eThesis - School of Business electronic theses

Objectives of the Study:

The objective this study is to find out what kind of perceptions export managers of Finnish companies have of Brazil as a destination for their business, and what kind of entry barriers are perceived to exist. Furthermore, the study aims to uncover what makes Finnish companies expand to other BRICS countries before Brazil.

Methodology:

Qualitative case study was chosen as the research strategy of this study. Four Finnish companies that have or have had some form of presence in Brazil were chosen as the case companies, and one manager from each company was interviewed. The interviews followed the general interview guide approach, and to analyze the data gathered, a thematic network analysis was used.

Findings and Contributions:

According to the findings, factors such as macroeconomic situation, crime, infrastructure, visa issues, slow banking system and lack of specifically educated labour were perceived as entry barriers to Brazil. The companies interviewed did not have an overall strategy for emerging markets, but the strategies were country specific, due to the differences between the markets. As a contribution for managers considering entering Brazil, this thesis provides different perspectives and insights into the thoughts of other managers that have faced similar challenges.