The Uppsala model as an attempt to explain the Brazilian immigrant ventures in Orlando, Florida.

Abstract

This is the first in a series of papers analyzing the phenomenon of Brazilian small ventures internationalization and comparing it with internationally accepted models. The data collection methodology consisted of in-depth interviews conducted with 40 Brazilian businessmen using the snowball sampling technique. The results indicate an inadequacy to explain small business Brazilian entrepreneurship completely, through the Uppsala model. The ventures’ dimensions found in the in-depth interviews include the reasons for starting a business, the relations with the local Brazilian communities, as well as the host community. The results point to a phenomenon closer to immigrant entrepreneurship than business internationalization.