Uma leitura dos donos das pequenas e médias empresas distribuidoras de GLP dos impactos das cinco forças de Porter nos seus negócios

Abstract

Liquefied petroleum gas - LPG, as it is an item of primary necessity and the main source of energy for cooking, is an essential product, highly coveted in a very competitive market. Currently, in Brazil, there are more than 60,000 small and medium-sized companies vying for market share. Due to the high competitiveness, it is essential for the survival of these companies to analyze and understand the environment in which they operate. Relating a company to its environment is the essence of competitive strategy formulation according to Porter (1986). The theoretical model of the Five Competitive Forces developed by Porter is centered on the idea that the structure of the sectors of activities has a strong influence on the rules of competition and on the strategies developed by organizations. This study proposes to identify whether the owners/managers of small and medium-sized companies - SMEs in the liquefied petroleum gas - LPG distribution sector recognize and understand the impacts of the interactions of Porter's Five Forces on their business, especially the actions of competition. With a qualitative analysis approach, with an exploratory and descriptive purpose, documental analysis and research through semi-structured interviews with the owners/managers were sought as a source of evidence. The five small and medium-sized companies were characterized and selected for the research - SMEs distributing LPG in the Triangulo Mineiro that have been operating for at least 3 years in the market and presented the best economic and financial results, had a good evolution in sales volume and in the market. share in the last 3 years. The analysis was conducted from interviews with the managers/owners of each company regarding their perceptions of the competitive interactions generated by Porter's Five Forces. It is concluded that dealers have shown to recognize the power and impact of Porter's Five Forces on their businesses, however, such recognition does not occur spontaneously and in a structured way, which limits the use of this resource for the purpose of elaborating a strategic plan. As a contribution, the five competitive forces must be considered in the definitions of offensive and defensive actions to create a better positioning of the company and help the owners/managers in the decision-making process, suggesting the formulation of strategies related to combating Porter's five competitive forces.