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Some researchers use loyalty and commitment as different constructs in their models. Others', as Prado and Santos (2003), argue that these two are in fact just one concept. The literature about that is sometimes obscure. In this context, this paper tries to analyze the association between loyalty and commitment in the virtual environment, specifically in ecommerce. The results indicated that both constructs are just one. In addition, using Fornell and Larcker (1981) suggestion, the data again confirmed the only construct. Final considerations and research limitations end the paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The practice of overbooking in air transportation is a result of a broader market strategy, known as Yield Management (Revenue Management), which aims at optimizing the total revenues of airlines. Given this complex environment for decision making, one has that the investment in improving demand forecast capabilities, and more specifically, in understanding the process of arrival of requests in Reservation Systems, is potentially competitive advantage enhancing and ultimately improves market performance. The present paper aims at developing an empirical model of the arrivals of requests in airlines' (and, more generally, service firms') Reservation Systems. By making use of a database consisting of actual information collected from an airline operating the Rio de Janeiro - São Paulo shuttle route, here we make use of parametric estimation of a model of reservation arrivals. The time series modeling implemented here can be regarded as within a theoretical framework for demand forecast. Main results are indicative of an autoregressive process of arrivals in which lagged variables along with differences have high predictive power of current arrival levels. This paper is therefore able to fill a gap found in the literature regarding forecast methods applied to corporate Reservation Systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accounting researches have been marked by new approaches in order to manage costs in organizations and by multidisciplinary studies about certain phenomena from different perspectives. This article aims to draw up a profile of cost research in the framework of the accounting and management control theme area during the meetings of the Brazilian National Association of Graduate Programs in Business Administration (ENANPAD) since its inauguration as an autonomous area in 1998 until 2003. Initially, our analysis involved the review of 170 articles accepted in this theme area. Afterwards, we selected 32 specific articles on cost accounting. We examined the analyzed themes, the adopted research methods, which economic segments were investigated, the authors' academic affiliation and the kind of bibliography they had consulted. The results evidenced two main factors: (i) a strong quantitative growth in the accounting theme, increasing from 40 submitted papers in 1998 to 191 in 2003, with considerable quantitative influence in the cost area; and (ii) this quantitative growth was not accompanied, to the same extent, by the qualitative progress of papers in the cost area. This article presents the state-of-the-art of cost accounting research at a Brazilian high-quality scientific event. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to analyze three configuration variables of the competitive environment of commercial banks in Brazil: regulation, industry concentration and technology. Semi-structured interviews and a Delphi Panel were conducted with thirteen experts from the banking industry, including executives, managers and academics. Through content analysis, the main results highlighted were: a tendency for maintenance of industry concentration with restricted spaces for small- and medium-sized banks; possible disruptions in the competitive arena due to new technologies and the consolidation of the cell phone as the main catalyst of bank transactions and means of payment. The research supports the theoretical arguments about the ephemerality of strategic groups and contributes to the discussion and choice for coherent indicators to measure competitive advantage in commercial banks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phenomenography is a little-known qualitative research methodology in organizational studies. It aims to capture the various conceptions individuals have about a phenomenon, that is, the different qualitative ways to experience and conceive of it (Marton, 1981; Marton & Booth, 1997; Sandberg, 2000). This theoretical paper aimed to shed light on the research experience using the method, explaining unexpected emergent findings not reported in the literature, via an empirical study with HR professionals on valuing knowledge in the context of work. The research revealed five conceptions, which were arranged in a logical, hierarchical, comprehensive, and interdependent manner, as stated by the method. Then, a focus group (Goldman & McDonald, 1987) with prototypical and representative participants of the categories was held in order to validate the descriptive categories and enhance understanding of the unexpected emergent findings. The serendipitous findings unveiled: (a) the capacity of phenomenography to capture subjects' two-way movement across conceptions in experiencing the phenomenon; (b) the uninterrupted continuum between the conceptions; and (c) the dynamic trajectory of individuals through conceptions in time and space, using them as modes of action to guide their behavior in relation to diverse contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a meta-analysis of antecedents and consequences of materialistic behavior among children and adolescents. We detected 42 studies, selected from five databases, which generated 53 effect sizes involving an aggregate sample of 9,283 children and adolescents. We proposed a theoretical model based on four antecedents, four consequents and three moderating variables. The results showed a direct and significant relation between materialistic behavior by children and adolescents in most of the antecedent and consequent variables. Furthermore, we found that life satisfaction held a negative relation with materialistic behavior. As for the moderating effects, we confirmed that survey location has a significant influence on effect sizes. Regarding the moderating effect of the sample size and country of application, they do not exert influence on the effect size. In addition to its outcomes, this meta-analysis offers a remarkable theoretical contribution, which provides a consistent theoretical review that resulted in the quantitative integration of the main constructs associated with the antecedents and consequents of materialistic behavior in children and adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kashyap, Antia and Frazier (2011) studied the effects of extra contractual incentives and monitoring over franchisee enforcement. Heide, Wathne and Rokkan (2007) found significant interactions among the types of monitoring, damaging opportunism. This paper extends prior discussion of monitoring and incentives over performance, for which we did not find evidence in the literature. We studied an industrial relationship between a store and its shopping center management. The results showed that the dependence on shopping center expertise, monitoring and compliance policy were associated with performance. Second, monitoring interferes in these direct relationships, moderating them. Specifically, the moderating effect decreases or increases store performance. Third, results show these inverted U-shaped associations better explained performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article analyzes if social interaction during shopping and consumption situations influences the level of pleasure a person both anticipates during and actually feels after shopping. Specifically, the paper analyzes the effect of consumer socialization on the hedonic adaptation process and in the actual subsequent hedonic adaptation. Three independent and complementary experiments (one divided in two parts) were carried out in an online environment (Mechanical Turk) and in a laboratory. The results confirmed the hypotheses that the hedonic adaptation forecast is weaker in consumption situations when there is social interaction, when compared to those without social interaction. Consumer socialization also effects actual hedonic adaptation, confirming the hypothesis that adaptation is weaker when there is social interaction. Overall, this research shows that, consumers forecast and actually feel stronger pleasure when there is social interaction, as compared to when there is no social contact in consumption situations. This research extends consumer behavior theory associated with hedonic adaptation, bringing new insights to companies and consumers by showing a practical way of reducing hedonic adaptation in consumption situations: social interaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The internal marketing concept refers to visualizing employees as internal consumers and emphasizes the need to listen to and satisfy employees as a requisite to satisfying company customers. This paper focuses, then, on the influence of internal marketing on the adoption of a corporate culture oriented to customers; i.e., a marketing orientation. Based on operationalization of the internal marketing concept from Lings and Greenley (2005), we propose a conceptual model for connections between the internal market orientation and market orientation concepts. The results of an empirical study based on a questionnaire applied to 109 Brazilian firms from several economic sectors corroborate the proposed model. The adoption of internal market oriented behavior, particularly the dimensions relative to the dissemination of information and implementation of responses, influences external market orientation and its dimensions (information production, information disclosure and response). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A scale for measurement of Teamwork Attitudes and Skills (TAS) of research groups (components of competencies) is developed in this study, based on previous research and studies by Odelius and Sena (2009) and Odelius et al. (2011). Data were collected by means of interviews and questionnaires. Interview data were submitted to content analysis, and then used to develop a questionnaire. This questionnaire was submitted to judges for theoretical and semantic validation and was pre-tested. It was then answered by 396 participants of research groups. Factor analysis of ordinal variables revealed four competency factors (openness to human diversity; social skills, cooperation, and responsibility) that represent 55% of total variance explained, with reliability a = 0.96. The results are partially similar to those carried out in other contexts. Directions for further research are indicated at the end of the paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Future technologies may affect a company's business, and prediction of such technologies is an important step in the planning process, especially regarding cutting-edge technology industries. The objective of this paper is to develop a comparative theoretical study on key techniques aimed at predicting future technologies, evaluated according to six criteria: operation costs; required number of people; required time to obtain results; operation complexity, that is, ease of implementing techniques; analysis type (subjective or objective), wherein quantitative techniques are considered more objective; and reliability of results (consistency and replicability). Thus, this study provides parameters to assist companies in selecting the most suitable prospective techniques, according to their needs. The research methodology is qualitative, and the study scope is a descriptive analysis using bibliographic and documentary research as data collection methods. The conclusion is that it is advantageous to use several methods simultaneously, providing higher efficiency and producing better assessments. Finally, it is hoped that this article launches a debate on the assigned criteria for techniques used to predict future technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the academic community there is a growing concern with the issue of social impact: the benefits that teaching and research institutions bring to society. This paper seeks to contribute to the debate on the social impact Brazilian graduate management programs have. It is based upon scientific literature on social impact and presents an exploratory study of three social impact dimensions: (a) the training of researchers in doctoral programs, focusing on graduates and their insertion in the labor market; (b) the use of knowledge generated by each program's researchers, as measured by the institutional H factor, using the Publish or Perish (PoP) software to survey the Google Scholar database; and (c) the citation of researchers and their studies in business media, measured through a survey of articles published in the most relevant Brazilian media outlets. These three dimensions were measured in four graduate programs: FEA-USP, FGV-EAESP, PPGA-UFRGS and CEPEAD-UFMG. The results show significant differences among the programs, favoring the oldest ones, which are located in São Paulo. The conclusion is that there are opportunities to improve social impacts in these three dimensions and recommended measures are suggested to help meet this goal. The study also indicates directions to develop further knowledge about what social impacts Brazilian graduate management programs can have. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to seek to understand how the recursive process related to organizational capacity for absorption and learning occurs through social integration mechanisms, as exemplified in the implementation of the Paraná Digital Program in two public education institutions in Curitiba, Paraná, during the period from 2007 to 2013. The methodology used was qualitative, exploratory, and descriptive, accomplished by means of a comparative case strategy with a temporal cross-sectional perspective. Data collection was accomplished through interviews, document analysis and participant observation. Content analysis was used to comprehend the data obtained. Results show that a completed absorption capacity process leads to full organizational learning, and that faults in one process impact the other, demonstrating a recursive relationship mediated by social integration mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aimed at analyzing competitiveness of three whole milk powder production chains in Rio Grande do Sul (Brazil) with three different technological levels (low, medium and high) of raw material production using Policy Analysis Matrix (PAM) methodology, developed by Monke and Pearson (1989). The results showed that all of the production chains studied generated earnings in the form of both private profits (i.e. the remuneration of the agents is higher than the opportunity costs and investment depreciation) and social profits (i.e. there are economic effectiveness and comparative advantages). The production chain with the medium technological production level, in which the use of production inputs was intensive, suffered more penalizing effects of taxation policies than the chains showing lower indices of modern input adoption, according to the values of Private Cost Ratios (PCRs), which were the following: 0.72, 0.46, and 0.26, for medium, low and high technological raw material production levels, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Embarrassment is an emotion that emerges during various purchase and consumption situations. There is a lack of studies comprehensively addressing how consumers behave when they are embarrassed. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to map how consumers behave during purchase process situations that cause embarrassment. To do so, drugstores were selected since they are places where a number of products that can cause embarrassment, such as condoms, pregnancy tests, and day-after pills, can be purchased. In-depth interviews with 30 drugstore sales representatives and 26 consumers were conducted using an empiric investigation strategy. Content analysis resulted in the creation of a conceptual framework and some theoretical propositions. According to the framework, consumers, when feeling embarrassed, decide whether to abandon the purchase (by giving up or asking someone else to make the purchase) or if they face the situation, remain confident, and develop strategies to deal with the situation and finish it as soon as possible. The framework details consumers' actions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper consisted of comprehending the particularities of religious entrepreneurship concerning businesses that emerge in a religious context and sell religious products. Based on a theoretical framework that articulates both entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial process definitions, and that establishes relationships between entrepreneurship and religion, 22 businesses that sell products from various religious denominations located in the three largest cities of the Triângulo Mineiro region were studied through qualitative research. The results show the manifestation of a particular type of entrepreneurship, associated with the following categories: the religious entrepreneur, involving the analysis of ideas and individual motivations for business creation; religion as business opportunity, involving the analysis of contextual, religious and business aspects that influence religious entrepreneurship; and the results of those entrepreneurial actions, involving concrete and symbolic effects of religious entrepreneurship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper's main goal is to understand the impact of control systems on the relationship between a salesperson's effort and their performance. The control systems have two perspectives: outcome and behavior. The difference between them is how a salesperson is evaluated in regards to their job. If the sales manager is only concerned with sales results, the control system is based on outcome. However, if the sales manager is concerned with a salesperson's capacities, abilities and knowledge, the control system is based on behavior. Based on the theories developed by Anderson and Oliver (1987) and Oliver and Anderson (1994), we proposed a theoretical framework to explain sales performance, positioning the control system as a moderating variable. We undertook two descriptive field investigations to test the proposed model's hypotheses for pharmaceutical sales representatives and car dealer salespersons. We estimated four regression equations to test the hypotheses. The first conclusion is that the perception of product innovation by salespeople actually influences the launch of new products. The second conclusion showed that salesperson effort has a negative relationship with performance. Third, we demonstrated the moderating effect control systems have on the relationship between salesperson experience and sales efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This theoretical essay aims to study how scales are developed and through which procedures they can be considered valid and suitable for use as legitimate scientific instruments. In this perspective, this paper's objective was to develop a protocol for constructing scales to measure attitude. The proposed protocol is configured as a logical meeting of steps based on theorists such as Allport and Hartman (1925), Thurstone (1928), Likert (1932), Campbell and Fiske (1959) and Bock (1972), which permeate all aspects of drafting scales, including construct definition, the choice of the scale itself, item preparation, scale purification, and finally its validation. At the end of the study, we present a protocol for the preparation of specific scales to measure attitude that differs from existing protocols in Churchill (1979), Rossiter (2002) and DeVellis (2003). This is in order to unite for the first time a set of promising techniques, primarily the objective delineation of the construct using focus group methodology, the proposition of an inherently dichotomous scale, scale purification via item response theory (IRT), and predictive validity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compulsive buying behavior is characterized by an uncontrollable and irrational impulse that tends to manifest itself when individuals experience negative feelings. Despite being intensively researched, questions remain about what are drivers of compulsive shopping; especially in potentially vulnerable groups such as teenagers. Considering this gap, this study analyses compulsive buying behaviour, seeking to understand constraints from levels of self-esteem, materialism, stress and buying pleasure, specifically in adolescent consumers. Four hypotheses were raised from the literature review and tested with data collected from a sample of 153 respondents. To test the hypotheses, we performed a gamma family regression technique of generalized linear models using R software. Results show that factors such as stress, materialism and buying pleasure effectively influence adolescent compulsive buying behaviour, and it was found that self-esteem had no influence on the compulsiveness of survey respondents. This paper brings innovations on data operationalization and makes advancements in academic research about consumer compulsivity, generating knowledge for public policy-makers and social organizations oriented on consumer interests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents an investigation of the building process of an online brand-associated community. It uses netnographic methods to investigate an automotive community, created months before a new model was actually launched. The study highlights the motivation to gather information and to influence product launch as factors to mobilize community existence. Category involvement, aspirational positioning of the corporate brand and revolutionary promises for this product also seem to be relevant to promote the community. The research presents a typology of community members based on two dimensions: information about the category and user experience with the brand/model. The typology distinguishes between newbies (low information and low experience), theoretical (high information and low experience), pragmatic (low information and high experience) and experts (high information and high experience). The paper highlights logics that stratify members' interactions, explaining community formation dynamics and evolution processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The notion of what constitutes a career is interdisciplinary by nature, congregating views from an individual, organizations and society. Nevertheless, despite progress in discussions on the subject, recent studies have pointed towards the limitations of currently used theories, calling for greater interdisciplinarity (Arthur, 2008; Chudzikowski & Mayrhofer, 2011; Khapova & Arthur, 2011; Lawrence, 2011), since little evolution has occurred in this sense. In order to respond to the need for multidisciplinary research in career studies, this paper aims to present and illustrate the potential use of life histories by analyzing the influences and limits on seven Brazilian executives' career paths through this method. Results are presented in two broad categories of analysis: (a) contextual influences on careers involving changes in the Brazilian economic and organizational setting, increased competition and need to increase knowledge in face of globalization, mobility demand and gender discrimination; (b) life stages and career choices, including individual aspects of their trajectories, such as family values, choice of undergraduate courses, entering the labor market and parenthood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Internationalizing operations requires multinational corporations (MNCs) to develop strategies capable of simultaneously dealing with external institutional pressures towards legitimacy and internal institutional pressures towards conformity. In this conceptual paper we develop a set of theory-driven propositions on what are the internationalization strategies that MNCs must deploy given their institutional environments. Especially emphasizing the external institutional environment and differences in institutional development, we also approach the relevance of considering the internal institutional environment to the firm. Entry strategies tend to be based on low-involvement modes and on partnerships, such as joint-ventures, to enter institutionally immature or institutionally farther countries. Acquisitions and partnerships may be used when internal institutional pressures are weaker. We conclude with a broad discussion and avenues for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper was to analyze the relationship between Mondays and the profitability provided by Brazilian hedge funds. We used a data basis composed of 3,337 hedge funds, totaling 3,529,808 observations of daily data, during the period from January 2005 until September 2013. To test the hypothesis, we used regression with panel data and we inserted control variables in the model that the literature points out as relevant. The main results showed that the Monday effect also occurs in the hedge funds segment and this effect is intensified in periods of financial crisis. However, we show that the effect is not consistent across all sub-categories of hedge funds. The results were persistent for funds which don't have a redemption period, as well as for the control for the Ibovespa daily returns. The discussion was mainly based on Behavioral Finance Theory in seeking potential explanations for this anomaly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to analyze the impact credit extension management has on inventory management practices for a sample of 432 micro and small enterprises (MSEs). The model relied on agency, transaction cost and pecking order theories. Sample data were subjected to multivariate techniques of exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis and simultaneous structural regressions. Results support the idea that credit management practices positively determine inventory management, when mediated by cash management. The study measured direct and indirect effects among the three latent construct variables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the relationship between bank capital and lending in the Brazilian market from 2003 to 2012, by adapting the methodology used by Berrospide and Edge (2010). Initially, we estimate a long-term target capital, actively managed by each bank, and then we compute the banks' capital surpluses. In a second step, we investigate whether this capital surplus is related to the change in non-earmarked credit using panel data regressions. The results show a positive relationship between the change in loans and the capital surplus, stronger in the second part of the sample period (after September/2008), but yet economically modest, contradicting the assumption of constant leverage. Similar results are obtained using direct observable accounting indicators of bank capital. There is no significant relationship between capital and credit growth in governmental banks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leadership, a theme belonging to the organizational behavior field, has been intensively studied on the international scene for about a century. What about in Brazil? This paper aims to analyze the Brazilian scientific production on leadership published in 15 national psychology and management journals between 1996 and 2013. It consists of a systematic literature review of 35 empirical research articles about leadership roles and profiles. The findings show the predominance of cross-sectional exploratory studies that apply qualitative methods, collect data via interviews and use content analysis on data. The private sector and services received most attention. Analysis of article characteristics leads to the conclusion that Brazilian scientific production on this theme lags behind other areas of the organizational behavior field and research done abroad. We discuss core problems and challenges and propose recommendations for the further development of a national research agenda on leadership. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes whether the higher the company's financial leverage, the higher the salaries demanded by staff for the embedded financial distress risk. By applying Berk, Stanton and Zechner's (2010) model, we use a 2SLS for a sample of 250 non-financial companies listed on BOVESPA from 2007 to 2009. Indeed, we find that for each additional 1% of financial leverage, the staff remunerations increase by 0.26%, controlling for Chief Executive Officer (CEO) profile. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Literature on Corporate Social Responsibility points out some long-term benefits. However, the literature doesn't say much on its potential short-term benefits, such as how socially responsible firms react in a Financial-Economic Crisis, a well-known short-term phenomenon. This paper aims to analyze the relationship between Corporate Social Responsibility and firms' financial performance under a crisis scenario. Using a difference-in-difference regression model with panel data and companies listed on the Brazilian stock exchange (ISE-BOVESPA) as a proxy for Brazilian firms that implement Corporate Social Responsibility, we find that during the 2008 crisis, socially responsible firms didn't have significant differences in financial performance compared to non-ISE firms. Such results are not aligned with theories that argue in favor of Corporate Social Responsibility in order to boost financial performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a methodology of R&D&I project ex-ante evaluation for the Brazilian electric power sector using a multi-criteria tool focused on risk. The R&D process in the Brazilian electric power industry is regulated by the National Electric Energy Agency (ANEEL), and requires companies to invest part of Net Operating Income (NOI) in R&D&I. This pushed firms to structure management routines for technological innovation efforts that simultaneously mitigate market and regulatory risk. One way to achieve this issue is to perform an ex-ante evaluation project selection methodology able to deal with somewhat antagonistic multiple-element analysis. PiTech (Prioritization in Technology) is a very flexible and conducive tool for performing such a weighted parametric multivariate analysis. The case presented in this article was performed with PiTech working with operational, market and regulatory criteria in multiple combinations for 19 projects for a key holding group in the Brazilian power market. The tool proved to be very useful by allowing decision makers to verify the appropriateness of investment in R&D projects totaling R$61 million in 2010, minimizing regulatory risks and preserving adherence to corporate interests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to obtain a more accurate comprehension of organizations' strategizing and of the relations formed by actors and governance networks, this article intended to contribute to the theories used-- Governance Networks, Strategy as a Social Practice, Strategic Outcomes and Actor-Network Theory -- by delineating how the articulation of strategizing, as a process of translation, with governance network theory configures the governance and strategic outcomes of Business programs in private Higher Education Institutions in Curitiba (Parana, Brazil). The chosen research method was a comparative case study, by which five cases were studied and twenty-nine in-depth semi-structured interviews were held, besides non-participant observations and document analysis. Data analysis was developed through (a) Narrative Analysis and (b) Qualitative Comparative Analysis (Análise Qualitativa Comparativa [QCA]). The results showed that the strategizing process and the intertwining between human and nonhuman actors are essential to the comprehension of governance and strategic outcomes of the studied institutions. It is believed that the theoretical articulation undertaken in this paper and the empirical research findings form a consistent body of knowledge and elucidate current and relevant questions to understand nuances related to governance networks, strategy as practice, strategizing (and its outcomes) and sociomaterial issues (human and nonhuman actors). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies conducted in the early 2000s based on objective performance data confirmed the direct value of Information Technology (IT) at the firm level (A. S. Bharadwaj, 2000; Santhanam & Hartono, 2003). However, recent literature has produced different results, due to standardization in the supply of IT products and services. From the Resource-Based Theory perspective, this paper tests whether the value of IT continues to be captured by measures of firm performance, as found in studies in early 2000 of U.S. firms. We do so by gathering objective data and variables for 149 leading IT companies in Brazil in the period 2008-2011. Utilizing Linear Regression and panel data, we test this association and found that IT capabilities are associated with performance in only four of the 32 relationships tested, with one being negative. Thus, overall, we confirmed the null impact of IT capabilities specifically at the firm level -- supporting the demands of Resource Based Theory to analyze this impact at intermediate levels of performance. We also list limitations and research opportunities in the conclusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to identify the main criteria considered in supplier selection, the main methods used and sub-problems in a multicriteria context. The tasks of identifying the best suppliers of new products or services or even for evaluating the performance of an existing supplier is essential to supply chain management (SCM). In order to perform these tasks properly, and considering the multicriteria nature of supplier selection, it is necessary to include an approach using aggregation of criteria, primarily chosen depending on the objectives of the decision, types of criteria to be used and the rationality of the decision maker. In order to achieve this objective this research used a systematic literature review of articles published in ISI Web of Knowledge and Scopus for the period 2001- 2012 following the protocol proposed by Cronin, Ryan and Coughlan (2008). In addition to synthesizing knowledge about the subject, the article highlights the key criteria, methods and sub-problems of selection of suppliers, contributing by identifying the aspects that should be developed in future studies. It also provides managers with existing approaches to making decisions about supplier selection in a systematic way. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Public banks are an important part of the banking market in Brazil and abroad, and they have been used to implement strategies furthering political and social goals. Although one of the main arguments for the existence of public banks is to encourage competition, this role remains controversial in literature. This paper analyzes the Brazilian banking market during the period from 2000 to 2011, calculating the level of competition between private and public banks, and their reactions to the measures adopted by the Brazilian government during the world crisis of 2008, when the government adopted a policy of publicly influencing public banks to increase loan approvals and reduce interest rates. From results obtained through three stage least squares estimation of the Lerner index, we found that public banks exhibit behavior closer to perfect competition than private banks, even though they can exert some market power. We also observed a change in competitive behavior after the 2008 crisis for both public and private banks, which displayed an increased in pro-competitive behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Socioeconomic changes that gave rise to flexible forms of job organization also changed Professional Systems, initiating the phase of post-professionalism, represented by the adoption of a market-oriented logic. The aim of this paper is to understand and analyze these changes in Brazilian law firms using a qualitative research. We interviewed twenty-two professionals engaged in six major law firms in the country. For data analysis we used the thematic content analysis technique. The results indicate that the offices are undergoing a process of incorporating management practices of capitalist enterprises that compete in the market: flexible hierarchy, multidisciplinary teams, job cells and specialized professionals are adopting a business logic. We conclude that large law firms are increasingly beginning to experience a break with the traditional values of the profession, although old practices are still part of these organizations' daily lives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes the beef supply chain in Brazil with the purpose of identifying the existence of market power between farmers and slaughterhouses. The study is divided in two parts. First, we characterize the beef sector in Brazil, and conclude that the industry structure is close to a oligopsony. Following the tradition of the New Empirical Industrial Organization (NEIO), we then proceed to apply an econometric test to detect market power. This new method tries to overcome the usual limitations in which the results obtained are sensitive to assumptions about production technology. Using profit maximization conditions for slaughterhouses, and a time series of monthly data over a period of 14 years from the state of Sao Paulo, we found evidence of weak to moderate market power in the relationship between slaughterhouses and producers. Robustness checks through alternative models only confirmed these results. Also, we did not find evidence that market power has increased any in recent years, during which the industry concentration ratio has increased substantially. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Health Information Systems (SIS) are technological artifacts allowing public managers in three government spheres to obtain essential information for the management and planning of the Brazilian Unified Health System (SUS - the public health system). Institutional Theory was chosen as the theoretical framework to analyze the incorporation of SIS in Brazilian public health, since there may be a direct influence from the organizational environment. This perspective makes it possible to find explanations for environmental factor influence, be they coercive, normative or mimetic, when deciding on the use of technology in government. The aim of this paper is to investigate the influence these institutional factors have on SIS use by State Health Departments (SES). In order to achieve our objective, we chose a qualitative approach, with multiple SES case studies in the states of Paraná and Rio Grande do Sul. The Mortality Information System (SIM) and the Decentralized Hospital Information System (SIHD) were considered the units of analysis for this study. Based on the proposed conceptual model, institutional factors that influence the use of these SIS, in the form of coercive, mimetic and normative pressures, are presented and analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes the importance assigned to Operations Management themes by researchers, educators and practitioners in the field. Data were collected by means of a survey and also by analyzing other evidence of concern to researchers, educators and practitioners. The analysis based on the survey did not reveal any significant differences between the three groups of professionals. Some dissonance was perceived, however, in the involvement of these professionals with such themes in their daily activities. Two themes appear among the ten most frequent themes depicted for the three professional groups (Production strategy and policies; and Quality management). Three themes (Operations information management; Lean production systems; and Work design, measurement and improvement) are among the most prevalent ones for researchers and practitioners. One theme (Operations and process management) is among the ten most relevant for educators and practitioners. Two other themes (Supply chain management; and Project management) frequently appear to be important for researchers and educators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study portrays the state of the art in scientific literature on the culture of innovation, with the objective of characterizing its meaning and especially describing different theoretical models that seek to understand how it occurs in an organizational environment. To enrich the analysis, research results show the relationship between organizational culture and innovation. The literature review was carried out in 2011 using the following databases: Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES), Proquest and Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ). The keywords used were the expression culture of innovation and the joint terms culture and innovation, only full articles were included in the research. Culture of innovation articles that were cited in the papers identified in the literature search were also considered. The analysis consisted of 40 articles, based on the predefined criteria, and showed that this is a topic of interest for researchers in different world regions. It is a complex theme determined by factors with a systemic character. There is a predominance of quantitative research and strong evidence of a relationship between organizational culture and innovation, which requires further research to test the theoretical models proposed by these different authors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most research purports to show the prevalence of either need or opportunity as the driving motive for entrepreneurship. Some has suggested that there is no such dichotomy; other motives can interfere, with interaction among them. This paper delves into such matters insofar as it brings to bear a qualitative research associated with a quantitative one, both targeted to identify the motives underlying the genesis of new undertakings. While the first procedure suggests the presence of multiple motives, the second - built from generated references - ratifies the occurrence of such motives. Results suggest that underlying motives bypass the binary conundrum of need versus opportunity and go deeper, in order to include: opportunity, personal attributes, labor markets, job frustration, family pressures, and external influences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Signaling theory states that signals are firms' actions that communicate information about the quality of a product. The main purpose of this research is to investigate the effect of signal quality in a service context, through the investigation of the signaling effects of price and responsiveness in a service context. Perceived behavior control, regarded as an individual's perception of the ability to perform a behavior, was proposed as a moderator between signaling variables and perceived quality. Two experimental studies with factorial and inter- subject designs were conducted in order to test the hypotheses formulated from the literature review. Results from both experiments show that signaling quality through price and responsiveness can affect perceived quality. The second experiment supports the hypothesis of perceived behavior control moderation between price as a signaling variable and perceived quality, but not between responsiveness and perceived quality. These results and their implications are discussed in the final section of the paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transactional changes alter only certain aspects of the organization. Transformational changes are more radical, involving the organization as a whole. The existence of capacity factors for organizational change in an organization can influence the occurrence of these types of changes. Change occurrences can be hindered or enhanced due to some organizational capacity factors, including information flow, organizational strategy, coalition dynamics, turbulence in the external environment, group autonomy, bureaucracy and managerial practices. The present paper aims to appraise whether these factors influence or not the way individuals perceive transformational and transactional changes in an organization. The data (N=340) have been gathered from a number of questionnaires applied in a public organization that has undergone management changes and had some of its areas restructured. The Organizational Capacity Assessment Scales for Changes and the Change Perception Scale have also been used. The results point out that organizational strategy, coalition dynamics and communication flow (R2 = 0.35; p = 0.011) are predictors for Transformational Changes perception. As for Transactional Changes, group work (R = 0.16; p = 0.001) is barely considered a predictive factor. The relevance of this research is directed toward those who are responsible for the management process in public institutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethical behavior management is one of the most important and complex problems faced by organizations (Stead, Worrell, & Stead, 1990). Recent studies reveal a dual process model of ethical decision making, integrating both conscious and subconscious components (Reynolds, 2006). It is interesting to highlight the work by Welsh and Ordonez (in press) related to this topic, which emphasizes the role of priming, an unconscious cognitive phenomenon that can affect and even change some individual decision patterns. From this perspective, this paper develops two experimental studies that explore the process by which priming could activate individuals' moral standards, changing the way they would evaluate certain everyday situations. The findings of both studies demonstrate the effectiveness of the priming effect, which led participants to evaluate fraudulent situations as more serious and to prescribe harsher punishments for wrongdoers. Supporting the results of prior studies, we observed a positive correlation between the seriousness of the situation and the prescribed punishment. Furthermore, our results stressed how the priming effect can strengthen this relationship. As practical implications for organizations, the use of priming can strengthen the organizational environment in ethical terms, making members less acquiescent to any observed unethical behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adorno's philosophical legacy came to be considered in researches in the area of business administration, especially in organizational studies (Batista-dos-Santos, Alloufa, & Nepomuceno, 2010; Faria, 2004; Paes de Paula, 2008, 2012). This paper is intended to contribute with epistemological reflections and their implications in the use of dialectic as a method of analysis. Adorno's contributions to research in organization studies materialize in at least 6 ways: (a) the fight against totalitarian philosophical systems; (b) when ideas are elements from Praxis, these have concrete potential in the objective world; (c) the primacy of an object over a subject makes an object qualitatively distinct; (d) an object studied is nothing without a subject who will study it, because without the subject the object does not exist; (e) a subject thinks about reality principally through ideas and concepts; (f) as any reality studied cannot be fully knowable, it can only be known through what it shows, i.e. a non-concept can only be known through a concept, because a relationship of mutual existence allows us to consider the existence of a potential totality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study of the role of collaboration networks in the production of knowledge is important and has attracted the attention of a substantial number of researchers and policy makers around the world. This paper aims to analyze the structural properties of relationship networks among Finance researchers in Brazil. By applying Social Network Analysis to data from 532 articles produced by 806 researchers between 2003 and 2012, this article's results suggest that: (a) the Brazilian environment has structural features that indicate the existence of Small Worlds; (b) a small fraction (∼3%) of researchers has regular production; (c) the higher the centrality of researchers in the network, the greater the number of articles published by them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The search for organizational sustainability in organizations demands a higher cognitive complexity from their participants due to their systemic dimensions and various aspects associated with the economy, society and environment. This paper studies the relationship between Degree of Cognitive Complexity (DCC) and Sustainability in Organizations (SIO) of companies that participate in the Corporate Sustainability Index (CSI) of Bolsa de Valores of São Paulo (BM & FBOVESPA - the Brazilian Stock Exchange). Its research methodology was based on a qualitative approach and multiple case studies. Document research was used to find sustainability reports and CSI questionnaires were implemented and then subjected to content analysis. An intentional sample was composed of six companies that made their full sustainability reports and CSI questionnaires available. The companies' DCC and SIO were respectively evaluated from the perspectives of Sustainable Value Creation (SVC) and Corporate Sustainability Index (CSI). Comparative analyses showed similarities and differences among the cases and a tendency for a positive relationship between DCC and SIO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to show that global innovation in foreign subsidiaries located in emerging markets depends directly on the international competitive context and indirectly on the national competitive context. This requires subsidiaries participate in networks external to the host country to benefit from a domestic competitive context. For this reason, the article uses foreign subsidiaries installed in Brazil as the object of research, as a representative sample of subsidiaries located in emerging markets. Structural equation modeling was applied to a survey conducted with subsidiaries in Brazil to test proposed hypotheses. The results show that foreign subsidiaries that carry out activities of global innovation while located in emerging markets use differentiated strategies to access resources in the external environment. In order to benefit from the host country's national competitive benefits, subsidiaries need to get involved in technical networks as a means of learning to operate in an emerging market and overcome domestic market challenges. Subsidiaries integrated in global supply chains make direct use of the international competitive contexts located in developed countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this article is to identify the elements that allow understanding the subjectivity of women entrepreneurs according to González Rey's theory (2009). Subjectivity is a configuration of subjective senses originating from individual and social levels. Thus, a subjective constitution is formed by different forces that remain constantly changing throughout subjects' history. The methodology used to achieve the objective of this paper follows Qualitative Epistemology. This is a qualitative approach that uses a set of specific procedures specifically designed to reveal the indicators which form the subjective configuration. The results indicate that women's subjective entrepreneurship configuration rests on subjective meanings associated with the trajectories, context and culture within which the activity is developed. Entrepreneurship in this research appears as an individual characteristic that is formed in childhood. However, these women exist as entrepreneurs throughout their histories; especially when they have to deal with adverse conditions in the business world, which is seen as sexist. In this context, a company's opening is an event that strongly marks these women's histories, with a symbolic nature that becomes an integral part of their subjectivities. Similarly, the multiplicity of roles and competition between social spaces highlight how family interferes with business dynamics, as well as how businesses are present in the home. Also, the way they undertake entrepreneurial activities is delimited by the concrete conditions in which they lived / live. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This theoretical essay examines the role of transaction costs along the value chain from a Porterian perspective, aiming to propose a conceptual apparatus that combines the view of the firm as a set of activities connected by links with that of the firm as a nexus of transactions and costs that cause loss of value. Using the literature on transaction cost economics and Porter's competitive advantage, we elaborated a framework that separates value creation by a firm into three dimensions: value created by the activities, activity costs and cost of links. We also recognize that link costs are moderated by a firm's institutional matrix, governance structures, and economies of scale and scope. The incorporation of these constructs is this paper's primary contribution. We concluded that despite having differing orientations regarding profitability, the Porterian perspective and transaction cost economics have the potential for integration since analysis of value creation in the firm is incomplete when only using one of the approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The born global phenomenon has been made apparent, mainly in high technology sectors, which requires new theoretical understandings about the role of nascent and small international companies. This article analyzes the relationship between a company's external environment in its country of origin, internal organizational factors and the factors relating to how some technology-based firms (TBFs) internationalize. A survey was applied to Brazilian TBFs. At the end of the data collection period, the first database generated 214 responses. Out of these, 85 (39.7%) were obtained from companies involved in some kind of business abroad. However, only 54 questionnaires were considered valid for this research. The data were analyzed using logistic regression statistical techniques. The results show that external factors influence the internationalization of TBFs more as compared to internal factors. Integration in the value chain and an entrepreneur's ability to manage internationally are the factors that best distinguish the internationalization of born-global TBFs. Thus, this paper contributes to the discussion of the internationalization process of born-globals and TBFs, filling the gap regarding the importance of external, internal and entrepreneurial factors in these companies' internationalization processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a reflective way, the objective of this paper is to identify evidence of the modernization of public administration that a Brazilian state has achieved in terms of filling positions by appointment, such as for public entrepreneurs, rather than by using civil servant exams,. The research used a qualitative approach, treating primary and secondary data to content analysis. Contributions of the research include the observation that pre-qualification processes for public entrepreneurs are an advancement in public administration in terms of filling appointed positions. However, based upon the literature review and data, appointing such positions in Brazil can be a way for governments to gain political support, at least when they don't consist of mere appropriation of government jobs for the purpose of bypassing civil exams, which are usually mandatory in Brazil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]