Management of information about the environment in small enterprises : comparative case studies of strategic process in the hotel sector of Brotas-SP region

Author(s)

Kristiane Cêra Carvalho

• Document type: Master's Dissertation
• Press: São Carlos.
• Institution: Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Escola de Engenharia de São Carlos (EESC/SBD)
• Defense date: 2004-06-30

Examining board members

Edmundo Escrivao Filho; Fernando Augusto Mansor de Mattos; Ana Rosa Ribeiro de Mendonça

• Advisor: Edmundo Escrivao Filho

Abstract

This dissertation presents proposals for the management improvement of information about environment having in view the strategic process and small bussiness competitiveness. An empirical study with five enterprises of the hotel sector was performed to understand the information management and the specific characteristics of small companies. Four small hotel enterprises settled in Brotas-SP and a medium-sized enterprise located in Águas de São Pedro-SP were analysed. Considering the research problem and the objective that it presents, the methodology chosen was named "comparative study of cases". Although the enterprises studied have an information system adequate to their necessities and possibilities, it is possible to improve it considering a "formalization degree adjusted" to their size. The proposals have two objectives: to help administrators to systematize the activities of identifying information necessities, collecting, processing, distributing and using strategic information (social management), and to reflect on a possible institucional actors joints such as public power and promotion institutions of small business and universities - aiming at the improvement of information access. The main recommendations regard a better reflection and election of excellent information types, election of sources considering credibility and variety criteria, meetings registering results of the colloquies about external factors in documents and participation in the sector events, such as lectures, meetings and fairs to collect external information (AU)