Internationalization and competences of the leather-footwear chain

Abstract

This study analyzes the internationalization process of medium sized companies of the leather-footwear supply chain, located in the Sinos Valley, in the southern region of Brazil. The two cases of footwear component companies were identifi ed by entrepreneurs from the leatherfootwear supply chain as the most outstanding from the Sinos Valley in internationalization practices. Thus, this study aims to identify which resources those companies mobilize to develop their internationalization process. The organizational competence concept provides the theoretical base for the data interpretation. The results show that the internationalization of those companies is related to a combination of resources associated to three competences: (a) process technology domain; (b) market understanding ability and (c) the ability of joining partners. The cases reinforce the understanding of the internationalization as a learning process that has integrated these companies to the international footwear supply chain dynamics since the eighties.