An industry is constantly affected by its environment and the changes that occur within it. These environmental forces are the drivers of the industry’s evolution and throughout its life an industry undergoes irreversible transformations, which creates an industry life cycle. The competitive pressure on firms has increased the importance of developing competitive strategies throughout the industry’s life. This becomes especially important when the industry reaches the decline stage. There are different strategies that are suggested for firms to undertake in a declining industry. However, these strategies do not consider small and medium-sized enterprises, thus they might not be the most suitable for these firms to undertake. In addition, international activities have not been seen as a way to increase performance in a declining industry. The purpose of this study is therefore to fill this gap by investigating how small and medium-sized enterprises seek to increase their performance in a declining industry. To fulfil this purpose, we have conducted a qualitative case study of four SMEs currently operating in a declining industry. The empirical data was collected through interviews at each case company.The theoretical framework includes the theoretical concept of the industry life cycle, strategies specific for declining industries, theories regarding how firm chooses to compete, and different theories regarding international activities. The chapter ends with a theoretical synthesis that is developed from the theories presented earlier in the chapter. The empirical chapter presents the findings from the interviews with the case companies.In the analysis, the theoretical framework is connected to the empirical data, and is the basis for our conclusions. After conducting this study we can conclude that small and medium-sized enterprises seek to increase their performance by undertaking a niche strategy as their end-game strategy, compete with a differentiations strategy, and by a large scope of international markets, which enables them to shift their market focus from unbeneficial markets to more beneficial markets.

Made available in DSpace on 2015-03-05T18:23:09Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 20 / Nenhuma / Esta dissertação foi desenvolvida através da observação e da análise do programa Big Brother Brasil 5, reality show apresentado pela Rede Globo de Televisão, canal 12, no período entre janeiro e março de 2005. O alvo era identificar as estratégias que levaram Jean Wyllys ao prêmio final. Esta análise das ações e movimentos deu-se através das técnicas de Relações Públicas, utilizadas com o objetivo de construir, manter e gerenciar imagens no espaço público. Esta dissertação concluiu que Jean Wyllys venceu ao Big Brother Brasil porque entrou no programa com um planejamento estratégico bem definido, com um conjunto de providências pré-estabelecidas, capazes de defender sua permanência no jogo e vencer os “paredões”. Seus votos mostraram sempre a coerência com a situação que enfrentava. Suas táticas e estratégias foram eficientes e eficazes tinham um propósito: vencer o programa e receber o prêmio. Utilizou a estratégia do golfinho, acreditou no futuro e na capacidade de resolver seus desafios e problemas com a / This paper has been developed based on the observation and analysis of Big Brother Brasil 5 program, a reality show exhibited by Rede Globo de Televisão (Globo TV Network), in channel 12, from January to March 2005. The aim was to identify the strategies that made it possible for Jean Wyllys to receive the final award. This analysis of the actions and movements was given through the techniques of Public Relations, used with the objective to construct, to keep and to manage images in the public space. The conclusion of this dissertation is that Jean Wyllys won Big Brother Brasil because he entered the program bearing in mind a well-defined strategic planning, with a set of pre-established decisions that made it possible for him to remain in the game and to win every eliminating phase. His votes always showed coherence with the situation he was facing. His tactics and strategies had been efficient and efficient they had an intention: to win the program and and receiving the award. He used the dolphin strategy,