Anais
Resumo do trabalho
Gestão Socioambiental · Responsabilidade Social Corporativa (RSC)
Título
FROM COMPLIANCE TO STRATEGIC CSR: RESOURCE RECONFIGURATION IN A BRAZILIAN AGRIBUSINESS FIRM UNDER POLYCENTRIC PRESSURES
Palavras-chave
Resource-based Theory
Corporate Social Responsibility
Institutional Polycentrism
Autores
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Silvina Maria dos AnjosEscola Superior de Propaganda e Marketing (ESPM)
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Diogo Barbosa LeiteEscola Superior de Propaganda e Marketing (ESPM)
Resumo
Introdução
Contemporary companies operate in global environments characterized by multiple centers of power and influence, posing complex challenges for aligning operations, resources, and stakeholder expectations. This article examines how a major Brazilian agribusiness firm evolved from reactive compliance to strategic CSR, reconfiguring resources and capabilities over time. Using qualitative, processual analysis grounded in Resource-Based Theory (RBT), the study explores how companies respond to polycentric pressures for sustainable practices.
Problema de Pesquisa e Objetivo
The article investigates the following research question: How do organizations respond to global polycentric institutional pressures, prioritizing resources and capabilities over time? The primary objective of this study is to examine how a large Brazilian agro-industrial company reconfigures its resources and capabilities to transition from an initial stance of reactive compliance to a strategic and proactive CSR approach.
Fundamentação Teórica
The article integrates Resource-Based Theory (RBT), which explains how companies use internal resources to gain a competitive advantage, and the concept of institutional polycentrism, which addresses multiple external pressures. Corporate Social Responsibility emerges as a strategic bridge, aligning resources with stakeholder demands in global contexts.
Metodologia
The research employs a qualitative, processual analysis grounded in the use of historical data, semi-structured interviews, and document analysis of relevant cases in the agricultural sector, focusing on the period from 2005 to 2023. This approach enables the identification of critical events that shaped the adoption of sustainable practices and strategies organizations employed to address polycentric pressures.
Análise dos Resultados
The results reveal a progression from reactive compliance to proactive strategic alignment, enabling institutions to navigate complex demands. The findings contribute theoretically by connecting RBT with institutional polycentrism, demonstrating how companies reconfigure resources in response to multiple and simultaneous pressures that constantly alter power. From a managerial perspective, the study provides insights into how firms can develop and integrate resources and capabilities to meet institutional demands, thereby ensuring global competitiveness and alignment with stakeholder expectati
Conclusão
The study concludes that organizations operating under polycentric institutional pressures need to adopt a dynamic approach to resource prioritization over time. More than simply acquiring and maintaining valuable capabilities, it is necessary to strategically reconfigure them, anticipating demands and aligning CSR with business objectives. This process is crucial for sustaining a competitive advantage in complex and global environments, as demonstrated in the analyzed agribusiness case.
Contribuição / Impacto
The study's main contribution lies in expanding the application of RBT by integrating a dynamic perspective, demonstrating that identifying strategic resources is not enough—it is crucial to understand how to prioritize and adapt them in the face of multifaceted institutional pressures. This approach fills a gap in the literature by highlighting how companies can evolve from reactive responses to proactive strategies, strengthening their resilience, legitimacy, and innovative capacity in globalized contexts.
Referências Bibliográficas
Barney, J. B., Ketchen, D. J., & Wright, M. (2021). Resource-Based Theory and the Value Creation Framework. Journal of Management, 47(7), 1936–1955. https://doi.org/10.1177/01492063211021655
Batjargal, B., Hitt, M. A., Tsui, A. S., Arregle, J.-L. L., Webb, J. W., & Miller, T. L. (2013). Institutional polycentrism, entrepreneurs’ social networks, and new venture growth. Academy of Management Journal, 56(4), 1024–1049. https://doi.org/10.5465/amj.2010.0095
McGinnis, M. D., & Ostrom, E. (2012). Reflections on Vincent Ostrom, Public Administration, and Polycentricity. Public Administration Review,
Batjargal, B., Hitt, M. A., Tsui, A. S., Arregle, J.-L. L., Webb, J. W., & Miller, T. L. (2013). Institutional polycentrism, entrepreneurs’ social networks, and new venture growth. Academy of Management Journal, 56(4), 1024–1049. https://doi.org/10.5465/amj.2010.0095
McGinnis, M. D., & Ostrom, E. (2012). Reflections on Vincent Ostrom, Public Administration, and Polycentricity. Public Administration Review,