Alianzas estratégicas entre cooperativas: ensayo sobre un nuevo paradigma competitivo en la producción de jugo de naranja concentrado

Abstract

The article is a case study on the association between the Parana co-operatives COCAMAR and COPAGRA and the US company Albertson Group Brazil Inc. This alliance resulted in constitution of a joint venture between the co-operatives to produce and export concentrated orange juice and derived products. Using the studies of Medeiros (1998, 1999) as the departure point and employing the Neo-Schumpeterian paradigm, this essay aims to re-evaluate the process of formation of this co-operative “alliance” through the analytic framework developed by Coase (1937). The hypothesis to be explored is that the competition model existing in the concentrated orange juice and derived product segment, means that entrance and permanence in this market holds a high transaction costs for new firms, which in principle would not exemplify this joint venture as a viable long term strategy.Strategic alliances, co-operatives, concentrated orange juice, co-operative agriculture.