Corporate Culture and Productive Restructuring in Brazilian industry: The Lupo Case S / A

Abstract

Founded in 1921, the company currently known as Lupo S/A is one of the most ancient textile and clothing industries in Brazil. In this article we aim to describe the general lines of the trajectory of this family company, currently producing socks, nightwear and sports articles. The focus of this paper is on the analysis of some strategies used by the company along its formation and development process, and, particularly, the way these strategies made possible the productive restructuring associated to the overcoming of the strong crisis which began in the end of the 80's and early 90's, contributing to its recent consolidation in the clothing industry. The leading hypothesis of the study is that pioneering connected to a strong organizational culture that has been formed and constructed since its foundation and that was reestablished in a more recent management were the factors which were responsible for the advances able to generate an innovation environment in products as well as in processes and management. The theoretical reflection selected to subsidize the cognitive construction of the study of the company is based on the historical approach of the development of the textile industry in Brazil and in studies about the importance of the action of the entrepreneur, in the role of the organizational culture and LORENZO, H.C. & CAÍRES, A.C.R. of innovation to choose strategies in companies. The research involved the analysis of documents and data of the company, as well as interviews with directors and employees. The results show a traditional company model, but also show the presence of a very advanced entrepreneurial dynamic. Modern world – known as a fordist industrial model – could already be noticed in the company when this production pattern was not clearly defined yet in the Brazilian industry. Nowadays, the company faces the challenge of globalization and the open competition in the international market which brings the rivalry of the greatest and best globalized companies.