Purpose The purpose of this paper is to question whether the university entrepreneurial push strategy influences the entrepreneurial intention (EI) of its students. Previous research followed multilevel approaches that jointly addressed the impact of individual characteristics, institutional environment, and educational support on EI. Despite these efforts, the extant literature did not consider differences between universities regarding the whole set of activities they perform to foster entrepreneurship among students and their results. Design/methodology/approach Through partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) procedures, this study compared data from 447 students of two Brazilian universities that differentiate themselves according to entrepreneurial push strategies (one adopts actions consistent with this type of strategy while the other does not). Whilst University 1 fosters entrepreneurship by investing in entrepreneurship courses, promoting entrepreneurship competitions, and offering incubation opportunities, University 2 primarily focuses on traditional managerial education without a specific focus on entrepreneurial activities. Findings Surprisingly, the results have shown the entrepreneurial push strategy of University 1 does not account for differences in the students’ EI when compared to University 2. Such finding contradicts previous studies on the effects of entrepreneurial education and sheds new lights on the role university’s support plays to foster entrepreneurship intention. Research limitations/implications Contributions to the literature on the field of entrepreneurship intention were made by showing that the efforts toward the promotion of entrepreneurship through entrepreneurship education, business plan competitions, and incubation might not have a direct influence on students’ EI. Practical implications As a practical implication, the study stimulates universities to evaluate the effectiveness of their efforts in promoting entrepreneurship through training, education and support for new ventures. The results also offer policy implications by suggesting that public policies should emphasize the development of institutions that foster a positive business environment, facilitate the creation of new ventures, the funding of start-ups and reinforce the benefits of becoming an entrepreneur. Originality/value The results are surprising because they contradict previous studies of the university’s role in fostering entrepreneurship intention. To the best of our knowledge, it is the first research comparing universities with two different approaches toward developing students’ EI: one university with a whole set of activities and another university without any specific activity with that purpose.

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The article analyzes how innovation generation occurs in subsidiaries of Brazilian multinational corporations acting in Portugal, specifically the role of customers in the process and the knowledge dynamics. A multiple case study approach was conducted in four subsidiaries operating in the Portuguese market for at least one year. Firms came from different activity sectors and sizes. Results identify permanent knowledge exchange flows between subsidiaries and headquarters, while the largest pour is from the later ones (in Brazil) to their wings in Portugal. There are frequent innovations taking place in Portuguese subsidiaries. Such innovation processes are typically incremental in nature and occur predominantly in only some areas of the organization, where greater specialization and expertise are located. The most relevant results regard the existing strong interaction between subsidiaries and markets, especially with the larger customers that contribute with suggestions and are able to influence the new products creation in the subsidiaries

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Objective: Our goal was to analyze whether governance practices implemented by credit cooperatives, according to the guidelines of the Central Bank of Brazil (BACEN), contribute to an increase in participation by cooperative members and an increase in the legitimacy of decisions. Method: This research was developed around a case study. Data collection was conducted through interviews, non-participant observations, and documentary analysis in a credit cooperative of free admission. Originality / Relevance: We detected the need to advance the academic literature on governance issues. There is currently a lack of research that analyzes the institutional mechanisms of cooperatives that reinforce their legitimacy, such as the participation of the cooperative in decision-making processes. Results: The social programs implemented aim to increase the representativeness of the members in the cooperative. The new assembly process promoted a significant change in the participation of the members, resulting in an increase in the number of voters in the assemblies. This strengthened their involvement and increased the legitimacy of the cooperative vis-à-vis regulatory institution. Theoretical contributions: The theoretical contribution of this study is related to the advancement of issues of cooperative governance. We noticed that the demand for increased participation of members is linked to the search for legitimacy, both in relation to the market, and to the members and the BACEN.  Furthermore, the latter induces normative isomorphism through good governance practices. Management contributions: The main managerial contribution of this study is to provide credit cooperatives with awareness of the fact that governance directly influences the participation of members, which, in turn, affects the legitimacy of the institutional and social environments.

PurposeThe paper's aim is to analyze the functional relationships between factors related to the prescription of medical drugs in Brazil.Design/methodology/approachA survey was conducted among 232 medical doctors in Brazil. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire. Five hypotheses on the factors impacting drug prescription were proposed, and the constructs were validated using a set of techniques pertaining to the calculation of structural equations.FindingsThe process of medical drug prescription in Brazil is positively correlated with all the presented constructs. However, the study found that the five proposed hypotheses demonstrated varying degrees of positive effect levels, ranging from strong to weak. Particularly, factors such as the characteristics of the drug and information available on a drug have the weakest effect, while the cost‐benefit ratio of a drug has a moderate effect. The drug's brand and its related advertising have the strongest effect.Practical implicationsThe results demonstrate the success of specific applications of advertising tools and brand construction in pharmaceutical marketing strategies targeting Brazilian physicians.Originality/valueThe study provides a broad map to understand the influences on drug prescriptions. Despite a prior study that found the behavior of physicians to be impacted by a different set of factors, this new research clearly shows that, in the Brazilian context, branding and advertising remain the major influences.

Nos últimos anos, observa-se um aumento das pressões legais e sociais em favor de uma maior preocupação com o meio ambiente em vários países, incluindo o Brasil. Se antes o foco era indústrias poluidoras, agora, também o setor agrícola sofre essas pressões. Considerando este cenário, o presente estudo tem como objetivo verificar quais são os principais fatores que levam produtores rurais a realizarem a logística reversa de embalagens de defensivos agrícolas. Para isso, foram aplicados questionários a 398 agricultores (residentes no Rio Grande do Sul e em Minas Gerais), produtores de soja, café, fumo, feijão e morango. Analisaram-se tanto as questões ambientais quanto as questões legais incluídas nesse processo. A fim de se atingir o objetivo proposto, foi adotada uma abordagem quantitativa, através da análise de regressão múltipla. No modelo de regressão estimado, observou-se que, dentro do processo de recolhimento de embalagens, três questões foram relacionadas à consciência ambiental: i) manuseio de defensivos agrícolas e a legislação atual; ii) adoção de tecnologia e de novas práticas e iii) riscos a saúde humana. Nos achados empíricos a consciência ambiental recebe fortes interferências de fatores relacionados ao manuseio de defensivos agrícolas e da legislação atual.
In recent years, legal and social pressures in favor of environmental affairs have increased in several countries, including Brazil. If, before, concerns were mainly focused on large polluting companies, nowadays, the agricultural sector is also influenced by this matter. Considering this scenario, this study aims to identify which are the main factors that lead rural producers to perform the milk run process. In order to evaluate this process, questionnaires were sent to 398 farmers (residents in Rio Grande do Sul and Minas Gerais States), producers of soybean, coffee, tobacco, beans and strawberry. We analyzed both environmental and legal issues. In order to achieve the objective proposed, a quantitative approach was adopted, using multiple regression analysis. In the regression model estimated, it was observed that, in the process of collecting packaging, three questions were related to environmental awareness: i) handling pesticides and current legislation, ii) adoption of new technology and practices, and iii) risks to human health. Empirical findings in environmental awareness receive strong interference of factors relating to the handling of pesticides and current legislation

c RESUMOO trabalho apresenta uma contribuição ao desenvolvimento empresarial proporcionado por uma Universidade aos empresários das pequenas empresas de base tecnológica incubados na Incubadora da referida organização. Através de um estudo de caso, envolvendo a Universidade Federal de Santa Maria -UFSM -e as empresas incubadas em sua Incubadora (ITSM), procurouse verificar o que a Universidade proporcionou em termos de apoio e conhecimentos gerenciais aos empresários e suas empresas. Isso se deve ao fato de a Universidade ter passado a ser vista pela sociedade, especialmente a empresarial, como uma alternativa na busca de soluções para problemas sociais e econômicos e como fonte de inovação e competitividade. Através de questionários e entrevistas com empresários e gerente da ITSM, além de entrevistas com professores da UFSM, chegou-se à conclusão de que a ITSM está sendo bem sucedida no desenvolvimento de pequenas empresas; ao contrário da UFSM, que ainda apresenta limitações quanto à interação e contribuição efetiva. Para a criação de empresas competitivas, é necessário corrigir alguns aspectos, como a baixa interação da UFSM com suas empresas, além de demonstrar o papel do empreendedor no desenvolvimento empresarial e na relação universidade-empresa.Palavras-chave: incubadoras, universidade-empresa, empresas de base tecnológica. ABSTRACTThis work presents the contribution to business development supported by a University to businessmen from small technology-based companies incubated in the Incubator from that organization. Through a case study of the Universidade Federal de Santa Maria (UFSM) and the companies incubated in its Incubator (ITSM), we studied how UFSM supported and helped businessmen and their companies with management knowledge. The reason for that was the fact that the University has been seen by the society, specially the business one, as a good alternative to solve social and economical problems and a source of innovation and competitiveness. Through questionnaires and interviews with businessmen and with the manager from ITSM and with professors from UFSM, we noticed that ITSM has been successful in the development of small business but the University is still limited in relation to interaction and real contribution. In order to create more competitive companies it is necessary to correct some aspects such as the low interaction of UFSM with its own companies, besides focusing on the entrepreneur role in the business development and in the University-Business relation.