Academic literature on the topic 'Brazilian retail bank'

To assess the human capital (HC) effectiveness on the operational results of a major Brazilian retail bank (Bank), a HC inventory of the Bank’s employees with information on 25 attributes of HC and six operational performance measures of the Bank in the period of 2006-2008 is used. Thus, this study relies on proven information of all the Bank’s staff and not on surveys as often used in the literature. The empirical results show that the effectiveness of the HC is related to the establishment of an optimal construct of HC attributes and to the improvement of specific skills. Furthermore, the turnover has a negative impact in maintaining high HC employees into the branches with negative effects on the credit control process and the Bank’s profitability. Lastly, the staff size into the branches as well as the economic conditions surrounding them play also an important role for the HC effectiveness.

ABSTRACT Purpose: The research aims to evaluate the efficiency of banks that operated in the Brazilian market in 2013. To achieve this goal, efficient banks were identified according to the production approach. To detect and explain efficiency standards, additional analyses were carried out related to: 1. capital origin, 2. size, 3. business segment, and 4. risk rating. Originality/gap/relevance/implications: The Brazilian literature on bank efficiency features several studies linking the efficiency of banks to capital origin and size. However, the relationship between efficiency and business segment has been poorly explored and the relationship between efficiency and risk rating is scarce. In this sense, this research contributes to the literature by exploring the relationship between efficiency and business segment, as well as the relationship between efficiency and risk rating. Key methodological aspects: The research uses a quantitative approach and employs the Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) technique to calculate efficiency scores. The data were obtained from the Central Bank of Brazil (Bacen). Summary of key results: Federal public banks and large banks are, on average, more efficient. Banks operating in foreign exchange and retail, as well as banks with high credit ratings, also achieved high levels of efficiency. Key considerations/conclusions: Efficient banks proved to be more profitable, lent less money in proportion to their total assets, and received fewer complaints filed with the Central Bank of Brazil in 2013.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to identify the factors that favor the activity of co-creation with customers in the banking sector. The way in which consumers co-create with banking organizations was also examined. Design/methodology/approach The “dialogue, access, risk and transparency” model was employed with the variables dialogue, access, risk assessment and transparency, as per Prahalad and Ramaswamy (2004). The final data sample accounted for 265 clients of a large Brazilian bank and multiple linear regression was used to analyze the data. Findings The results indicated a significant and positive association with access, risk assessment and transparency when the bank co-created with these clients. Dialogue did not appear significantly affect to the co-creative process between clients and the bank. Research limitations/implications The study was conducted with customers of only one major Brazilian bank. The authors recommend that the same study is conducted in other retail banks, investment banks and smaller banks, with a specialized focus. Limitations notwithstanding, the outstanding findings of this research relate to customer perceptions, which, it should be noted, do not necessarily reflect the totality of the relationship between client and bank. Originality/value Understanding co-creation in the banking sector is a new learning perspective on consumer behavior and interactions within the service production process. The justification and relevance of this study derive from the construction of this knowledge and the scarcity of empirical work in this area.

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to develop a scale for measuring the construct perceived value, as evaluated by customers of retail banks. Design/methodology/approach – The procedures involved an analysis of the literature about customer perceived value in order to identify the main dimensions relevant to bank sector, and after that, it was followed the conventional steps for developing multiple items scales, with fieldwork, scale purification exploratory analysis of reliability and of validity. Findings – After two sampling procedures, the scale for the account holder perceived value retail banking was satisfactorily validated. The final scale is characterized as multidimensional, involving dimensions of operational quality, convenience and access, safety and soundness, and monetary sacrifice, each of them measured with four items reflectively related to the main construct. Research limitations/implications – Although the research was carried considering the conventional scaling procedures recommendations, the result may reflect the specificities of Brazilian bank customers; considering this, some other applications are necessary do bring a geographical validation of the scale. Practical implications – The scale developed is an instrument that can be used to measure one of the most important constructs of bank customers, the customer perceived value, and can be used by academic researchers and also by bank managers. Originality/value – The study brings a contribution not yet present in the main international literature, since no other study with complete development of a multidimensional perceived value measurement scale was identified, and can become a reference for other similar studies in the banking context.

This study aims to identify the technological readiness variables associated with the quality perceived by customers who use digital services offered by banking institutions operating in Brazil. Descriptive quantitative research, in cross-section, with a sample of 958 clients of financial institutions operating in Brazil. The data were analysed using Structural Equation Modelling and multigroup analysis using SmartPLS. Given the growth of Fintech driven by disruptive technologies, traditional banking segments are looking for a competitive advantage to retain their customers. The findings showed that optimism and innovativeness have a positive influence on perceived quality. In contrast, discomfort with functional and physical risk, discomfort with embarrassment, and insecurity with information have a negative influence on perceived quality. Insecurity due to lack of contact does not influence the quality perceived by customers. There are also no differences regarding the gender and income of customers and the type of bank with whom they have a relationship, only in the group between public and private banks in the relationship between innovativeness and perceived quality. However, the explanatory power of the model indicates that other factors also impact this relationship. Although Fintech is growing at an accelerated pace, traditional bank customers seek other factors that impact perceived quality. In this way, it shows that traditional banks can consider other organisational actions to retain customers in addition to disruptive technologies.

ABSTRACT This paper analyzes the performance of Free Benefit Generating Plans (Plano Gerador de Benefício Livre - PGBL) and Free Benefit Generating Life (Vida Gerador de Benefícios Livres - VGBL) funds in the Brazilian market. This paper is unique when it comes to segregate funds managed by pure insurance companies (PICs) from those managed by large retail banks. We also discuss the impact of characteristics such as administration fee and fund size in the fund performance. The academic literature does not consider the differentiation between funds characteristics neither the type of institution that manages them. Furthermore, the available studies on this market are usually simple and, for example, do not use multifactor models to measure risk adjusted performances. The PGBL and VGBL funds performances are object of great interest since their market grows sustainably and quickly. Funds underperforming the market should improve their strategies and decrease administration costs to deliver better net performances. This work aims at improving the market competition, such that retirement products remain attractive to investors. We develop two multifactor models representing the risk sources for each class of funds analyzed (conservative and aggressive funds). The performance is thus measured by Jensen's alpha, although we also analyze realized returns and volatilities. We also develop a multifactor model based on administrative fee and fund’s size to capture the PIC effect. Our results suggest that PGBL and VGBL funds managed by PICs perform better in terms of higher average returns with no extra volatility, when compared to similar funds managed by companies linked to large retain banks. We found that higher administrative fees do not payout and it might even destroy value in the case of funds that invest in stocks. Larger funds presented higher net returns with no extra volatility. Finally, the analysis confirmed, with statistical evidence, the higher net returns of funds controlled by PICs in two situations: (i) after controlling for administrative fee and size of the fund - from 0.8 to 1% more per year; and (ii) after controlling for market risk sources - from 0.64 to 1.18% more per year.

This study aimed to characterize rabbit carcass traits, meat quality, and mechanically deboned meat (MDRM) from New Zealand × Botucatu crossbred rabbits to determine the potential use by the meat industry. Average yields of the carcass (52.46%) and retail hind leg (33.88%), foreleg (15.51%), loin (11.63%), and back (39.83%) cuts were assessed, with total meat-to-bone ratio of 1.65. The meat proximate composition and technological characteristics pH, water retention capacity, and total collagen were similar to meat of commonly market species. Rabbit meat color was light (L* = 65.93) and with a low shade of red (C * = 19.24 and h = 52.79 °) due to the low content of heme pigments (19.89 µg acid hematin/g). The obtained MDRM met the levels of protein and fat required by Brazilian legislation, but a high calcium content (1.45% dry basis). It can be concluded that rabbits represent a viable unconventional meat resource with high potential for use in processing. In addition to raw meat, MDRM can also be obtained to be used as a meat ingredient in industrial products.

Angola Opens Congo, Kwanza Blocks in Ongoing Bid Round Angola’s National Oil, Gas, and Biofuel’s Agency has opened blocks for licensing in the Onshore Lower Congo Basin and the Onshore Kwanza Basin as part of its 2020 oil and gas licensing round. This latest call to tender is part of the agency’s ongoing 2019–2025 hydrocarbons licensing strategy. The Onshore Lower Congo Basin Blocks include CON1, CON5, and CON6; while the Onshore Kwanza Basin Blocks comprise KON5, KON6, KON8, KON9, KON17, and KON20. The round aims to expand research and evaluation activities across sedimentary basins, increase geological knowledge of Angola’s hydrocarbon potential, and invite a new wave of explorers to yield new discoveries. Raven Field Startup for BP in Egypt Natural gas has begun flowing from the BP-operated Raven field, the third stage of the company’s major West Nile Delta (WND) development off the Mediterranean coast in Egypt. The $9-billion WND development includes five gas fields across the North Alexandria and West Mediterranean Deepwater offshore concession blocks in the Mediterranean Sea. Raven is currently producing approximately 600 MMcf/D with a peak potential of 900 MMcf/D and 30,000 B/D of condensate. Raven follows the Taurus/Libra and Giza/Fayoum projects, which started production in 2017 and 2019, respectively. It produces gas to a new onshore processing facility, alongside the existing WND onshore processing plant. In total, the WND development includes 25 wells producing gas to the onshore processing plant via three long-distance subsea tiebacks. The onshore facilities—including the new Raven facility—now have a total gas processing capacity of around 1.4 Bcf/D of gas. All gas produced is fed into Egypt’s national grid. BP is the operator and has an 82.75% stake in the WND development, with Wintershall Dea holding the remaining 17.25% interest. CGX Secures Rig for Kawa-1 Well off Guyana CGX Energy and Frontera Energy, joint venture partners in the Petroleum Prospecting License for the Corentyne block offshore Guyana, have secured semisubmersible Maersk Discoverer to drill the Kawa-1 well. An early third quarter spud for the exploration well is targeting a Santonian age, stratigraphic trap, interpreted to be analogous to the discoveries immediately to the east on Block 58 in Suriname. The well is anticipated to be drilled to a total depth of approximately 6500 m in a water depth of approximately 370 m. The contract has an estimated duration of 75–85 days and has a one-well option attached. If exercised, that probe would spud in the nearby Demerara Block and take an estimated 40 days to reach its target. Talos’ Bulleit Reservoir in US Gulf Smaller Than Expected A technical assessment of the main producing sand performance at Talos Energy’s Green Canyon Block 21 Bulleit field in the US Gulf has indicated a smaller reservoir than originally anticipated. Project partner Otto Energy said the assessment included detailed bottomhole pressure and reservoir performance data collected after hookup and first production. The Block 21 field is flowing via a single subsea well tied back to a platform in nearby Green Canyon Block 18. While additional technical work is ongoing, the currently favored path forward is to move away from the current sand and execute a recompletion of the well in the shallower DTR-10 sand. A DTR-10 recompletion will require the procurement of long-lead items from manufacturers, which are expected to cost $3.5 million with payment expected in mid-2021. The recompletion is expected to begin in mid-2022, with production from the DTR-10 immediately following in mid-to late 2022. Captain Field EOR Stage 2 Project a Go Ithaca Energy, operator of the Captain field, has sanctioned the Captain Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) Stage 2 project in the UK Central North Sea after receiving Field Development Plan Addendum consent from the Oil and Gas Authority. EOR Stage 2 is designed to significantly increase hydrocarbon recovery by injecting polymerized water into the reservoir through additional subsea wells, subsea infrastructure, and new topsides facilities. Stage 1 of the project demonstrated that polymer EOR technology can work, with the production response in line with or better than expected across all injection patterns, helping maximize economic recovery. The Captain field was discovered in 1977, in Block 13/22a located on the edge of the outer Moray Firth. The billion-barrel field achieved first production in March 1997—over 24 years ago. Ithaca Energy holds 85% working interest, while partner Dana Petroleum holds the remaining 15%. Equinor Touts new Tyrihans Field Discovery Equinor and partners Total E&P Norge AS and Vår Energi AS have struck oil and gas in a new segment belonging to the Tyrihans field in the Norwegian Sea. Exploration well 6407/1-A-3 BH in production license 073 was drilled from sub-sea template A at Tyrihans North. The well was drilled to a measured depth of 5332 m by semisubmersible drilling rig Transocean Norge and struck a gas column of about 43 m and an oil column of about 15 m in the Ile formation, including about 76 m of moderate to good reservoir quality sandstone. In the Tilje formation, moderate to good quality water-bearing reservoir was struck. The Tyrihans field is in the middle of the Norwegian Sea, some 25 km southeast of the Åsgard field and 220 km northwest of Trondheim. The licensees consider the discovery commercial and intend to start production immediately. Recoverable resources are so far estimated at between 19 and 26 million BOE. Maersk Awarded Intervention Work off Brazil Maersk Drilling has been awarded a contract with Karoon Energy Ltd. for the semisubmersible rig Maersk Developer to perform well intervention on four wells at the Baúna field offshore Brazil. The contract is expected to begin in the first half of 2022, with a firm duration of 110 days. The value of the contract is $34 million, including rig modifications and a mobilization fee. The contract contains options to add up to 150 days of drilling work at the Patola and Neon fields. Carnarvon Completes Farmout of Buffalo Project Carnarvon Petroleum has completed the farmout of 50% of the Buffalo project to Advance Energy PLC. On 17 December 2020, Carnarvon announced that Advance Energy would acquire 50% of the Buffalo project off the west coast of Australia by funding the drilling of the Buffalo-10 well up to $20 million on a free carry basis. Advance met this funding requirement and now has a 50% interest in the project. The well is on track to be drilled in late 2021, subject to securing a drilling rig, where the tendering process is already underway. Following the well, the joint venture will acquire development funding from third-party lenders and any additional funding will be provided by Advance as an interest-free loan. The current plan is to suspend a successful well as a future producer and begin early development studies during 2021. Shell Hires Seadrill Rig for Brazilian Campaign Shell has contracted Seadrill’s drillship West Tellus for a new drilling campaign offshore Brazil this year. The program is expected to start in BC-10 of the Campos Basin, where Shell operates the Parque das Conchas made up of the Abalone, Argonauta, and Ostra fields. BC-10 has produced more than 100 million bbl since oil first started flowing from the block in 2009. The drillship will be used on the third phase of BC-10 activity, which includes five additional production wells and two water-injection wells at the Massa and Argonauta O-Sul fields, with the wells connected to the Espirito Santo FPSO. Shell owns a 50% operating stake in BC-10. India’s ONGC retains a 27% minority share and Qatar Petroleum the remaining 23%. Following the BC-10 work, the operator is expected to drill the first wells in the Campos Basin’s C-M-791 block, which was acquired during the 15th bid round held in 2017. Shell owns a 40% operating stake in the block, with Chevron retaining a 40% interest and Portugal’s Galp Energia the remaining 20%. Panoro Energy Kicks Off 2021 Drilling Campaign Offshore Gabon Panoro Energy has initiated its 2021 Gabon drilling campaign with the spudding of the Hibiscus Extension well on the Dussafu Marin Permit. That well will be followed by drilling at Tortue and Hibiscus North. Hibiscus and Tortue are two out of a total of six discovered fields within the Dussafu Permit offshore Gabon. Panoro currently holds a 7.5% interest in the license and has entered into an agreement to acquire an additional 10% working interest in the Dussafu Permit, bringing its total ownership to 17.5% following completion of the transaction. The Extension well is being drilled with the jackup Borr Norve and is the first well in a three-well campaign planned on Dussafu during 2021. The well is planned as a vertical well to test structure, oil, and reservoir presence in what is believed to be a possible northerly extension of the Gamba reservoir in the Hibiscus field. The well is positioned about 3 km northwest of the Hibiscus discovery well drilled by the joint venture in 2019. The initial well and its appraisal sidetrack established a 2P gross recoverable reserves of just over 46 million bbl at the Hibiscus field. The Extension well is expected to take around 30 days to drill and log to a total depth of 3500 m. Success at the probe could prompt one or two appraisal side-tracks to further delineate the field. Following the Hibiscus Extension, the rig will move to drill a horizontal production well, DTM-7H, at the Tortue field. This will complete the Phase 2 development of Tortue and, along with DTM-6H, will bring the total number of production wells at Tortue up to six. An exploration well at the Hibiscus North prospect, located approximately 6 km north-northeast of the initial Hibiscus well is also scheduled. Hibiscus North is a separate 10–40 million bbl prospect that could be tied into the Hibiscus/Ruche development project. Puma West Strike for BP in the US Gulf An exploration well at the Puma West prospect in the deepwater US Gulf has yielded a significant oil discovery for operator BP. The well, on Green Canyon Block 821, was drilled using Seadrill drillship West Auriga to a total depth of 23,530 ft and encountered oil pay in a high-quality Miocene reservoir with fluid properties like productive Miocene reservoirs in the area. Preliminary data supports the potential for a commercial volume of hydrocarbons. The Puma West partners will begin planning an appraisal program to better define the discovered resource. The discovery well has been suspended as a keeper well to preserve future utility. Puma West is located west of the BP-operated Mad Dog field and is approximately 131 miles off the coast of Louisiana in 4,108 ft of water. The Puma West is operated by BP with a 50% working interest. Partners include Chevron with 25% and Talos Energy with the remaining 25%. Petrobras Pushes First Oil at Mero Into 2022 Petrobras has postponed first oil from its Mero 1 field via the FPSO Guanabara in the Santos Basin offshore Brazil due to delays with the production system. Startup at Mero 1 was originally expected in the fourth quarter of this year and is now expected to begin flowing during the first quarter of 2022 due to COVID-19 pandemic-related delays with the buildout of the production system in China. The FPSO will be installed in the Mero field, which belongs to the Libra Block, in the Santos Basin pre-salt area, with a processing capacity of 180,000 OPD. The field is operated by Petrobras (40%) in partnership with Shell Brasil Petróleo (20%), Total E&P (20%), CNODC Brasil Petróleo e Gás (10%), CNOOC Petroleum Brasil (10%), and Pré-Sal Petróleo, which is the contract manager.

This study explores the effects of the Brazilian recession from 2014 to 2016 on the default of market credit cards and Private Label cards in food retail in a comparative way, through econometric analysis. The research evaluates the credit card default response in the market and, also, Private Label cards, after simulating shocks in macroeconomic variables such as Gross Domestic Product, wages, and unemployment rate, among others, through the application of an autoregressive vector model (VAR model). The data, on a monthly basis, were collected at the Central Bank of Brazil, the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics and at a company in the private label card market. In addition, precedence tests are applied in order to check if there was any causality “in the sense of Granger” on the default of the market credit card and the Private Label card. Among the results found, it was possible to identify that the default rates of the credit card in the market and of the Private Label have different behaviors, from the simulations of the impulse response functions to the identification of the variables that precede them, being that the default of the Private Label card preceded a higher number of variables when compared to the default of credit cards in the market.

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The present scenario is marked by intensive information and networks, besides rapidly technology evolution and globalization effects. Moreover, the continuous raise of competition has consequences such as hard product and services differentiation based on costs and quality. This is an opportunity for new products introduction processes and politics as an important source of value as well as profit. There are several examples of companies that have had great success mainly due to products or services innovations. The purpose of this research is the study of financial institutions, particularly the analysis of retail banks in Brazil and their product (and service) development processes. These financial institutions, as well as Brazilian banking industry, has suffered several and significant transformations in recent years. The banking industry has an important role at Brazilian scenario, with positive rates of assets and profit growth in last years. This banking industry picture presents a rare chance of studies in this area. On this way, the authors elaborated an exploratory research based on a multiple case studies methodology. The study used a sample of six retail banks answering with 50% of this industry in Brazil. In order to analyze these cases, some classic conceptual models concerning new product development was used, as well as some theoretical references regarding the intensive information and network aspects of Brazilian retail banking industry. Applying this conceptual background on these case studies, the authors were able to understand and map the product development process, as well as their stages. The analysis still made possible the comprehension of underlying subjects to the main theme that appeared along the study.
O cenário que se desenha é fortemente marcado pela informação intensiva e pelas redes, além de evolução acelerada da tecnologia e globalização. Além disso, o contínuo aumento da competição tem tornado mais difícil a diferenciação com base em custos ou qualidade, gerando uma oportunidade para que a introdução de novos produtos se destacasse e se transformasse em uma fonte de ganhos competitivos. Vários são os exemplos de empresas que tiveram (e têm) sucesso em grande medida através de inovações em seus produtos ou serviços. O propósito desta pesquisa é o estudo de instituições financeiras, particularmente a análise de bancos de varejo no Brasil e seus respectivos processos de desenvolvimento de produtos e serviços. As instituições financeiras, do qual o setor bancário brasileiro faz parte, têm sofrido grandes e significativas transformações nos anos recentes. Este segmento possui expressiva participação no cenário nacional, apresentando taxas positivas de crescimento de ativos e lucros nos últimos anos. Esse cenário de intensas mudanças apresenta uma rara oportunidade de estudos nessa área. Dessa maneira, conduziu-se uma pesquisa de cunho exploratório que fez uso de estudos de casos múltiplos. Utilizou-se uma amostra de seis bancos que respondem por cerca de 50% do segmento no país. Para a análise dos casos, utilizaram-se alguns modelos conceituais clássicos a respeito de desenvolvimento de novos produtos, além de referências acerca do cenário em que a amostra está imersa. Pela aplicação deste arcabouço aos estudos de casos, mapeou-se o processo de desenvolvimento de produtos, bem como suas etapas. A análise possibilitou ainda a compreensão de questões subjacentes ao tema principal que surgiram ao longo do trabalho.

PONTIFÍCIA UNIVERSIDADE CATÓLICA DO RIO DE JANEIRO
O propósito desta tese é identificar, descrever e explicar o processo através do qual fatores culturais, psicológicos, sociais, políticos e administrativos presentes na organização controladora interagem com a controlada brasileira, afetando o conhecimento organizacional desta. O último decênio presenciou o crescente debate sobre a globalização e seus impactos sobre a sociedade mundial, as nações, as organizações e os indivíduos. O enfraquecimento do poder do Estado nacional, principalmente como agente econômico, e a intensificação da competitividade empresarial em escala global foram acompanhados por ondas de fusões e aquisições que impactaram países, como o Brasil, carentes de investimento estrangeiro direto, em diversos setores econômicos, entre os quais o sistema financeiro. Embora correntes do pensamento estratégico, como a perspectiva baseada em recursos (resourcebased) reconheçam a importância do conhecimento organizacional - notadamente de sua dimensão tácita - como vantagem competitiva sustentável, ele tem sido examinado de forma fragmentada, separado da aprendizagem e da mudança, processos a que está indissoluvelmente ligado. Ademais, o processo de conhecer aparece isolado de seu contexto, embora vários fatores precisem ser levados em conta, principalmente quando é necessário examinar suas manifestações em empresas que tenham sido adquiridas por organizações estrangeiras. O estudo teve como foco as áreas de varejo de duas organizações bancárias que foram adquiridas por bancos estrangeiros, um britânico e outro holandês. A metodologia utilizada foi o estudo de caso múltiplo, com abordagem qualitativa, baseado em entrevistas semi-estruturadas com pessoal gerencial de agências de dois bancos, no Rio de Janeiro. As evidências produzidas por essas entrevistas foram complementadas pelas oriundas do exame dos documentos públicos de controladoras e controladas; de registros internos das controladas a que se teve acesso; da observação direta de alguns artefatos culturais nas agências; e por entrevistas com informantes qualificados de funções corporativas das controladas. A análise daí resultante mostra a insuficiência dos modelos teóricos correntes das diversas perspectivas isoladas - gestão de conhecimento; aprendizagem organizacional; organizações de aprendizagem; mudança organizacional; culturas nacionais; cultura organizacional; processo de internacionalização - para dar conta da complexidade do fenômeno do conhecimento organizacional e sugere uma abordagem integrativa com raízes na biologia do conhecimento e no construcionismo social.
The aim of this dissertation is the identification, description, and explanation of the process through which cultural, psychological, social, political, and administrative factors that are present in a foreign acquirer interact with the Brazilian acquired company, affecting its organizational knowledge. The latest ten years have witnessed the growing debate on globalization and its impacts over the world society, nations, organizations, and individuals. The weakening of the power of the national State, chiefly as an economic agent, and the intensification of worldwide business competitiveness have been accompanied by waves of mergers and acquisitions that have affected countries, as Brazil, eager for foreign direct investment in several industries, such as the financial sector. Although some strategic thought schools, as the resource-based approach, reckon the importance of organizational knowledge - mainly in its tacit dimension - as a sustainable competitive advantage, it has been examined in a fragmented way, separated from organizational learning and change, to which processes it is inextricably linked. Furthermore, the process of knowing appears isolated from its context, although several factors need to be considered, mainly when it is necessary to study their manifestations in companies acquired by foreign organizations. This study focuses on the retail areas of two banks that have been bought by foreign - a British and a Dutch - banks. The methodology used was a two-case study, under a qualitative approach, based on semistructured interviews with branch managerial personnel of the two banks, in Rio de Janeiro. Evidences brought about by these interviews have been triangulated with those coming from the perusal of public documents about both the foreign owners and the Brazilian acquired banks; from the archival records to which we are allowed to have access; from the direct observation of some cultural artifacts in the retail branches; and from some brief interviews with qualified informants in the corporate headquarters of the Brazilian acquired banks. The resulting analysis shows the insufficiency of current theoretical models from several isolated perspectives - such as knowledge management; organizational knowledge; knowledge organizations; organizational change; national cultures; organizational culture; internationalization process - to grasp the complexity of organizational knowledge phenomenon and suggests an integrative approach rooted in cognitive biology and social constructionism.