In a progressively digital and competitive world we live in, it is vital for the companies to objectively evaluate what competences (and not resources) bring them competitive and comparative advantage in the XXI century. Culture is a crucial resource at a country level since it shapes a nation’s character and society. This implies that individuals, who are absorbed by this influence, will transfer it for their organizations, transforming culture in a competence that can be a strong basis for achieving competitive advantage in international environments. In an international context, Portugal will struggle to be competitive in a world of top technology, scale economies and cheap labor of industrialized, emergent and developing countries, respectively. The premium flexibility theory attempts to explain the success of exporting Portuguese companies in B2B segments. Consequently, the main objective of this dissertation is to answer the research question: “How national culture effects competitive advantage on Portuguese companies?” For this purpose, a case study about The Navigator Company was performed in order to understand if the main national dimensions of the premium flexibility theory were verified in a real case context. It is also important to comprehend how do they influence the competitive advantage of The Navigator Company in the pulp sector. The outcomes of this study conclude that, premium flexibility does exist on the case of The Navigator Company, although with several limitations and modifications and that it positively contributes to a better and improved customization, agility of the processes and on a greater efficiency of the flow of information and products.
Date of Award | 15 Dec 2021 |
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Original language | Portuguese |
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Awarding Institution | - Universidade Católica Portuguesa
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Supervisor | Ricardo Alexandre Morais (Supervisor) |
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- National culture
- Competitive advantage
- Premium flexibility theory
- Case study
- Portugal
- The Navigator Company
Cultural differences and premium flexibility: the case of the navigator company
Oliveira, M. F. P. (Student). 15 Dec 2021
Student thesis: Master's Thesis