The issue of sustainability has been the focus of discussions and studies, both as in entrepreneurial and academic fields. In this aspect, generating alternative energy, through renewable sources, is an important measure in the sense of maintaining the contemporaneous way of life without modifying the system’s balance.

Among the renewable energy forms, there is the biodiesel production. In the diversity of sources of raw material for the production of biodiesel, the residual frying oil stands out, for its specificities in terms of results obtained.

The economical, social and environmental gains that can be obtained require actions to be accomplished, in order to collect the residual frying oil, directing it to the biodiesel production. This process involves different stages, with a large number of people involved, being its accomplishment not possible at individual sphere. For the viability of the transformation of the residue into renewable fuel, it is necessary the accomplishment of collective actions.

Given the above, this study has as purpose to identify the collective actions existent in the process that involves the collecting of the residual frying oil directed to biodiesel production in Brazil. Thus, it aims at answering some questions: What kinds of organizations have acted in this process and what are the incentives of these actors? In which way does the institutional environment interfere in these actions? What are the impacts of this action?

It is assumed that the existent collective actions in the activity of collecting the residual frying oil, aiming at using it as raw material in the production of biodiesel, provide a collective benefit to the individuals involved. Such division is reinforced by Farina et al (1997), when assuring that through collective relationships, the agents can obtain the resources they cannot easily afford.

As for the methodological procedures, the research can be classified as descriptive in the sense of searching the several actions accomplished by associations together with the community and the industries, configuring itself in a qualitative analysis. Data used are secondary, obtained from web portals of associations and other organizations.

As main results, it was identified that the organizations which have acted in the process directed to the collecting of residual frying oil are, in most cases, associations. Also involved in this action are schools, universities, city halls, companies, factories and supermarkets.

As suggested by Ménard (2011), the associations that develop these projects show hybrid governance structures, that is, they are not characterized as market structures or companies vertically integrated. So, the resources allocation mechanism is done through partnerships and contracts.

The actions accomplished are influenced by the institutional environment and are put into practice by actors that organize themselves through a sequence of stages. The members receive economical incentives apart, so that they can act in favor of the collective objective. In general, the joint action provides positive results for the ones directly or indirectly involved in the process, whereas such benefits could not be obtained through individual action. This result has been pointed out by Saes (2000), when she assures that collective organization is explained by the possibility of the individual to reach something that would be practically impossible for him to get by himself, or that would be possible, but at higher costs.

REFERENCES

FARINA, E, et al. M.  Competitividade: Mercado, Estado e Organizações. São Paulo: Singular, 1997.

MÉNARD, C. Hybrid modes of organization: Alliances, joint ventures, networks and other strange animals. In: GIBBONS, R.; ROBERTS, J. Handbook of organizational economics. Princeton: Princeton University, 2011.

SAES, M. S. M. Organizações e Instituições. In: ZYLBERSZTAJN, D; NEVES, M. F. Economia e gestão dos negócios agroalimentares. São Paulo: Pioneira, 2000.