This paper aims to identify and analyze the strategic pattern of the Empresa Catarinense de Pesquisa Agropecuária (EMPASC), during its existence (1975-1990). Methodologically this is a work quantitative and qualitative. It is a longitudinal case study having a historic perspective, trying to comprehend the context in which the EMPASC's trajectory has occurred. The analysis reported a strategic pattern of steady growing, observed in the identification of indicators such as the research programming, the researchers' board, the number of experimental stations, publications and others. Besides this pattern, three strategies were analyzed more deeply, by having represented relevant moments in the trajectory of the agricultural research in Santa Catarina State in the analyzed period: the connection with Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária, the articulation with the state government and the partnership with the private sector.
strategic pattern; strategies; agricultural research
