The maturation of the internationalisation of Portuguese and Brazilian multinational companies

Abstract

An analysis of the maturation of the internationalisation of Portuguese and Brazilian multinational corporations (MNCs) was undertaken which draws on the data of two case studies based on 30 semi-guided interviews. A content analysis technique supported by MAXQDA software found a more significant maturation of Portuguese MNCs than of Brazilian ones. Portuguese MNCs were shown to have a different organisational structure than that of their host-country head offices, thereby achieving a more fluid business process in their subsidiary. The internationalisation strategy of Plastic - a metanational, - is a distant reality in terms of Brazilian MNCs, in that it still aims to become consolidated in the market as an MNC. This research sheds light on the maturation of the internationalisation of MNCs in the context of developed and emergent countries.