Application of mental model in analysis environment of a small company of the planned furniture branch

Abstract

The challenges in the organizational environment, require the managers and entrepreneurs, an environmental analysis capacity for the definition of organizational strategies. In small companies, an environmental analysis contributes to greater understanding and better organizational interaction and allows the survival or growth of the company on the dynamics of the market environment. To understand how the environmental analysis affects the managers and entrepreneurs decisions and actions, this article had as main objective, demonstrate the aplication of the mental model on environmental analysis of a small company that produces planned furniture in Palmeira das Missões/RS. Thus, was held a descriptive, qualitative research, characterized as a case study. As a result, the analysis of the mental model, defined by the planned furniture company manager showed that the environment of his company is composed of competitors, the performance of regional agriculture, opportunities for new construction and the threat of the economic crisis. In this way, the study contributes with an identification of factors and variables that affect the performance of the company in its economic activity.

Keywords: Mental models. Environmental analysis. Small business.