Foundations of heterogeneity: analysis of the firm's performance with similar initial endowment

• Grant number: 15/09611-8
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: February 01, 2016
• End date: April 30, 2018
• Field of knowledge: Applied Social Sciences - Administration - Business Administration
• Principal Investigator: Maria Sylvia Macchione Saes
• Grantee: Maria Sylvia Macchione Saes
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Economia, Administração e Contabilidade (FEA). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Alexandre Chibebe Nicolella ; Hildo Meirelles de Souza Filho ; Leonardo Augusto de Vasconcelos Gomes ; Marcelo José Carrer ; Rita de Cássia Marques Lima de Castro ; Rubens Nunes ; Tatiana Mercier Querido Farina

Abstract

The main goal of this research Project is to understand the foundations of heterogeneity among economic organizations. In doing so, we intend to analyze the decisions of rural settlers located in Pirituba, in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. The main advantage of this specific setting is related to its experience characterization, since settlers have access to a similar initial endowment (land), but may present different organizational forms. Specifically, we observe the existence of three different forms across settlers: (i) cooperative production; (ii) cooperative trade and (iii) individual firms. Based on this scenario, we want to answer the following questions: what are the foundations of heterogeneity across settlers? Do differences in organizational forms lead to different implications in terms of behavior? In doing so, we want to develop micro foundations for strategic behavior based on how human action and interaction affect collective phenomena. To answer this question, we propose three different subprojects, related to the following themes: (1) Institutions and Organizations, where we try to understand historical aspects of settlements and the emergence of distinct organizational forms; (2) Heterogeneity Micro foundations, where we relate cognitive and motivational aspects to horizontal and vertical decisions; (3) Heterogeneity and Performance, where different forms of organization (vertical and horizontal) can affect firms' performance. In terms of method, we employ a variety of interdisciplinary approaches: ethnographic, econometric, survey and interviews. In theoretical terms, our approach is mainly based on Nicolai Foss' Resource Theory, one of this project's researchers. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

DE SOUZA FILHO, HILDO MEIRELLES; CARRER, MARCELO JOSE; MACCHIONE SAES, MARIA SYLVIA; DE VASCONCELOS GOMEZ, LEONARDO AUGUSTO; NICOLELLA, ALEXANDRE CHIBEBE. Performance heterogeneity and strategic orientation: An analysis of small farmers of an agrarian reform project in Brazil. LAND USE POLICY, v. 86, p. 23-30, JUL 2019. (15/09611-8)

FOSCACHES, CAROLINE; MACCHIONE SAESA, MARIA SYLVIA; BIGIO SCHNAIDER, PAULA SARITA. Does social identity matter in governance decisions? Evidence from an agrarian reform settlement in Brazil. LAND USE POLICY, v. 83, p. 215-226, APR 2019. (15/09611-8)