A study for the introduction of small and medium enterprises into the Piracicaba alcohol APL

Abstract

This research will be aimed at a study of the small and medium sized businesses manufacturing equipment for sugar and alcohol factories located in the region of Piracicaba, with a view to these enterprises constituting important links in the supply chain of the alcohol sector in the region. A diagnosis will be undertaken to evaluate their potential for participating effectively in the development of the Local Production Arrangement for Alcohol (APL) which is in the implementation phase in the municipality. The study will be exploratory and will use as background theoretic concepts originating in the administrative area specifically geared to the study of business networks, clusters, APLS, strategic alliances, entrepreneurship, and others. Field research will be undertaken, through interviews aimed at the principal executives of the businesses, in order to diagnose the main problem that need to be solved for the introduction of these companies into the APL in such a way as to develop it for the growth of the alcohol sector aiming not only at the internal distribution of product but also at its large scale export, given that demand is growing on a worldwide scale. The results will be manipulated in scores graded 0 to 5, and will be averaged out in order to identify the most vulnerable points for interventionist actions of short, medium and long term. By way of results it is hoped that the questions raised in the theory relating to small businesses will be confirmed in terms of hypotheses and routes to be taken in support of a more efficient business practice when dealing with problems of interrelationships fostering an appropriate synergy between the set-up assisting the corporate administration in the resolution of management problems. (AU)