Seguindo uma tendência mundial, as empresas no Brasil estão cada vez mais preocupadas com a responsabilidade social. Sendo assim, passam a contemplar mudanças organizacionais de implicações estratégicas profundas. Parte-se da premissa de que, para serem efetivas, tais mudanças devem estar alinhadas com a estratégia de negócios da empresa. O objetivo deste artigo é compartilhar os resultados de pesquisa bibliográfica e documental nas áreas de negócios e sociedade e gestão estratégica, com vistas a desenvolver um conjunto de ferramentas conceituais que possa auxiliar na formulação e implementação mais eficaz de estratégias de negócios direcionadas à responsabilidade social, no contexto brasileiro. Primeiro apresenta-se o arcabouço analítico em questão, construído por meio da síntese de elementos pertinentes de ambas as áreas de conhecimento. Depois, fornece-se um exemplo de como este pode ser utilizado para auxiliar a análise das mudanças a serem realizadas, a fim de que as práticas de responsabilidade social estejam alinhadas com a estratégia de negócios da empresa e, desta forma, possam contribuir para sua efetividade.

This article proposes a three-stage method, with the use of multiple rankings as a starting point in the first stage to help carry out bibliographical research in a more effective and systematic fashion. The relevance of this method is made evident by way of a pioneer empirical investigation on the use and importance of scientific journal rankings as perceived by Brazilian professors in the practice of bibliographical research in the field of Business Administration. The results suggest that, although there is an awareness of the importance of ranking as a criterion for bibliographical research, with a view to identifying the state of the art and relevant research gaps, ranking is in fact hardly used on a regular basis. It is believed that the proposed method can help overcome this problem and contribute to more effective literature reviews and research.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyze to what extent spending on innovation activities and collaboration at the industry level affects the relationship between firm innovation and performance. Design/methodology/approach A conceptual model was proposed and empirically tested using multiple linear regression. The data were obtained from the Community Innovation Survey 2012, composing a sample of 890 Italian manufacturing firms. Findings The results provided full support for the positive moderating effect of intra-industry innovation spending and partial support for the positive moderating effect of intra-industry collaboration, both regarding the relationship between firm innovation spending and performance. Knowledge spillovers derived from intra-industry innovation spending and intra-industry collaboration affect firm performance. While this finding corroborates other studies that have found that the intra-industry R&D spending influences firms’ innovation and performance, it also contributes to improve the understanding about the complementarity of internal innovation activities and knowledge spillovers. Originality/value This study contributes to theory by filling a gap concerning the complementarity of internal innovation activities and the effect of knowledge spillovers to improve firm performance. Our findings suggested that intra-industry openness to collaboration and innovation spending, as proxies of knowledge spillovers, plays an important role in complementing firm level innovative efforts, even in the case of firms that spend less on innovation and have a lower degree of collaboration. This is especially relevant for small and medium enterprises, which can take advantage of access to the necessary information to overcome their internal resource constraints for R&D and innovation. The originality of these findings adds value in terms of furthering the understanding of this phenomenon.

No abstract

Su m á r i o : 1. Introdução; 2. Métodos de pesquisa; 3. O estado da arte em avaliação econômica de projetos de transporte; 4. Brasil: práticas atuais de avaliação econô-mica de projetos de transporte; 5. Limitações observadas e recomendações para a metodologia brasileira; 6. Conclusões. Este artigo apresenta os resultados de uma investigação bibliográfica e documental sobre avaliação econômica de projetos, identificando o estado da arte e as melhores práticas internacionais nessa área, bem como os critérios atualmente adotados no Brasil. Com base nisso, faz recomendações para a melhoria das metodologias no Brasil, especialmente no que concerne à avaliação dos benefícios de segurança, economias de tempo e desenvolvimento social oriundos de projetos de infraestrutura de transporte.

Firms are increasingly engaging in alliance portfolios/networks -AP/Nets -to leverage their innovation performance -IP -and thus boost their competitiveness. Most studies, with a few exceptions especially from emerging countries, found a positive relationship between AP/Net and IP, depending on portfolio characteristics and firm absorptive capacity -AC. This article undertakes an empirical investigation of the AP/Net -IP relationship and AC´s potentially moderating role in this relationship in an emerging country: Brazil. Statistical testing of hypotheses regarding these relationships, and AC´s role, corroborated the exceptions. However, it confirmed how important it is that firms in an emerging country ensure a high level of AC to mitigate the negative effects of AP/Net diversity on IP. Some managerial and policy implications were also formulated.

No abstract

Notes that quality management practices of leading firms have increasingly been considered benchmarks for other companies in quest of successful competitive technologies. Shares the most relevant findings of the authors' study on key quality practices of leading firms in Brazil. Includes comparisons with results of research in the USA. Identifies socio-cultural factors as a root-cause for the difficulties of employing these practices effectively in Brazil. Recommends the development of innovative capabilities and cultural synergies, in the scope of the increasing associations with foreign firms, to overcome at least some of the difficulties at issue. Research and concepts Key quality management practices of leading firms in Brazil: findings of a pilot-studyThe authors gratefully acknowledge the help of almost 100 organizations that participated in their study on the key quality management practices of leading firms in Brazil. They extend special thanks to Qualitymark Editora Ltda., the publisher of the complete study on which this paper is based, for allowing them to submit for publication abroad an article with a summary of its most relevant findings. They also thank the American Society for Quality Control for granting them permission to use the questions and findings of the 1993 ASQC/Gallup survey during their investigations.