Brazilian Information Technology Research Articles

The evaluation of soft skills by information technology executives when hiring a project manager: a qualitative study

The aim of this article is to describe the process of evaluating soft skills when hiring information technology (IT) project managers, from the perspective of IT executives. We opted for the qualitative approach in which the research method adopted involved in-person interviews with 16 Brazilian IT executives from different business segments. Data analysis was performed using the ATLAS.ti tool and guided by the grounded theory technique with three coding cycles: open, axial and selective. The results showed that the scientific methods that evaluated the behaviour and personality of candidates are deprecated by Brazilian IT executives, because they prefer to use empirical methods, such as interviews with situational questions oriented to practical issues within the area. The theoretical contribution is made by means of six propositions resulting from the study of the hiring process of IT project managers, and can pave new paths for future research.

Agile project portfolio management as a strategic enabler in the Brazilian marketplace: five case studies and one substantive theory

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to present an empirical framework for changes, communication and team restructuring developed through a substantive theory that defines the relationships between Agile adoption and organizational strategies in the Brazilian marketplace, providing assertive propositions.Design/methodology/approachThe research analysed five case studies of private companies in the Brazilian market, adopting the grounded theory (GT) method to examine the relationships between the categories. There was consistency in the reality of 22 participatory interviews with experts in Agile in the five case studies. The excellent integration between the chosen methodological approach and the organizations' characteristics reinforces a strategy focused on mixed methods.FindingsAs a result, the authors deploy an empirical framework, displaying new strategies that generate structural changes, obtaining Agile information technology (IT) project portfolio management (PPM) practices and strategies with superior performance. The necessary responses through organizational structural changes are observed, making it possible to notice changes in routines and contingencies.Research limitations/implicationsSome limitations should be pointed out for this study. The case studies were carried out in private companies in Brazil, and cultural aspects must be considered if one wants to generalize. Furthermore, to underline the effects of time, a longitudinal study would have to be employed to improve the interpretation of the results. Another limitation applies to the framework proposed in our study and its reality-simplifying nature. Models and theories with these visible generic characteristics compromise understanding specific situations.Practical implicationsThe authors strongly recommend that teams focus on communication among stakeholders to increase the ability to adopt Agile and create valuable knowledge inside the organizations, architecting process innovation.Originality/valueThe forged strategic Agile substantive theory contributes to the competitive Brazilian IT company departments. The need for velocity in organizing teams, accomplishing changes and efficient communication challenges connecting value creation with project results.

Understanding the perceptions of Brazilian executives of software firms about Critical Success Factors

Our objective is to understand the perceptions of the Brazilian executives about the CSFs to achieve superior organizational performance. We defined a qualitative and quantitative design composed of an Analytic Hierarchy Process and Content Analysis methods. We identified that Marketing and Innovation are the most important CSFs and the interviewed executives suggested three additional factors, i.e., Investment in Startups, Digital Marketing and National Culture, that were not previously identified in the literature review. We highlight the availability of a new framework of CSFs based on different sources and in-depth interviews with Information Technology (IT) executives. Our study also contributes to an overview of CSFs in the Brazilian IT industry.

Emergency Care Gap in Brazil: Geographical Accessibility as a Proxy of Response Capacity to Tackle COVID-19.

Background: The new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has claimed thousands of lives worldwide and disrupted the health system in many countries. As the national emergency care capacity is a crucial part of the COVID-19 response, we evaluated the Brazilian Health Care System response preparedness against the COVID-19 pandemic.Methods: A retrospective and ecological study was performed with data retrieved from the Brazilian Information Technology Department of the Public Health Care System. The numbers of intensive care (ICU) and hospital beds, general or intensivist physicians, nurses, nursing technicians, physiotherapists, and ventilators from each health region were extracted. Beds per health professionals and ventilators per population rates were assessed. A health service accessibility index was created using a two-step floating catchment area (2SFCA). A spatial analysis using Getis-Ord Gi* was performed to identify areas lacking access to high-complexity centers (HCC).Results: As of February 2020, Brazil had 35,682 ICU beds, 426,388 hospital beds, and 65,411 ventilators. In addition, 17,240 new ICU beds were created in June 2020. The South and Southeast regions have the highest rates of professionals and infrastructure to attend patients with COVID-19 compared with the northern region. The north region has the lowest accessibility to ICUs.Conclusions: The Brazilian Health Care System is unevenly distributed across the country. The inequitable distribution of health facilities, equipment, and human resources led to inadequate preparedness to manage the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, the ineffectiveness of public measures of the municipal and federal administrations aggravated the pandemic in Brazil.

Desempenho inovativo das empresas Brasileiras do setor de tecnologia de informação no período de 2013 – 2015: uma abordagem dos serviços intensivos em conhecimento / Innovative performance of Brazilian companies in the information technology sector in the period 2013 – 2015: an approach to knowledge-intensive services

Companies that make intensive use of knowledge play an important role in the process of innovation generation and diffusion (Morikawa, 2016). This paper discusses the partial results of a survey conducted by the Federation of Brazilian Information Technology Business Associations (ASSESPRO, 2015). Its goal is to analyze the characteristics of the information technology industry in Brazil, specifically comparing the data from the 2013, 2014 and 2015 editions of this same survey, regarding innovation. The percentage of new products in sales, consistent with previous data, is considered low, since approximately 10% of the surveyed companies state these products make up an important share of sales. The data also shows many of these companies do not adopt aggressive innovation strategies and point to a low level of radical innovation in the IT companies, with approximately 30% of them making no investment in this area whatsoever while most of the others spend little in R&D.

Quality infrastructure and innovation in the Brazilian information technology services: evidence from the National Innovation Survey

The objective of this work is to contribute to the advancement of knowledge about the innovation capacity of information technology service companies in Brazil, with emphasis on the role of the quality infrastructure functions in strengthening this capacity. We have drawn the data from the National Innovation Survey 2014 (Pintec 2014) to answer how the companies in this sector perceive the importance of quality infrastructure functions in their cycles of innovation, to highlight the benefits derived from the existence of such infrastructure in Brazil.

Profiling IT Security and Interoperability in Brazilian Health Organisations From a Business Perspective

The proliferation of electronic health (e-Health) initiatives in Brazil over the last 2 decades has resulted in a considerable fragmentation within health information technology (IT), with a strong political interference. The problem regarding this issue became twofold: 1) there are considerable flaws regarding interoperability and security involving patient data; and 2) it is difficult even for an experienced company to enter the Brazilian health IT market. In this article, the authors aim to assess the current state of IT interoperability and security in hospitals in Brazil and evaluate the best business strategy for an IT company to enter this difficult but very promising health IT market. A face-to-face questionnaire was conducted among 11 hospital units to assess their current status regarding IT interoperability and security aspects. Global Brazilian socio-economic data was also collected, and helped to not only identify areas of investment regarding health IT security and interoperability, but also to derive a business strategy, composed out of recommendations listed in the paper.

Keep Innovating: Absorptive Capacity and the Performance of Brazilian Information Technology Companies

Abstract Continuous innovation is considered a major challenge for companies. By deepening this issue, this article highlights the absorptive capacity, which is the ability to explore external knowledge. This study analyzes the extent to which absorptive capacity affects the organizational performance of Brazilian IT companies. A theoretical model containing three hypotheses related to potential absorptive capacity, realized absorptive capacity, and organizational performance is analyzed by using factor analysis and structural equation modeling using an instrument applied to 130 companies between the months of July and August of 2017. The results show significant relations between the dimensions of absorptive capacity and organizational performance, indicating that a characteristic of the technological market is translated by adaptation ability, which demonstrates the influence of potential and realized absorptive capacity in performance as explained by the firm’s dynamic capabilities. JEL Code: N76, O32, L25.

Relationship between the organizational memory and innovativity: the case of software development companies in the southern region of Brazil

This paper focuses on the relationship between the Organizational Memory (OM) and Organizational Innovation (OI) practices of Software Developers. This industry is meaningful for the economy and has significant transversality of performance; at the same time, it is highly dynamic and inventive. These traits corroborate our research choice around OM practices, since they help understand the makings of innovative environments. Based on extant research and validated reference models, we analyze practices and actions used by companies for the creation of a favorable environment that is conducive to OI. A group of software development companies operating in the southern region of Brazil was selected from the Brazilian Association of Software Companies (ABES), Association of Technology Companies of Santa Catarina (ACATE), Association of Brazilian Information Technology Companies of Paraná (ASSESPRO-PR) and Union of Information Technology Companies (SEPRORGS) organization database, using a non-probabilistic sample, due to the explicit desire and availability to participate in the study. Under the conceptual model, statistical analysis led us to the conclusion that there is a significant relationship between the OM functions and their influence in the innovative corporate environments. As firms become more mature and reach market consolidation, the model indicates that the OM retention function becomes increasingly more important, leading to an environment that is more efficient regarding innovativity.

A REPRESENTAÇÃO SOCIAL DE CLOUD COMPUTING PELA PERCEPÇÃO DOS PROFISSIONAIS BRASILEIROS DE TECNOLOGIA DA INFORMAÇÃO

RESUMO Este estudo busca identificar a representação social sobre Cloud Computing, pela percepção dos profissionais brasileiros de Tecnologia da Informação (TI). Os dados empíricos foram coletados por meio de questionários on-line respondidos por uma amostra por acessibilidade de 221 profissionais de TI e analisados por meio da Teoria da Representação Social (TRS), operacionalizada pelas técnicas de evocação livres de palavras e do quadro de quatro casas de Vergès, bem como pelas análises implicativa, léxica e de conteúdo. Como resultado, identificou-se que o núcleo central da representação social associada ao Cloud Computing é composto pelas palavras: nuvem, armazenamento, disponibilidade, internet, virtualização e segurança. Assim, conclui-se que os profissionais de TI no Brasil têm uma visão mais operacional do que estratégica do Cloud Computing. Essa visão funcional, congruente com parte da literatura científica sobre o tema, fundamenta-se basicamente em aspectos relacionados à segurança, armazenamento e disponibilidade dos dados armazenados no Cloud Computing, faltando uma percepção do valor estratégico do Cloud Computing, baseada na viabilização de novos modelos de negócio. Finalmente, este artigo traz uma contribuição metodológica original ao usar a TRS - por meio da aplicação conjunta das análises implicativa, léxica e de conteúdo - na definição de um constructo específico.

Exploratory study regarding how cultural perspectives can influence the perceptions of project success in Brazilian companies

Due to globalization and dynamic business environment, teams in companies are multicultural; as a result, culture may become an important aspect to be considered. The majority of articles regarding projects include factors of success and failure, but only a few embrace cultural perspectives. To provide more insight into the effects of cultural perspectives, this paper presents findings from an exploratory study that investigated how Brazilian information technology companies perceive project success and failure, and then makes inferences regarding the cultural factors. Interviews and questionnaires were applied, and the results provide insights for understanding how cultural factors may influence the project success perceptions. As the primary results, contributions regarding cultural perceptions are offered and related to different dimensions with a view to exploring the cultural aspects as determinant factors of success in a project management environment.

Analyzing the Impacts of Commitment and Entrenchment on Behavioral Intentions

La falta de una definición universal para el compromiso organizacional trae dificultades para mejorar el conocimiento acerca del constructo. Continuando con la revisión del constructo de compromiso propuesto por Rodrigues (2009) a través de la separación de su dimensión continuidad -que ahora se conoce como afianzamiento organizacional, este artículo analizó la relación entre el compromiso afectivo y profundización con comportamiento intencional. El estudio fue realizado en una empresa de tecnología de la información de Brasil con la participación de 307 personas. Los resultados muestran que el afianzamiento organizacional es de hecho un constructo diferente al compromiso afectivo organizacional. Se encontró que el compromiso afectivo con la organización es un precursor de las intenciones de quedarse, defender y ejercer un esfuerzo adicional, mientras que el afianzamiento no mostró relaciones relevantes con estas acciones.

The Brand Creation Process in the Information Technology Sector: The Case of Brasil IT+

Sector brands are an alternative to the impossibility or inadequacy of developing national country brands. However, studies examining the subject are scarce. This article examines the development process of the Brazilian information technology sector brand and contributes to the understanding of sector brands. The empirical study is a case study of the Brasil IT+ brand, which was created to strengthen Brazilian information technology sector exports. The study concludes that the process of creating the Brasil IT+ sector brand was suitable according to the literature on brands, although certain aspects of the process could have been improved. For example, the brand could be adapted to each type of target audience and should control exports and the quality of the enterprises that conduct business under the brand. It was also possible to determine that the brand is investing in the construction of a competitive differentiator for the Brazilian sector, which will generate increasingly more competitive advantages for the enterprises that use the sector brand as a form of marketing in the international market.

CT-Info: uma visão a fundo

O presente estudo adota uma metodologia diferenciada de avaliação dos fundos setoriais e tem por objetivo realizar uma dissecção da dinâmica de funcionamento e dos impactos do CT-Info à luz do que está estabelecido como seu foco, que é fomentar projetos em empresas brasileiras do setor de informática. Para tanto, foi realizada uma investigação que buscou responder a três questões fundamentais: qual o perfil das empresas que obtiveram recursos concedidos pelo CT-Info? Como se desenvolveu a dinâmica de utilização desses recursos? Qual a motivação para que empresas recorram ou não ao instrumento? Por um lado, os resultados apontam para uma captura do instrumento pelo complexo acadêmico-universitário. Por outro, para as poucas empresas beneficiárias, apesar das dificuldades burocráticas, os resultados obtidos foram muito expressivos.

Brazilian high-tech entrepreneurs' perceptions and attitudes towards venture capital

This paper approaches entrepreneurship from a cultural perspective, analysing the entrepreneurs' cognitive world. A web-questionnaire captured the perceptions and attitudes towards venture capital held by Brazilian information technology and biotechnology entrepreneurs, which is further subdivided into incubated and non-incubated groups. The paper is organised in three parts. First, it explores the expectations held by entrepreneurs in seeking venture capital. Results show that the main reason for seeking venture capital is to 'establish partnership for strategic planning'. However, there are contrasting perceptions within the paired sample groups. Second, entrepreneurs' beliefs and feelings towards venture capital were examined. Data indicates that entrepreneurs generally hold overall favourable beliefs towards venture capital. Third, the analyses of the consequences of venture capital anticipated by entrepreneurs show that sample groups emphasise different positive impacts. Furthermore, reduction in managerial flexibility is the most significant worry expressed in entrepreneurs' assessment of venture capital outcome.

Adding Value to Key Issues Research Through Q-Sorts and Interpretive Structured Modeling

A questionnaire requiring respondents to rate the importance of key issues is the traditional data collection tool for investigating the key issues of Information Technology (IT) managers. Such an instrument does not force managers to confront the relationships between issues. Q-sort and interpretive structured modeling (ISM) force managers to consider the linkages among key issues. This article discusses the use of these methodologies for investigating key issues and demonstrates their application with data collected from Brazilian banking IT managers. This study illustrates how these approaches provide additional insights into the key concerns facing IT managers.