Institucionalização da Internet das Coisas (IoT) como ferramenta de gestão na pecuária bovina de corte do Mato Grosso do Sul (MS)

Abstract

The adoption of the Internet of Things (IoT) in the production of beef cattle has proven to be advantageous for livestock producers by enabling improvements in production and management processes, resulting in greater profitability and efficiency. Its insertion in the rural environment imposes institutional changes, demanding that work practices be developed in order to institutionalize it. This thesis aims to propose a theoretical-conceptual framework, embodied in structuralist approach, on the role of institutional work practices for the adoption of the Internet of Things (IoT), in beef cattle, in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul. As specific objectives were defined: a) to present the theoretically identified possibilities of the application of IoT as a management tool in beef cattle; b) mapping the institutional field, through the disclosure of the actors who work for the adoption of IoT as a management tool in beef cattle, in Mato Grosso do Sul; c) identify the political, technical and cultural work carried out by institutional actors for the institutionalization of IoT, in beef cattle, in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul and; d) highlight the “inhibiting” institutional work practices for the adoption of IoT, in beef cattle, in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul. To meet these objectives, an empirical research with a qualitative approach was carried out, supported by semi-structured interviews and the collection of secondary data from: (1) sixteen institutional actors from the macro environment of the state of MS that are linked to actions aimed at promoting IoT for beef cattle in the state and; (2) eight owners and/or managers of beef cattle farms in the state of MS. The type of analysis used was content analysis (Bardin, 2009), using the ATLAS.ti8® qualitative analysis software for data analysis. As main results, the institutional actors that have carried out institutional work practices aimed at the adoption of IoT by beef cattle were mapped, being these from the federal public sector, state public sector, educational sector and the private sector. It was possible to conclude that only some institutional work practices linked to political, technical and cultural work are carried out in a broad way by the actors of the macro environment. It was identified that advocacy, through political and regulatory support, stands out at the highest level of priority as an inhibitor to the adoption of IoT for cattle farms. As a final result, a theoretical-conceptual framework is proposed that highlights the role of institutional work practices for the adoption of the Internet of Things in beef cattle, in the state of MS. The research results fill the theoretical gap by uniting three themes that have not been investigated simultaneously (IoT, Livestock and the theory of Institutional Work). In the practical scope, the study contributes by highlighting possibilities of using IoT in the monitoring, control, prediction and logistics of rural activities. Nevertheless, the contribution of elucidating the web of relationships between institutional actors and their institutional work practices carried out in the macro environment of the state of MS is evident, which aim to support the elaboration of more efficient strategies and policies aimed at the adoption of IoT in the beef cattle. In order to complement the qualitative analysis, when interviewing beef cattle farm managers about the institutional work practices that are inhibiting the adoption of IoT products, such as advocacy and the construction of normative networks, the thesis presents actions that must be developed as a priority by public actors from state and federal governments focused on the development of this phenomenon, highlighting its potential social impact.