estudo demonstrou que, na SEF/MG, a metodologia de gestão da estratégia - o BSC - está alinhada com a concepção da estratégia enquanto essência. No entanto, enquanto o BSC se estrutura em torno da possibilidade de que o conteúdo da estratégia, elaborado pela cúpula organizacional, seja transmitido ao corpo dos funcionários, a noção de comunicação mobilizadora é relacional. A defesa da tese é que análises dessa natureza sejam valorizadas como contribuição relevante ao estudo e prática da comunicação e da estratégia nas e das organizações, evidenciando, não os resultados do alinhamento dos sujeitos organizacionais em relação à estratégia (eficácia dos processos), mas, antes, os quadros sígnicos acionados e como eles participam da ação dos sujeitos que, recursivamente, reforçam ou negociam os significados propostos pela organização. / This research has as its objective to understand how the organizational actors practicize the strategy, through the processes of strategic management and of communication that aim at coordinating their labor action within a frame of shared meanings in order to reach the institutional goals. It is grounded by a theoretical reference on communication interaction studies - mainly those of Mead, Blumer, Goffman, Quéré and França - that we articulated with Bourdieu\'s practice theory and Giddens\' theory of structuration, that help us comprehend the links between individuals, organizations and society. In order to present the efforts of organizational communication management, understood as Public Relations practice, it has been discussed the challenges related to the searching of organizational legitimacy by contemporary organizations and how the strategic thinking has evolved to be up to those challenges. As counterpoint to the classic studies of strategy, that take it through the management perspective, we assume as a theoretical center the New Theory of Strategy, as proposed by Pérez and Massoni, that fundaments the strategy in communication, articulated with the current of Strategy as Practice, mainly as in the works of Whittington, Golsorkhi, Jarzabkowski and Orlikowski. Seeking the analysis contextualization, we situate the object in our discussions of contemporary public management and communication, describing the process of implementing the management by results and the management shock in Minas Gerais. In doing so, and in order to treat the specificities of the implementation of the Balanced Scorecard in the Secretaria de Fazenda de Minas Gerais (SEF/MG), we have elected a qualitative methodological approach, with a single case study, based on the depth hermeneutics proposed by Thompson and on the Critical Discourse Analysis, by Fairclough. After the institutional research that brought to light the main strategic definitions and formal communication efforts of the institution, we have analyzed the material it has produced about its strategy anchored by the principles of the Balanced Scorecard and of the mobilizing communication, searching to put in evidence the ways that Fazenda interpellates its employees in order to create a shared frame of meanings that guides their actions towards the fulfillment of its corporative objectives. The practice of strategy has been analyzed through the observation of thirteen meetings of Strategic Performance Evaluation (SPE) that have taken place in the 3rd trimester of 2013. It have been considered as analyses axis the characterization of the strategy practitioners (the strategists of SEF/MG), of the practices that involves the strategic management (local, technological, human and symbolic resources) and of the practices situated in the SPE meetings as a communicative practice (since social and discursive) of the Fazenda. It is proposed, with that, a conceptual matrix to defend the impossibility of dissociating communication and strategy, making it possible to situate the strategic actions (whether essentialist or practical) and the communicative actions (whether transmitted or relational) of the organizations, in a way to foment the critical thinking of them. The study has shown that, in SEF/MG, the methodology of strategic management - the BSC - is aligned with the concept of strategy as an essence. However, while the BSC structures itself around the possibility of the transmission of the strategic content, elaborated by the higher organizational players, to the board of employees, the notion of mobilizing communication is relational. The theses defends that analyses of this nature must be seen as a relevant contribution to the study and practice of communication and of strategy in and of the organizations, putting in evidence not the result of the alignment of organizational actors in relation to the strategy (the efficacy of the processes), but, instead, the meaning frames activated by the actors and how they participate of the action, as they, recursively, reinforce or deny the meanings proposed by the organization.

En s’appuyant sur une recherche intervention socio-économique longitudinale au sein d’une PME multi-activités et en réponse aux défaillances des pratiques stratégiques traditionnelles, cette recherche propose le concept de stratégie de différenciation dynamique. Ce dernier, issu d’une combinaison entre la stratégie socio-économique, la théorie des capacités dynamiques ainsi que la stratégie de différenciation, intègre la complexité de l’environnement et vise à répondre aux nouveaux défis stratégiques des entreprises. Pour ce faire, des pratiques stratégiques mobilisant les ressources de l’entreprise, et en particulier le potentiel humain, permettent d’intégrer une dynamique de changement performante. Cela est rendu possible notamment par un comportement stratégique proactif, articulant des choix délibérés avec d’autres émergents. Suite à une première proposition du concept, celui-ci est testé et enrichit grâce à une analyse approfondie de l’ensemble des pratiques stratégiques issues du terrain d’investigation. Le concept est ensuite discuté par rapport à la littérature et représenté par des pratiques précises. En dernier lieu, des recommandations managériales permettant la conduite d’une stratégie de différenciation dynamique sont proposées. / Based on a socio-economic & longitudinal intervention-research carried on in a multi-activities SME and in response to the defaults of traditional strategic practices, this research suggests the concept of dynamic differentiation strategy. This later comes from the combination between socio-economic strategy, theory of dynamic capabilities and the differentiation strategy. It takes into account the complexity of the environment and is aimed to answer to the new strategic challenges of companies and organizations. To do so, strategic practices which are using and configuring the company’s resources, and especially the human potential, allow to integrate an effective dynamic of change. A proactive strategic behavior incorporating deliberated choices with some emerging ones make it possible. After suggesting first the concept, this one is tested and enriched with an analysis in depth of the field’s strategic practices. Then, we discuss the concept comparing it to the literature review and with more detailed practices. Finally, we suggest some management recommendations allowing the implementation of a dynamic differentiation strategy.

Dans un contexte de concurrence exacerbée pour les meilleurs jeunes diplômés du marché, les Graduate Programmes (GP) s’imposent progressivement au niveau international comme le modèle de référence dans la gestion de ces populations. Or, ces programmes de recrutement, d'intégration, de formation et de développement semblent négligés par la recherche en sciences de gestion. Pour combler cette lacune, nous mobilisons dans cette thèse le courant de la Stratégie comme Pratique (SCP) afin d’explorer en détail la dynamique de mise en place d’un tel programme dans une banque de financement de d’investissement française.Plus concrètement, nous étudions le contexte d’émergence de ce programme et les praxis et activités quotidiennes entreprises par les praticiens RH pour élaborer et déployer ces dispositifs. Nous explorons de même les pratiques qui constituent un GP du point de vue de la SCP et les apports, limites et conditions propices à un tel programme. Ce faisant, nous dressons un portrait approfondi d’un concept incontournable dans la gestion contemporaine des jeunes diplômés. Plus généralement, nous revendiquons l'intérêt d'accorder une place centrale à la SCP dans la compréhension de l’activité RH des organisations. / In the current context of extreme competition for the best young Graduates available on the market, Graduate Programmes (GP) are becoming the model of reference in the management of this population at an international level. However, these recruitment, integration, training and development programmes seem overlooked by management research. We mobilize here the strategy-as-practice (SAP) approach to explore in detail the dynamics of implementation of such a programme in a French corporate and investment bank.More concretely, we study the context of emergence of this programme and the day-to-day praxis and activities of HR practitioners in the design and implementation of this programme. We also explore the practices that constitute a GP from the SAP perspective and the benefits, limits and suitable conditions for such a programme. Doing that, we propose a sound portrayal of a key concept in Graduate management nowadays. We therefore claim the importance to be given to SAP in the study of corporate HR activities in the coming years.

Cette thèse a pour objectif de comprendre la façon dont se fabrique la stratégie dans un contexte pluraliste. Dans ce cadre, nous nous appuyons sur la littérature du pluralisme identitaire (Dutton & Dukerich, 1991; Gioia & Chittepeddi, 1991; Ashforth & Mael, 1996; Golden-Biddle & Rao, 1997; Hatch & Schultz, 1997; Silva, 2010) et sur l'approche pratique de la stratégie (Whittington, 2003; Jarzabkowsky, 2003, 2004; Golsorkhi & al., 2010; Johnson & al., 2010). Ce travail de recherche est né d'un manque dans la littérature qui examine la relation entre la multiplicité des identités organisationnelles et la fabrication des stratégies. Nous avons ainsi opté pour un design de recherche interprétativiste et pour une étude de cas unique: le Conseil Economique et Social du Liban. Cette institution constitutionnelle abrite deux identités organisationnelles: l'identité d'un lieu de négociation et l'identité d'un lieu d'expertise. Etant donné la nouveauté du terrain et du contexte traité, nous adoptons la méthodologie de la théorie enracinée préconisée par Glaser et Strauss. Nous montrons que le pluralisme influence la fabrication des stratégies de trois façons: 1) par la "référentialisation" qui consiste à "opérationnaliser" les systèmes des valeurs à travers "une stratégie d'initiation" et "de renforcement", 2) par la "régulation" identitaire qui consiste à gérer les identités organisationnelles pour des fins stratégiques à travers "une stratégie de légitimation" et 3) la "négociation" identitaire suite à une crise institutionnelle et qui aboutit à "une stratégie de survie". Nous avons également conclu que cette influence évolue avec l'évolution du contexte institutionnel de l'organisation: nous avons identifié un couplage faible entre la multiplicité des identités organisationnelles et la fabrication des stratégies dans la phase de naissance de l'organisation mais qui croit avec la croissance de l'organisation, surtout dans les périodes de "perturbation". Ces périodes entrainent une rupture dans la pratique des praticiens: si cette rupture n'est pas assez significative, la gestion des IO devient une pratique stratégique, si la rupture est significative mettant en cause la survie de l'organisation, les IO deviennent des lentilles perceptuelles à travers lesquelles les praticiens perçoivent les capacités fondamentales de l'organisation ce qui influence ainsi sur leur choix et leur pratique stratégique. / The objective of this thesis is to understand strategizing in pluralistic contexts. Our research is based on the literature of pluralistic organizations (Dutton & Dukerich, 1991; Gioia & Chittepeddi, 1991; Golden-Biddle & Rao, 1997, Ashforth & Mael, 1996; Hatch & Schultz, 1997; Silva, 2010) and the strategy-as-practice approach (Whittington, 2003; Jarzabkowsky, 2003, 2004; Golsorkhi & al., 2010; Johnson & al., 2010). This research addresses the gap in the literature discussing the relationship between the multiplicity of organizational identities and strategizing. Thus, our thesis operates an interpretativist research design and conducts a one case study: the Economic and Social Council of Lebanon. This institutional constitution has two organizational identities: the identity of a negotiation place and the identity of an expertise one. Due to the novelty of the research field and the context studied, we have chosen to apply the grounded theory methodology advocated by Glaser and Strauss. We show that the pluralism influence strategizing in three ways: 1) by the "referentialization" which means the operationalization of the system of values through an "initiation" and "reinforcement strategy", 2) by the identity "regulation" which consists of managing organizational identities for strategic purposes through a "legitimation strategy" and 3) by the identity "negociation" following an institutional crisis and which leads to a "survival strategy". We have also concluded the evolution of this influence with the evolution of the institutional context of the organization: it is weak at the initiation phase (birth) but increases with the growth of the organization and especially in periods of "perturbation". These periods lead to a breakdown in the praxis of practitioners: if the breakdown is weak, the management of organizational identities become a strategic practice, if the breakdown is significant, the organizational identities become lenses trough which practitioners craft their particular definitions of the organizational core capabilities which influence their strategic choice and praxis.

A crucial limitation of research on strategic planning is that it has always viewed strategic planning as a single process in a corporation. In practice, strategic planning in complex multi-business corporations has evolved into a network of multi-level and multi-unit strategic planning processes. This makes it challenging for managers and strategists to undertake the activities needed to run those strategic planning systems effectively. The interactions between strategy practitioners as they enact those planning processes play a crucial role in determining effectiveness of the planning process as a whole. Therefore, this thesis is based on a conceptual framework that represents strategic planning as a network of collaboration amongst quasi-independent processes taking place across multiple levels and units. This thesis adopts an embedded design within two in-depth case studies and one pilot case study to examine the strategising activities, practices and interaction dynamics of strategic planning within the M-form based firms. The result articulates the dynamics of strategy practitioners’ interactions in a series of four generic interaction patterns: (1) the Bilateral Scheme, (2) the Cohesive Facilitation Scheme, (3) the Ambassadorial Coordination Scheme, and (4) the Supervisory Driven Scheme. The result also sheds light on the extended roles of strategic planning within a multi-level and multi-unit environment, and on how different actors contribute to the vertical and horizontal aspects of strategic planning. The findings of this research have implications for both theory and practice. This thesis mainly contributes to strategy as practice perspective, strategic planning literature, organisational theory, situated learning literature, sensemaking perspective on practice, power theory, and agency theory. Theoretically, this study introduces a new method for examining the practice of strategic planning based on studying strategic planning links between practitioners representing horizontally as well as vertically differentiated units. In doing so, I have represented strategic planning as a multi-unit as well as a multi-level process, and hence have been able to show how it operates as a network of collaborative relationships and activities. This extends the view of strategic planning prevailing in the literature, which portrays a largely hierarchical, vertically-based structure. Practically, the results provide managers and practitioners with an illustration of how different practitioner roles and managerial levels contribute in distinctive ways to strategic planning from both horizontal and vertical perspectives. It is apparent from my investigation of the case study firms that their planning and decentralised decision-making mechanisms are linked together heterarchically as well as hierarchically.

Made available in DSpace on 2010-04-20T20:15:15Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 61070100611.pdf: 844754 bytes, checksum: 3b9f50710eaf7ac36ed163b18c947fba (MD5) Previous issue date: 2009-04-01T00:00:00Z / O distanciamento identificado entre as teorias do campo de estratégia e organização e a prática das empresas motivou o desenvolvimento de uma abordagem de pesquisa comumente denominada 'estratégia como prática'. Neste trabalho buscamos contribuir com essa nova abordagem explorando a prática de planejamento estratégico. A pesquisa se baseou num estudo de caso único exploratório em uma empresa organizada por projetos que identificou os processos de mudança na prática de planejamento estratégico do caso. Esses processos foram analisados por meio uma abordagem inspirada na teoria da estruturação de Giddens (1984), indicando que o nível adequado de formalização da prática de planejamento estratégico deve ser dado por sua estruturação na dinâmica social da organização que, por sua vez, é permeada por 'lutas' entre indivíduos pela definição da noção de planejamento estratégico na empresa e, no caso estudado, sofreu a influência de dois fatores principais: (i) adoção de um discurso da 'excelência', e (ii) o papel de práticas e procedimentos de planejamento em uso. / A gap identified between the theories created in field of strategy and organization and the practice of the enterprises motivated the development of a research approach commonly called 'strategy-as-practice'. The present work seeks to contribute with this new approach exploring the practice of strategic planning. Our research is based on an exploratory single case study in a project-based organization in which we identified the change processes in the practice of strategic planning. These processes were analyzed through an approach inspired by structuration theory (GIDDENS, 1984) which indicated that the adequate level of strategic planning formalization is given by the organizational social dynamics which is permeated by 'struggles' between the individuals for the organizational definition of strategic planning and was influenced in our case by two key factors: (i) the adoption of a discourse of 'excellence', and (ii) the role of planning practices and procedures in use.

Made available in DSpace on 2010-04-20T20:51:17Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 3 41770.pdf.jpg: 15539 bytes, checksum: 40e2c13bc3a94f293030f2fe5390e8ce (MD5) 41770.pdf: 6082224 bytes, checksum: 9d0a228c5b6332599610aa133a6680f8 (MD5) 41770.pdf.txt: 646981 bytes, checksum: bec54dfdf221df12e42a51a6b743e601 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2006-04-19T00:00:00Z / Studies in creative industries represent a rich contribution to the strategy-as-practice approach. As a symbolic-intensive industry, organizations within adopt diffuse strategies that try to conciliate economic and non-economic logics, as these last ones assure their legitimacy and survival in the field. The symbolic field, however, is volatile and its control by organizations is virtually impossible. This is why organization try, in one hand, to interpret their ambient and, on the other hand, to influence it through their strategies. Thus, in this type of industry, a sociological approach in strategy seems more adequate to understand actions by agents within this field as a whole, not only, on its instrumental aspects. This dissertation investigates discourses and practices embedded in the social context of the Brazilian book publishing industry, through a longitudinal study of secondary data which adopts an altered version for strategy of the discursive model of institutionalization as a structure of analysis. The main objective of this research is to understand how discourses and practices articulate in a field where legitimacy rules follow an anti-economic logic and where economic results are not always the organizations’ only objective. This work assumes a concept f strategic orientation that is described as a predisposition of a certain organization to adopt one or other strategy, revealed through its organization discourses and practice that are indicative of a reflexive interpretation of its environmental context. Content analysis was the methodology of choice to interpret Brazilian book publishers’ environmental context, in its institutional and technical aspects, and its strategic orientations, revealed through texts and actions presented in clipping news collected at publishnews.com.br for three years. In face of the analyses conducted, the following results were achieved. Firstly, discourses and practices effectively allowed description of both environmental context and strategic orientations in this industry. From a theoretical perspective, it was confirmed that discourses are an integral part of publishers’ strategic orientations, always articulating with practices. Even though dissonance between them was seemingly apparent, it revealed itself dissimulated when in context. The more symbolic are the desired results, the more relevant and more present are discourses as part of strategy. In this industry, strategic orientations dialogue more with the institutional that with the technical environmental since it is within institutional contexts that organizations can acquire market differentiation through by-products such as legitimation, mystification and consecration. Publishers also strategically orient themselves more intensively towards gatekeepers than toward and consumers. Gatekeepers, as main producers of by-products, allow chosen publishers to attract the rarest resources (authors and human resources), which are fundamental for surviving in a symbolic-intensive industry. From a practical sense, the use of this framework showed that strategic dichotomy between small and large publishers is a simplistic way of seeing strategic groups, ignoring fundamental choices that escape economic logic. Analyses also brought up that elements of an archaic vision of capitalism are very much still present in Brazilian market, embedded in the strategic orientations of a large number of publishers, in examples such as an excessive demand for federal government responsibility in developing the market, and texts overmystifying and overemphasizing the importance of the book universe. Publishers whose orientations presented themselves as opposite to that view achieved success in developing new markets. Finally, this dissertation would place under serious doubts available economic data on this industry, frequently uses to justify public investment and demands, but that do not hold itself up under the realities here exposed. / O estudo das indústrias de criação representam uma rica contribuição para a abordagem da estratégia como prática. Por se tratar de um ramo industrial simbólico-intensivo, as organizações nele inseridas adotam estratégias difusas que buscam conciliar lógicas tanto econômicas quanto não-econômicas, pois estas últimas são aquelas que garantem sua legitimidade e sobrevivência no campo. O universo simbólico, por sua vez, é volátil e cujo controle, por parte das organizações, é virtualmente impossível. Neste tipo de indústria, a abordagem sociológica em estratégia parece mais adequada para se compreender as ações dos agentes do campo organizacional em seu todo, não somente em seus aspectos instrumentais. Esta dissertação aborda os discursos e práticas imersos no contexto social do ramo editorial, por meio de um estudo longitudinal de dados secundários que adota uma versão adaptada para a estratégia do modelo discursivo de institucionalização como estrutura de análise. O objetivo principal da pesquisa era compreender como se articulam discursos e práticas num campo onde as regras de legitimação seguem uma lógica anti-econômica e onde os resultados econômicos nem sempre são o objetivo único das organizações. Adotou-se o conceito de orientação estratégica como a predisposição de uma organização para adotar uma ou outra estratégia, revelada por meio dos discursos e práticas organizacionais indicativos da interpretação reflexiva dada pelas organizações a seu contexto ambiental. Com base em dados coletados durante cerca de 3 anos pelo site de clipping de notícias do setor editorial Publishnews, foi utilizada uma metodologia de análise de conteúdo para interpretar o contexto ambiental, em suas facetas institucional e técnica, e as orientações estratégicas das editoras brasileiras, reveladas a partir dos textos e ações públicas presentes nas notícias. Em face das análises realizadas, constataram-se os resultados a seguir. Primeiramente, foi possível a descrição tanto do contexto ambiental como das orientações estratégicas por meio dos discursos e práticas. Do ponto de vista teórico, confirmou-se que os discursos são parte integral das orientações estratégicas das editoras, se articulando com as práticas, mesmo com aparentes dissonâncias entre elas, que se mostraram na verdade dissimuladas. Os discursos, como parte da estratégia, se apresentavam mais relevantes e mais utilizados quanto mais simbólicos fossem os objetivos a serem alcançados. Também se comprovou que, neste tipo de ramo, as orientações estratégicas dialogam mais com o ambiente institucional do que com o ambiente técnico, pois é no primeiro que podem ser obtidas as diferenciações de mercado, por meio de sub-produtos como legitimidade, mistificação ou consagração. As editoras também se orientam estrategicamente com mais intensidade sobre os chamados gatekeepers do que sobre seu mercado consumidor final, pois os primeiros é que garantem, ao gerar sub-produtos, a atração dos recursos mais raros (autores e recursos humanos), fundamentais para a sobrevivência num ramo simbólico-intensivo. Do ponto de vista prático, o uso da ferramenta metodológica proposta revelou que a dicotomia estratégica entre pequenas e grandes editoras é uma forma simplista de ver grupos estratégicos, ignorando estratagemas fundamentais que fogem à lógica econômica. A análise também mostrou traços de uma visão capitalista arcaica dominante no mercado nacional, arraigada em boa parte das editoras, ressaltada pelo excesso de demandas e delegação de responsabilidades ao Governo Federal, e da mistificação e valorização excessiva do universo livreiro. Editoras cujas orientações se mostravam opostas a estas obtiveram sucesso em criar novos mercados. Finalmente a dissertação coloca em dúvida os dados econômicos disponíveis sobre o mercado, freqüentemente usados como justificativa para políticas e demandas públicas, mas que parecem não se sustentar de forma alguma na realidade.

There has been few research studies aimed at investigating strategy in small businesses. The current study sought to contribute to small business management and help small businesses attain success as they are important in any economy. Furthermore to close the gap as a response to the call for research in what people actually do when strategising. The following study explored the strategising practices of small business managers from the accommodation sector and the tools they use when strategising. A total of 12 interviews were conducted during the period 2014-2015 in the Tshwane metropolitan area. The findings of the study show that small business managers strategise although not in the way proposed by literature which may reveal that strategy-as-practice may be more appropriate for small businesses. The findings also show the tools that small business managers use in strategising. The research will serve as a contribution to the current challenges facing small businesses in the practice of strategic management or lack thereof in the managing of small businesses to ensure success. / Business Management / M. Com. (Business Management)