Knowledge Management as a Competitive Advantage to the Brazilian MVAS Ecosystem

Abstract

The mobile value added service (MVAS) is a method of differentiation in the mobile telephone market and represents approximately 30% of the mobile network operator (MNO)'s revenue. The Brazilian MVAS sector consists of the content provider, the MNO, and the integrator. This paper aims to examine this sector by analyzing two main stakeholders: the MNOs and the integrator. We conducted a case study in the main Brazilian integrator and administered a questionnaire to managers/consultants of four MNOs that represent 74.1% of the national market share. The results indicate that the integrator has developed knowledge management, intellectual capital and competitive intelligence, operating as a business enabler and creating competitive advantage for this sector. The analysis of the collected data has been more relevant than the capacity of the integration platform. These collaborative relationships have consolidated this market as an ecosystem that operates according to the concept of coopetition.