Respondendo a crises: a redefinição de modelos de negócios com o uso da effectuation

Abstract

This dissertation investigated how entrepreneurs redefine their business models in crisis contexts based on the logic of effectuation. A qualitative and interpretative approach was adopted, based on multiple case studies, analyzing entrepreneurial trajectories marked by different types of crises and business model redefinition (BMR) processes. The results show that BMR in crisis contexts constitutes a contingent, dynamic, and non-linear process, developed over time through the interaction between the type of crisis, entrepreneurial agency, and perceived possibilities for action. External crises were associated with faster redefinitions focused on value propositions and delivery channels, whereas internal crises triggered more gradual changes aimed at structural reorganization of the business, particularly in terms of costs, governance, and key activities. Additionally, the findings demonstrate that effectuation operates as a contingent mechanism of action, mobilized in a configurational manner. Different combinations of its principles support distinct BMR trajectories: in external crises, configurations based on resource recombination and leveraging contingencies predominate; in internal crises, combinations focused on regaining control and limiting losses stand out. The study also shows that effectuation is not limited to opportunity exploration, but also supports emergency responses, structural reorganization processes, and incremental learning dynamics. Another central finding concerns the role of the entrepreneur as an interpretive agent and mediator of the crisis, whose perception of control, identity, and experience directly influence the mobilization of effectuation and the pathways of business model transformation. As a theoretical contribution, the study advances by proposing a processual and configurational understanding of the relationship between effectuation and BMR in crisis contexts, moving beyond approaches that treat effectual principles as isolated or homogeneous. From a practical perspective, the findings provide insights for entrepreneurs operating in adverse environments, indicating adaptation pathways based on the mobilization of available resources, recombination of means, and the development of collaborative solutions.