According to Sebrae, micro and small companies represented 27% of the GDP in 2011 and 98.5% of all private companies in 2015. Despite this importance, in most cases they do not have employees with extensive cost management knowledge and the management practices of large companies are also repeated in them. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to analyze the operability of cost management at the micro and small companies that act in the mining and processing of dimension stones sector, searching for emphases on the presence of isomorphism. One hundred and sixty-two (162) companies were investigated in order to operationalize this study.  A structured questionnaire was used as a data collection procedure. Three different approaches were used in the statistical analysis of the collected data: descriptive statistics; the Mann-Whitney U test and Fisher’s exact test, and confirmatory and exploratory factor analysis. The results show the presence of mimetic isomorphism in the cost management practices of the companies researched. The research is limited to the sample, therefore, its findings can not be generalized. Based on this study, it was observed that future research should further develop the characterization of this economic phenomenon and study which resources would be required to improve management cost in micro and small companies in the analyzed segment. This is the first work that found the presence of mimetic isoformism among micro and small companies in the mining sector.

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This research investigated the most effective relationship marketing (RM) strategies in the US dimension stone sector (DSS) market: the overall objective of this research was to investigate which RM strategies are the most suitable, in order to improve the international dimension stone market. Methodologically, qualitative research was implemented, focusing on grounded theory. We interviewed three Brazilian distributors established in the USA, and fifteen national distributors who export dimension stones. Data analysis indicated that the RM strategies which best suited the sector in the American market were: prospecting for new customers, international partnerships, and customer loyalty. Thus, we identified the profile which best suited American consumer potential.

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The study aims to discover the consumer profile and the main factors that lead them to acquire a portable electronic device (PED). An online survey was conducted, with a sample of 145 consumers involved in the beneficiation of the ornamental stone sector. Descriptive statistics, correlation analysis and multiple linear regression were applied for data analysis. This article makes advances in the development of concepts of management design, the electronic market and information systems, and uses a revised bibliography, proposing interaction with the list of strategies. The results show that, at the time of purchase, consumers of portable electronic devices take into account interconnected factors, such as brand, design and utility. Thus, we conclude that there is an interest in products that have proven multifunctionality, and also encourages research that confirms the consumer profile in expanded samples. The implications are discussed, with an emphasis on developing the new competencies that retailers need to develop, to interact with their physical configurations, through technological opportunities with mobile functionalities.