Title: The maturation of the internationalisation of Portuguese and Brazilian multinational companies

Authors: Shalimar Gallon; Marcos Ferasso; Jorge Filipe Da Silva Gomes; Carlos Costa

Addresses: Faculdade Meridional, IMED Business School, R. Senador Pinheiro, 304, Passo Fundo, 99070-220, Brazil ' Institute of Scientific Research and Graduate School, Universidad de Lima, Av. Javier Prado Este, 4600, Santiago de Surco, 15023, Lima, Peru ' ISEG Lisbon School of Economics and Management, University of Lisbon, Rua do Quelhas, 6, 1200-781 Lisboa, 1200-781, Portugal ' Faculdade Meridional, IMED Business School, R. Senador Pinheiro, 304, Passo Fundo, 99070-220, Brazil

Abstract: An analysis of the maturation of the internationalisation of Portuguese and Brazilian multinational corporations (MNCs) was undertaken which draws on the data of two case studies based on 30 semi-guided interviews. A content analysis technique supported by MAXQDA software found a more significant maturation of Portuguese MNCs than of Brazilian ones. Portuguese MNCs were shown to have a different organisational structure than that of their host-country head offices, thereby achieving a more fluid business process in their subsidiary. The internationalisation strategy of Plastic - a metanational, - is a distant reality in terms of Brazilian MNCs, in that it still aims to become consolidated in the market as an MNC. This research sheds light on the maturation of the internationalisation of MNCs in the context of developed and emergent countries.

Keywords: multinational enterprises; internationalisation strategy; maturation of internationalisation; Portuguese; multinational companies; MNCs; Brazilian.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBEM.2021.118339

International Journal of Business and Emerging Markets, 2021 Vol.13 No.4, pp.420 - 448

Received: 24 Apr 2020
Accepted: 02 Jan 2021
Published online: 21 Oct 2021 *

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