Center of Studies in International Business – CENI

About us
CENI is an academic center at COPPEAD/UFRJ dedicated to producing knowledge, training researchers, and fostering dialogue with practice in the field of international business, with a focus on the internationalization of Brazilian companies. We work in an interdisciplinary manner, bridging theory and practice, integrating our researchers into national and international networks, and strengthening engagement with companies, governments, and multilateral organizations.

Purpose

  • Produce cutting-edge knowledge on international business and internationalization strategies.
  • Foster dialogue between academia, companies, and the public sector.
  • Train researchers at different levels (from undergraduate research to postdoctoral studies).
  • Expand national and international cooperation networks.
  • Contribute to public debate on topics such as international trade, innovation, development, and sustainability

Teaching

CENI contributes to undergraduate, master’s, doctoral, and executive education (MBAs and in-company programs), offering courses that reflect the diversity of international business.
The main areas include:

  • Strategy and Scenarios – Strategic Planning, Scenario Analysis, and Firm Internationalization.
  • Politics and Business – History of Brazilian Foreign Policy, Politics and International Business, Brazilian Political Landscape and Culture.
  • International Marketing and Entrepreneurship – International Marketing, International Business Management, International Entrepreneurship, and Project Marketing.
  • Public Management and Innovation – Planning and Innovation in Public Management, Public Policy Design and Management.
  • Research and Methods – Scientific Research Methodology, Qualitative Research Methods, and Applied Research in International Business.

Our impact is significant: more than 160 supervised academic works (undergraduate theses, master’s dissertations, doctoral theses, and postdoctoral studies) and participation in over 280 undergraduate and graduate examination committees.

Research

CENI develops advanced and applied research on:

  • Firm internationalization
  • Non-market corporate strategies
  • The state and public policies for international business
  • International entrepreneurship and marketing
  • ESG, political risk, and multilateral negotiations

Recognition and Impact

  • National and international awards, such as: Best Paper (EBAP 2023), Best Teaching Case (EBAP 2023), Best Paper (EIBA 2017), Best Work (3Es/ANPAD 2015), Jabuti Award (2011), among others.
  • Over 100 features in national and international media, including The Wall Street Journal, Nikkei, De Volkskrant, Bloomberg/Perfil, Globonews, and Valor Econômico. Full articles can be read by clicking here.
  • Strategic partnerships, such as the agreement with MDIC and APEX-Brasil to develop methodologies for inclusion in foreign trade and to support public policies in international business

Access our publications

Full scientific articles published in journals and through international partnerships

Teaching Cases – International Business

Books published/edited

  • Figueira, A. (2011). Introdução à análise de política externa (1. ed., v. 1). São Paulo: Saraiva.
  • Figueira, A., & Mello, R. C. (2015). Negócios internacionais: Perspectivas brasileiras (1. ed., v. 1). Rio de Janeiro: Elsevier.

Book chapters published

  • Mello, R. C., & Rocha, A. da. (2003). Internacionalização de um Banco Brasileiro no Mercosul: Itaú Buen ayre. In A. da Rocha (Org.), Internacionalização das empresas brasileiras: Estudos de gestão internacional (1. ed.). Rio de Janeiro: Mauad.
  • Rocha, A. da, & Mello, R. C. (2003). Internacionalização de um banco brasileiro no Mercosul. In A. M. C. Rocha (Org.), As novas fronteiras: a multinacionalização das empresas brasileiras (1. ed., p. 211–228). Rio de Janeiro: Mauad.
  • Rocha, A. da, Mello, R. C., Dib, L. A., & Maculan, A. M. (2004). Empresas que nascem globais: estudo de casos no setor de software. In C. A. Hemais (Org.), O desafio dos mercados externos: teoria e prática da internacionalização da firma (1. ed., p. 193–221). Rio de Janeiro: Mauad.
  • Rocha, A. da, & Mello, R. C. (2004). Entendendo o consumidor de microfinanças. In A. M. Rocha & R. C. Mello (Orgs.), O desafio das microfinanças (1. ed., p. 143–239). Rio de Janeiro: Mauad.
  • Rocha, A. da, & Mello, R. C. (2004). Rótula: estudo de caso. In A. M. C. Rocha & R. C. Mello (Orgs.), O desafio das microfinanças (1. ed., p. 175–187). Rio de Janeiro: Mauad.
  • Rocha, A. da, & Mello, R. C. (2004). Ceape-Pernambuco: estudo de caso. In A. M. C. Rocha & R. C. Mello (Orgs.), O desafio das microfinanças (1. ed., p. 188–196). Rio de Janeiro: Mauad.
  • Rocha, A. da, & Mello, R. C. (2004). Socialcred: estudo de caso. In A. M. C. Rocha & R. C. Mello (Orgs.), O desafio das microfinanças (1. ed., p. 197–208). Rio de Janeiro: Mauad.
  • Rocha, A. da, & Mello, R. C. (2004). Visão Mundial: estudo de caso. In A. M. C. Rocha & R. C. Mello (Orgs.), O desafio das microfinanças (1. ed., p. 209–224). Rio de Janeiro: Mauad.
  • Rocha, A. da, Mello, R. C., & Silva, J. F. (2009). Internationalization patterns of Brazilian service firms. In J. Ramsey & A. Almeida (Orgs.), The rise of Brazilian multinationals (1. ed., p. 65–85). Rio de Janeiro: Elsevier.
  • Rocha, A. da, Mello, R. C., & Silva, J. F. (2010). Tendências de internacionalização das empresas brasileiras de serviços. In J. Ramsey & A. Almeida (Orgs.), A ascensão das multinacionais brasileiras (1. ed., v. 1, p. 65–86). Rio de Janeiro: Elsevier.
  • Rocha, A. da, Mello, R. C., Dib, L. A., & Maculan, A. M. (2010). Born Globals brasileiras: evidências empíricas do setor de software. In M. M. Oliveira Junior & Colaboradores (Orgs.), Multinacionais brasileiras: Internacionalização, inovação e estratégia global (1. ed., p. 259–276). Porto Alegre: Bookman.
  • Figueira, A. (2014). O ambiente internacional dos negócios – Apresentação. In A. R. Figueira & R. C. de Mello (Orgs.), Negócios internacionais: Perspectivas brasileiras (1. ed., v. 1, p. 19–23). Rio de Janeiro: Elsevier.
  • Simões, V. C., Rocha, A. da, Mello, R. C., & Carneiro, J. (2015). Black swans or an emerging type of firm? The case of borderless firms. In Progress in International Business Research (10th ed., p. 179–200). Emerald Group Publishing Limited.
  • Mello, R. C., & Alves, L. A. (2015). Modelos comportamentais de internacionalização de empresas. In A. R. Figueira & R. C. de Mello (Orgs.), Negócios internacionais: Perspectivas brasileiras (1. ed., v. 1, p. 235–264). Rio de Janeiro: Elsevier.
  • Targino, B., Rego, B. F., & Figueira, A. C. R. (2017). Estrutura governamental e políticas de apoio à internacionalização de empresas: o Brasil em perspectiva. In V. M. Iorio & A. J. B. Oliveira (Orgs.), Pesquisa e compromisso social (1. ed., v. 1, p. 95–120). Rio de Janeiro: UFRJ/CCJE.
  • Kogut, C. S., & de Mello, R. C. (2019). Estudo de caso – Crescimento e internacionalização da Natura (parte do capítulo 17). In S. M. Yamamoto (Trad.), E. Crescitelli, & I. F. Barreto (Orgs.), Administração de marketing (15th ed., v. 1, p. 68–69). Rio de Janeiro: Pearson Universidades.
  • Simões, M., Figueira, A. C. R., & Russo, E. (2024). How do consumer goods multinationals engage with corporate sustainability? A cross-company case study analysis. In International Finance Review (23rd ed., p. 219–243). Emerald Publishing Limited.
  • Rodriguez, A. P., Figueira, A. C. R., & Paiva, A. L. B. (2023). Cooperación interagencial en la gestión migratoria: el proceso de reubicación del flujo de venezolanos en Brasil. In F. J. Ludwig, T. Franchi, & T. Esposito Neto (Orgs.), Defesa nacional, fronteiras e migrações: Estudos sobre segurança integrada e ajuda humanitária (1st ed., p. 219–…). Editora Appris.

Support

Over the years, CENI researchers have received scholarships and financial support from various funding agencies, including CNPq, CAPES, and FAPERJ.

Coordination

Renato Cotta de Mello

Coordinator

Ariane Figueira

Coordinator

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