The duality of the Brazilian jeitinho

Abstract

Purpose This paper aims to deepen the understanding of the impact of cultural and national idiosyncrasies on businesses. The authors concentrate on the cultural particularity of the Brazilian jeitinho to assess the ethicality of the concept in buyer–supplier relationships. Design/methodology/approach Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 28 Brazilian professionals working for both national and international companies, allowing for the analysis of the context in which the Brazilian jeitinho is perceived either as positive or negative in terms of ethics. Findings The authors propose five distinct dimensions (harm to third parties, seriousness of the issue, formality of relationships, personal benefit and assessed pertinence of rules and laws) to the assessment of Brazilian jeitinho as creativity, corruption or more nuanced classifications between them and offer a reviewed definition of the practice. Practical implications The results of the study may offer new insights into the Brazilian business environment. Deeper comprehension of the contexts in which jeitinho is used and its different connotations may optimise the relations between foreign and Brazilian companies and between foreign and Brazilian professionals and employees. Originality/value Within the context of intensified international trade, global supply chains and geographically spread operations, an understanding of cultural and national idiosyncrasies may provide managers with a powerful tool to conduct their business more effectively. With the economic emergence of countries such as China, Russia and Brazil, local practices are also gaining increased importance as they seem to have a direct influence on management in these places and beyond.

Explaining the Persistence of Informal Institutions: The Role of Informal Networks

“…For instance, jeitinho (Brazil) refers to a (creative) social technique of problem solving that utilizes emotional connections between acquaintances and between strangers (for a comprehensive definition, see Duarte, 2006;Lee Park et al, 2018). It consists of shared values, beliefs, and behavioral norms, and Brazilians perceive it as an important element of their cultural identity (Lee Park et al, 2018).…”

“…For instance, jeitinho (Brazil) refers to a (creative) social technique of problem solving that utilizes emotional connections between acquaintances and between strangers (for a comprehensive definition, see Duarte, 2006;Lee Park et al, 2018). It consists of shared values, beliefs, and behavioral norms, and Brazilians perceive it as an important element of their cultural identity (Lee Park et al, 2018). Thus, jeitinho can be classified as an informal practice that is connected to indigenous values and norm systems, and to the (dyadic) structure that allows the values and norms of the informal practice to operate.…”

Social sustainability in supply chains: the role of local practices and informal networks

“…Local practices represent a series of informal codes and rules that affect the interaction between individuals, determining their behaviours and interpretations of social action (Lee Park et al. , 2018).…”

“…Within management literature, these issues have translated in the study of local practices and informal networks in a range of topics. Moral analyses or questionings are relatively frequent, with authors examining the ethicality of Chinese guanxi (Su and Littlefield, 2001) and that of Brazilian jeitinho (Lee Park et al. , 2018).…”

“…Chen, 2015), with local practices being portrayed as factors for the comprehension of theories in local contexts. Understood as a set of informal codes and rules that condition individuals’ interaction, local practices are argued to play an important role in the determination of people’s behaviour, as well as in their interpretation of social actions (Lee Park et al. , 2018), leading to the development of informal networks.…”