Inteligência competitiva no processo de internacionalização de empresas: análise da Apex-Brasil comparada com outras agências

Abstract

The search for the internationalization of companies is a recurrent fact and has been intensified either for reasons for survival or expansion of profit. Information is placed as a fundamental element that links the decision of the companies to go abroad, however, the information must be properly treated and analyzed so that the risks of that decision are minimized and the potential of the company is viewed in a maximized way. The process of treating the information to reduce the risk of decisions for business is called Competitive Intelligence (CI) and not all companies have the resources to maintain a CI program capable of studying the international market. In order to meet the needs of companies to have an area responsible for Competitive Intelligence, there are the Trade Promotion Organizations (TPOs) that are committed to deliver services related to internationalization. Since setting information up is one of the fundamental stages for the decision-making process to internationalize, the TPOs had to develop methods to deliver a quality CI service, among them the Brazilian Agency for the Promotion of Exports and Investments, which has services that promises to attend these demands. The identification of agencies’ performances were analyzed through bibliographic research and for some cases interviews with the CI area of them. The TPOs have similar practices CI services and differ in their execution that will be described in this research.