Como compreender a legitimidade em ambientes altamente regulados? Um estudo de caso na indústria de EPIs

Abstract

A regulated industry is one that, in order to operate, needs to follow and submit to rules and regulations. The Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) industry is a regulated industry as there is an obligation to follow numerous regulations in order to operate. This industry has attracted the attention of researchers in recent years, as, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many studies were carried out especially in relation to the supply chain. Furthermore, its intense growth and the existence of numerous standards and regulations that govern the manufacturing and marketing of these products have made it an industry susceptible to coercive and mimetic isomorphism, making the process of legitimizing organizations vis-à-vis consumers difficult. Therefore, the research question was determined: how do formal institutional agents influence the legitimacy of firms in a regulated industry? Considering that legitimacy is sought in order to access a certain market or increase the field of activity, and that institutions create rules for the legitimation of organizations, this research is relevant in the firms' strategy because the lack of perception of legitimacy harms the performance of organizations in their market. In order to answer the proposed question, a case study was carried out, with thirteen semi-structured interviews, with representatives of PPE manufacturers, their suppliers and their customers, in addition to formal institutional agents and professionals in the sector. Therefore, this study contributes to the theoretical field by analyzing the legitimacy offered by formal institutional agents to organizations in a regulated industry. Although formal institutional agents are acting in accordance with expectations, they have not been able to offer legitimacy to industries. in front of your customers, in the empirical field, it contributes to organizations in this sector, helping them to understand how institutions affect the perception of legitimacy in the market in which they operate; and contributes to public policies by demonstrating the need for greater action by the regulatory body through inspections and publicizing the importance of certification.