Esse trabalho se propôs a preencher uma das lacunas teóricas apontadas na Visão Baseada em Recursos (RBV): a origem dos recursos que garantem desempenho superior para as empresas conforme proposta de pesquisa de Barney, Ketchen e Wright (2011) e Maritan e Peteraf (2011). A RBV é uma teoria que sustenta que o desempenho superior obtido por algumas organizações é resultado da posse e exploração de recursos valiosos e imperfeitamente móveis, isto é, difíceis de serem adquiridos ou copiados pelos concorrentes. Há inúmeros trabalhos que testam e validam a causalidade entre a posse ou quantidade de um recurso específico com o desempenho organizacional. Conforme proposta metodológica de Rouse e Daellenbach (1999), de que pesquisas em RBV devem selecionar empresas que compartilham os mesmos fatores de produção e disputam mercados semelhantes, foi selecionada uma indústria específica para análise de como um recurso chave nessa indústria é desenvolvido. A seleção do recurso para estudo se baseou na proposta de Newbert (2007) sobre o enquadramento desse recurso nos pressupostos da RBV. A indústria escolhida foi a do futebol profissional. O recurso escolhido para compreensão foi a torcida de um clube. A partir dessa escolha, fundamentada em dados e premissas, foram formulados os seguintes objetivos de pesquisa: levantar quais fatores são relevantes na escolha do indivíduo por um clube de futebol para torcer, verificar a importância desses fatores na decisão do indivíduo e verificar qual a predominância dos fatores sob controle da organização na escolha do indivíduo. O primeiro objetivo foi cumprido com uma pesquisa qualitativa, cujo método empregado foi a teoria fundamentada. A partir do modelo proposto na fase qualitativa, os demais objetivos foram cumpridos com a utilização de modelos de regressão logística e análise discriminante. Nesses modelos, a variável dependente era categórica (time escolhido para torcer) e as variáveis independentes foram composição familiar, lealdade familiar - medida de acordo com o constructo de Funk e James (2001), personalidade de marca dos clubes, desempenho esportivo dos clubes, qualidade dos jogadores e exposição dos clubes. Mostraram-se mais relevantes as variáveis relacionadas à família do indivíduo, sendo o desempenho esportivo também uma variável capaz de influenciar a escolha do indivíduo. Os resultados do trabalho atestam a existência de limites de competição ex ante e ex post por esse recurso, evidenciando que clubes com posição inferior desse recurso devem aumentar consideravelmente seu desempenho esportivo para acumular quantidades desse recurso, devido ao efeito de massa existente. / This thesis aimed at filling a literature gap indicated in Resource Based View: the development of resources that lead to superior performance. According to research propositions by Barney, Ketchen & Wright (2011) and Maritan & Peteraf (2011). RBV is a management theory that sustains that superior performance is due to ownership and use of valuable and imperfect mobile resources, that is, resources that cannot by aquired or imitated by competitors. There are several research papers testing and validating the causality betweeen ownership or superior quantity of an specific resource and organizational performance. Following research design proposal by Rouse & Daellenbach (1999), in which RBV researches must select firms that share the same production factors and compete in similar markets, it was selected an specific industry to analyze how a key resource in this industry is developed. The resource selection for this research was based on Newbert\'s (2007) proposal about how a resource can be framed in RBV foundations. Chosen industry was professional football. The chosen resource was clubs\'s fans base. From this research choice, based on data and assumptions, research objectives were formulated: reveal which factors are relevant on individual\'s choice of a football club to be a fan, verify importance of this factors on individual\'s decision and examine preponderance of factors under organizational\'s control. First research objective was completed with a qualitative research, based on grounded theory method. From proposed model on qualitative phase, later objectives were accomplished using logistic regression and discriminant analysis models. On this models, dependent variable was nominal-qualitative (chosen football club to be a fan) and independent variable were family composition, family loyalty - measured with Funk & James (2001) construct, clubs\'s brand personality traits, sport performance, players quality and club media exposition. Most relevant factors were Family related variables, being sport performance also capable of influence fan choice. Research results indicate ex ante and ex post limits to competition, highlighting that clubs with an inferior resource position must considerable elevate its sport performance to accumulate more quantity of this resource, due to existent mass effect.

The evolution of globalization and technology have changed the playground for international business and made it possible for smaller businesses to compete internationally among large and capital intensive companies. Markets become increasingly alike with converging product preferences and changing the world into one large integrated marketplace easily accessible for firms of all sizes. Recent research in the field of International Business has shed light on small firms that rapidly become international market players, called “born globals” (BGs). These firms’ behavior contradicting traditional theory, such as the Uppsala Model, which propose that internationalization is an incremental process where firms must gain market knowledge and psychical distance to markets to internationalize. The Uppsala Model describes internationalization as a relatively resource-demanding process. However, the BGs most often have scarce resources, but still manages to enter several markets simultaneously. Previous studies have focused on manufacturing exporting BGs when investigate this relatively new phenomenon. Yet, little light is shed on BG service firms and their internationalization. The purpose of this study is to investigate the facilitating factors of resource-scarce Internet-based service BGs’ internationalization and barriers connected to it. Thus, this study aims to fill the research field of BG Internet-based service firms with more empirical data. The research questions are formulated as followed: RQ1: What important factors enable internationalization for Swedish born global Internet-based service firms? RQ2: Do the perceived barriers to internationalization for SMEs apply to Swedish born global Internet-based service firms, or are there other barriers present in their internationalization? As a theoretical framework, the researchers have combined three main theories, explicitly the Resource-Based View, Dynamic Capabilities and Business Models. Further, SMEs’ perceived barriers to internationalization are included in the theoretical framework as a sub-theory, to investigate if those barriers apply to BG Internet-based service firms. The researchers have performed a qualitative exploratory multiple-case study including six Swedish companies. The empirical data acquired is presented in a case-by-case structure relating back to the theoretical framework. The data has further been analyzed in a thematic way based on theories using the cross-case analysis technique. From the study, the researchers have found that the most important factors enabling internationalization for Swedish BG Internet-based service firms are an internationally standardized business model, human capital, and the level of dynamic capabilities. Regarding SME’s perceived barriers to internationalization, no clear pattern was found regarding the sample firms’ perceived barriers to internationalization. Which implies that more research is needed in this area.

The European financial market is rapidly changing with emerging fintechs targeting the banks’ traditional value chain, leveraging on their lower pace of innovation. The Payment Services Directive 2 (PSD2) is put into force in 2018 and aims to open up the financial market to new competitors, thus, promoting positive competition. This study examines how the managerial perception of changes in the external environment, caused by PSD2, affects banks’ preparatory work. The study uses a mix of Market Based View and Resource Based View along with an extension of RBV, illuminating how capabilities and managerial cognition affects managerial action. Using a qualitative approach through an interview based comparison between managers of two Swedish banks, the study confirms the theories’ stating that managerial cognition of the external environment, comprised of perceived opportunities and threats, affects managerial preparatory actions. Additionally, the study shows that managers’ perception of organisational capabilities affects managerial action.

Companies are expected to be good corporate citizens and fulfil expectations of both shareholders and stakeholders. Depending on their corporate objectives, companies undertake different CSR activities using their preferred financial resources. The relationship between these two notions is interesting to investigate in the Nordic context since companies in this geographical area are the global leaders in sustainability. We formulate the following research question as: What is the relationship between financial slack and the CSR performance in Nordic countries? As such, the purpose of this thesis is to investigate the underpinnings of whether companies choose to allocate their financial slack resources towards improving performance of CSR, or so called value creation. Doing so, we investigate the relationship between financial slack resources and CSR score. In adopting a regulatory position on the development of society, we conduct our research in accordance with the functionalist research paradigm, namely through commitment to the objectivist ontic and positivist epistemic research philosophies. We answer the research question using the deductive approach. Our research design is framed with an explanatory purpose relying on archival strategy to perform a quantitative study. The theoretical underpinnings for analysis comes in the form of legitimacy theory, the institutional differences hypothesis, Resource-based theory, slack resources theory, stakeholder and shareholder theory. We use multiple linear regressions to analyse cross-sectional data for the period between 2005 and 2015 collected from Thomson Reuters DataStream. Our result indicates that the relationship between financial slack and CSR performance in the following year is mixed with both positive and negative relationships being present. Our most important finding is a pattern indicating that during the year 2008 the relationship changed from being positive to negative. This implies that the more funds a company has at its discretion, the less likely it is for them to invest it in developing their CSR performance the following year. This could have severe negative implications on shareholders, stakeholders and society.

國際貿易對臺灣經濟有著舉足輕重的影響力，然而隨著貿易商競爭越發激烈以及去中間化之議題逐漸興起，臺灣的貿易商為了提升競爭力逐漸轉型，使自身企業之價值更加提升。貿易商轉型後之角色，以銷售代理商為被學者探討最多之主題，研究者認為採購的角色也是交易不容忽視的另一方，因此本研究以國際採購代理商為研究主題，探討採購代理商如何保有競爭力，吸引客戶與其合作，以及如何在與客戶合作時發揮中間商之功能與價值。 　　本研究之研究問題為：「哪些因素會影響國際採購代理商與客戶合作之內容?」，經過文獻探討及研究者之採購經驗歸納，本研究整理出五類因素影響採購代理商與客戶之合作內容：(1)外國客戶之合作動機；(2)外國客戶之策略與資源；(3)採購代理商之策略與資源；(4)採購代理商與外國客戶之合作成果；(5)採購代理商與外國客戶之合作關係。本研究以個案研究法進行研究，並搜尋次級資料及實際訪問採購代理商與採購協會來進行個案分析及整理，進而提出結論與建議，期望本研究結果對於採購代理商之業者及欲轉型為採購代理商之業者具參考價值。 　　透過資料蒐集及個案訪談之結果，本研究之研究結果支持研究初期所設計之研究架構。外國客戶之合作動機、外國客戶之策略與資源與採購代理商之策略與資源會影響雙方之合作內容與方式，合作之結果有可能是好的或不好的，也有糾紛發生的情形，這些合作結果會影響雙方之合作關係，而關係的強化、弱化會影響下次的合作內容，或是產生停止合作的結果。本研究依據研究發現，整理五類因素之內容，以供業者參考。本研究建議業者須發展企業自身之獨特核心資源，並建立與客戶及供應商夥伴關係，以持續保有自身之競爭力。 / International trade has decisive influences over Taiwan’s economy. As competition between traders has become more intense, and companies are taking consideration about disintermediation, Taiwan’s traders need to transform themselves to enhance their values and strengths for competiveness. Sales agents are the most popular role for this kind of research topic; however, the author thinks purchasing agents are also important. This research aims at studying how international purchasing agents remains their competitiveness to attract their clients and display their functions and values as middlemen. The research question is “How purchasing agents cooperate with their clients?” According literature review and purchasing experience from the author, the research summarizes five cooperation influential factors between purchasing agents and clients: (1) incentives for clients working with purchasing agents, (2) strategies and resources of clients, (3) strategies and resources of purchasing agents, (4) results of cooperation between purchasing agents and clients, and (5) relations between purchasing agents and clients. The research used case study method with collecting information and visiting target companies and institute to analyze and organize summery along with suggestion. The purpose of the research is giving valuable reference for purchasing agents and those who will become purchasing agents. After analyzing related information and visiting target companies and institute, the result of the research supports the research framework. Incentives for clients working with purchasing agents, strategies and resources of clients and strategies and resources of purchasing agents influence ways and contents of cooperation between two parties. Results of cooperation may be positive or negative, and even disputes can occur between two parties. These results will strengthen, weaken or even end cooperative relationship between purchasing agents and clients. According to research findings, the author summarizes contents of five cooperative influential factors between purchasing agents and clients for reference. The research suggests purchasing agents should develop their core resources and built up relations with clients and suppliers for maintaining their competitiveness.

Cette recherche explique comment il est possible d’utiliser le concept de crowdsourcing dans le but de générer un modèle d’affaire innovant. Le terrain d’étude retenu est composé de données primaires et de données secondaires. Les données primaires sont issues d’un grand distributeur franco-iranien installé en Iran. Des données secondaires et permettant des comparaisons proviennent de 5 autres grands distributeurs dans le monde. Notre analyse permet alors de définir les apports du crowdsourcing pour chaque type de distributeurs. / This research explains the applications of crowdsourcing phenomena by generating an innovative business model canvas for a French-Iranian hypermarket retailer in Iran after analyzing the business models of five hypermarket companies worldwide (one Americans, one Japanese and three French hypermarkets). The following research question has been considered for this research: How retail companies can use crowdsourcing to be more innovative in order to enhance their competitive advantage?

Dans cette thèse nous avons tenté d’expliquer la performance des entreprises en se basant sur l’approche basée sur les ressources (RBV) et l’approche basée sur les capacités dynamiques (DCV),deux approches relevant de la théorie des ressources qui gagneraient à être intégrées. Pour aborder la problématique, nous avons développé deux axes de recherche : « La détention des ressources/capacités et la Performance » et « La gestion des ressources/capacités et la Performance ». Le premier modèle conceptuel a présenté les relations liant les différentes capacités opérationnelles à la performance. Le modèle conceptuel global a traité de la relation « Capacités opérationnelles – Environnement -Stratégie de diversification - Capacités dynamiques- Performance ». Notre posture épistémologique dans cette recherche se voulait positiviste. Au niveau des choix méthodologiques nous avons opté pour une démarche hypothético-déductive avec une approche quantitative basée sur des données secondaires collectées de la base de données française DIANE et des statistiques de l’INSEE, et pour évaluer les capacités nous avons eu recours à la méthode DEA. La première étude empirique a testé la relation capacités opérationnelles-performance sur quatre échantillons mono-sectoriels représentatifs de l’industrie manufacturière française : le secteur pharmaceutique, le secteur automobile, le secteur de la chimie et le secteur de l’habillement. La seconde étude empirique a testé le modèle mettant en relation les capacités opérationnelles, les capacités dynamiques, l’environnement et la diversification,sur la base d’un échantillon plurisectoriel regroupant les quatre secteurs. Les résultats ont permis de découvrir en premier lieu, l’importance de la capacité financière pour tous les secteurs, en deuxième lieu, le rôle modérateur de l’environnement et de la diversification et en troisième lieu l‘importance des capacités dynamiques d’apprentissage (d’absorption) et adaptative dans l’explication de la performance. Ces résultats peuvent servir les décisions managériales et l'action publique. / In this thesis we have tried to explain business performance based on the resource-based View (RBV) and the Dynamic capabilities View (DCV), two approaches within the resource-based theory (RBT)that benefits from being integrated. To address the problem, we have developed two main stream of research: "The detention of resources / capabilities and performance" and "The management of resources / capabilities and performance." The first conceptual model presented the relations linking the various operational capabilities to performance. The global conceptual model has focused the relation “Ordinary capabilities – Environment – Diversification strategy- Dynamic capabilities –Performance”. Our epistemological position in this research wished to be positivist. At the methodological level we opted for a hypothetical-deductive approach with a quantitative approach based on secondary data collected from the French database DIANE and INSEE statistics, and to evaluate capabilities we used the DEA method. The first empirical study that aims on “ordinary capabilities – performance” link, is based on four industries samples representing the French manufacturing industry: the pharmaceutical industry, the automotive industry, the chemical industry and the clothing industry. The second study tested the empirical model linking ordinary capabilities,dynamic capabilities, environment and diversification, based on a multisectorial sample comprising the four sectors. The results revealed first the importance of financial capability for all sectors, second the moderating role of the environment and the diversification and thirdly the magnitudes of dynamic learning (absorption) and adaptive capabilities in explaining performance. These results could serve managerial decisions and public policy.

Submitted by Nadir Basilio (nadirsb@uninove.br) on 2018-04-03T18:34:58Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Gabriel Francisco Pistillo Fernandes.pdf: 2511512 bytes, checksum: ff3c00f73857bac7fbcb27ac806f0f21 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-04-03T18:34:58Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Gabriel Francisco Pistillo Fernandes.pdf: 2511512 bytes, checksum: ff3c00f73857bac7fbcb27ac806f0f21 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-06-30 / The telecommunications market is strategic for a country, project management is a recent and expanding discipline, relating project management and companies strategy is important for the competition at the telecommunications market. The objective of this work is to verify the influence of project management in obtaining competitive advantages at telecommunications companies. To achieve that a multiple case study was held, trough interviews with two project management executives, in two leading multinational telecommunications companies in Brazil. The study evaluated the relationship between project management maturity through the Kerzner Project Management Maturity Model (KPMMM) and the Resource Based View (RBV) at the generation of sustainable competitive advantages by assessing the model Value Rarity Inimitability Organization (VRIO) in conjunction with market performance indicators at the two companies. It was observed that the company A is at level 5 in KPMMM model and company B at level 3, that company A shows higher perception of VRIO model items for project management resources, and furthermore that company A has a better financial performance. So there are indications that the project management maturity can contribute to the generation of sustainable competitive advantages. As theoretical contributions the study presents the proposition which indicates that the project management may contribute to the generation of sustainable competitive advantages. As practical contributions this work presents the diagnosis carried out at the two companies and the instruments to replicate this inquire at other telecommunications companies. / O mercado de telecomunicações é estratégico para um país, o gerenciamento de projetos é uma disciplina recente e em expansão, relacionar o gerenciamento de projetos a estratégia das empresas é importante para a competição no mercado de telecomunicações. O objetivo deste trabalho é a verificação da influência do gerenciamento de projetos para a obtenção de vantagens competitivas em empresas de telecomunicações. Para isso foi desenvolvido neste trabalho um estudo de casos múltiplos, por meio de entrevistas com dois executivos de projetos, em duas empresas multinacionais de telecomunicações líderes no Brasil. O estudo avaliou a relação entre maturidade em gerenciamento de projetos pelo modelo Kerzner Project Management Maturity Model (KPMMM) e a Visão Baseada em Recursos na geração de vantagens competitivas sustentáveis pela avalição do modelo Valor Raridade Imitabilidade imperfeita Organização (VRIO) em conjunto com a análise de indicadores de desempenho de mercado nas duas empresas. Foi observado que a empresa A atinge o nível 5 do modelo KPMMM e a empresa B o nível 3, que a empresa A apresenta maior a percepção dos itens do modelo VRIO para os recursos de gerenciamento de projetos, e ainda que a empresa A tem melhor desempenho financeiro. Há indícios, portanto, de que a maturidade em gerenciamento de projetos possa contribuir para a geração de vantagens competitivas. Como contribuição teórica o estudo apresenta a proposição que indica que o gerenciamento de projetos pode contribuir para a geração de vantagens competitivas sustentáveis. Como contribuição para a prática apresenta-se o diagnóstico realizado nas duas empresas e o instrumento para replicá-lo em outras empresas do setor de telecomunicações.

The author analyzed three different perspectives of the development of new technology-based firms (NTBFs) from the resource-based view. The first article discusses how the resource base impacts the internationalization behavior of German NTBFs. Some companies go international early, some internationalize only after a few years. We argued that the resource base is a substantial factor determining if a NTBF will internationalize or not. In the second article, we analyze how the resource base impacts the survival of German NTBFs. We argued that a lack of sufficient resources can lead to early business failure. We further state that the different resources are necessary to fulfill the requirements within the development phases of the NTBF. To broaden our perspective we combined the resource-based view with the market view. In the third article, we analyzed how the resource base impacts the business model innovation of NTBFs. The business model for NTBFs must often be tailored to fulfill the requirements of potential customers or to further grow the business. A sufficient resource base is necessary to be able to change the business model and buffer the transition phase.:1 Introduction 2 Research gap 3 Different themes on NTBF research 4 The resource-based perspective 5 Corresponding research project 6 Scientific contribution for the doctoral thesis 7 Further academic and practical contributions 8 Acknowledgement 9 Literature 10 Declaration of authorship 11 Appendix

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