Determinants of Social Media Adoption by Large Companies

Social media marketing has become a central issue for companies and marketers. Few studies have, however, specifically researched factors and barriers influencing the adoption of social media at company level. This study addresses this gap by focusing on furthering the theory involved in the adoption social media at company level. Based on the findings of semi-structured in-depth interviews with 17 marketing executives of large companies in Brazil, six variables that weigh in the adoption of social media were identified: the demonstrability of the results, the customers’ presence on Social media, knowledge of social media, stakeholder influence, common sense as related to digital marketing and the executive’s age. Additionally, we propose a theoretical model of social media adoption, in the light of the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM)

Reputação Corporativa: Construtos Formativos e Implicações para a Gestão

Corporate reputation is frequently associated with organizational performance. However, the literature suggests that corporate communication and the stakeholder’s identification with the organization are both relevant when it comes to explaining differences in corporate reputation evaluation. Considering these inputs, this study tests the relationship between corporate reputation, identification, corporate communication and organizational performance. The research occurred in two phases because it was necessary to develop or adapt the measurement scale for each one of the four constructs. All measures were perceptual in nature. The second phase of the research consisted of data gathering and analyses; and for that, the scales tested in the phase one were used. Data from 12 organizations were collected, resulting in a sample of 2,139 respondents or 1,025 employees and 1,114 customers. Structural equation modeling was used for analyzing the data. The results show strong effects of communication on organizational identification and reputation, as well as of identification on corporate reputation. The impact of reputation on organizational performance was also relevant. The study leads to the conclusion that communication and identification are critical factors in explaining the variability of reputation of organizations and, consequently, performance

Incerteza Subjetiva no Processo de Decisão Estratégica: uma Proposta de Mensuração

Uncertainty has often been cited to justify difficulties in decision making in business and is associated with differences in the performance of competing firms because in a world of certainty, resource allocation would be optimized and there would not be rents variation among competing economic actors. Thus, understanding uncertainty and how it can be measured is relevant to management theory, and this is our purpose in this study. The definition of uncertainty used herein was derived from the non-ergotic world perspective presented by Keynes and Knight in the 1920s. It is understood as a perceptual phenomenon and described as the individual’s perceived ability to predict future events based on the study of past occurrences. The research we conducted to develop and test the scale of measurement occurred in two phases. First we discussed the concept with four directors of the IT industry sector. Based on the results of this phase and previous studies, we proposed a measurement scale in three dimensions: state, effect and response, as suggested by Milliken (1987). The scale was tested by confirmatory factor analysis with data from a sample of 243 managers from different economic sectors. The results of the statistical test of the scale were satisfactory

EL USO DEL "VALUE SHOP", EN EL ANÁLISIS DE LA CREACIÓN DE VALOR EN LA PERCEPCIÓN DEL CLIENTE: UNA APLICACIÓN EN SERVICIOS MÉDICOHOSPITALARIOS

Stabell e Fjeldstad (1998) propuseram o conceito de value shop para analisar negócios que dependem fortemente do conhecimento na entrega de valor aos clientes. Este estudo visa explorar este conceito em serviço hospitalar e avaliar quais categorias de atividades definem a percepção de satisfação do cliente. Foi conduzida uma pesquisa em duas etapas em um hospital. A primeira foi usada para entender o processo de prestação de serviço em análise e a segunda para avaliar a percepção dos clientes da criação de valor neste processo. Os resultados apresentam o uso do value shop para o tipo de serviço escolhido e que apenas as variáveis relacionadas ao tratamento operacional são significativas para a criação de valor para o cliente.Stabell and Fjeldstad (1998) propose the concept of value shop to analyze business which relies heavily on knowledge in the delivery of value to the clients. This study sought to explore this concept in a hospital service, and determine which categories of activities define the client's perception of satisfaction. A survey was carried out in two stages, in a hospital. The purpose of the first stage was to understand the process of service provision analyzed, and the second, to evaluate the client's perception of value creation in this process. The results present the use of the value shop for the type of service selected, and show that only the variables related to operational treatment are significant in the creation of value for the client.Stabell y Fjeldstad (1998), propusieron el concepto de value shop para analizar negocios que dependen fuertemente del conocimiento en la entrega de valor a los clientes. El objetivo de este estudio, fue explorar este concepto en el servicio hospitalario y evaluar cuáles categorías de actividades, definen la percepción de satisfacción del cliente. Fue realizada una investigación en dos etapas en un hospital. La primera fue usada para entender el proceso de prestación del servicio analizado, y la segunda para evaluar la percepción de los clientes de la creación de valor en este proceso. Los resultados presentan el uso del value shop para el tipo de servicio escogido y donde apenas las variables relacionadas al tratamiento operacional, son significativas para la creación de valor para el cliente

Benefícios da aglomeração de firmas: evidências do arranjo produtivo de semijoias de Limeira

Estudos apontam que a aglomeração local de firmas de uma mesma atividade econômica produz externalidades oriundas da especialização da mão de obra, do surgimento de infraestrutura e da troca de informação. Essas externalidades afetariam o desempenho das firmas. Assim, no estudo aqui apresentado teve-se como objetivo evidenciar os benefícios da aglomeração de firmas, explorando a produção de semijoias de Limeira (São Paulo). Entrevistas em profundidade com entidades e empresários do arranjo produtivo local foram exploradas, aplicando-se análise de conteúdo, e cruzadas com dados secundários, visando-se analisar a atividade econômica local. Há ação cooperada apenas entre pequenos grupos de firmas, que criam valor para a empresa individual que coopera. Ações coordenadas pela associação dos fabricantes para melhorar a imagem via comunicação, explorando os aspectos positivos do produto local, também têm sido relevantes para o desempenho das firmas. A disponibilidade de mão de obra especializada é um fator que reduz custos, mas falta obter ganhos de qualidade. Transmissão informal de conhecimento sobre melhorias no processo produtivo e presença de fornecedores ajudando no desenvolvimento de design são aspectos relevantes para a categoria de produto, fortemente relacionada à moda. O apoio de universidades e centros de pesquisa na formação de mão de obra também traz benefício às empresas. Há efeitos negativos da proximidade, e o mais evidente é a falta de diferenciação entre os produtos e a consequente competição por preço.Estudios indican que la agrupación de empresas locales de una misma actividad económica produce externalidades provenientes de la especialización de la mano de obra, de la presencia de infraestructura y del intercambio de información. Estos factores afectan el desempeño de las empresas. En este estudio se tuvo como objetivo destacar las ventajas de la agrupación de empresas, utilizando como base la producción de semijoyas de la ciudad de Limeira (São Paulo). Se realizaron entrevistas en profundidad a entidades y empresarios de las agrupaciones locales, y se aplicó el análisis de contenido, con posterior comparación con datos secundarios, para analizar la actividad económica local. Hay acción de cooperación solo entre pequeños grupos de empresas que crea valor para la empresa individual que coopera. Acciones coordinadas por la asociación de los fabricantes para mejorar la imagen por medio de la comunicación, con la exploración de los aspectos positivos del producto local, también han sido relevantes para el desempeño de las empresas. La disponibilidad de mano de obra es un factor que reduce los costos, pero falta mejorar la calidad. Transmisión informal de conocimientos para mejorar el proceso productivo y la presencia de los proveedores para ayudar en el desarrollo del design son aspectos relevantes para la categoría de producto, fuertemente relacionada con la moda. Asimismo, el apoyo de universidades y centros de investigación en la formación de mano de obra aporta beneficios a las empresas. Hay efectos negativos de la proximidad y el más evidente es la falta de diferenciación entre los productos y la consecuente competencia por precio.Studies indicate that the clustering of local firms in the same line of business produces externalities arising from the specialization of labor, the emergence of infrastructure and the exchange of information. These externalities affect the performance of these firms. Thus, this study aimed to show the benefits of the clustering of firms, by investigating the production of semi-precious jewelry in the city of Limeira. In-depth interviews with authorities and executives of the local productive arrangement were explored using content analysis. This was crosschecked with secondary data, to analyze the local economic activity. There is cooperative action only among small groups of firms that create value for individual companies that cooperate. The coordinated actions of the association of manufacturers to improve their image via communication, exploring the positive aspects of the local product, have also been relevant for the performance of the firms. The availability of skilled labor is a factor that reduces costs, but quality gains are yet to be achieved. Informal transmission of knowledge about production process improvements and the presence of suppliers helping to develop design are relevant aspects for the product category, which is strongly related to fashion. The support of universities and research centers in the training of skilled labor also benefits the businesses. There are, however, some negative effects of proximity, of which the most obvious is the lack of product differentiation and the consequent price-based competition