Internationalization of Brazilian specialty food: an analysis of exports to Portugal

The Brazilian food industry, even if of great representativeness and economic proportion locally, has a low number of exporting firms and faces many difficulties of competitiveness in relation to international markets. Thus, the endeavor for new markets is a constant for the ones that risk compet ing in different territories. Internationalization is a challenging for those seeking to diversify. Innovation and differentiation bring to the sector different ways to introduce their products to the world. The specialty products constitute a category that refers to factors of differentiation, among them, the ethnic food. Because of the movement of Brazilians leaving their country of origin, immigrant communities are being formed in different parts of the world, giving opportunity to the "Mercado da Saudade" or market of nostalgia, as it has been happening in recent years in Portugal. This market creates entry opportunities for Brazilian specialty foods, or products with ethnic appeal. The objective of this study is to identify the opportunities and challenges of Brazilian specialty foods exports to Portugal. For this pu rpose, a survey was carried out to collect primary and secondary data, being the primar y data through the application of questionnaires to the Brazilian companies associated with the Brazilian food sector projects of APEX-Brazil, which export to Portugal. From the total of responding companies, it was possible to have access to 17 questionnaires considered valid, representing 20% of the total sample under survey. Firms adherents to the survey are of great importance and participation in the decisions of export strategy of the sector. With the data obtained, it was possible to conclude that there is a perception of exporting companies, guided by psychic distance, which orientates their strategic actions for th e Portuguese market, based on cultural proximity. There are several studies analyzing the various forms of internationalization of Brazilian companies, as well as exports of Brazilian food to different parts of the world, but not much is known about speci fic studies of specialty foods for the European market, even for the Portuguese market. Hence, this study aims to contribute to the knowledge in the area, as to suggest some practices to export managers and to highlight criteria barely observed in their daily operations, which may contribute to the consequent improvement of their results and better international performance of the firm

Sustainable Marketing and Strategy

Sustainability comes in many forms and is increasingly linked to strategy and to marketing. Organizations have long since recognized the importance of corporate social responsibility and, hence, it is the upper echelon of the enterprise that is involved in the major decisions in this area. Dedicated and specialized teams are the future of organizational sustainability, and we predict that the next decade will see an exponential increase in sustainable activity and investment. Firms cannot afford to let certain opportunities pass without leaving their mark—a mark which will affect the brand and, more importantly, consumers’ minds and their attitudes towards the market of products and services. The market in general will have to adapt to the circular economy and to the well-being of employees and, indeed, of society and its stakeholders, in order to prosper. We are glad to have made even a small contribution to the growing debate on green and soft issues, such as those contained in this book

H3 Hambúrguer Gourmet : main drivers for internationalization and faced challenges : H3 Hambúrguer Gourmet case study

H3 Hambúrguer Gourmet, a notorious Portuguese burger company, known for having transformed Portuguese fast food market, started its operations in 2007 at Monumental Shopping in Lisbon city center. Consumers were delighted with the new fresh breeze in the Portuguese fast food market which they have waited for so long. H3 Hambúrguer Gourmet wanted to prove that craving for burgers didn´t have to be equal to plastic food, but rather equal to 100% genuine veal meat, 200 grams of pure quality meat for a tasty meal during a busy day. Eating burgers don´t have to be a sign of pure fast food, actually, h3 Hambúrguer Gourmet is able to offer a tasty, just-in-time meal prepared right in front of the client. The company initially aimed to target a specific market niche, although, the viral effect of h3 Hambúrguer Gourmet led this company to be a study target for many students and companies who were truly inspired by the entrepreneurial spirit and willpower of three best friends. This dissertation aims to cover real challenges and strategic decisions faced by a national company with real people who struggled with an extremely competitive and saturated fast food market. Despite the macro economic recession, a national company was able to see outside of the box, creating a concept which no one ever thought before. The amount of success was so big that by 2010 (only three years after h3´s foundation date), h3 Hambúrguer Gourmet faced an immense adherence rate among domestic saturation. With apparently no room to grow, the company has decided to internationally take a risk and started its internationalization process in Poland. Spain and Brazil were next, although, the international outcomes were not exactly what the management team had expected. This work aims to reveal the reasons and critical factors which contributed to the unexpected international outcomes experienced by h3 Hambúrguer Gourmet. Nevertheless, entrepreneurial facets and strategic marketing are also topics covered during this dissertation, focusing on the diverse modes of entry adopted by h3 Hambúrguer Gourmet, being a critical factor that determined the success or failure of international operations. In what extent does h3 Hambúrguer Gourmet really know its international costumers? How can be international culture correctly addressed at h3´s corporate strategy? Relevant topics are going to be introduced further on in the Literature Review section, and the critical aspects of brand creation and internationalization strategy are going to be discussed at the h3 Hambúrguer Gourmet´s Case Study. This dissertation aims to give a broader view to real challenges faced by a national company which is constantly innovating itself being ultimately a laboratory of new concepts and a national reference of excellence and premium quality at affordable prices.H3 Hambúrguer Gourmet, uma empresa portuguesa, notável no ramo dos hambúrgueres, conhecida pela transformação do mercado português de fast food, começou as suas operações em 2007 no centro da cidade Lisboeta, no centro comercial Monumental. Os consumidores deliciaram-se com a nova leveza no mercado português de fast food por que tanto ansiavam. H3 Hambúrguer Gourmet desejava provar que comer hambúrgueres já não tem que ser igual a comida de plástico, mas sim já pode ser igual a comer uma carne de vaca 100% genuína, 200 gramas de pura carne de qualidade que se destina a uma refeição saborosa para qualquer altura de um dia atarefado. Comer hambúrgueres já não necessita de ser um sinal de 100% de comida fast food, na verdade, h3 Hambúrguer Gourmet é capaz de oferecer uma saborosa refeição, preparada no momento, na presença do consumidor. A empresa inicialmente tinha como target um específico nicho de mercado, no entanto, o efeito viral do h3 Hambúrguer Gourmet tornou-se de tal forma avassalador, que a empresa tornou-se alvo de estudo para muitos estudantes e empresas, inspirados pelo espirito empreendedor e força de vontade levada a cabo por três melhores amigos. Esta dissertação objectiva cobrir desafios reais e decisões estratégicas encaradas por uma empresa nacional, liderada por pessoais reais que enfrentaram um mercado de fast food extremamente competitivo e saturado. Apesar da crise macro económica vivida presencialmente, uma empresa nacional foi capaz de ver mais além, criando um conceito nunca antes pensado em território português. O sucesso adquirido foi de tal ordem, que em 2010 (apenas três anos depois da sua fundação) o h3 Hambúrguer Gourmet atingiu uma taxa de aderência espantosa bem como uma saturação de mercado. Aparentemente, sem espaço adicional de crescimento nacional, a empresa decidiu arriscar internacionalmente, começando o seu processo de internacionalização na Polónia. Seguiram-se Espanha e Brasil, no entanto, os resultados obtidos não foram os mais esperados pela equipa de liderança. Este trabalho ambiciona cobrir as verdadeiras razões e factores críticos que contribuíram para o resultado inesperado da estratégia de internacionalização experienciada pelo h3 Hambúrguer Gourmet. Vertentes de empreendorismo e de marketing estratégico são igualmente exploradas no decorrer desta dissertação, focando também os diversos modos de entrada nos mercados estrangeiros adoptados pela empresa e que determinaram o resultado da estratégia de internacionalização vivida até ao momento presente. Em que medida é que o h3 Hambúrguer Gourmet conhece realmente os seus consumidores internacionais? Como é que a cultura estrangeira pode ser correctamente anexada à estratégia empresarial do h3 Hambúrguer Gourmet? Tópicos relevantes serão igualmente abordados mais à frente na secção de Literature Review e os aspectos críticos de criação de marca e estratégia de internacionalização serão abordados no h3 Hambúrguer Gourmet case study. Esta dissertação tenciona providenciar uma visão global dos desafios estratégicos que uma empresa nacional enfrenta diariamente. Conhecida pelo seu elevado grau de inovação e diversificação, que já é uma referência a nível nacional de excelência e qualidade aos preços mais competitivos de mercado destinando-se a um segmento premium

A survey study of steering wheel vibration and sound in automobiles at idle

Copyright @ 2009 Engineering Integrity SocietyThis work is supported by Shell Global Solutions UK for their sponsorship of this research as part of the activities of the EFII3 project

Proceedings of the African Diaspora Conference on Sustainable Development

The authors urge the Western donor organizations to facilitate and support the take up of such more sustainable models

Global Risks 2015, 10th Edition.

The 2015 edition of the Global Risks report completes a decade of highlighting the most significant long-term risks worldwide, drawing on the perspectives of experts and global decision-makers. Over that time, analysis has moved from risk identification to thinking through risk interconnections and the potentially cascading effects that result. Taking this effort one step further, this year's report underscores potential causes as well as solutions to global risks. Not only do we set out a view on 28 global risks in the report's traditional categories (economic, environmental, societal, geopolitical and technological) but also we consider the drivers of those risks in the form of 13 trends. In addition, we have selected initiatives for addressing significant challenges, which we hope will inspire collaboration among business, government and civil society communitie

GLOBALIZATION RELOADED: AN UNCTAD PERSPECTIVE

This paper rejects the characterization of globalization as an autonomous and irresistible process driven by the impersonal forces of the market and technical progress. Whether domestic or global, market forces are shaped and controlled by policy choices and the institutional frameworks in which they are made. In the absence of adequate institutional frameworks and productive capacities, rapid liberalization is as likely to lead to stagnation and unemployment as to growth and rising incomes per head. We show that the major economic forces presumed to be crucial for spreading the benefits of globalization have been less global than often presented, have proved to be much weaker than widely predicted and carry potentially damaging effects as well as benefits. Accordingly, and without denying that by the late 1970s many developing countries needed to find new ways of inserting themselves into the international economy, we argue that the new policy orientation of macroeconomic stringency, downsizing the public sector and the rapid opening of developing country markets to foreign trade and capital after the debt crisis, has failed to produce an economic environment that supports faster economic growth and strengthens productivity performance. In suggesting the outlines of a more strategic approach to economic development the emphasis is on the need for domestic investment to be mobilized as the basis for industrialization and for a gradual approach to integration with the global economy.

Sustainability in design: now! Challenges and opportunities for design research, education and practice in the XXI century

Copyright @ 2010 Greenleaf PublicationsLeNS project funded by the Asia Link Programme, EuropeAid, European Commission

Adopting the Brisoux-Larouche model of brand categorization to correlate brand social responsibility in national and in-house coffee shops

In-house food service brands operating on college campuses struggle to build brand image with limited consumer awareness. Corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities may enhance brand image for customers, employees, and stakeholders. In some cases, CSR associations have significant influence on consumers\u27 response to new products. The purpose of this study was to determine if a non-branded socially responsible retail food offering would be accepted (evoked) by a campus consumer. To date there has been little research on this topic. College-age customer purchasing trends can provide important insight into future consumer trends. The quantitative methodology started with a coffee-cupping survey and an Internet-based survey on socially responsible coffee. With the knowledge gained from the cupping survey and Internet survey a structured equation modeling (SEM) confirmatory model was developed. This model and the five hypotheses were tested by the campus coffee survey, a personal intercept survey instrument (N = 344). In addition to the SEM, other quantitative methods were utilized including multiple regressions and ANOVA. By using accepted brand categorization methods, this study confirms that an in-house coffee brand offering a high-quality product and deploying a brand social responsible strategy can be coveted by the college campus customers with little or no previous experience of the brand. Additionally the research illuminated how these customers\u27 needs for social responsibility products will reshape the foodservice and restaurant industry in the near future

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. Strategic Corporate Research Report

[Excerpt] Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (hereinafter Wal-Mart) is the second-largest company in the world. It has more annual revenue than the GDP of Switzerland. It sells more DVDs, magazines, books, CDs, dog food, diapers, bicycles, toys, toothpaste, jewelry, and groceries than any other retailer does worldwide. It is the largest retailer in the United States, Mexico, and Canada, the second-largest in the United Kingdom, and the third largest in Brazil, With its partners, it is the largest retailer in Central America. Wal-Mart is also the largest private employer in the United States, Mexico, and Canada, and it has 1.8 million employees around the globe. Wal-Mart is so huge that it effectively sets the terms for large swaths of the global economy, from retail wages to apparel prices to transoceanic shipping rates to the location of toy factories. Indeed, if there is one single aspect to understand about the company, it is the fact that Wal-Mart is transforming the relations of production in virtually every product category it sells, through its relationships with suppliers. But its influence goes far beyond the economy. It sets social policy by refusing to sell certain types of birth control. Its construction of supercenters molds the landscape, shapes traffic patterns, and alters the local commercial mix. The retail goliath shapes culture by selling the music of patriotic country singer Garth Brooks but not the critical (and hilarious) The Daily Show with Jon Stewart Presents America (the Book): A Citizen’s Guide to Democracy Inaction. It influences politics by donating millions to conservative politicians and think tanks. Wal-Mart is, in short, one of the most powerful entities in the world. Not surprisingly, Wal-Mart has developed a long list of critics, including unions, human rights organizations, religious groups, environmental activists, community organizations, small business groups, academics, children’s rights groups, and even institutional investors. These groups have exposed the company’s illegal union-busting tactics, its many violations of overtime laws, its abuse of child labor, its egregious healthcare policies, its super-exploitation of immigrant workers, its rampant gender discrimination, the horrific labor conditions at its suppliers’ factories, and its unlawful environmental degradation. They have also chronicled the deleterious effect Wal-Mart has on the public coffers and the quality of community life. New Wal-Mart stores and distribution centers often swallow up government subsidies and tax breaks, take public land, create more congestion, reduce overall wages, destroy retail variety, and increase public outlays for healthcare. To its critics, Wal-Mart represents the worst aspects of 21st-eentury capitalism. Wal-Mart usually counters any criticism with two words: low prices. It is a powerful mantra in a consumerist world. The company does make more products affordable to more people, and that is nothing to sneeze at when wages are stagnant, jobs insecure, pensions disappearing, and health coverage shrinking. With low prices, Wal-Mart helps working men and women get more from their meager paychecks, more necessities like bread, and more luxuries, like roses, too. It is a brilliant and incontrovertible argument, and Wal-Mart’s most ardent defenders take it even farther. They say its obsession with low prices makes the entire economy more efficient and more productive. Suppliers and competitors have to produce more and better products with the same resources, and that redounds to everyone. In the micro, it means falling prices and rising product quality. In the macro, it means economic growth, more jobs, and higher tax revenues. To its defenders, Wal-Mart represents the best aspects of 21st-century capitalism. Despite their radical opposition, critics and defenders of the world’s largest corporation agree on one thing: Wal-Mart represents 21st-century capitalism. It symbolizes a system of increasing market penetration and decreasing social regulation, where more and more aspects of life around the world are subject to economic competition. Wal-Mart’s success rests upon the ongoing destruction of social power in favor of corporate power. It takes advantage of the conditions of the neo-liberal world, from the availability of instant and inexpensive global communication to the continuing collapse of agricultural employment around the world to the rapid diffusion of technological innovation to the oversupply of subjugated migrant labor in nearly every country to the continued existence of undemocratic and corporate-dominated governments. For some, this is as it should be, all part of capitalism’s natural and ultimately benign development. For the rest of us, Wal-Mart is at the heart of what is wrong with the world