The theme of competitiveness has been subject of research in different academic realms, such as economy, strategy, operations management and organization studies. As expected, each of these disciplines deal with competitiveness according to its own perspectives and theoretical background. In this essay, we seek to integrate a number of different perspectives, encompassing diverse analysis' levels. As leitmotiv, we take the competitive capability of Brazilian companies vis-à-vis the present business environment. The paper is based on the current literature. Emphasis is given to studies focusing the Brazilian context. Our main objective is to offer a general framework about competitiveness in the Brazilian context. We also speculate on how Brazilian firms could improve their competitiveness. Finally, we indicate limitations of the study and indicate directions for future research.
Competitiveness; developing economy; internationalization; transnational companies; competitiveness improvement