Publications, Webinars & Lectures
I dedicate myself, either spontaneously or as part of my professional activities, to writing books and articles, as well as participating in webinars, seminars, and lectures. The material listed below serves as a reference for the topics I am passionate about and provides examples of my work, which are distributed across various platforms. The portfolio of activities provides additional information about the initiatives I am currently involved in.
Decision-Making in Complex Contexts
The book Decision-Making in Complex Contexts (written in Portuguese) explores the main challenges and competencies required to make effective decisions in uncertain and multifaceted scenarios.
Organized around six core axes, it ranges from cognitive biases, courage, intuition, and cultural influences to advanced tools such as decision-making frameworks, simulations, artificial intelligence, and rapid prototyping.
Finally, it addresses decision-making in international negotiations, crisis situations, shared leadership, cognitive diversity, and participatory governance, offering a comprehensive and practical perspective for leaders and professionals.
🔗 Watch the IRELGOV Webinar Featuring the Book
🔗 Pre-sales available
Launch: August 20, 2026
Livraria Travessa
Shopping Villa Lobos
São Paulo
Book signing session at the São Paulo International Book Biennial on September 13 at 2:00 PM.
The Power of a Story
The book The Power of a Story brings together a powerful selection of narratives, reflections, and transformative experiences written by various authors. As a continuation of the first volume, already available on digital platforms, this special 2026 Book Biennial edition celebrates the profound impact that a good story can have on people’s lives. An inspiring collection that invites readers to reflect, connect emotionally, and discover new perspectives on the art of telling and living stories.
Sales begin in August 2026 on digital platforms.
Official Launch at the São Paulo Book Biennial
Advocacy, Stakeholders Engagement, and Customers Relations: The Perspective of Tobacco Growers in Brazil
Advocacy, Stakeholder Engagement, and Customer Relations: The Perspective of Tobacco Growers in Brazil is the doctoral dissertation (DBA) defended by Bernhard J. Smid at the Université de Bordeaux, France, in December 2024, with the graduation ceremony held in April 2025.
The research examines the role of advocacy (with a particular emphasis on the use of social media) along with stakeholder engagement and customer relations from the perspective of Brazilian tobacco growers.
Based on a survey of 204 tobacco growers across 98 municipalities, the dissertation explores strategies for advocacy, sustainability, and customer loyalty within a highly regulated sector. Drawing on Stakeholder Theory and Customer Relationship Theory, the study validates its findings through statistical reliability analyses using Cronbach’s Alpha and McDonald’s Omega. The research also provides a comparative analysis with other agribusiness sectors, including the French wine industry.
The dissertation received an Honorable Mention at the 7th Marco Maciel Award, presented by the Brazilian Association of Institutional and Government Relations (ABRIG) in 2025, in the Academic Research category, recognizing its practical relevance for professionals working in Institutional and Government Relations
Watch the Honorable Mention Presentation at the 2025 Marco Maciel Award Ceremony
Mentors in Institutional and Government Relations
This e-book is an inspiring work organized by the Young Committee of ABRIG in partnership with the Women’s Committee. Bringing together experiences, reflections, and lessons from renowned professionals in the Institutional and Government Relations field, the book “Mentors in Institutional and Government Relations” shares real career paths, challenges, and best practices for those who work in — or wish to enter — the field of institutional and government relations. Essential reading for anyone seeking mentorship, career development, and a deeper understanding of the strategic role this profession plays in Brazil.
Available for free download
About ABRIG
Impact of the Trade Liberalization on the
Quality of Democracy: India
Written in English, Impact of Trade Liberalization on the Quality of Democracy: India examines the effects of trade liberalization on the quality of democracy in India. Based on the author’s master’s thesis at Munich Business School, the book explores how the country’s economic liberalization process has influenced democratic institutions, political participation, and governance. It offers a valuable contribution to readers seeking to understand the intersections between the global economy and democracy in major emerging economies.
Available for purchase on Amazon and other digital platforms.
Revista Ensaios, IRELGOV
The June 2026 edition of the IRELGOV Essays explores one of the defining challenges of our time: how to build a more pluralistic and collaborative democracy capable of transforming differences into legitimate solutions for society.
About IRELGOV
Available for download
Revista Ensaios, IRELGOV
The December 2025 edition of the Ensaios IRELGOV explores the relationship between lobbying, the environment, and climate policy within a decisive post-COP30 context.
Curated by Bernhard J. Smid and Luiz Tavares,, the publication brings together qualified analyses on the green transition, environmental regulation, competitiveness, and the role of interest groups, contributing to a strategic debate on governance, development, and sustainability.
About IRELGOV
Available for Download
Cloud Computing: Technologies and Strategies
The book demonstrates that modern computing is no longer centered on devices, but rather on the delivery of services—a natural evolution that both consumers and businesses are eager to embrace.
It addresses the questions of experienced IT professionals seeking to understand how cloud computing can be integrated into corporate networks and serve as a legitimate framework for delivering enterprise applications. To provide the necessary context, the authors revisit the history of time-sharing computing and draw parallels with modern virtualization and cluster technologies.
Editor: Milton Mira de Assumpção Filho
Translator: Mario Moro
Technical Reviewer: Bernhard J. Smid
Editorial Production: Beatriz Simões Araújo
Graphic Design Coordination: Silas Camargo
Typesetting: Contec
Publisher: M.Books do Brasil Editora Ltda.
Available at Amazon.com and other digital platforms
Revista Ensaios, IRELGOV
Curated by Magali Favaretto Prieto Fernandes and Bernhard J. Smid, the July 2025 edition of the IRELGOV Essays features reviews of academic articles aimed at government relations professionals seeking to understand international politics from a strategic, multidimensional, and risk-oriented perspective.
The publication’s approach is closely aligned with IRELGOV’s 2025–2026 Agenda, exploring the impacts of international dynamics on public policy formulation and institutional engagement in Brazil.
Institutional and Government Relations in Complex Environments
Institutional and Government Relations in Complex Environments is Episode #04 of ORIGEM Talks, recorded in November 2023. The episode features a rich and strategic discussion on the role of Institutional and Government Relations (IGR) in highly complex environments.
Hosted by Marcio El Kalay and Rodrigo Navarro, the conversation brings together Bernhard J. Smid and Flavio Goulart, who share their experiences, challenges, and best practices for navigating increasingly volatile and uncertain regulatory, political, and multi-stakeholder environments.
An excellent resource for Institutional and Government Relations professionals, business leaders, and students seeking to understand how to build ethical influence, engage stakeholders effectively, and turn complexity into a competitive advantage.
Anuário Origem, Origem Talks
Complete Video on YouTube
Other IRELGOV Publications
Available for download
Admirável Normal Novo
Published in 2021, Admirável Normal Novo is a book edited by Sílvio Ribas that brings together 50 in-depth analyses of the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil and around the world.
The book reflects on the social, economic, political, and behavioral transformations triggered by the 2020 health crisis, exploring what the “new normal” means across different dimensions of contemporary life.
Bernhard J. Smid contributed the book’s foreword, offering an inspiring reflection on adaptation, resilience, and the ability to navigate uncertainty in times of profound change.
Available online
Brazil 2022 Outlook
A strategic publication by the SAGRES Institute, released in 2018, presenting prospective analyses on Brazil’s future in the year marking the Bicentennial of its Independence.
Coordinated by Raul Sturari, Verônica Korilio, Mário Andreuzza and Túlio Marques Jr., the publication brings together contributions from several experts, including Bernhard J. Smid , who contributed to the development of the critical uncertainties.
Applying the prospective scenarios methodology (FIGE), the study examines Brazil’s political, economic, social, and geopolitical landscape, providing valuable insights for leaders, and public and private sector executives regarding risks, opportunities, and strategic pathways for the country.
About Sagres
Available for download
Perspectives on the Dairy Sector in the International Market
Published in the November/December 2015 edition of Leite & Derivados magazine.
The article examines the international geopolitical landscape and the opportunities created for Brazil’s dairy sector following Russia’s embargo on dairy products from the European Union, the United States, Australia, Canada, and Norway.
In 2014, Brazil’s dairy sector experienced strong export growth, driven by favorable weather conditions, low input costs, and attractive international prices. However, the Russian embargo significantly reshaped the global dairy trade.
At the time, Russia and China were the world’s largest dairy importers, while New Zealand and the European Union accounted for nearly 50% of global dairy exports. The embargo triggered a sharp decline in international prices—for example, the average milk price in Europe fell from US$41.46 to US$33.31 per 100 kilograms between late 2014 and July 2015—forcing major dairy-exporting countries to seek new markets.
Available for download
Overview of Subnational Programs to REDD as part of the Governors’ Climate and Forest Task Force
REDD+ Programs: Status, Progress and Potential for High-Quality GHG Offsets is a technical report prepared for the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), one of the world’s leading energy research institutions, headquartered in Palo Alto, California, USA.
The report brings together contributions from internationally recognized researchers, including Bernhard J. Smid.
The study analyzes the status of REDD+ programs, assesses progress across nine essential components, and examines their potential to generate high-quality GHG offsets suitable for use in cap-and-trade systems (such as California’s) or other performance-based compensation mechanisms.
The report includes four detailed case studies: Acre (Brazil), Chiapas (Mexico), Mato Grosso (Brazil), and Aceh (Indonesia).
🔗 Available for Download
Re-Framing REDD+
Published in June 2012, Re-Framing REDD+: Unlocking the Potential of Jurisdictional REDD+ as a Policy Framework for Low-Emission Rural Development is a research report produced by the Amazon Environmental Research Institute (IPAM).
The report examines the progress of jurisdictional REDD+ programs across 13 subnational governments participating in the Governors’ Climate and Forests Task Force (GCF Task Force). It assesses their advancement toward pay-for-performance mechanisms (such as Norway’s model) and the more demanding requirements of cap-and-trade systems (such as California’s), concluding with practical recommendations for governments to reposition REDD+ as a policy framework for low-emission rural development.
Bernhard J. Smid is one of the report’s co-authors, alongside researchers including Daniel Nepstad, Paulo Moutinho, and other internationally recognized experts.
🔗 Avaliable for download
The Roles of Environmental Funds in REDD+
Published in 2011, The Roles of Environmental Funds in REDD+: RedLAC Capacity Building Project for Environmental Funds is a technical guide released by the Rede Latino-Americana de Fundos Ambientais (RedLAC), in Rio de Janeiro, in partnership with IPAM and Funbio – the Brazilian Biodiversity Fund.
Developed to support the initiative’s third capacity-building workshop, the guide is organized into four sections and provides an introduction to the fundamentals of REDD+, step-by-step guidance for developing REDD+ projects, an analysis of the strategic role of Environmental Funds in carbon markets, and practical case studies, including experiences from Acre, FUNBIO, and the Fondo para la Acción Ambiental y la Niñez.
Bernhard J. Smid is one of the publication’s authors, contributing his expertise in sustainability, environmental finance, and international institutional relations.
🔗 Available for download
Lectures, Webinars, New Publications, Mentoring & Other Opportunities
Bernhard J. Smid has extensive experience in Institutional and Government Relations (IGR) within complex and highly uncertain environments. With an international background that bridges academia, the private sector, and multi-stakeholder dialogue, his professional journey encompasses strategic decision-making, advocacy, stakeholder engagement, and public policy analysis in regulatory, geopolitical, and socio-environmental contexts.
Open to new academic collaborations, research projects, speaking engagements, and high-impact professional initiatives, Bernhard values partnerships that transform knowledge into meaningful action.
As a mentor to professionals and executive groups, he provides tailored guidance on topics such as career repositioning, international positioning, academic research, and intercultural challenges.
If you, your institution, or organization are interested in exchanging ideas, developing joint projects, or exploring opportunities for strategic collaboration, please get in touch.