Thèses sur le sujet « PME agroalimentaire »

Cette thèse examine le lien entre la gouvernance des petites et moyennes entreprises (PME) et les stratégies de marquage. En se basant sur une double approche, disciplinaire (théorie d’agence) et cognitive (théorie de l’intendance) et en prenant en compte les spécificité des PME en matière de gouvernance et de stratégie, nous proposons un cadre théorique d’analyse de ce lien. Une application empirique aux PME agroalimentaires (AA) de la région Languedoc-Roussillon (LR) grâce à deux enquêtes révèle plusieurs déterminants de la politique de marque.Notre recherche utilise une méthodologie alliant à la fois une approche quantitative et une approche qualitative. La première enquête s’appuie sur des données de questionnaires extraits d’un panel d’entreprises agroalimentaires suivies sur une période de sept ans dans le cadre de l’enquête EAA (339 entreprises en 2002, 322 entreprises en 2009). Une deuxième enquête qualitative réalisée grâce à des entretiens semi-directifs auprès de 9 responsables des PME AA.Les résultats montrent que la structure de propriété, les objectifs des actionnaires et le processus de prise de décision ainsi que les caractéristiques du dirigeant influencent les choix en termes de marque des produits. En particulier nous montrons que les entreprises familiales choisissent massivement de commercialiser leurs produits sans marques. Les entreprises actionnariales ont recours à une marque propre et à des marques en sous-traitance et enfin les sociétés coopératives offrent des produits avec une marque propre et des signes de qualité comme l’AOP et l’IGP. Au delà des facteurs liés au type de gouvernance, d’autres déterminants comme la taille de la PME et le secteur d’activité ou encore les crises et facteurs externes ont un effet significatif dans le choix des marques
This thesis examines the relationship between the governance of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and branding strategies. Based on a dual approach, disciplinary (agency theory) and cognitive (stewardship theory), and taking into consideration the specificity of SMEs in governance and strategy, we propose a theoretical framework for analyzing this link. An empirical application to the agri-food SMEs in the Languedoc-Roussillon region (South of France) through two surveys reveals several determinants of branding strategies.Our research uses a methodology combining both quantitative and qualitative approaches. The first survey is based on questionnaires extracted data from a panel of agri-food companies followed over a period of seven years as part of the EAA survey (339 companies in 2002 and 322 companies in 2009). A second qualitative survey was conducted through semi-structured interviews with managers in 9 agri-food SMEs.The results show that the ownership structure, the shareholders’ goals, the decision-making process and the characteristics of the manager influence the choices of products brand. In particular, we prove that family businesses massively choose to commercialize their products without brands, the shareholders' enterprises use their own brand and subcontract brands, and the cooperative companies offer products with an own brand and signs of quality such as DOP and PGI. Beyond the factors linked to the type of governance, other determinants have a significant effect on the choice of brands such as the size of the SME, the sector of activity or also the crises and external factors

Cette étude traite de la responsabilité sociale de l'entreprise et de la standardisation de ses pratiques. Elle pose la question : pourquoi et comment la PME agroalimentaire adopte-t-elle les préceptes de développement durable au travers de la normalisation AB ? Tout d'abord, la revue de littérature met en avant la possibilité de mobiliser la théorie des parties prenantes. La production d'aliments normalisés AB est considérée comme une application privilégiée du développement durable et est une voie de différenciation pertinente pour la PME. La deuxième partie présente une étude empirique. C'est ainsi que les principes de "juste apprentissage" et "juste implication" ont été exposés : les PME tentent de modifier le moins possible leur fonctionnement. En outre, quelle que soit la stratégie initiale, intrinsèque ou instrumentale, la mise en œuvre est proche. Enfin, la tentative de conceptualisation met en perspective la norme AB dans le cadre plus général du développement durable. On constate un certain paradoxe entre les principes du développement durable, remise en question de la conception classique, et la normalisation AB, empreinte de standardisation
This study deals with issues on corporate responsibility and management practices. They can be treated thanks to the following question: why and how do small companies look for sustainable development through "Organic food" labelled production? First part aims at understanding what is sustainable development with reference to the stakeholders theory. Organic food production can be seen as one of the best sustainable activities and an effective way to cream the market for small companies. Based on induction, a qualitative inquiry has been carried out. This inquiry suggests the existence of "exact training" and "exact involvement" principles. Indeed, small companies change their practices as little as possible to keep safe their effectiveness. Finally, the study shows that the adoptive process is similar whatever the initial corporate strategy is (intrinsic or instrumental strategy). Then, it puts into relief a paradox between sustainable development principles and the normative way "Organic food" labelling is run in small companies

La responsabilité sociétale des entreprises (RSE) est la déclinaison du DD au monde des affaires. C’est un concept dans lequel les entreprises intègrent les préoccupations sociales, environnementales, et économiques dans leurs activités, et ce, sur une base volontaire (CE 2002). Elle s’est imposée de plusieurs années comme incontournable (Darnil et Le Roux, 2005). Dans ce travail doctoral, nous cherchons à expliquer les facteurs (motivations, incitations ou pressions) d’intégration des 3 volets de la RSE par le dirigeant des PME libanaises du secteur agroalimentaire. Car suite à une série de scandales ces cinq dernières années, la RSE est devenue incontournable dans ce secteur où les pratiques des PME sont mises en cause. C’est le dirigeant qui est le principal acteur le plus déterminant pour la compréhension des choix et décisions stratégiques en matière de RSE dans les PME. Pour comprendre cette logique d’action nous nous référons au modèle de Wood et Caroll (1991) qui classifie les facteurs d’engagement sous 4 niveaux : individuel, organisationnel, institutionnel et les caractéristiques de l’entreprise, constituant pour notre étude un cadre théorique expliquant les facteurs d’engagement dans la RSE. Une étude qualitative et quantitative a été menée sur le terrain pour tester les variables extraites de la partie théorique et connaître les raisons pour lesquelles le dirigeant libanais intègre la RSE dans sa PME
The Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is the declination of the sustainable development (SD) in the business world. It is a concept in which companies integrate social, environmental, and economic concerns into their business, on a voluntary basis (European Commission, 2002). Upon Darnil and Le Roux, 2005, CSR has been imposed as a must several years ago. In this search, the aim is to explain the factors (motivations, incentives or pressures) of integration of the 3 pillars of CSR by the manager of the small and medium-sized Lebanese enterprises of the food sector. Because of scandals in the last 5 years; CSR has become unavoidable in this sector especially in the field where practices of SMEs are questioned. It is the manager who is the most important actor in understanding the strategic choices and decisions regarding CSR in SMEs. To understand the logic of action, we refer to the model of Wood and Caroll (1991) which classifies the engagement factors under 4 levels: individual, organizational, institutional and the characteristics of the company, constituting for this study a theoretical framework that explains the factors of engagement in CSR. A qualitative and quantitative research was conducted to test the variables extracted from the theoretical part with the aim to know why Lebanese managers integrate CSR into their SMEs

Depuis une trentaine d'années, en même temps que l'accélération de la mondialisation, on assiste au Sud comme au Nord à l'affirmation de l'espace local comme espace de référence pertinent pour l'action et la réflexion économiques. Et cette affirmation s'accompagne de l'émergence d'une autre approche du développement, approche territorialisée aux termes de laquelle le développement est le fait d'une multiplicité d'acteurs organisés en réseaux - formels et informels - et entretenant entre eux des relations intenses et économiquement fécondes. La question que nous aborderons dans ce rapport porte sur la relation entre PME et territoire - au sens .local du mot - et les implications de cette relation en matière de développement des régions
Since around thirty years, at the same time as the acceleration of the globalization, we are witnessing in the South as in the North to the affirmation of the local space as the relevant reference space for the economic action and reflection. And this assertion is accompanied by the emergence of another approach of the development: territorialized approach under which development is the fact a multiplicity of actors organized in networks - formal and informal- and maintaining between the them intense and economically fertile relationships. The question we address in this report focuses on the relationship between SMEs and territory - at the local sense of the word - and the implications of this relationship in terms of regional development

Se focalisant sur les liens entre la R&D et l'innovation, la plupart des travaux économiques tendent à ignorer le rôle des actifs hors recherche. Nous avons mené une étude empirique sur un secteur faiblement intensif en R&D, l'agro-alimentaire afin de mettre en lumière le rôle de ces actifs. Notre objectif est de comprendre comment se construisent les processus d'innovations dans les secteurs peu intensifs en R&D afin de proposer une approche globale de l'innovation permettant de stimuler l'innovation dans ces secteurs. Combinant le modèle "chain-linked" et les travaux sur les ressources et les compétences, nous proposons une approche de l'innovation par les ressources et les compétences. L'enquête porte sur 22 processus d'innovation réalisés par des PME de l'agro-alimentaire. Les données sont traitées avec la méthode des cartes de Kohonen, outil de traitement statistique adapté pour les études exploratoires. Nous montrons que les PME agro-alimentaires manquent de ressources et de compétences en marketing, ce qui entrâve l'acquisition d'actifs marketing et la réussite commerciale des innovations. Elles manquent également de compétences organisationnelles indispensables pour coordonner les aspects technologiques et marketing du processus d'innovation. Une politique publique qui favoriserait de développement de ces compétences permettrait de limiter les échecs. Nous montrons qu'un réseau de soutien technologique dense favorise l'innovation. L'offre technologique existante est bien structurée et les entreprises ont des capacités suffisantes pour en bénéficier. Par contre, les mesures concernant les aspects marché et organisationnels sont inexistantes et les compétences des entreprises dans ces domaines sont très limitées. En conséquence, nous proposons d'axer les nouvelles mesures de politique publique sur ces aspects afin de mettre en place une politique en faveur de l'innovation et non pas seulement de la recherche.

La promulgation des modeles d'assurance de la qualite de type iso 9000, a la fin des annees 1980, a contribue au developpement de cette methode de gestion de la qualite. Toutes les entreprises sont concernees par cette approche quel que soit leur secteur d'activite mais surtout quelle que soit leur taille. Ainsi, de nombreuses pme s'engagent dans des processus de certification d'entreprise. On peut s'interroger sur les repercussions possibles des modeles d'assurance de la qualite sur leur systeme de gestion. Cette recherche vise a montrer que l'adoption d'un modele d'assurance de la qualite est susceptible de remettre en cause les principales specificites de la pme. Nous avons retenu une approche quantitative destinee a montrer qu'il existe des differences significatives entre les pme selon leur engagement dans un processus de certification. Nous avons conduit des entretiens en face a face, a partir d'un questionnaire ferme, aupres de dirigeants de pme agro-alimentaires independantes. Nous avons privilegie les industries agro♭ alimentaires dans la mesure ou il s'agit d'un secteur ou l'assurance qualite est relativement peu developpee en pme. Le recours aux tris croises et aux analyses multifactorielles nous a permis de montrer que les entreprises engagees dans un processus de certification parviennent a combiner logique manageriale et logique entrepreneuriale. Ces pme que nous avons qualifiees de denaturees presentent des caracteristiques qui ne repondent plus a la definition classique de la pme. Autrement dit, le processus de certification peut conduire a un changement denature independamment de la taille.

La Responsabilité Sociale des Entreprises (RSE) a été étudiée par de nombreux chercheurs et professionnels du monde de l'entreprise ; ces travaux montrent que les consommateurs adoptent une attitude plus positive envers les entreprises qui agissent de manière responsable. Cependant, ils suggèrent également que les consommateurs restent encore sceptiques aux argumentaires développés par les entreprises sur leur responsabilité sociale et donc qu'une méfiance s'est instaurée envers les marques. Cela implique, que les entreprises doivent veiller à ce que leur communication n'éveille pas de sentiments négatifs. Par ailleurs et conséquemment aux effets de la crise économique mondiale, les consommateurs se préoccupent de plus en plus de leur pouvoir d'achat. Dès lors, ils peuvent estimer ne pas avoir les moyens de payer leurs produits provenant des entreprises engagées. Ces résultats sont issus principalement de travaux portant sur la communication des grandes entreprises. Néanmoins, aucun n'étudie spécifiquement les effets sur les consommateurs de la communication sociétale des Petites et Moyennes Entreprises (PME), en terme de valeur perçue de la marque et de confiance. Or, les PME présentent un grand intérêt de recherche, tant au niveau national qu'international. Aussi, l'absence de résultats empiriques sur la valeur perçue est surprenante compte tenu du fait qu'elle est considérée comme un antécédent naturel à la fidélité (Holbrook, 1994, 1999 ; Sirieix and Dubois, 1999 ; Frisou, 2000 ; Chaudhuri and Holbrook, 2001; Aurier, et al., 2001). De ce fait, ce travail se propose de combler ce manque théorique et empirique en proposant de mieux comprendre les effets des discours socialement responsables des entreprises sur deux dimensions de la valeur perçue : la valeur sociale et la valeur éthique. De plus, l'étude s'intéressera à la confiance des consommateurs. L'objectif est de mieux comprendre : « Quelle est l'influence de la communication RSE sur la valeur perçue et la confiance des consommateurs envers les marques ? » Pour ce faire, le choix d'un visuel de magazine d'une marque fictive agroalimentaire a été fait. En effet, il a été considéré comme stimuli et canal de communication pour l'expérimentation. L'objectif était d'évaluer l'impact de la communication d'une PME impliquée dans une démarche responsable sur la valeur perçue et la confiance du consommateur. Un questionnaire en ligne auprès de 645 consommateurs a été mis en place pour tester quatre messages responsables (les messages portait sur la dimension environnementale, ou sociale, ou encore sociale et environnementale à la fois et un message de contrôle). Les résultats montrent l'intérêt pour les PME de communiquer prioritairement aux consommateurs des messages portant sur la dimension environnementale. Les résultats suggèrent que le message environnemental non seulement est plus efficace sur les valeurs éthique et sociale mais engendre également une confiance accrue des consommateurs envers la marque. De plus, cet impact positif suggère qu'il est pur, car il n'est pas modéré ni par le scepticisme du consommateur ni par sa préoccupation concernant son pouvoir d'achat. L'originalité de la recherche réside dans la prise en compte de la théorie de la valeur perçue dans une perspective de communication responsable. Enfin, la conceptualisation et l'étude de l'impact de ce genre d'argumentaire permettent de développer une façon plus efficace pour les PME de communiquer leurs engagements responsables aux consommateurs
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has been studied by academics and business leaders and they have proven that consumers develop a positive attitude towards companies that behave in socially responsible ways. However, they also suggest that CSR communication is subject to consumer scepticism. This implies that organizations and brands while communicating about their CSR activities may have the risk to be encountered with consumers' disbelieve. Furthermore, the previous global economic crisis limits CSR effectiveness due to consumer's concerns regarding their purchasing power. As a result, customers may feel guilty or unable to pay for products coming from engaged enterprises, which are considered sometimes by consumers as premium products. Moreover, a large body of research on CSR communication discusses the effectiveness of the message content and the efficiency on communication channels, within the case of multinational enterprises. However, there is little research linking CSR communication in the case of SME and perceived value and trust, whereas the topic of SME is an important research issue for national or international governmental entities. Also, the lack of empirical research on this issue is surprising, as perceived value and trust are considered by researchers as natural antecedents of customers brand loyalty ((Holbrook, 1994, 1999; Sirieix and Dubois, 1999; Frisou, 2000; Chaudhuri and Holbrook, 2001; Aurier, et al.,2001). As a result, this work aims to fill this gap in order to better understand the effects of socially responsible communication on two dimensions of perceived value: social value and ethical value and consumers' trust. In order to enhance understanding with regards to our research question: “What is the influence of CSR communication on perceived value and trust”, a qualitative research was conducted with consumers and practitioners. Additionally, an experiment has been conducted in which the level of CSR involvement from an SME in the food industry has been manipulated. A set of four different printed ad magazines has been considered as stimuli and communication channel for the experiment: one with an environmental message, with a social message, message or with a mix of these two messages together (social and environmental) or a control message. An online survey is conducted to a heterogeneous sample of consumers (n=645) Results reveal an interest for the SME to communicate prioritary through their environmental engagements. Results suggest that the environmental message is not only more effective on the ethical and social value perception but on consumers trust as well. Also, neither scepticism nor consumer's purchasing power concern show to moderate the positive effect between the CSR communications on perceived value and trust. The originality of the research lies in the consideration of the perceived value theory on the CSR communication research. More generally, the conceptualization and the study of perceived value on CSR communication highlight a more efficient CSR communication strategy between consumers and the SME

Este trabalho de projeto consiste na elaboração de um Plano de Marketing para uma microempresa do ramo agroalimentar – Queijaria Carraça. Com este visa-se mostrar a importância da adoção do marketing e do plano de marketing para empresas de menor dimensão, como a empresa objeto de estudo. O trabalho inicia-se com uma revisão teórica acerca dos temas Planeamento de Marketing, Marketing na PME e Agronegócio de forma a sustentar teoricamente o projeto. Em termos de metodologia do Trabalho de Projeto recorre-se à abordagem qualitativa com recurso aos métodos de pesquisa exploratória e de observação. A este nível adaptou-se uma estrutura de plano de Marketing a ser seguida no desenvolvimento do projeto, neste sentido adaptou-se as perspetivas dos vários autores consultados, de forma a melhor responder às necessidades e dimensão da empresa. Por fim elaborou-se o plano de forma adequada à realidade da empresa e com o objetivo de proporcionar crescimento à mesma. Recomenda-se que a empresa em estudo não descure o planeamento e encare o marketing como uma área fulcral, devendo avançar com o plano proposto; Abstract: Marketing Plan for SME in Agribusiness sector: The Case of Queijaria Carraça This project work consists in the elaboration of a Marketing plan for a micro-enterprise of the agro-alimentary branch – Queijaria Carraça. This aims to show the importance of adopting marketing and marketing plan for smaller enterprises, such as the company object of study. The work begins with a theoretical review of the themes of marketing plan, marketing in SMEs and agribusiness in order to theoretically sustain the project. In terms of methodology of the project work, the qualitative approach is applied to the methods of exploratory research and observation. At this level, a Marketing plan structure to be followed in the development of the project was adapted to the perspectives of the various authors consulted, in order to better respond to the needs and size of the company. Finally, the plan was devised adequately for the company's reality and with the aim of providing growth. It is recommended that the company in the study does not neglect the planning and face marketing as a focal area, and should proceed with the proposed plan.

Oggigiorno la sicurezza alimentare affronta questioni sempre più complesse che riguardano il bioterrorismo, la tutela delle risorse naturali, la tutela dei lavoratori, l’equità del commercio e la solidarietà. Parallelamente aumenta la sensibilità dell’opinione pubblica sui temi come la sostenibilità che riguardano il futuro delle nuove generazioni e la salvaguardia del pianeta. Nel contesto attuale del commercio globale per un’azienda è sempre più indispensabile possedere una comprovata attestazione di conformità agli standard riconosciuti dal mercato. Indubbiamente l’obbligo di applicare il sistema HACCP in tutti i settori agro-alimentari ha portato la sicurezza alimentare a livelli talmente elevati mai raggiunti in passato. Gli standard privati di qualità assicurano un ulteriore garanzia di prevenzione dei rischi non solo in termini di sicurezza dei prodotti alimentari ma anche in termini di tutela ambientale e di sostenibilità. In questo lavoro si analizza il sistema del commercio globale coniugato al tema della sicurezza alimentare ponendo luce su aspetti quali l’accreditamento, la coesistenza di norme pubbliche e standard privati, le crisi alimentari e il sistema di sorveglianza sanitaria, ed infine il sistema della distribuzione a livello globale. La revisione della letteratura ha mirato a delineare un quadro coerente dell’attuale insieme di conoscenze per identificare le tendenze nella ricerca pubblicata. La tesi, le metodologie, i punti di forza, i limiti e i risultati delle varie opere consultate sono stati assimilati per svolgere questo lavoro. Attraverso una ricerca approfondita sull’argomento, il lavoro di altri ricercatori è stato valutato criticamente con un approccio positivo. I temi affrontati dal progetto di ricerca nella sezione sperimentale riguardano il grado di compliance di alcune piccole aziende agroalimentari ai requisiti richiesti dagli standard privati adottati. Le procedure adottate nella ricerca hanno compreso una fase di progettazione personalizzata su ogni realtà produttiva studiata. Ciò ha comportato la costituzione di gruppi di lavoro il cui scopo è stato di analizzare lo status quo aziendale e di implementare una serie di azioni positive volte a creare consenso consapevole intorno all’obiettivo stabilito. In un caso i dati raccolti sono stati analizzati con la Principal Component Analysis per valutare il grado di miglioramento nel percorso verso la certificazione. Nell’altro caso, oltre a implementare una serie di azioni volte a garantire il rispetto dei prerequisiti per la sicurezza alimentare, i dati a disposizione sono stati elaborati in Linear Programming al fine di ottimizzare differenti linee produttive. In questo contesto, la capacità di raggiungere un obiettivo è un requisito fondamentale per la moderna gestione aziendale. È anche chiaro che le aziende devono essere in sintonia con le esigenze del commercio. Devono implementare misure per garantire livelli adeguati di conformità agli standard di sicurezza alimentare. Tuttavia, le PMI non applicano sempre pienamente le specifiche prescritte. Di conseguenza, la necessità di semplificare le procedure per armonizzare le norme giuridiche e le norme volontarie nel rispetto del loro rigore è tuttora un’area di ricerca in crescita. In conclusione, il presente studio potrà essere di beneficio per le piccole e medie imprese che intendano approfondire la conoscenza del commercio globale e vogliano qualificare il proprio sistema di gestione della qualità ed i propri prodotti al fine di conseguire certificazioni di conformità.
Nowadays food security faces increasingly complex issues concerning bioterrorism, the protection of natural resources, the protection of workers, fair trade and solidarity. At the same time, public awareness of issues such as sustainability regarding the future of new generations and safeguarding the planet is increasing. In the current context of global trade for a company it is increasingly essential to have a proven certificate of compliance with the standards recognized by the market. Undoubtedly, the obligation to apply the HACCP system in all agri-food sectors has brought food safety to such high levels ever before. Private quality standards ensure a further guarantee of risk prevention not only in terms of food safety but also in terms of environmental protection and sustainability. This paper analyses the system of global trade combined with the issue of food security by shedding light on issues such as accreditation, the coexistence of public standards and private standards, food crises and the health surveillance system, and finally the global distribution system. The literature review aimed to outline a coherent picture of the current set of knowledge to identify trends in published research. The thesis, the methodologies, the strengths, the limits and the results of the various works consulted have been assimilated to carry out this work. Through extensive research on the subject, the work of other researchers has been critically assessed with a positive approach. The topics addressed by the research project in the experimental section concern the degree of compliance of some small agri-food companies with the requirements of the private standards adopted. The procedures used in the research included a customized design phase on each production company studied. This involved the creation of work groups whose purpose was to analyse the corporate status quo and implement a series of positive actions aimed at creating a conscious consensus around the established objective. In a case the data collected was analysed with the Principal Component Analysis to assess the degree of improvement in the path towards certification. In the other case, in addition to implementing a series of actions aimed at ensuring compliance with the prerequisites for food safety, the available data were processed in Linear Programming in order to optimize different production lines. In this context, the identification of the main risks relating to the company as well as the correct criteria for managing these risks, and the ability to achieve the objectives is a fundamental requirement for a proper business management. It is also clear that companies must be in tune with the demands of commerce. They must implement measures to ensure adequate levels of compliance with food safety standards. However, SMEs do not always fully apply the prescribed specifications. Consequently, the need to simplify the procedures to harmonize the legal norms and the voluntary norms respecting their strictness is still a growing research area. In conclusion, this study may be of benefit to small and medium-sized enterprises that intend to deepen their knowledge of global trade and want to qualify their quality management system and their products in order to achieve conformity certifications.

Parce qu'il a été érigé en idéal-type de l'organisation productive des << Trente Glorieuses >>, le modèle taylorien-fordien sert bien souvent de référence à l'interprétation des transformations du système productif dans la crise. La thèse met en évidence certaines impasses auxquelles ce calage peut conduire. Elle propose les éléments d'une approche des processus de configuration de l'activité productive -i. E. De la façon dont les formes d'organisation émergent, se transforment et disparaissent- susceptible de dégager la multiplicité des références nécessaires à une interprétation plus juste de ces phénomènes. Celle-ci suppose de faire retour sur les conceptions de l'organisation productive des Trente Glorieuses. Il s'agit de mieux prendre en compte la diversité qui caractérise alors le tissu productif tout en l'appréhendant dans ses rapports avec une forme réputée dominante : elle est entendue ici comme le fruit de combinaisons variées entre les principes du modèle taylorien-fordien largement diffuses par les acteurs dominants du processus de configuration et ceux de formes pré-existantes. Mise en oeuvre dans le cas de PME transformant des fruits et légumes en Provence, l'approche souligne les conditions qui, dans le mouvement de rationalisation et de concentration des années soixante, ont paradoxalement contribué au maintien de petites unités dans la fabrication de produits industriels destinés à la consommation de masse. Elle montre que la tension majeure que ces entreprises ont aujourd'hui à subir ne tient pas tant à un problème de flexibilité (elles ont de tout temps conservé cette capacité) qu'à l'engagement d'un nouveau processus de rationalisation industrielle. Celui-ci contribue à remettre en cause les caractères domestiques de leur espace professionnel à un moment où ils apparaissent comme la principale ressource dont elles disposent pour faire face à la double contrainte qui préside désormais à leur activité : leur liaison avec l'agriculture, le marché.

Cette thèse en sciences de gestion a pour objet de prendre la mesure du rôle du système d’information dans le déclenchement et la propagation des difficultés que rencontrent les petites et moyennes entreprises du secteur agro-alimentaire en France. Nous étudions le lien entre le désalignement des usages du système d’information et les difficultés que peuvent rencontrer les PME.Le terrain est constitué, d’un côté, par des enquêtes d’entreprises qui permettent de construire un indicateur synthétique de performances et, de l’autre côté, par l’enquête COI-TIC de 2006 dont nous obtenons quatre jeux d’indicateurs liés à l’usage du système d’information.À l’aide d’une démarche compréhensive, nous caractérisons ainsi le rôle du système d’information et son désalignement dans les dynamiques de performances. Nous montrons, au cas des PME des IAA, notamment l’importance de la coordination électronique (inter entreprise et entre les parties prenantes) et la place majeure des changements impliquant des projets informatiques. Enfin, les entreprises, quelles que soient leurs performances, rencontrent d’importantes difficultés d’appropriation des usages du système d’information
The purpose of this thesis in management science is to assess the role of Information Systems in triggering and propagating the kind of problems faced by small and medium-sized enterprises in the food industry in France. The thesis will explore the relationship between misalignments in the uses of Information Systems and the difficulties with which SMEs are often confronted.The field of research is composed, on the one hand, of company surveys, used to elaborate a composite performance indicator, and on the other, the 2006 COI-TIC survey, from which four sets of indicators concerning the uses of Information Systems were extrapolated.Applying a comprehensive approach, the thesis defines the impact of the misalignment of Information Systems on performance dynamics. It also highlights, notably, the importance for SMEs in the food industry of IT coordination between companies and between those companies and their stakeholders, and examines the central role of changes involving IT projects. Lastly, regardless of their performances, companies face major difficulties in appropriating uses of Information Systems

Cette présente thèse porte sur l’impact de l’HACCP sur les performances industrielles et commerciales dans les PME Agroalimentaires. En effet, Les PME agroalimentaires font face de plus en plus à de nombreux défis, qui sont entre autres, les exigences de sécurité sanitaire des aliments, la satisfaction des attentes du client et le déséquilibre de force avec les grandes compagnies du secteur. Il s’agit dans cette thèse, d’une part de mettre en évidence la contribution significative du système HACCP sur les performances en termes de sécurité sanitaire des aliments, de satisfaction des attentes du client, et d’accès aux marchés (local et à l’export) dans les PME Agroalimentaires. Et d’autres parts, de faire des recommandations afin de maximiser l’efficacité du système HACCP dans les PME Agroalimentaires. C’est une étude utilisant une approche empirique avec comme population d’étude les PME Agroalimentaires du Québec issues de la banque d’information industrielle du centre de recherche industrielle du Québec (CRIQ). Les résultats du test de Khi2 Pearson révèlent que le système HACCP a un impact significatif sur la sécurité sanitaire des aliments d’une part et sur la satisfaction client d’autre part dans les PME agroalimentaires. Par ailleurs, on observe à travers les résultats du test d’ANOVA que le système HACCP a un impact significatif sur le niveau d’accès aux marchés extérieurs (hors Canada). De plus, on observe à l’issue du test de khi2 Pearson, que le système HACCP a une influence significative sur l’accès au marché Européen. This thesis deals with the impact of HACCP on industrial and commercial performance in SME Agri-foods. Agri-food SMEs are increasingly facing many challenges, including food safety requirements, meeting customer expectations and strength imbalance with large companies in the sector. The aim of this thesis is to highlight the significant contribution of the HACCP system to the performance in terms of food safety, customer satisfaction and access to markets (local and Export) in SMEs Agri-foodstuffs. And on the other hand, to make recommendations to maximize the effectiveness of the HACCP system in SMEs Agribusiness. It is a study using an empirical approach with as a study population the SME Agri-food of Quebec from the industrial information bank of the industrial research center of Quebec (CRIQ). The results of the Khi2 Pearson test reveal that the HACCP system has a significant impact on food safety on the one hand and on customer satisfaction on the other hand in agro-food SMEs. In addition, the results of the ANOVA test show that the HACCP system has a significant impact on the level of access to foreign markets (outside Canada). Furthermore, after the Pearson chi-square test, the HACCP system has a significant influence on access to the European market.

Apesar da importância crescente da internacionalização empresarial, este Trabalho Final de Mestrado permitiu identificar uma carência na produção científica relacionada com a avaliação das capacidades necessárias para a referida internacionalização. Tendo como foco central o reforço da competitividade internacional das empresas portuguesas do setor agroalimentar foi realizada uma Revisão de Literatura sobre modelos de avaliação das capacidades de internacionalização das Pequenas e Médias Empresas e identificados 4 modelos para uma análise mais aprofundada. Da análise realizada resultou o modelo de Achtenhagen (2011) como o mais adequado para avaliar a capacidade de internacionalização do setor agroalimentar nacional, essencialmente, pela adequação das dimensões, subdimensões e indicadores às especificidades do referido setor.
Despite the growing importance of enterprise’s internationalization, this Master Thesis spotted a shortage of scientific papers related with the evaluation of the necessary capacities for the referred internationalization. With a central focus on the reinforcement of the international competitiveness of the Portuguese companies of the agrofood sector, was carried out a Literature Review about frameworks with the ability to access the internationalization capacities of Small and Medium Sized Enterprises and identified 4 models for deeper analysis. From the analysis, Achtenhagen (2011) framework stood out to be the most suitable to access the internationalization capability of the enterprises from the agrofood national sector, specially, given the positive correlation between the dimensions, subdimensions and indicators to the specificities of the mentioned sector.

Il moderno ambiente competitivo è stato fortemente condizionato dai processi di globalizzazione e dalle nuove e crescenti forze provenienti dalle economie emergenti, portando continui cambiamenti e innovazioni sui mercati. Il confronto globale spinge le piccole e medie imprese (PMI) a cercare differenti approcci al mercato e in tale contesto l’internazionalizzazione, anche per questa categoria di imprese, diventa una possibilità per garantire loro continuità e redditività nel tempo. Infatti, proprio l’allargamento dei mercati e il confronto con realtà differenti ha posto le piccole e medie imprese di fronte a nuove sfide. Inoltre, oltre a dover competere con imprese di maggiori dimensioni nella stessa arena, si trovano a dover conquistare le preferenze di clienti non necessariamente appartenenti ai medesimi sistemi economici, manageriali, sociali, di comportamento e quindi valoriali. Infine, la globalizzazione, fenomeno caratterizzato dalla crescita progressiva delle relazioni di scambio a livello mondiale in differenti ambiti, generatrice di convergenza economica e culturale tra i diversi Paesi del mondo, ha provocato come effetto immediato la caduta delle barriere che precedentemente separavano i ben delineati spazi competitivi tra le imprese. Il portato di un simile cambiamento risulta quindi legato alla forte integrazione e alla crescente dipendenza dei Paesi gli uni dagli altri e la conseguenza immediatamente derivante è da un lato una competizione allargata e dall’altro nuovi modelli di business da adottare. Ne discende che per le imprese in generale, ma soprattutto per le piccole e medie imprese, risulta alquanto difficoltoso operare chiudendosi e rifugiandosi nei propri tradizionali mercati locali, dovendosi infatti scontrare o trovandosi a dover creare sinergie con imprese di maggiori dimensioni, a prescindere dai limiti strutturali, di risorse disponibili, organizzativi, culturali, etc…, che le caratterizzano (Etemad, 1999; Levitt, 1983). Tale fenomeno trasversale alle logiche nazionali, di settore o d’impresa, porta al concetto di internazionalizzazione, fenomeno che riguarda tutte le imprese, dando origine a una nuova arena competitiva, nella quale le piccole e medie imprese devono affrontare cambiamenti strutturali. Esse devono infatti sviluppare sia le condizioni necessarie per raggiungere il requisito della competitività (Fahy, 2002; Grant, 1991; Mathew, 2003) partendo da una situazione di svantaggio (Bonaccorsi, 1992; Etemad, 1999; McNaughton, Bell, 2000; Miesenbock, 1988) sia far fronte alla mancanza di adeguate teorie e linee guida per una efficace ed efficiente crescita internazionale. Da un punto di vista pratico, alcune ricerche si sono concentrate sull’individuazione sia dei vantaggi per le PMI, realizzati o prospettici (Battaglia, Tzannis, 2007; Battaglia, Corsaro, Tzannis, 2006), derivanti dalla presenza sui mercati internazionali, sia sull’analisi delle motivazioni verso il processo di internazionalizzazione stesso (Cedrola, 2005). Il lavoro di tesi è diviso in cinque macro/capitoli. Il primo capitolo si focalizza sulla letteratura esistente riguardante le principali strategie di internazionalizzazione e le principali modalità di internazionalizzazione con riferimento particolare alle aziende del settore agroalimentare. Ci si concentra più nel dettaglio sul processo di internazionalizzazione delle PMI, a partire dalle principali teorie, analizzando le differenti fasi caratterizzanti il processo, le diverse modalità possibili di ingresso sui mercati esteri e le relative motivazioni che spingono le PMI ad affrontare il processo stesso. Si passa poi ad alcune considerazioni di carattere strategico, cercando di fornire un quadro di sintesi dei fattori che influenzano il processo di internazionalizzazione delle piccole e medie imprese oltre confine. Infatti l’obiettivo è quello di rispondere alle seguenti domande: 1. Quali sono le motivazioni che spingono un’impresa all’internazionalizzazione? 2. Quali sono le forme possibili d’internazionalizzazione? 3. Quali sono le strategie più appropriate per affrontare i mercati internazionali? Il secondo capitolo vuole contribuire alla comprensione del ruolo del network nei processi di internazionalizzazione delle PMI, mostrando come sia necessario porre l’accento sulla raccolta di dati “relazionali” al fine di analizzare la posizione dell’azienda all’interno della propria rete sociale e su come questa influisce sia nella scelta del mercato estero, sia nella modalità di entrata. La metodologia per analizzare il network si chiama SNA (Social Network Analysis). Attraverso la revisione della letteratura, l’obiettivo di questo capitolo sarà quello di capire se esiste un gap da colmare all’interno della letteratura. Il terzo capitolo ha come obiettivo la comprensione del quadro economico-giuridico che caratterizza il settore agroalimentare. Si analizza la cornice macroeconomica europea, italiana e della Regione Marche al fine di avere una maggiore comprensione dell’attuale situazione strutturale e congiunturale che caratterizza il settore. Inoltre, viene posto l’accento sul quadro giuridico europeo e italiano sulla sicurezza alimentare, la nuova Politica Agricola Comune (PAC) e si analizza il concetto del Made in Italy dal punto di vista giuridico e commerciale. L’obiettivo è quello di inquadrare il settore agroalimentare nell’attuale contesto economico e giuridico internazionale al fine di una maggiore comprensione per sviluppare la ricerca. Il quarto capitolo intende presentare i risultati della ricerca empirica effettuata tramite questionario e sottoposta alle medie imprese agroalimentari marchigiane al fine di individuare il loro comportamento in ambito internazionale e analizzare l’influenza del network nelle scelte internazionali. Nel quinto capitolo si delinea un modello di strategia di internazionalizzazione per le PMI agroalimentari rivolte al mercato cinese. Per far questo si procede con l’analisi del contesto economico e giuridico della Cina. Inoltre, si vuole mettere in luce l’abilità delle imprese italiane nel trovare nuove ed importanti occasioni grazie all’internazionalizzazione dei loro prodotti nel mercato cinese. Si evidenziano le difficoltà e le sfide che tali imprese devono affrontare e le migliori strategie di ingresso da adottare per esaltare il loro prestigio e soprattutto la qualità dei prodotti. In particolare l’elaborato si concentra sul settore agroalimentare per decantare le potenzialità in Cina

A Indústria Agroalimentar é a maior indústria Portuguesa, constituída principalmente por micro, pequenas e médias empresas (PME). As PME têm especificidades que torna particularmente ajustado o desenvolvimento de ferramentas que facilitem a comunicação e a partilha de conhecimento entre os empregadores e os trabalhadores. Nesta medida, identificar os fatores críticos de sucesso é determinante para o aumento da produtividade das PME. Em empresas com um pequeno número de colaboradores, como é o caso das PME, os acidentes de trabalho e as doenças profissionais incluem-se nesses fatores críticos dado o impacto que poderão acarretar no normal funcionamento das empresas. Neste contexto é importante salientar que as indústrias transformadoras são o setor de atividade económica que apresentam o maior número de acidentes de trabalho, visto que os trabalhadores estão constantemente expostos a inúmeros agentes físicos, químicos e biológicos. Assim, a Segurança e Saúde no Trabalho (SST) nas PME apresenta características próprias, que dificultam a implementação de medidas preventivas e consequentemente agravam a problemática da sinistralidade laboral. Esta dissertação visa fornecer uma abordagem aos elementos essenciais numa ótica de prevenção de riscos ocupacionais na indústria agroalimentar. Para tal recorre à análise e discussão dos dados recolhidos no âmbito do projeto +AGRO, em particular os constantes no relatório “Caracterização e Análise das Condições de Segurança e Saúde no Trabalho em Empresas Agroalimentares”, relativos aos subsetores dos produtos lácteos, cárneos, padaria/pastelaria e dos hortofrutícolas nas NUT’s II Norte, Centro e Alentejo. A análise dos resultados permite identificar que a nível global e nacional, as principais falhas verificadas são ao nível (1) das avaliações de riscos do ruído ocupacional, iluminação, ambiente térmico e vibrações; (2) da sinalização, falta de vias de circulação sinalizadas com as cores de segurança adequadas; (3) da iluminação geral, existência de demasiadas áreas de sombra e por fim (4) de riscos complementares, presença de riscos associados: a quedas ao mesmo nível, a quedas de objetos, a queimaduras térmicas, à utilização de máquinas e equipamentos, a incêndios, a risco de entalamento, choques, cortes ou perfurações e a riscos ergonómicos e de posturas incorretas. Apesar desta descrição, é importante salientar que a maioria destas empresas possui serviços de SST organizados conforme preconizado na Lei. O presente estudo pretende com a aplicação prática do conhecimento gerado, interpretar as exigências que estão no padrão ideal de trabalho através de uma revisão bibliográfica referente à realidade setorial no domínio da SST na indústria agroalimentar. Adicionalmente, visa identificar algumas práticas bem-sucedidas e soluções de fácil implementação, aplicáveis à resolução dos principais riscos visando a melhoria da gestão ao nível da SST para prevenir acidentes de trabalho e proporcionar melhores condições de trabalho nas PME dos subsetores agroalimentares.
The Agro-Food Industry is the largest Portuguese industry. More than any other type of organization, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSE) have their own specificities, which makes it particularly appropriate to develop tools to ease the communication and also to share the knowledge between employers and employees. In this measure, identifying the critical success factos is determinant for increasing the productivity of MSEs. The manufacturing industry is the sector of economic activity with the highest number of accidents at work, since workers are constantly exposed to numerous physical, chemical and biological hazards. Safety and Health conditions at Work (SHW) has its own characteristics, from its small size to other causes, making it difficult to prevent and also increasing the issues with job accidents. The scope of this study refers to the sub-sectors of dairy, meat, bakery/pastry and horticultural products at NUTs II (Nomenclature of territorial Units for Statistical Purposes) in the North, Center and Alentejo. The data was requested from the knowledge produced within the scope of the “+AGRO Project”, which resulted in the report “Characterization and Analysis of Safety and Health Conditions at Work in Agrifood Enterprises”. At global and national levels, the main flaws are: the level of Noise exposure assessments at work, lighting thermal environment and vibrations; the level of signaling and the lack of appropriate color; the level of general illumination, the existence of too many areas of shade and finally the level of complementary risks. The presence of associated risks are: level drops; falling objects; thermal burns; the use of machines and equipment; fires risks of entrapment; shocks; cuts or perforations; ergonomic hazards and incorrect postures. On the contrary, most of the companies have organized services in accordance with all the legal requirements. The present study aims at the practical application of the produced knowledge , to interpret the requirements that are in the ideal standard of work through bibliographical revision referring to the sectoral reality in the fields of occupational safety and health, in the Agro-alimentary Industry , as well as to identify more successful practices and easy-to-implement solutions applicable to solving the main risks that constitute solutions for the improvement of SHW management to avoid work accidents in the MSEs of the agri-food subsectors.

O Setor Agroalimentar Português é um dos pólos estratégicos da economia portuguesa. O papel das pequenas e médias empresas (PME) que compõe o setor é cada vez mais importante, uma vez que estas representam a maioria do tecido empresarial português. A falta de recursos e de informação sobre os mercados externos são reconhecidos como os grandes obstáculos à internacionalização das PME. O desenvolvimento das capacidades internas é considerado a chave para o sucesso nos mercados estrangeiros. A PortugalFoods, sendo uma das principais organizações de apoio à inovação e internacionalização deste setor, identificou a necessidade de um instrumento capaz de medir as capacidades de internacionalização das PME. Assim, este estudo, é realizado no âmbito de um estágio na PortugalFoods e visa desenvolver este instrumento. Foram analisados oito modelos de avaliação das capacidades de internacionalização, comparados com os critérios estabelecidos na literatura e com os objetivos estabelecidos pela PortugalFoods. O inquérito que operacionaliza o modelo de Knight & Kim (2009), completado por Zhou et. Al (2010), foi enviado a 162 empresas do setor e participantes nas ações desenvolvidas pela PortugalFoods. Com base nas 50 respostas válidas, utilizou-se a análise fatorial exploratória com finalidade confirmatória para validar o modelo no contexto português. Os modelos originais foram parcialmente validados. Um modelo de avaliação das capacidades de internacionalização das empresas agroalimentares portuguesas foi proposto e totalmente validado, combinando quatro constructos também formalmente validados em outros contextos: atualização contínua de conhecimento, orientação internacional, capacidades de marketing internacional e capacidades de inovação internacional.
The Portuguese AgriFood Sector is one of the strategic clusters in the Portuguese economy. The role and importance of small and medium-sized companies (SMEs) in the sector is increasing since they represent the majority of the Portuguese companies. Lack of resources and information about foreign markets are generally acknowledged as major barriers to the internationalization of SMEs. The development of internal capacities are considered key to success in foreign markets. PortugalFoods is one of the main organizations supporting the innovation and internationalization of this cluster. To promote the internationalization of agrifood SMEs, PortugalFoods identified the need for an instrument that could measure agrifood SMEs’ capacities for internationalization. Therefore, this study, conducted in the context of an internship in PortugalFoods, aims to develop this instrument. Eight models assessing the capabilities for internationalization were analysed and compared to the criteria established in the literature and to the goals set by PortugalFoods. A survey that operationalized the model of Knight & Kim (2009) completed by Zhou et. al (2010) was sent to 162 companies of the agrifood sector that participate in the events organized by PortugalFoods. Based on the 50 valid answers, exploratory factor analyses with confirmatory purposes was used to validate the model in the Portuguese context. The original models were partially validated. A model for evaluating the internationalization capabilities of Portuguese agrifood companies was then proposed and fully validated, combining four constructs also formally validated in other contexts. These constructs are: knowledge capability upgrading, international orientation, international marketing skills and international innovativeness.

Depois da crise económica de 2008, vários foram os países obrigados a redefinir as suas estratégias macroeconómicas e financeiras devido agudização das finanças públicas. Portugal, com a agravante da crise da dívida soberana acabaria por prospetivar a internacionalização como uma solução inevitável para a sobrevivência e crescimento do tecido empresarial e sustentabilidade da economia, tanto ao nível nacional como regional. A presente investigação tem como objetivo a definição de um modelo estratégico de internacionalização para as PMEs agroalimentares da Beira Baixa até ao ano 2020. Depois da análise conceptual da globalização, internacionalização, e competitividade, é construída uma base teórica para uma definição estratégica. Destacando-se a atualidade dos estudos do professor Michael Porter, que retrataram a realidade portuguesa na década de noventa e que definiram a importância dos clusters para o desenvolvimento económico. Será feita uma caracterização ao setor agroalimentar da Beira Baixa, utilizando dados primários e secundários e as oportunidades de exportação que se apresentam a este sector. Serão, ainda identificadas as oportunidades de financiamento do Programa Portugal 2020. Com base num quadro epistemológico referente à liberalização do comércio e internacionalização das PMEs esta investigação definiu um modelo estratégico de quinze passos: consciência da exportação como um processo, Recursos Humanos exclusivos e qualificados para a exportação, conhecimento dos mercados internacionais, definição de objetivos, mercados- e público-alvos, identificação de oportunidades de negócio, realização de ações internacionais, manutenção dos contactos estabelecidos, utilização de fundos comunitários, aumento da inovação, ultrapassar obstáculos logísticos, reconhecimento internacional, utilização de canais digitais, criação de um departamento de internacionalização, monotorização da estratégia, e aumento da notoriedade do setor agroalimentar. Concluímos com a definição da entidade gestora do Cluster Agroindustrial do Centro como um agente local essencial para a execução de todo o plano estratégico.
After the 2008 economic crisis, several countries had to redefine their financial and macroeconomic strategies due to high levels of public spending. Portugal, with the added concerns of the sovereign debt crisis, ended up pursuing an international trade strategy as an inevitable solution for the growth and survival of businesses and economic sustainability, both at the national and regional levels. The current research aims to define a strategic model to internationalize Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in the agricultural and food sector of the Beira Baixa region of Portugal, to be implemented until 2020. After developing a conceptual analysis for globalization, international trade, and competitiveness, we build a theoretical framework on which to build a strategy. Michael Porter’s studies continue to be of the utmost relevance, as they portray Portugal’s reality in the 1990s and identify the importance of clusters for economic development. We characterize the agricultural and food sector of Beira Baixa, using primary and secondary data sources, and the export opportunities that are available in this area. We also identify funding opportunities available within the Program Portugal 2020. Using an epistemological framework for the liberalization of trade and internationalization of SMEs, the current work defined a strategic model with 15 steps: awareness of exports as a process, qualified Human Resources dedicated to exports, knowledge of international markets, definition of goals, and target markets and customers, identification of business opportunities, implementation of international activities, management of networking contacts, utilization of EU funds, increasing innovation, overcoming obstacles in logistics, international recognition, utilization of digital media and channels, creation of an internationalization department, strategy monitoring, and increasing awareness of the agricultural and food sector. We conclude with the identification of the Agro-industrial Cluster of the Central Region of Portugal as the local entity which is essential to the implementation of the strategic plan.

Numa sociedade cada vez mais competitiva, e com uma conjuntura economia não favorável, é necessário que as pequenas e médias empresas (PMEs) se atualizem e possam com isso aumentar a sua eficiência. As empresas têm apostado cada vez mais em ferramentas computacionais para dar o suporte necessário para criação de cenários destinados a facilitar a tomada de decisão. As PMEs representam uma fatia importante do sector agroindustrial de Portugal e criar ferramentas computacionais para apoiar este nicho de mercado é necessário para aumentar a sua competitividade. Este trabalho tem como principal objetivo o desenvolvimento de duas ferramentas computacionais para o auxílio de PMEs na tomada de decisão e organização. Uma das ferramentas tem como objetivo facilitar a implementação e manutenção da filosofia de gestão 5’S. Esta ferramenta fornece uma indicação gráfica da evolução a implementação na agroindústria de condições associadas à higiene, saúde e segurança no trabalho. A outra ferramenta desenvolvida destina-se a apoiar a gestão de energia e tem como objetivo comparar as características do consumo energético da empresa com a média do setor agroindustrial onde se insere. A ferramenta poderá ser usada nos setores das carnes (matadouros ou presunto e enchidos), hortofrutícolas (centrais de frutas ou centrais de revenda), lácteos, peixes, vinho e distribuição. Os resultados fornecem uma indicação de quais as fontes de energia mais adequadas ecologicamente e/ou mais vantajosas financeiramente, por comparação do consumo específico com a média do setor. As ferramentas desenvolvidas nesta dissertação têm enfoque no setor agroindustrial com intuito de facilitar e implementar uma nova cultura de gestão empresarial, num setor tão importante a nível nacional, mas sobre o qual existe um longo caminho a percorrer na utilização de ferramentas computacionais que se posicionem para uma efetiva melhoria do desempenho das empresas.
In an increasingly competitive society, and with unfavorable economic conditions, it is necessary for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to update themselves and thus increase their efficiency. Companies increasingly rely on computational tools to provide the support needed to create scenarios to help decision-making. SMEs represent a significant part of Portugal's agro-industrial sector and creating computational tools to support this niche market is necessary to increase its competitiveness. This dissertation has as main objective the development of two computational tools to help SMEs in decision-making and organization. One of the tools facilitates the implementation and maintenance of the 5'S management philosophy. This tool provides a graphical indication of the evolution of the implementation in the agroindustry company of conditions associated with occupational safety and health. The other tool developed supports the energy management and aims to compare the characteristics of the energy consumption of a company with the average of the agro-industrial sector where it operates. The tool can be used in the sectors of meat (slaughterhouses or ham and sausages), horticultural (fruit farms or resale centers), dairy, fish, wine and distribution. The results provide an indication of which energy sources are most environmentally and/or financially more advantageous by comparing the specific consumption with the industry average. The tools developed in this dissertation focus on the agroindustrial sector in order to facilitate and implement a new culture of business management, in a sector so important at national level, but on which there is a long way to go in the use of computational tools that position themselves for an effective improvement of the company’s performance.