Características da internacionalização das firmas e desempenho: abordagem conceitual e sua aplicação em empresa pernambucana de tecnologia da informação e comunicação

Abstract

This research aims to understand the characteristics of firms' internationalization strategies and their performance in an ICT company from Pernambuco. This dissertation project is composed by the proposition of two essays. The theoretical contribution, common to both essays, will be composed by the stages model of internationalization, Uppsala; Resource-based view (RBV) and Dunning’s eclectic paradigm. In the first essay, we performed a Systematic Literature Review using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses protocol (PRISMA) on articles published in Scopus and Web of Science databases. This process resulted in 24 articles published between 2017 and 2021. Through the Review, five characteristic dimensions addressed in the internationalization strategies of firms were raised: resources, entry modes, external environment, internationalization processes and performance. These dimensions supported the design of the second essay. It is the proposition of an empirical study. A qualitative study was carried out with the objective of empirically analyzing the characteristics of the internationalization and performance of an ICT company based in Recife-PE. Data collection used a semi-structured interview technique with the main decision makers of the firm, data analysis was performed using ATLAS.ti software, in addition to content analysis. The results made it possible to find associations between categories raised in the literature and the strategies used by a company from Pernambuco in its international activities. The general contributions of this study extend to the management environment and other institutions, since they can help small and medium-sized companies in emerging countries in decision-making and will provide greater understanding to entities in the preparation and execution of programs to encourage internationalization.