As Micro, Pequenas e Médias empresas, MPME, são responsáveis por em torno de 30% do PIB e por mais da metade dos trabalhos formais no Brasil, tamanha importância aponta a crescente necessidade de pesquisas que suportem o seu desenvolvimento e amadurecimento. Neste contexto, esta tese teve como foco as MPMEs, procurando responder quais são as práticas de gestão que mais impactam na lucratividade, bem como a associação destas práticas de gestão ao porte. As práticas de gestão foram concebidas a partir da cadeia de valor, formando-se nove dimensões: Estratégia, Estrategista, Gestão de Pessoas, Gestão de Valor, Gestão Financeira, Gestão de Operações, Mercadológico, Sistemas de Informação e Governança. Para a construção do instrumento de coleta de dados utilizou-se as referencias conceituais apontadas ao longo do referencial teórico. Dessa forma, montou-se um questionário com 204 perguntas, sendo 160 ligadas diretamente à representação destas práticas e mais 44 que suportaram o alcance do objetivo proposto. Por conseguinte, obteve-se um instrumento robusto para ser respondido em 60 minutos. Foi formada uma amostra de 197 empresas respondentes de diversos setores da economia, sendo 91 micro, 65 pequenas e 37 médias. Para a análise destas respostas utilizou-se a metodologia quantitativa exploratória, uma vez que a amostra foi não-probabilística por conveniência. Foram utilizadas diversas técnicas estatísticas através do software SPSS. Primeiramente foi verificada a associação entre cada uma das 160 variáveis e a lucratividade através dos testes Qui-quadradado e Kendall. Como resultado foram identificadas 32 variáveis com associação positiva e significativa e mais 8 variáveis com associação positiva. Com base nestas variáveis foi aplicada a análise CATPCA que resultou em 9 dimensões, as quais foram submetidas à correlação de Spearman e à regressão múltipla. Estas análises forneceram fortes evidências sobre a correlação direta entre a adoção de práticas de gestão e a lucratividade e o porte. Para possibilitar a identificação de grupos similares dentro da amostra foi utilizada a análise de cluster, a qual possibilitou comparar grupos com diferentes graus de adoção e diferentes lucratividades. Verificou-se a existência de um cluster no qual mais práticas de gestão levam a maior lucratividade, bem como outro que apresentou menores práticas de gestão e menores lucratividades. Como contribuição à gestão das MPMEs foram levantadas algumas evidências através do gráfico de regressão e das disposições das empresas no gráfico. Foram apresentadas quais práticas de gestão são adotadas por empresas com maior lucratividade e estas foram comparadas a empresas do mesmo porte e mesmo setor com menor lucratividade, possibilitando recomendações para a adoção de certas práticas administrativas. Espera-se contribuir para que os dirigentes de MPMEs vejam seus negócios como empresas que podem evoluir através de técnicas de gestão e analisem a sua possibilidade de adoção, pois como apresentado no presente estudo a associação foi positiva em ambos os casos, com lucratividade e com porte. / The Micro, Small and Medium business, MSMBs account around 30 % of GPD and more than 50% of formal jobs in Brazil, such importance underscores a growing need for research to support its development and maturation. In this context, this study focused on MSMBs by seeking the management practices that most impact the profitability and how it is associated of the size management. Management practices are designed from the value chain, in nine dimensions: Strategy, Strategist, People Management, Management Value, Financial Management, Management Operations, Marketing, Systems Information and Governance. To build the data collection was used the conceptual references cited throughout the theoretical framework. Therefore, a questionnaire with 204 questions, including 160 questions directly related to the representation of these practices and 44 questions which bore the scope of the proposed objective. Consequently, there was obtained a robust questionnare to be answered in 60 minutes. Was coleted a sample of 197 respondents companies from various sectors of the economy, with 91 micro, 65 small and 37 medium busness. For analysis of these responses was used exploratory quantitative method, since the sample was non- probabilistic. Statistical techniques were used by SPSS software. First, was analysed an association between each of the 160 variables and the profitability through the Chi-square and Kendall tests. As a result were identified 32 variables with positive and significant association and 8 more variables with positive association. Based on these variables was applied to CATPCA analysis that resulted in 9 dimensions, which were submitted to Spearman correlation and multiple regression. These analyzes provide strong evidence about the direct correlation between the adoption of management practices and profitability and the size. To identify similar groups was used cluster analysis, which enabled comparing groups with different degrees of adoption and different profitability. Was noted the existence of a cluster in which more management practices lead to higher profitability, as well as other cluster who had lower management practices and smaller profitabilities. As a contribution to the management of MSMBs have been raised through the evidence regression graph and the provisions of the companies in the chart. Which management practices were presented are adopted by the most profitable and these were compared to companies of similar size and same industry with lower profitability, providing recommendations for the adoption of certain maneger practices. It is expected to contribute to the MSMBs leaders to see their business as companies that can evolve through management techniques and analyze their possible use, because as shown in this study, the association was positive in both cases, as profitability and size.

This thesis deals with the issue of sustainable development and its relation to information and communicaton technologies in the business background. The whole concept is called Green ICT. The main aim of the thesis is to provide an insight into the legislative and contentual aspects of Green ICT and its relation to business informatics, suggesting several practices for use in small business. The first part defines all important legislative aspects and summarizes the view of Green ICT according to several authors and describes and compares the certificates of physical ICT. Next part is aimed to business environment and deals with the most frequently occuring barriers and motivation factors. The small and medium business is specified and the requirements of managing and monitoring the impact on the envirnoment is analyzed. Next part of the thesis analyzes defined areas of potential implementation of Green ICT and creates relevant practices to improve the power consumption and the impact on the environment, on the basis of available case studies and research findings For every practice, its potential technical solution, effects and risks are considered. These practices are then analyzed and appraised in terms of MMDIS methodics. The added value of the thesis is comprehensive description and analysis of individual practices of Green ICT from different points of view and analysis and comparison of available certifications of ICT devices.

Submitted by Silvana Teresinha Dornelles Studzinski (sstudzinski) on 2016-09-14T15:28:30Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Gabriela Carneiro Monteiro Paiva Villarinho_.pdf: 5300247 bytes, checksum: 593cdaa99d36ead261810869d455898a (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-09-14T15:28:30Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Gabriela Carneiro Monteiro Paiva Villarinho_.pdf: 5300247 bytes, checksum: 593cdaa99d36ead261810869d455898a (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-03-07 / CAPES - Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / A investigação de processos que promovem a inovação no setor de serviços é fundamental, considerando que a diversidade de natureza dos segmentos que compõem este universo de empresas. Esta necessidade é reforçada pelo visível crescimento do setor nos últimos anos, reafirmando a importância desta atividade na economia. Para tanto, o design thinking tem sido considerado uma abordagem adequada, por se ocupar do processo de desenvolvimento de interações, ao invés de se preocupar unicamente com o resultado final. Com isso, o design consegue se adequar e responder às diferentes necessidades dos pequenos negócios no desenvolvimento de novos serviços. O presente estudo investiga os fatores críticos de sucesso do Programa Transformando meu Serviço, realização conjunta entre UNISINOS e SEBRAE/RS, que auxiliou nove pequenos negócios na construção ou transformação de um serviço. A pesquisa foi desenvolvida através de estudo de caso com análise de conteúdo do material produzido no workshop e de coletas de dados por meio de entrevistas, grupo focal e diários de campo. Ao final do estudo, formulou-se oito hipóteses que foram traduzidas em uma proposta de redesenho do Programa Transformando meu Serviço, composta por um questionário preliminar a ser respondido pelo empresário, premissas básicas para realização do Programa e um conjunto de orientações para os atores do processo. / Researches about the processes that promote innovation in the Service sector are crucial, considering the diversity of natures of segments that constitute this group of enterprises. This need is reinforced by the visible growth of this sector in the last years, reaffirming the importance of the activity in the economy. Therefore, design thinking has been considered an adequate approach, for engaging interactions development process rather than being concerned only with the final result. Thereby, design can adapt itself and respond to the different needs of small businesses in developing new services. This study investigates the critical success factors of the program Transformando meu Serviço, joint realization of UNISINOS and SEBRAE/RS, which helped nine small businesses in constructing or transforming a service. This research was developed by a case study with content analysis of the material produced during the workshop and data collection by interviews, focus groups and field diaries. By the end of the study, eight hypotheses were formulated, that have been translated into a proposal to recast the program Transformando meu Serviço, consisting in a preliminary questionnaire to be answered by the owner of the business, basic premises for implementation of the programme and a set of directions for the actors of the process.

Vyriausybės verslo skatinimo priemonių analizė yra aktuali, nes verslas sudaro ekonomikos pagrindą. Net 99,5 procentus visų Lietuvoje veikiančių įmonių sudaro smulkus ir vidutinis verslas. Būtent šis sektorius padeda spręsti užimtumo problemas, stiprina atskirų rajonų ekonomiką, lanksčiai prisitaiko prie ekonomikos pokyčių, diegia naujoves, taip pat yra didžiųjų įmonių užuomazgos. Šiandieninėmis sudėtingomis, didelės konkurencijos sąlygomis SVV subjektų dėmesys turėtų būti nukreiptas ne tik į inovatyvių ir paklausių produktų kūrimą, jų sėkmingą įvedimą į rinką, gebėjimą gyvybingai funkcionuoti rinkoje, bet ir siekti sėkmingos verslo plėtros. Dėl šių priežasčių svarbu išsiaiškinti ir įvertinti galimą paramos verslui mechanizmą, kuris galėtų būti kaip svarbiausias ir lemiantis išliekamąjį SVV subjektų konkurencinį pranašumą. Ekonomikos sunkmečiu, smulkaus ir vidutinio verslo plėtra tapo vienu pagrindinių ekonominės politikos tikslų. Lietuvos Vyriausybė palaiko SVV skatinimą ir rėmimą, tačiau dėl finansinių išteklių stokos smulkųjį ir vidutinį verslą remia tik pagal išgales. Iškyla problema LR Vyriausybė aktyviai siekia pagerinti verslo veiklos sąlygas Lietuvoje ir paskatinti naujų įmonių kūrimą bei plėtrą, tačiau įmonės kuriasi vangiai, ypač mažesniuose miestuose ir rajonuose, jų augimas ir plėtra nėra pakankamai spartūs. Tyrimo hipotezė: Smulkus ir vidutinis verslas nepakankamai aktyviai naudojasi valstybės vykdomomis verslo skatinimo priemonėmis. Darbo tikslas: išanalizuoti... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / Analysis of government stimulation means is urgent, because business is a basis of economic structure. Even 99,5 percent of all working companies in Lithuania are small or medium business. Namely this sector helps solving employment problems, it strengthens economic structure of separate regions, flexibly adapts to economical changes, introduces innovations, it is also a start of becoming a large business. For present day, in difficult, large competition environment, SMB subject attention should be concentrated not only onto creation of innovative and marketable products and their successful lead to market, capability of great vitality functioning in market, but also seek for a successful business expansion. That is because it is important to clear up and evaluate possible mechanism of business support, which could be as the most important and crucial survival SMB subject competition advantage. In difficult economy period, expansion of small and medium business became one of the most priority targets of economic policy. Government of the republic of Lithuania supports SMB stimulation, but because of lack of financial resources it supports small and medium business as far as possible. Arises problem, government of the republic of Lithuania actively tries to improve business conditions in Lithuania and stimulate creation and expansion of new business, but new business is started very slowly, especially in smaller towns and districts, their growth and expansion are not fast... [to full text]

This thesis is motivated by the need to establish a model covering innovative information systems (IS) adoption behaviours within small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Studies on adoption behaviour related to innovative IS are devoting increasing attention to SMEs. Most prior studies, however, have still relied on models developed from studies of large firms. The applicability to SMEs of findings and models developed from large firm studies is not without question as SMEs are not miniature versions of large firms. SMEs face different challenges and opportunities from large firms. This thesis empirically examined issues on the adoption behaviours of innovative IS by SMEs. In line with this objective, two research questions were established. First, what are the critical determinants that allow SMEs to overcome inhibiting factors and adopt an innovative IS? Second, what are the critical determinants that ultimately activate and stimulate them to become enabled and actively utilise an innovative IS? The conceptualisation of enacted capabilities, adapted from the resource-based view of the firm is introduced. This thesis postulates that appropriate enacted capabilities facilitate SMEs to become enabled and actively utilise an innovative IS. These enacted capabilities include the level of IT skills and knowledge of the enterprises’ members, trust in technology, trust in trading partners, external experts’ support, and organisational culture Models incorporating aspects of the theory underlying the technology acceptance model (Davis, 1989), the diffusion of innovation theory (Rogers, 1995), and the resource-based view of the firm (Barney, 1991) were developed to describe the causal linkages between the determinants that activate and stimulate innovative IS adoption behaviour (i.e., from adopting to enabling to utilising innovative IS). One model was developed for the adoption stage and a second for the enablement and utilisation stages. The adoption stage model contains three main hypotheses. The first two hypotheses propose that enacted capabilities have a positive direct effect on both perceived net benefits and attitude towards adoption from a competitive advantage perspective. The third hypothesis proposes that perceived net benefits have a positive effect on attitude towards adoption form a competitive advantage perspective. The enablement and utilisation stages model contains four main hypotheses. The first two hypotheses propose that enacted capabilities and attitude have positive effects on perceived net benefits. The last two hypotheses propose that perceived net benefits and attitude towards adoption from a competitive advantage perspective have positive effects on the extent of enablement and usage of innovative IS. The hypotheses are tested using data obtained via a survey and follow-up interview. Responses were received from 206 SMEs of varying industries and sizes from the survey. Out of these 206 SMEs, follow-up interviews were conducted with twenty-one SMEs. The interviews utilise a combination of both open and closed questions. The questions for the follow-up interviews were based on findings derived from the survey. The innovative IS examined was the Malaysian government’s electronic procurement system, known as ePerolehan. All government suppliers must register for the system and become enabled for use before they can start utilising the system. The results indicate that enacted capabilities possessed by SMEs affect perceived net benefits at all stages of adoption behaviours of SMEs (i.e., adoption, enablement and utilisation). More significantly, two aspects of enacted capabilities, top management IS skills and knowledge and trust in trading partners dominate the effect on perceived net benefits. Support from external experts dominates the effect on attitude at the adoption stage. Top management IS skills and knowledge and trust in technology have a negative effect on attitude at the time of adoption. Enacted capabilities also contribute to the extent of enablement and usage within SMEs. Furthermore, different categories of adopters differ in the set of enacted capabilities underlying their innovative IS adoption behaviour. Results also indicate that when SMEs perceived higher net benefits in adopting innovative IS, they have a positive attitude. The positive attitude generated at the time of adoption has a direct effect on the extent of enablement and usage. The influence of perceived net benefits differs at the different stages of adoption behaviour. At the utilisation stage, usage is affected by perceived net benefits, however, perceived net benefits do not affect the extent of enablement at the enablement stage. In conclusion, this thesis found that enacted capabilities display important roles as antecedents to perceived net benefits, and that perceived net benefits act as a mediator from enacted capabilities to attitude at the adoption stage. Enacted capabilities also display important roles as stimulators of the extent of enablement and usage. Thus, apart from requiring good ideas and financial resources, SMEs also require appropriate enacted capabilities when adopting, enabling and utilising innovative IS.

This thesis is motivated by the need to establish a model covering innovative information systems (IS) adoption behaviours within small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Studies on adoption behaviour related to innovative IS are devoting increasing attention to SMEs. Most prior studies, however, have still relied on models developed from studies of large firms. The applicability to SMEs of findings and models developed from large firm studies is not without question as SMEs are not miniature versions of large firms. SMEs face different challenges and opportunities from large firms. This thesis empirically examined issues on the adoption behaviours of innovative IS by SMEs. In line with this objective, two research questions were established. First, what are the critical determinants that allow SMEs to overcome inhibiting factors and adopt an innovative IS? Second, what are the critical determinants that ultimately activate and stimulate them to become enabled and actively utilise an innovative IS? The conceptualisation of enacted capabilities, adapted from the resource-based view of the firm is introduced. This thesis postulates that appropriate enacted capabilities facilitate SMEs to become enabled and actively utilise an innovative IS. These enacted capabilities include the level of IT skills and knowledge of the enterprises’ members, trust in technology, trust in trading partners, external experts’ support, and organisational culture Models incorporating aspects of the theory underlying the technology acceptance model (Davis, 1989), the diffusion of innovation theory (Rogers, 1995), and the resource-based view of the firm (Barney, 1991) were developed to describe the causal linkages between the determinants that activate and stimulate innovative IS adoption behaviour (i.e., from adopting to enabling to utilising innovative IS). One model was developed for the adoption stage and a second for the enablement and utilisation stages. The adoption stage model contains three main hypotheses. The first two hypotheses propose that enacted capabilities have a positive direct effect on both perceived net benefits and attitude towards adoption from a competitive advantage perspective. The third hypothesis proposes that perceived net benefits have a positive effect on attitude towards adoption form a competitive advantage perspective. The enablement and utilisation stages model contains four main hypotheses. The first two hypotheses propose that enacted capabilities and attitude have positive effects on perceived net benefits. The last two hypotheses propose that perceived net benefits and attitude towards adoption from a competitive advantage perspective have positive effects on the extent of enablement and usage of innovative IS. The hypotheses are tested using data obtained via a survey and follow-up interview. Responses were received from 206 SMEs of varying industries and sizes from the survey. Out of these 206 SMEs, follow-up interviews were conducted with twenty-one SMEs. The interviews utilise a combination of both open and closed questions. The questions for the follow-up interviews were based on findings derived from the survey. The innovative IS examined was the Malaysian government’s electronic procurement system, known as ePerolehan. All government suppliers must register for the system and become enabled for use before they can start utilising the system. The results indicate that enacted capabilities possessed by SMEs affect perceived net benefits at all stages of adoption behaviours of SMEs (i.e., adoption, enablement and utilisation). More significantly, two aspects of enacted capabilities, top management IS skills and knowledge and trust in trading partners dominate the effect on perceived net benefits. Support from external experts dominates the effect on attitude at the adoption stage. Top management IS skills and knowledge and trust in technology have a negative effect on attitude at the time of adoption. Enacted capabilities also contribute to the extent of enablement and usage within SMEs. Furthermore, different categories of adopters differ in the set of enacted capabilities underlying their innovative IS adoption behaviour. Results also indicate that when SMEs perceived higher net benefits in adopting innovative IS, they have a positive attitude. The positive attitude generated at the time of adoption has a direct effect on the extent of enablement and usage. The influence of perceived net benefits differs at the different stages of adoption behaviour. At the utilisation stage, usage is affected by perceived net benefits, however, perceived net benefits do not affect the extent of enablement at the enablement stage. In conclusion, this thesis found that enacted capabilities display important roles as antecedents to perceived net benefits, and that perceived net benefits act as a mediator from enacted capabilities to attitude at the adoption stage. Enacted capabilities also display important roles as stimulators of the extent of enablement and usage. Thus, apart from requiring good ideas and financial resources, SMEs also require appropriate enacted capabilities when adopting, enabling and utilising innovative IS.

This thesis is motivated by the need to establish a model covering innovative information systems (IS) adoption behaviours within small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Studies on adoption behaviour related to innovative IS are devoting increasing attention to SMEs. Most prior studies, however, have still relied on models developed from studies of large firms. The applicability to SMEs of findings and models developed from large firm studies is not without question as SMEs are not miniature versions of large firms. SMEs face different challenges and opportunities from large firms. This thesis empirically examined issues on the adoption behaviours of innovative IS by SMEs. In line with this objective, two research questions were established. First, what are the critical determinants that allow SMEs to overcome inhibiting factors and adopt an innovative IS? Second, what are the critical determinants that ultimately activate and stimulate them to become enabled and actively utilise an innovative IS? The conceptualisation of enacted capabilities, adapted from the resource-based view of the firm is introduced. This thesis postulates that appropriate enacted capabilities facilitate SMEs to become enabled and actively utilise an innovative IS. These enacted capabilities include the level of IT skills and knowledge of the enterprises’ members, trust in technology, trust in trading partners, external experts’ support, and organisational culture Models incorporating aspects of the theory underlying the technology acceptance model (Davis, 1989), the diffusion of innovation theory (Rogers, 1995), and the resource-based view of the firm (Barney, 1991) were developed to describe the causal linkages between the determinants that activate and stimulate innovative IS adoption behaviour (i.e., from adopting to enabling to utilising innovative IS). One model was developed for the adoption stage and a second for the enablement and utilisation stages. The adoption stage model contains three main hypotheses. The first two hypotheses propose that enacted capabilities have a positive direct effect on both perceived net benefits and attitude towards adoption from a competitive advantage perspective. The third hypothesis proposes that perceived net benefits have a positive effect on attitude towards adoption form a competitive advantage perspective. The enablement and utilisation stages model contains four main hypotheses. The first two hypotheses propose that enacted capabilities and attitude have positive effects on perceived net benefits. The last two hypotheses propose that perceived net benefits and attitude towards adoption from a competitive advantage perspective have positive effects on the extent of enablement and usage of innovative IS. The hypotheses are tested using data obtained via a survey and follow-up interview. Responses were received from 206 SMEs of varying industries and sizes from the survey. Out of these 206 SMEs, follow-up interviews were conducted with twenty-one SMEs. The interviews utilise a combination of both open and closed questions. The questions for the follow-up interviews were based on findings derived from the survey. The innovative IS examined was the Malaysian government’s electronic procurement system, known as ePerolehan. All government suppliers must register for the system and become enabled for use before they can start utilising the system. The results indicate that enacted capabilities possessed by SMEs affect perceived net benefits at all stages of adoption behaviours of SMEs (i.e., adoption, enablement and utilisation). More significantly, two aspects of enacted capabilities, top management IS skills and knowledge and trust in trading partners dominate the effect on perceived net benefits. Support from external experts dominates the effect on attitude at the adoption stage. Top management IS skills and knowledge and trust in technology have a negative effect on attitude at the time of adoption. Enacted capabilities also contribute to the extent of enablement and usage within SMEs. Furthermore, different categories of adopters differ in the set of enacted capabilities underlying their innovative IS adoption behaviour. Results also indicate that when SMEs perceived higher net benefits in adopting innovative IS, they have a positive attitude. The positive attitude generated at the time of adoption has a direct effect on the extent of enablement and usage. The influence of perceived net benefits differs at the different stages of adoption behaviour. At the utilisation stage, usage is affected by perceived net benefits, however, perceived net benefits do not affect the extent of enablement at the enablement stage. In conclusion, this thesis found that enacted capabilities display important roles as antecedents to perceived net benefits, and that perceived net benefits act as a mediator from enacted capabilities to attitude at the adoption stage. Enacted capabilities also display important roles as stimulators of the extent of enablement and usage. Thus, apart from requiring good ideas and financial resources, SMEs also require appropriate enacted capabilities when adopting, enabling and utilising innovative IS.

This thesis is motivated by the need to establish a model covering innovative information systems (IS) adoption behaviours within small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Studies on adoption behaviour related to innovative IS are devoting increasing attention to SMEs. Most prior studies, however, have still relied on models developed from studies of large firms. The applicability to SMEs of findings and models developed from large firm studies is not without question as SMEs are not miniature versions of large firms. SMEs face different challenges and opportunities from large firms. This thesis empirically examined issues on the adoption behaviours of innovative IS by SMEs. In line with this objective, two research questions were established. First, what are the critical determinants that allow SMEs to overcome inhibiting factors and adopt an innovative IS? Second, what are the critical determinants that ultimately activate and stimulate them to become enabled and actively utilise an innovative IS? The conceptualisation of enacted capabilities, adapted from the resource-based view of the firm is introduced. This thesis postulates that appropriate enacted capabilities facilitate SMEs to become enabled and actively utilise an innovative IS. These enacted capabilities include the level of IT skills and knowledge of the enterprises’ members, trust in technology, trust in trading partners, external experts’ support, and organisational culture Models incorporating aspects of the theory underlying the technology acceptance model (Davis, 1989), the diffusion of innovation theory (Rogers, 1995), and the resource-based view of the firm (Barney, 1991) were developed to describe the causal linkages between the determinants that activate and stimulate innovative IS adoption behaviour (i.e., from adopting to enabling to utilising innovative IS). One model was developed for the adoption stage and a second for the enablement and utilisation stages. The adoption stage model contains three main hypotheses. The first two hypotheses propose that enacted capabilities have a positive direct effect on both perceived net benefits and attitude towards adoption from a competitive advantage perspective. The third hypothesis proposes that perceived net benefits have a positive effect on attitude towards adoption form a competitive advantage perspective. The enablement and utilisation stages model contains four main hypotheses. The first two hypotheses propose that enacted capabilities and attitude have positive effects on perceived net benefits. The last two hypotheses propose that perceived net benefits and attitude towards adoption from a competitive advantage perspective have positive effects on the extent of enablement and usage of innovative IS. The hypotheses are tested using data obtained via a survey and follow-up interview. Responses were received from 206 SMEs of varying industries and sizes from the survey. Out of these 206 SMEs, follow-up interviews were conducted with twenty-one SMEs. The interviews utilise a combination of both open and closed questions. The questions for the follow-up interviews were based on findings derived from the survey. The innovative IS examined was the Malaysian government’s electronic procurement system, known as ePerolehan. All government suppliers must register for the system and become enabled for use before they can start utilising the system. The results indicate that enacted capabilities possessed by SMEs affect perceived net benefits at all stages of adoption behaviours of SMEs (i.e., adoption, enablement and utilisation). More significantly, two aspects of enacted capabilities, top management IS skills and knowledge and trust in trading partners dominate the effect on perceived net benefits. Support from external experts dominates the effect on attitude at the adoption stage. Top management IS skills and knowledge and trust in technology have a negative effect on attitude at the time of adoption. Enacted capabilities also contribute to the extent of enablement and usage within SMEs. Furthermore, different categories of adopters differ in the set of enacted capabilities underlying their innovative IS adoption behaviour. Results also indicate that when SMEs perceived higher net benefits in adopting innovative IS, they have a positive attitude. The positive attitude generated at the time of adoption has a direct effect on the extent of enablement and usage. The influence of perceived net benefits differs at the different stages of adoption behaviour. At the utilisation stage, usage is affected by perceived net benefits, however, perceived net benefits do not affect the extent of enablement at the enablement stage. In conclusion, this thesis found that enacted capabilities display important roles as antecedents to perceived net benefits, and that perceived net benefits act as a mediator from enacted capabilities to attitude at the adoption stage. Enacted capabilities also display important roles as stimulators of the extent of enablement and usage. Thus, apart from requiring good ideas and financial resources, SMEs also require appropriate enacted capabilities when adopting, enabling and utilising innovative IS.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-12-12T20:32:05Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 marco1.pdf: 1381499 bytes, checksum: 50cd3caa5b92c12896ce9977d8b497f1 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2002-03-01 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / The present paper has the general purpose to verify if the model of firms internationalization offered by specialized authors allows comprehension about the internationalization process of Olsen Indústria de Equipamentos Odontomédicos Ltda. The worldwide economics panorama has changed since the end of Second War. Involved by the information technology revolution and the multilateral relationship domain, we are experiencing powerful trends like the liberalization and the rapid increase of international trade, the financial globalization and the regional integration. Due to this dynamic and complex environment, many firms are attracted by the exportation idea, and governments are concerning about your external accounts. In Brazil, the main target of export promotion programs is the small and medium enterprises (SMEs) segment, which has a historical short participation on national export value. There are so many reasons, but all of them are associated with the lack of international business culture in Brazil. However, some brazilian SMEs are exporting. The conclusion of some studies is that the number of brazilian SMEs exporters is growing up, but they tend to give up of exporting because of the natural obstacles of international trade. The permanence and the regularity of these firms on the internationalization process involve some prohibitive costs and risks, taking them to adopt a non-strategic and opportunist attitude. One of the few cases of well- nternationalized SME in Brazil is the mediumsized firm Olsen Indústria de Equipamentos Odontomédicos Ltda., located in the city of Palhoça/SC. This firm was a good opportunity to improve our knowledge about internationalization process; why the emphasis on overseas; what factors allow the advance on internationalization process; and, especially, what impacts the decision of internationalization interfere on the future of this firm. In this way, we selected a model that allows a better comprehension about the internationalization process of Olsen. The studies about internationalization of brazilian firms are still in short supply. The application of the selected model objectives, in particular, to reduce some doubts about the paradox relationship between SMEs and international trade / O presente trabalho tem por objetivo geral verificar se o modelo de internacionalização de empresas apresentado pela bibliografia especializada possibilita a compreensão do processo de internacionalização da Olsen Indústria de Equipamentos Odontomédicos Ltda. O panorama econômico mundial mudou profundamente desde o término da II Guerra Mundial. Tendo a revolução da tecnologia da informação e o domínio das relações multilaterais entre os países como pano de fundo , o mundo inteiro vem assistindo a consolidação de tendências como a desregulamentação e o forte incremento do comércio internacional, a intensa movimentação de capitais entre os países e a formação de blocos econômicos. É dentro deste cenário dinâmico e complexo que um número cada vez maior número de empresas vêem-se compelidas a se internacionalizar. Da mesma forma, percebe-se o crescente esforço das nações na busca do equilíbrio dos seus balanços de pagamentos. No Brasil, o principal alvo dos programas de promoção às exportações do governo é o segmento das pequenas e médias empresas (PMEs), que apresenta uma histórica baixa participação no volume das exportações nacionais. Os motivos são de natureza diversa, mas todos passam pela nossa falta de tradição na área dos negócios internacionais. Todavia, existem PMEs brasileiras exportando. Estudos apontam que é expressivo o ingresso de novas PMEs no esforço exportador. Por outro lado, os mesmos estudos constatam que a maior parte das PMEs exportadoras tende a desistir das vendas internacionais após se defrontar com os típicos desafios envolvidos nestas operações. Ou seja, as PMEs brasileiras tendem a não atingir estágios mais evoluídos do processo de internacionalização. A permanência e a regularidade na atividade exportadora apresenta riscos e custos muitas vezes incompatíveis com a natureza deste segmento, induzindo muitas destas empresas a adotar uma postura oportunista e não estratégica em relação ao comércio exterior. Um dos poucos casos de PMEs brasileiras que avançaram no processo de internacionalização pode ser bem representado pela Olsen Indústria de Equipamentos Odontomédicos Ltda., empresa industrial de médio porte localizada no município de Palhoça/SC. Pareceu-nos oportuno conhecer melhor a realidade desta empresa; o porquê da ênfase no mercado externo; quais os fatores que condicionaram o seu avanço no processo de internacionalização e o seu maior comprometimento com o mercado externo; e, sobretudo, quais os reflexos destas decisões sobre o futuro desta empresa. Para isto, buscou-se na literatura especializada um modelo capaz de oferecer uma melhor compreensão sobre o processo de internacionalização desta empresa. Os estudos sobre internacionalização de PMEs brasileiras ainda são escassos. A aplicação do modelo de internacionalização proposto por este estudo busca, sobretudo, diminuir algumas lacunas sobre a relação paradoxal entre as PMEs e o comércio internacional

As Micro, Pequenas e Médias empresas, MPME, são responsáveis por em torno de 30% do PIB e por mais da metade dos trabalhos formais no Brasil, tamanha importância aponta a crescente necessidade de pesquisas que suportem o seu desenvolvimento e amadurecimento. Neste contexto, esta tese teve como foco as MPMEs, procurando responder quais são as práticas de gestão que mais impactam na lucratividade, bem como a associação destas práticas de gestão ao porte. As práticas de gestão foram concebidas a partir da cadeia de valor, formando-se nove dimensões: Estratégia, Estrategista, Gestão de Pessoas, Gestão de Valor, Gestão Financeira, Gestão de Operações, Mercadológico, Sistemas de Informação e Governança. Para a construção do instrumento de coleta de dados utilizou-se as referencias conceituais apontadas ao longo do referencial teórico. Dessa forma, montou-se um questionário com 204 perguntas, sendo 160 ligadas diretamente à representação destas práticas e mais 44 que suportaram o alcance do objetivo proposto. Por conseguinte, obteve-se um instrumento robusto para ser respondido em 60 minutos. Foi formada uma amostra de 197 empresas respondentes de diversos setores da economia, sendo 91 micro, 65 pequenas e 37 médias. Para a análise destas respostas utilizou-se a metodologia quantitativa exploratória, uma vez que a amostra foi não-probabilística por conveniência. Foram utilizadas diversas técnicas estatísticas através do software SPSS. Primeiramente foi verificada a associação entre cada uma das 160 variáveis e a lucratividade através dos testes Qui-quadradado e Kendall. Como resultado foram identificadas 32 variáveis com associação positiva e significativa e mais 8 variáveis com associação positiva. Com base nestas variáveis foi aplicada a análise CATPCA que resultou em 9 dimensões, as quais foram submetidas à correlação de Spearman e à regressão múltipla. Estas análises forneceram fortes evidências sobre a correlação direta entre a adoção de práticas de gestão e a lucratividade e o porte. Para possibilitar a identificação de grupos similares dentro da amostra foi utilizada a análise de cluster, a qual possibilitou comparar grupos com diferentes graus de adoção e diferentes lucratividades. Verificou-se a existência de um cluster no qual mais práticas de gestão levam a maior lucratividade, bem como outro que apresentou menores práticas de gestão e menores lucratividades. Como contribuição à gestão das MPMEs foram levantadas algumas evidências através do gráfico de regressão e das disposições das empresas no gráfico. Foram apresentadas quais práticas de gestão são adotadas por empresas com maior lucratividade e estas foram comparadas a empresas do mesmo porte e mesmo setor com menor lucratividade, possibilitando recomendações para a adoção de certas práticas administrativas. Espera-se contribuir para que os dirigentes de MPMEs vejam seus negócios como empresas que podem evoluir através de técnicas de gestão e analisem a sua possibilidade de adoção, pois como apresentado no presente estudo a associação foi positiva em ambos os casos, com lucratividade e com porte. / The Micro, Small and Medium business, MSMBs account around 30 % of GPD and more than 50% of formal jobs in Brazil, such importance underscores a growing need for research to support its development and maturation. In this context, this study focused on MSMBs by seeking the management practices that most impact the profitability and how it is associated of the size management. Management practices are designed from the value chain, in nine dimensions: Strategy, Strategist, People Management, Management Value, Financial Management, Management Operations, Marketing, Systems Information and Governance. To build the data collection was used the conceptual references cited throughout the theoretical framework. Therefore, a questionnaire with 204 questions, including 160 questions directly related to the representation of these practices and 44 questions which bore the scope of the proposed objective. Consequently, there was obtained a robust questionnare to be answered in 60 minutes. Was coleted a sample of 197 respondents companies from various sectors of the economy, with 91 micro, 65 small and 37 medium busness. For analysis of these responses was used exploratory quantitative method, since the sample was non- probabilistic. Statistical techniques were used by SPSS software. First, was analysed an association between each of the 160 variables and the profitability through the Chi-square and Kendall tests. As a result were identified 32 variables with positive and significant association and 8 more variables with positive association. Based on these variables was applied to CATPCA analysis that resulted in 9 dimensions, which were submitted to Spearman correlation and multiple regression. These analyzes provide strong evidence about the direct correlation between the adoption of management practices and profitability and the size. To identify similar groups was used cluster analysis, which enabled comparing groups with different degrees of adoption and different profitability. Was noted the existence of a cluster in which more management practices lead to higher profitability, as well as other cluster who had lower management practices and smaller profitabilities. As a contribution to the management of MSMBs have been raised through the evidence regression graph and the provisions of the companies in the chart. Which management practices were presented are adopted by the most profitable and these were compared to companies of similar size and same industry with lower profitability, providing recommendations for the adoption of certain maneger practices. It is expected to contribute to the MSMBs leaders to see their business as companies that can evolve through management techniques and analyze their possible use, because as shown in this study, the association was positive in both cases, as profitability and size.