ABSTRACT
Agribusiness is a set of chain operations to produce, benefit, and distribute food. In this context, the theory has pointed out how to convert knowledge as a direct antecedent of absorptive capacity, innovation, performance, and competitive advantage with the network’s sustainability. The general objective of this study was to identify the antecedents of competitive advantage in the context of beef cattle farming, in the view of the agents who work in the cooperation networks of southern Brazil, well as the sustainability of the cooperation network. The method proposed for the development of this research was qualitative, through in-depth interviews and non-participative observation. Nine producers were interviewed from four cooperation nets in the states of Paraná, Santa Catarina, and Rio Grande do Sul. The results obtained show that the modes of knowledge conversion, absorptive capacity, and organizational performance are antecedents of competitive advantage and innovation. The interviewees stated that the producers have sought to improve the sustainability of the network over the past few years, which has become one of the main elements in the link between performance and the competitive advantage of the cooperation network under study.
