131,361 research outputs found
Marketing for Entrepreneurs and SMEs. A Global Perspective. Reviewed by Guido Bortoluzzi
No full textThere is an evident paradox in writing about marketing in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). On the one hand, SMEs are traditionally closer to their clients than multinational firms (MNEs) and directly “hear the voice of [their] customers” (Hill, 2001a, 2001b). On the other hand, SMEs use mental models and managerial frameworks that can differ substantially from the ones described by the mainstream marketing literature mostly addressed to bigger firms. SMEs plan their marketing strategies much less frequently than MNEs do. Many SMEs do not even have a marketing function or marketing-dedicated managers. Most of SMEs do not manage any market research activity, either directly or through external providers (Romano and Ratnatunga, 1995; Siu and Kirby, 1998; Hill, 2001a, 2001b).
Given such premises, how can it be possible to keep together ‘marketing’ and ‘SMEs’? It becomes possible by moving from a ‘functional’ perspective (a firm does marketing when a marketing function exists) to an ‘activities-based’ perspective (a firm does marketing if it manages marketing activities independently from the existence of a marketing function and marketing managers).
It is my opinion that the authors of the book Marketing for Entrepreneurs and SMEs, Maja Konečnik Ruzzier, Mitja Ruzzier and Robert D. Hisrich, were particularly effective in applying an activity-based perspective to the study of marketing in SMEs. They were not the first authors to do so. Other authors also successfully applied an activity-based perspective to SME marketing (i.e., Carson, 1985; Bhide, 1994; Carson and Gilmore, 2000; Pacitto et al., 2007)
Microlia machadoi Bortoluzzi, Caron & Silveira, sp. nov.
No full textMicrolia machadoi Bortoluzzi, Caron & Silveira, sp. nov. (Figures 17–28) Material examined. Holotype. Male deposited in DZUP; labels: (1) “ BRA [Brazil], RS [Rio Grande do Sul], Riozinho/ M. schottiana ♀ / XI- 2012 /D. Silveira, col.” [white label, printed in black]; (2) “ Holotype / Microlia machadoi / Bortoluzzi, Caron & Silveira, 2015 ” [red label, printed in black]. 10 Paratypes. Five males: one, deposited in DZUP, with the same first label as holotype; two, deposited in DZUP, with (1)“ BRA [Brazil], RS [Rio Grande do Sul], Morrinhos/ M. schottiana ♂/ 25 -XI- 2012 /D. Silveira, col.”[white label, printed in black]; one, deposited in FMNH, with (1)“ BRA [Brazil], RS [Rio Grande do Sul], Riozinho/ M. schottiana ♂ / 10 -XI- 2012 /D. Silveira, col.”[white label, printed in black]; and one, deposited in FMNH, with (1)“ BRA, RS, São Leopoldo/ M. schottiana ♂/ 16 -XI- 2012 /D. Silveira, col.”[white label, printed in black]. Five females: three, deposited in DZUP, with the same first label as holotype; two, deposited in FMNH, with (1)“ BRA [Brazil], RS [Rio Grande do Sul], Riozinho/ M. schottiana ♂/ 10 -XI- 2012 /D. Silveira, col.”[white label, printed in black]. Additional material. 43 specimens deposited in DZUP, sex undetermined: 21 with the same first label as holotype; ten with “ BRA [Brazil], RS [Rio Grande do Sul], Morrinhos/ M. schottiana ♂/ 25 -XI- 2012 /D. Silveira, col.”; six with “ BRA [Brazil], RS [Rio Grande do Sul], Riozinho/ M. schottiana ♂/ 10 -XI- 2012 /D. Silveira, col.”; and six with “ BRA [Brazil], RS [Rio Grande do Sul], São Leopoldo/ M. schottiana ♂/ 16 -XI- 2012 /D. Silveira, col.”. Diagnosis. Microlia machadoi sp. nov. differs from M. pentamera and M. tetramera by curved spine-like in the posterior margin of tergum III (Fig. 20). In addition M. machadoi sp. nov. differs from other species of Microlia by the shape of aedeagus, mainly the apical process of the median lobe in ventral view, which it is not constricted at the base, i.e. not abruptly tapered near the apex (Figs 24–25) and spermatheca with two coils (Fig. 28). Description. Male. Maximum body length: 2.0 mm; maximum elytra width: 0.6 mm. Body broad; head and elytra somewhat red-brown; pronotum uniformly light-brown; abdomen dark-brown, but some specimens with abdominal apex light-brown; and appendices light-brown, except antennal apex with articles 7 – 11 or 8 – 11 darker. Dorsal surface glossy; setigerous pores sparse and more densely on pronotum and elytra; pronotum with pubescence directed laterally on apical half and latero-posteriad on basal half; elytra and abdomen with pubescence straight and direct posteriad. Head as long as wide; eyes 2 times as long as temples; infraorbital carina complete. Antennal articles 1 and 2 subequal in length; 2 slightly longer than 3; articles 4 – 5 subquadrate, articles 6 – 10 transverse and gradually increasing in width toward antennal apex; article 10 twice as wide as long; article 11 as long as article 9 – 10 combined; with two coeloconic sensilla. Labrum transverse, anterior margin with four shallow emarginations. Mandibles broad and curved at apex; right mandible with small medial tooth, directed anteriorly; prostheca with isolated mace-like projection with acute griding cones (Fig. 19). Maxilla with galea extending slightly beyond apex of lacinia, galea narrower than lacinia; apical lobe of galea covered with innumerable fine and short setae; apical half of lacinia with a row of spaced spines, and basal half covered with numerous long setae; maxillary palpus with 4 articles and pseudoarticle, 2 nd slightly shorter than 3 rd and 4 th about half length of preceeding. Labium with ligula split into two lobes; labial palpus with 3 articles and pseudoarticle. Hypopharinx with filamentous projections. Mentum with protruding anterior angles, and slightly emarginated anterior margin; gular plate broad. Pronotum transverse, 1.5 times as wide as long, broadest at basal half, anterior margin straight, lateral and posterior margin convex; hypomera invisible in lateral view. Prosternum transverse. Elytra slightly broader than pronotum; posterior outer corners slightly emarginated. Hind wings fully developed. Mesoventrite process about half length of mesocoxae, acute and rounded at apex, mesocoxae slightly separated, mesocoxal cavities margined posteriorly; metaventrite process almost not existent; isthmus about 2 / 3 as long as mesoventrite process. Tarsal formula 4 – 5 – 5; tarsomere 5 the longest, as long as 3 and 4 combined. Abdomen gradually narrowing apically; first three visible terga deeply impressed basally; tergum III at posterior margin with medial curved spine-like projected dorsalposteriorly (Fig. 20); segment VII the longest; tergum VII and VIII with small tubercles in front of posterior margin (Figs. 21 – 22); sternum VIII with posterior margin projected on median as pointed triangular lobe, rounded at apex (Fig. 23); tergum IX separated by tergum X and with ventral struts; sternum IX three times as long as wide and two evident short setae at apex; tergum X slightly emarginated at apex, with four long setae each side and weakly pigmented on median of posterior margin. Median lobe of aedeagus with long and narrow apical process (Figs. 24 – 25). Female. Similar to male, except tergum III without medial curved spine-like; tergum VII and VIII without small tubercles in front of posterior margin (Fig. 26); sternum VIII with slightly posterior margin projected medially, not forming as pointed triangular lobe in males (Fig. 27); tergum IX separated without ventral struts; sternum IX as ovipositor consisting of pair of very weakly pigmented ventral sclerites, each 3 times as long as wide; tergum X with four long setae each side; spermatheca forming two coils and subspherical capsule (Fig. 28). Distribution. South Brazil (Rio Grande do Sul). Biological notes. The specimens were collected in male flowers of Mollinedia schottiana. Etymology. The specific name “ machadoi ” formed from a personal name and treated as noun in the genitive case (ICZN 1999, art. 31.1). The name “ machadoi ” is an allusion to the Brazilian professor and researcher Angelo Barbosa Monteiro Machado, who is completing his 80 th year, and who worked for many years in the field of general neurology and entomology, studying mainly Odonata. He is also famous for writing children’s books with biology theme, and has been rewarded with an important Brazilian Award in the Children’s Literature category (Jabuti Award 1993).Published as part of Bortoluzzi, Sidnei, Caron, Edilson & Silveira, Denise, 2016, Two new species of Microlia Casey (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae) with comments on obligatory pollen-feeders and the first record from South America, pp. 197-208 in Zootaxa 4078 (1) on pages 203-205, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4078.1.18, http://zenodo.org/record/27083
The Impact of Relational Capabilities on the Internationalization Process of Industrial Subcontractors
No full textThe main contribution is to provide deeper insight into the causal relationships between subcontractors’ relational capabilities and their degree of internationalization, mediated by the level of subcontractors’ involvement with local firms and the networks linked to international markets. While confirming the existence of a strong connection between subcontractors’ relational capabilities and the level of subcontractors’ involvement with local hubs of international networks, it was found that subcontractors’ dependence on multinational enterprises could hamper their expansion into foreign markets. More specifically, the study offers only partial support for the so-called ‘springboard’ effect, i.e. the role exerted by local hubs of internationalized supply networks in projecting small subcontractors abroad
New innovation paths within industrial districts. The role of firms’ relational capabilities and R&D investments
No full textAlong with the ID (Industrial District) literature on innovation, in this paper it is assumed that many district firms still fall into a traditional model of innovation, which is characterized by high collaboration with clients and suppliers, no investments in R&D and scarce or no linkages with KIBS. These firms are not capable of codifying knowledge, which remains essentially tacit (Muscio, 2006).
To this ideal-type, we oppose a different (and new) innovation type of district firms that beyond relying on B2B relationships, shows a higher commitment to R&D investments and a certain openness to external providers of knowledge (KIBS). Firms like this share a different attitude towards knowledge codification, which becomes basic in order to couple different kinds of knowledge coming from so many different sources.
Results have shown that while differing in their innovation approaches, the two ideal- types are fairly similar in terms of age and size. This fact allows us to assume that advanced innovators reflect a different innovation model rather than simply being the result of a process of chronological evolution
Avaliação de desempenho econômico-financeiro da empresa Marel Indústria de Móveis S.A.: a contribuição da metodologia multicritério de apoio à decisão construtivista (MCDA-C)
No full textDissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Centro Sócio-Econômico, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Contabilidade, Florianópolis, 2009A literatura tem abordado alguns elementos que são essências na Avaliação de Desempenho Organizacional, quais sejam: (i) levar em consideração as particularidades de cada organização; (ii) considerar indicadores financeiros e não financeiros para se avaliar o desempenho das organizações, ou seja, os aspectos tangíveis e intangíveis; (iii) ligar os objetivos estratégicos com os objetivos operacionais; e, (iv) construir um processo de comunicação que permita a todos os níveis organizacionais identificar de forma clara e holística os objetivos que a organização está perseguindo. Nesse contexto, este trabalho de pesquisa busca responder à seguinte pergunta de pesquisa: Quais são os indicadores - financeiros e não financeiros - a serem considerados em uma ferramenta que pretenda avaliar holisticamente o desempenho econômico-financeiro da empresa Marel Indústria de Móveis S. A.? Sendo assim, o objetivo do trabalho consiste em propor uma ferramenta de avaliação do desempenho econômico-financeiro para a empresa, integrando indicadores financeiros e não financeiros por meio da Metodologia Multicritério de Apoio à Decisão Construtivista - MCDA-C. Para responder aos objetivos da pesquisa, foi realizado um estudo exploratório/descritivo. A coleta de dados foi feita por meio de entrevistas com o decisor da empresa. A pesquisa caracteriza-se como qualitativa-quantitativa. Qualitativa principalmente na fase de estruturação do modelo e quantitativa principalmente na fase de avaliação. A Metodologia Multicritério de Apoio à Decisão Construtivista - MCDA-C foi o instrumento de intervenção escolhido para desenvolver o modelo, pois a metodologia conseguiu atender à questão de identificação do que se pretende avaliar, mensurar esses elementos, integrar e gerar ações de aperfeiçoamento. Os resultados encontrados indicam que foi possível construir um modelo de avaliação de desempenho econômico-financeiro, levando em consideração as particularidades da empresa, por meio da percepção do decisor. A partir do modelo construído, foi possível: (i) identificar 146 indicadores (51 financeiros e 95 não financeiros) que compõem o modelo a ser utilizado para avaliar o desempenho econômico-financeiro da organização; (ii) identificar as três grandes dimensões que serão avaliadas: Gestão (estrutura de capital, capital de giro, resultado, recursos humanos e processos internos); Produtos (produtividade e qualidade); Mercado (stakeholders, vendas e imagem); (iii) construir escalas ordinais e cardinais para cada indicador do modelo; (iv) avaliar o status quo da organização em 28 pontos, que se configura aquém da expectativa do decisor e traçar o perfil de desempenho; (v) identificar os indicadores com desempenho comprometedor na organização; e, (vi) demonstrar o processo de gerenciamento do desempenho
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