ENVIRONMENTAL PRESSURES AND STRATEGIC RESPONSES: AN INVESTIGATION IN ORGANIZATIONS OF PHARMACEUTICAL RETAIL MARKET

Abstract

The objective of the present investigation is to verify the influence of expansion of the Nissei chain pharmacies in the strategic response of independent pharmacies located in Curitiba, PR, Brazil, in the period 1998-2004. The method used was a survey, of kind descriptive-interpretative, and qualitative approach. The sample was formed by eleven independent pharmacies located in the downtown of the city and by the pharmacies of Nissei chain. The data was obtained by means of semi-structured interviews made with the managers of Nissei chain pharmacies and structured interviews with owners or managers of independent pharmacies, besides the study of organizational documents and informatives, article published in newspapers, specialized magazines and internet home pages. The treatment of data was effectuated by means of the content analysis and documental analysis. This study examined the strategic responses through of identification of the strategic actions used by independent pharmacies, based in the Oliver’s tipology (1991). The results revealed that the expansion of the Nissei chain pharmacies collaborated to unleash the mimetic isomorphism in the sector, made with that independent pharmacies adopted the strategic responses like compromisse, avoid, and  mainly acquiescence, with prevalence of the imitate tactic.