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This paper investigates the influence of cybernetic and dynamic controls on strategic and operational flexibility and, consequently, on monetary and non-monetary performance indicators. Even though business and operation strategies have been the object of many studies, management accounting studies on how management control systems could contribute to flexibility are scarce. We conducted a survey with 89 professionals who work in Brazilian companies and employed structural equation modeling (SEM) to test the relationships included in the theoretical model. Our findings indicate that the relationship between monetary cybernetic control and strategic flexibility is not statistically significant. The results support the positive association between non-monetary and dynamic controls on strategic flexibility. Finally, the findings also support the mediating role of operational flexibility in the relationship between strategic flexibility and performance. This paper’s main contribution to the management control literature is its explanation of the impact of management control systems on strategic flexibility, operational flexibility, and organizational performance. For practitioners, the results highlight the importance of role management control and business strategy to leverage performance.

Objective: Entrepreneurs are responsible for innovation, but they do not act in the vacuum, the greater the support for their action, the improve the chances of success. Startups - technology-based companies with high potential for growth and impact - are associated with the existence of entrepreneurial ecosystems that facilitate entrepreneurial action. This paper goal is to provide evidence that help to explain why startups fail in an emerging entrepreneurial ecosystem. Method: We perform exploratory research in which entrepreneurs whose startups failed in the emerging entrepreneurial ecosystem of Porto Alegre, Brazil, were interviewed. We complement the analysis with the collection of secondary data. Results: Building on Isenberg’s (2011) six domains, we generate ideas on how each of them in emergent entrepreneurial ecosystem may influence startup mortality. Our results indicate that emerging entrepreneurial ecosystem could be much better in avoiding the premature failure of startups. Policy and Finance are the most problematic domains, while culture, support, and markets are the three middle-ground dimensions. These last three need improvement, but they are not as critical as the first two. Contributions: This paper contributes to the entrepreneurial ecosystems literature by exploring how emergent ecosystems contribute for discontinuity of promising startups. Originality: Besides entrepreneurial mistakes, problems that are out of the entrepreneur control can also cause a venture's death (Cardon et al., 2011). Building on this, we use Isenberg's (2010; 2011) model for understanding the influence of the entrepreneurial ecosystem on the circumstances that entrepreneurs faced that determined their startup failure (Jenkins & McKelvie, 2016). Social Contributions: by better understanding why startups fail in emerging entrepreneurial ecosystems, we support policymakers in their focus on possible improvements of the features that seem most relevant to entrepreneurs. The public agents can then work to provide a better environment for future entrepreneurial endeavors.

Several papers have connected management controls to strategic commitment, innovation, and corporate governance, among other organizational outcomes. There are few studies that relate the levers of control framework proposed by Simons (1995) to strategic alignment. This paper aims to evaluate the relationships between Simons´ strategic levers of control with the vertical strategic alignment at Itaipu Binacional. Data collected through a survey of 341 respondents and analysed through structural equation modelling by the Partial Least Squares (PLS) method revealed that the levers of control are associated, exerting a positive influence, with the strategic alignment, with diagnostic, beliefs, and interactive systems showing significant statistical associations.

Objective: The objective of this paper was to analyze the bidirectional relationship between financial development and economic growth for a dataset of Latin American and Asian developing countries between 2001 and 2019. Method: This research employed an empirical approach to analyze the statistical relationship between financial development and economic growth, by presenting an estimation of a system of simultaneous equations for a panel of Asian and Latin American countries using 3SLS. Main Results: The results presented in this research provided evidence that financial development does not appear to have a significant impact on economic growth, although growth appears to have a significant and positive influence on financial development. Moreover, the results also suggested that regulatory quality and domestic credit directed to the private sector have a positive effect on economic growth, while urbanization and education showed a negative influence on growth. The estimated model also indicated that urbanization has a positive influence on financial development while foreign direct investment presented a negative effect on the development of the financial sector. Relevance / Originality: Most of the research agenda on the topic of finance and growth has focused on identifying correlation or causality between these variables, with little attention given to the simultaneous relationship between them. This is still a clear gap in economic literature. Following this premise, the objective of this paper was to analyze the bidirectional relationship between financial development and growth by estimating a system of simultaneous equations using the Zellner and Theil’s (1962) 3SLS methodology. In this sense, the main contribution will be given empirically, based on data and analysis from emerging countries in Latin America and Asia. The fact that financial development has an influence on growth and growth plays a role on the development of the financial sector indicates a simultaneous relationship between these variables. Another relevant contribution is to update the debate on financial systems and economic development for emerging countries, highlighting institutional aspects and financial cycles. Theoretical / Methodological Contributions: The main contribution of this study is in the empirical strategy, whose results dialogue with part of the literature on the financial system and development presented along the text. That is, this research explored the statistical relationship between economic development and financial development for a sample composed by twenty-two Asian and Latin American emerging countries, using a simultaneous equations model.

Although the strategic issue (SI) construct has been used since the 1970s as a theoretical framework to investigate and explain several phenomena in organizational and strategic management, few reviews on SIs have been carried out so far. This study aims to fill this gap. A systematic review of the literature was conducted, comprising 77 empirical and theoretical papers published in peer-reviewed academic journals since 1975. The analysis of this sample of papers led to the identification of five themes or perspective on SIs, which are discussed. This review contributes to the organizational and strategic management literature by identifying lines of inquiry, convergences, and gaps in the studies on SIs, and proposing an agenda for future research.

Objective: This paper aimed to provide a systematic review of brand identity and understand how literature streams impact the current brand identity frameworks. Method: There are few systematic reviews about this salient topic, and the existing ones have not analyzed how the research in brand identity has evolved in the last 30 years, what have been the leading research streams and gaps, and which future avenues of study could be pursued. To fill this gap, this paper analyzed 67 articles published in 24 leading academic journals (Academic Journal Guide grades 3, 4, and 4*) between 1990 and 2021. Main Results: Five key research streams were identified: brand identity frameworks; consumer behavior; corporate branding; visual brand identity; co-creation. Despite the impressive progress made over the last 30 years, our review points out what we defined as a “middle-age brand identity crisis”, since there is still no convergence among scholars about what brand identity is and what would be its main components. Also, the current research streams uncover concepts and ideas that were not previously included in brand identity frameworks. Relevance / Originality: This study performed a comprehensive systematic analysis of the brand identity literature, highlighting essential recent research not considered by the current brand identity frameworks and connecting it to branding constructs. We also identified that there is still a lack of consensus regarding the brand identity components and dimensions. Theoretical / Methodological Contributions: This paper contributes to the literature by presenting a new framework to shed light on the interactions of brand identity with other branding constructs, proposing that brand identity has a core (brand essence) and extended identity (composed of personality, relationship, symbology, and cultural expressions). A new brand identity taxonomy is also proposed, with complexity and tangibility as its dimensions.

Context. There is an inflation of behavioral frameworks applied to social problems, such as tax dodging. There has been also a surge in the creation of the so-called nudge units throughout the world, following the success of the pioneer units in USA and UK. Meanwhile, there has been criticism directed at aspects such as ‘psychologism,’ paternalism, and short-termism associated with nudge approaches. Moreover, by ignoring systems thinking, complexity science and other broader approaches, nudging may lead to interventions that can be ineffective or counterproductive in the long term. Goal. To overcome such limitations, the paper proposes an integrative framework, the Nested Circles Model, which put the intended behaviors in a perspective ranging from microworlds to broader upstream influences. Method. The paper employs a qualitative approach to critically review the literature on nudging and map its shortcomings. Results and contributions. The proposed model integrates major concepts from popular behavioral frameworks and incorporates elements that influence the repertoire of behaviors adopted by individuals, including intangible stocks (trust and fairness) and complexity markers. The paper concludes by exemplifying the application of the Nested Circles Model to three problems in the context of taxation in Brazil.

ABSTRACT This paper aims to identify the explanatory factors of mandatory disclosure (MD) and voluntary disclosure (VD) levels related to discount rates, based on disclosure theories. The size, leverage, profitability, and audit firms were selected from different theories, namely agency theory, signaling theory, positive accounting theory, including the political cost hypothesis, and the cost of capital theory. Furthermore, the materiality (weight of the items) and the relevance (nature) of the topic were also considered, based on the evidence already obtained in the literature. Research on disclosures related to discount rates has been assessed either as an incidental topic or from a limited-scope analysis, particularly with respect to MDs. This paper assesses this topic as its specific object of analysis for both MD and VD. The use of the discount rate has been assuming growing importance within financial reporting. Therefore, this topic should deserve particular attention from international standard-setting bodies. The understanding of the proper set of items to be disclosed and understanding the factors that explain its disclosure, aligned with the efforts to assure its compliance by legal authorities, may contribute to reducing asymmetries and increasing transparency in entities' financial reporting. This study uses the method of archival research and content analysis of consolidated reports and accounts for the year 2020 of listed entities in Euronext Lisboa. Regression models were used, having disclosure indices related to discount rates as dependent variables. This paper finds a positive association between disclosures related to discount rates and the entity’s size, as well as the materiality and the relevance, assessed by the weight of the items and the nature of the topic under assessment, respectively. It adds new explanatory factors on the VDs and MDs related to discount rates in a broader perspective of analysis.

ABSTRACT This paper investigates if planning and cost controls and strategically aligned performance indicators (SAPI) are necessary and sufficient conditions to achieve a high level of organizational performance (OP). This article fills a gap in research by investigating elements of the management control system as necessary and sufficient conditions to achieve high levels of OP. Our findings show the reduced importance of planning controls and the great importance of aligning priorities and indicators to achieve high levels of performance. The paper is helpful for the practitioners that have to choose what kind of management controls are priorities to achieve high levels of performance. Management control frameworks are helpful for the literature and the practice. Still, the practitioners cannot implement the whole set of these components, considering the restriction of time and contingency aspects. The companies must choose what kind of management controls they have to implement, considering the goal of achieving performance. We used a quantitative methodology based on contingency theory in a survey of 89 Brazilian firms. The relationships were tested using partial least squares structural equations modeling (PLS-SEM), and necessary condition analysis (NCA) was applied to identify the management controls that are sufficient and necessary conditions for superior performance. The results of our study suggest that a high level of strategically aligned indicators is necessary to achieve a high level of performance. Results also suggest the importance of aligning strategic priorities with appropriated performance indicators, primarily defended in the normative (balanced scorecard) and empirical literature.

This paper analyses the network evolution of the internationalizing firm, focusing on a generative mechanism called preferential attachment. Preferential attachment means that more connected actors are likely to form more relationships. This paper uses longitudinal quantitative data of a single case of the internationalization of an American multinational firm’s operational division in the Brazilian market. The data analysis is based on Clauset et al.’s (2009) computational algorithm and PAFit, a new statistical method. The aim is to identify the extent to which the network evolution follows a power-law distribution and the degree to which preferential attachment affects the network evolution. It finds that the network evolution of the internationalizing firm follows a power-law distribution. It is affected by a sub-linear form of preferential attachment. Few actors accumulate a disproportionally high number of relationships. The preferential attachment does not homogeneously manifest itself in the network evolution. It has a strong effect on the network onset. This paper contributes by advancing a relational, process-based approach to the internationalization of the firm. It shows that the network evolution of the internationalizing firm grows over time and becomes sparser. More connected actors form hubs, meaning increased status, more power and resources.

This paper suggests a theoretical model, in which the manager's tenure and the dispersion of competitive intelligence have effects on sales efficiency. The dispersion of competitive intelligence consists of how much variation there is in the knowledge and the manager's tenure means the time that the manager is working in the firm. The paper brings the following contributions: first, by the theoretical model of competitive intelligence, the greater the dispersion of competitive intelligence, the lower the sales efficiency at individual level. Second, the greater the manager experience, the better the direct relationship between competitive intelligence and efficiency. Opportunities for future research are suggested.

Abstract This paper aims to analyze the role of social protection structures in the economic integration of refugees. While most of the literature on economic integration focuses on refugee access to formal workforce, this paper explores the importance of social protection in the integration process and how it paves the way for greater economic integration. This paper investigates both formal social protection structures and informal ties within immigrant communities that help refugees obtain a basic income while they are in the process of integration. Brazil has no national program for economic integration of refugees and, in terms of social protection structures, they are recipients of the same social assistance programs that are offered to the low-income population. By looking at a conditional cash transfer program, Bolsa Família, and analyzing the access and outcomes of this program for Syrian refugees in the city of São Paulo, this paper shows the limitations of providing these programs to refugees without considering their specificities. In conclusion, for a stronger economic integration, formal structures of social protection need to be more efficient and better address refugees’ needs. In order to conduct this work, I used academic and news articles, and interviewed members from the government and civil society organizations who work with refugee integration.

This paper investigates factors that motivate entrepreneurs to completely operate within informality and the drivers of formal companies to underreport revenues. In particular, this work identifies and organizes the determinants of firm informality through a systematic literature review in Scopus and Web of Science databases. The article presents several contributions. First, it examines the two main frameworks of informality (structuralist/exclusion and legalistic/exit dimensions) and links this with the different roles of unregistered firms in economic development (survival, De Soto, and parasite views). It also studies the theoretical basis of informality, including economic, institutional, psychological, and sociological aspects. Second, the paper summarizes business informality determinants based on studies with different methodological approaches (macro, microeconomic), contexts (developed, emerging, transition economies), and periods (1983-2018). Our results show that firm informality is mostly addressed in the examined literature as a decision or voluntary choice by companies and entrepreneurs (legalistic vision). Third, the article proposes an integral theoretical model, according to which the firm informality level is determined by structural elements (company and entrepreneur’s characteristics) and environmental factors (corruption, bureaucracy, taxes, etc.). The analysis is relevant for researchers studying this subject and for policymakers as well.

Access to bank credit is one of the major concerns of SMEs in their survival. To reduce their concerns, SMEs’ entrepreneurial attitudes that are the dimensions of entrepreneurial orientation (EO) might provide them some opportunities. This is because EO increases financial performance of SMEs, which is positively perceived by banks when making credit decision. In this regard, this paper aims to examine the mediating role of the performance of SMEs in the relationship between EO and access to bank finance. In parallel with this purpose, the paper analyzes 479 SMEs that operate in Turkey. To measure the mediating role of firm performance, Andrew Hayes’ process macro for binary dependent variable was employed by the researcher. According to the results, while performance mediates the relationship between innovativeness-access to finance and risk-taking access to bank finance, it does not mediate the relationships between proactiveness, competitive aggressiveness, autonomy, and access to finance.

This paper aims to propose an integrative framework that synthesizes the literature on collaborative value creation between nonprofit and business organizations. A systematic literature review was conducted of 41 papers. We analyzed the content of the papers quantitatively to present an overview. We also provided a qualitative analysis with the aim of identifying those attributes that influence collaborative value creation. The proposed integrative framework was based on the main findings, and the attributes and sub-attributes for value creation were presented. The framework extends the study on collaborative value creation, and provides the context (countries and businesses) and the main theories found in the literature. There is a lack of studies of emerging economies that adopt relevant theories (such as the relational view) and quantitative methods. Studies that address the environmental and economic impacts of partnerships and analyze the relationship between attributes and their influence on value creation are also scarce. Thus, a research agenda was proposed encompassing such aspects.

The call for papers for this Special Forum resulted in a very competitive selection of 37 being submitted. After several rounds of blind review, six papers were selected for this Special Forum. They clearly illustrate the challenges of carrying out research into sustainable operations and food waste reduction. They examine a variety of units of analysis and theories, which are embedded in different geographical contexts, and use a variety of analytical methods. What they all have in common is that they reveal just how applicable research aimed at finding solutions for reducing food waste is. In this Introductory article, we summarize the contributions of each of these six papers to the literature.

The main purpose of this paper is to analyze the contributions of elements of resilience (EoRs) to food waste reduction practices (FWRP) and to deal with causes of food waste (FWC). Based on a systematic literature review, a content analysis process was carried out with 143 relevant papers. Three main EoRs were identified: knowledge management, collaboration and flexibility. Financial health and redundancy are factors which can increase food waste (FW). The ability to anticipate is the most important practice to develop. This paper is the first attempt to establish the role of EoRs in tackling food waste management, and to propose new avenues of research.

The main purpose of this paper is to analyze the contributions of elements of resilience (EoRs) to food waste reduction practices (FWRP) and to deal with causes of food waste (FWC). Based on a systematic literature review, a content analysis process was carried out with 143 relevant papers. Three main EoRs were identified: knowledge management, collaboration and flexibility. Financial health and redundancy are factors which can increase food waste (FW). The ability to anticipate is the most important practice to develop. This paper is the first attempt to establish the role of EoRs in tackling food waste management, and to propose new avenues of research.

This paper presents a comparative analysis between Nova Lima, Minas Gerais, Brazil, and Lafayette, Louisiana, United States. These two cities share a strong historical connection with extractive industries and are experiencing dynamics of reconfiguration of their economic functions towards a digital economy. Nova Lima has a rich mining heritage, while Lafayette is known for its oil and gas sector. The study examines the sociocultural and symbolic capitals of these spaces, aiming to identify relevant assets for the creation and support of environments conducive to digital economy activities. Using Bourdieu’s theory of practice, the article offers valuable insights into strategies that could be employed by Nova Lima and Lafayette to position themselves as attractive hubs for investments and ventures in the context of the fourth industrial revolution. In this regard, the unique economic, historical, and sociodemographic contexts of the two cities and their implications on the ongoing transformation dynamics are analyzed. Furthermore, the sociocultural and symbolic capitals present in Nova Lima and Lafayette are investigated, highlighting possibilities for their unique application in fostering new businesses and ventures. To this end, a comparative qualitative research approach was used, developed through the case study method. The collected data, through documentary analysis, on-site visits, and semi-structured and in-depth interviews, were subsequently subjected to content analysis by category. The comparative analysis aims to provide contributions to policymakers, urban planners, entrepreneurs, and business leaders of spaces facing the challenges of economic transformation for business environment of the digital era.

Objective: comprehend the challenges and solutions faced by a non-technological and non-profit organization, acting within a coopetitive environment, in the construction of a multisided platform business model. Method: utilizing a qualitative case study approach, we investigated FEBRAFAR, a multisided platform of drugstore retailers, manufacturers, and service providers. Data collection and analysis was based on the following categories: (a) the methods through which the platform generates value for its diverse customer segments, (b) the intricate contours of its value configuration endeavor, and (c) its strategies for value appropriation to ensure both sustainability and growth. Results: the challenges in establishing an efficiently functioning multisided platform business model included: getting resources; member's attraction; and resistance to adopting best management practices. The solutions contained the development of value creation techniques for its varied customer segments by reducing transactional friction with customers and suppliers, a comprehensive value configuration process, and value appropriation that promote sustainability and growth to these drugstore chains. Conclusion: the paper shows how FEBRAFAR got the solution of value creation and appropriation of the platform business model by orchestrating the interactions of competing entities within the stakeholder ecosystem that engage in collaboration. By establishing clear rules and interaction protocols, a multisided platform can facilitate coordination among competing entities, thereby enabling collaborative value co-creation for all involved stakeholders. This finding contributes to the broader understanding of strategic management in multisided platforms, particularly in non-technology contexts.

This paper provides a retrospective analysis of the impact of trust in institutions in Brazil during the initial wave of Covid-19 on distress symptoms. Capturing data from 571 respondents across all five Brazilian regions during the crucial period of April-May 2021, the study examines the relationship between institutional trust and public health outcomes at the pandemic's onset. Our findings reveal four distinct trust-based groups, reflecting the multifaceted nature of trust amidst the political and misinformation crisis of the time. Notably, our data contradicts the expected norm: the group with the lowest trust in institutions reported fewer distress symptoms, a paradox possibly rooted in a negationist attitude linked to anti-establishment sentiments and the misinformation crisis. In a contemporary context, this study provides historical insights into the dynamics of the pandemic's early days and also offers a reflection point for understanding the long-term implications of institutional trust on public health, especially in times of crisis.

Objective: The paper reviews and systematizes the metrics proposed in the literature for measuring the different elements of entrepreneurial ecosystems and covers the challenges of measuring ecosystems at the regional level and the Brazilian case. Method: A literature review of the metrics proposed for Entrepreneurship Ecosystems and descriptive statistics to systematize the indicators found in the review. Results: There is still no uniformity in the proposal of metrics. Most of them have a national approach and are related to the dimensions of Public policy & Regulation, Culture, and Human capital. The effort to apply theory to the Brazilian case is still incipient, and it is necessary to create adequate metrics for the national context. Theoretical/methodological contributions: The article enriches the discourse on measuring entrepreneurial ecosystems by shedding light on a variety of methodologies, identifying gaps, highlighting the necessity for subnational indicators, and exploring their implications within the Brazilian context. Relevance/Originality: While the concept of EE and its measuring methods hold significant potential for orienting public policies, they remain underexplored in the Brazilian academic community. This article aims to bridge this gap and underscore the promising nature of this research area.

The call for papers for this Special Forum resulted in a very competitive selection of 37 being submitted. After several rounds of blind review, six papers were selected for this Special Forum. They clearly illustrate the challenges of carrying out research into sustainable operations and food waste reduction. They examine a variety of units of analysis and theories, which are embedded in different geographical contexts, and use a variety of analytical methods. What they all have in common is that they reveal just how applicable research aimed at finding solutions for reducing food waste is. In this introductory article, we summarize the contributions of each of these six papers to the literature.

Workforce agility has been described as a management strategy that allows companies to respond quickly and effectively to threats and opportunities arising from a competitive and unstable business environment. In the current literature, there is still a lack of efforts to systematically review the state of the art on this subject. The aim of this paper is to address this gap by studying the academic progress on workforce agility. A systematic literature review was carried out to analyze the academic articles within the workforce agility topic that were published online until the end of June 2020 in three electronic databases: Web of Science (WoS), Scopus, and Science Direct. The bibliometric indicators present how the field has developed and which actors (authors, institutions, countries, journals) are the most relevant. Regarding the conceptual aspects, the findings allowed us to identify that an agile workforce consists of four interrelated and interdependent dimensions: proactivity, flexibility and adaptability, resilience, and competence. These attributes can be promoted through strategies related to i) learning and training, ii) forms of work organization, iii) human resource management; and iv) culture and organizational structure. Our findings also allowed us to propose an agenda for future studies on workforce agility and other related topics. This paper contributes by promoting a debate on a subject still incipient in the literature, especially in Latin America, and by highlighting the potential competitive advantage associated with workforce agility for companies.

ABSTRACT This papers aims to investigate whether the incidence of impairment of non-current assets increased with the advent of the covid-19 crisis. The Brazilian accounting literature on the impact of covid-19 on businesses still lacks empirical evidence, especially on the impact of the crisis on long-term accounting variables, for which the effect of covid-19 is more difficult to determine. The topic is relevant because it provides investors, regulators, preparers, and auditors with insights into the impact that a future crisis similar to covid-19 could have on businesses. The work is also relevant to academia, as it is one of the first to analyze the effect of the pandemic on long-term assets. The findings allow us to reflect on how companies and sectors are more or less exposed to the risk of impairment in crises, providing inputs for investment decision making in these scenarios. We studied 383 Brazilian publicly traded companies registered with the Brazilian Securities and Exchange Commission (CVM) between 2016 and 2020. To test the hypothesis of this research, we manually collected the recognitions and reversals of impairment losses in 1,805 financial statements and, then, estimated a set of linear regression models with using fixed effects panel data. We found a positive and significant relationship between the effects of the covid-19 crisis and the incidence of impairment of non-current assets in Brazilian firms, which persisted even after controlling for various economic and financial factors. By separating the impairment of fixed and intangible assets, the findings suggest that intangible assets were more exposed to the covid-19 crisis than fixed assets. The results remained robust to various econometric analyses, including industry patterns, sub-samples, and the effect of the audit firm. This research contributes to the academic and professional debate by confirming the correlation between this crisis and the impairments recorded in financial statements, studying their effects on the accounting of non-current assets and on the long-term returns of the companies and sectors analyzed.

Objective: The aim of this study was to analyze the differences related to work values and attitudes toward the technology of Generation Z in Brazil and Germany. Method: The proposed hypotheses were tested in a survey of 122 Brazilian and German participants. The data were analyzed using t-test and logistic regression models. Main Results: The results present differences between Brazilian and German Generation Z, challenging the literature that analyzes Generation Z as a global generation and reinforcing cultural differences between nationalities. The Brazilian sample presents more instrumental and prestige work values and is more positive and less negative regarding technology than the German sample. Relevance/Originality: The paper’s contribution provides evidence of Generation Z’s differences according to nationalities relevant to shaping their relationship with work and technology. The analysis of both constructs is interesting nowadays because of their interrelationship and the current changes in global work boundaries. Theoretical/Methodological Contributions: The literature predominantly presents that Generation Z is a global generation. Comparing participants from two countries with different levels of development provides an insight into their differences regarding work values and attitudes, which can be valuable for business management literature. Practical/Social Contributions: Recommendations for businesses are provided to improve attraction and retention strategies to tackle the shortage of skilled workers. This implies management strategies for firms with multicultural teams.

Objective: The aim of this study was to analyze the differences related to work values and attitudes toward the technology of Generation Z in Brazil and Germany. Method: The proposed hypotheses were tested in a survey of 122 Brazilian and German participants. The data were analyzed using t-test and logistic regression models. Main Results: The results present differences between Brazilian and German Generation Z, challenging the literature that analyzes Generation Z as a global generation and reinforcing cultural differences between nationalities. The Brazilian sample presents more instrumental and prestige work values and is more positive and less negative regarding technology than the German sample. Relevance/Originality: The paper’s contribution provides evidence of Generation Z’s differences according to nationalities relevant to shaping their relationship with work and technology. The analysis of both constructs is interesting nowadays because of their interrelationship and the current changes in global work boundaries. Theoretical/Methodological Contributions: The literature predominantly presents that Generation Z is a global generation. Comparing participants from two countries with different levels of development provides an insight into their differences regarding work values and attitudes, which can be valuable for business management literature. Practical/Social Contributions: Recommendations for businesses are provided to improve attraction and retention strategies to tackle the shortage of skilled workers. This implies management strategies for firms with multicultural teams.

Society relies on technology and innovation (T&I) to tackle some of its great challenges, and it has been given even more importance since the increasing concern over sustainability issues. A particular concern is the Amazon rainforest’s impact on sustainability and what this means for the planet. The paper analyzes how research on technology and innovation in the Amazon region is addressing sustainability issues. This wide-ranging intentional approach has led to an integrative picture, providing the first systematic literature review that connects these themes within a specific region, resulting in 222 academic publications from 1992 to 2020. The main findings indicate that: (1) 40.1% of the studies relate to the management field, which percentage increased significantly after 2015; (2) the dispersion of the studied themes confirms the plurality of Amazonian environmental wealth, but their lack of integration represents a constraint to the development of public policies; (3) market and public policies are both powerful but conflicting innovation drivers; (4) although studies on innovations address greenhouse gas emissions, innovation also includes forest degradation activities; and (5) there are different drivers and applications behind initiatives in technology and innovation, which depend on the local context.

Abstract Project management increasingly focuses on delivering benefits, considering institutional complexity and global challenges. Inland waterway transport (IWT) projects appear in the Brazilian Nationally Determined Contribution following the Paris Agreement. However, Brazilian IWT projects remain underdeveloped, and waterway freight transport capacity is underutilized. There is a literature gap on the links between budget performance, policy, politics, and project management. In particular, we know little about the effects of the interactions between governance mechanisms and public budget execution on the procurement of waterway transport infrastructure projects in Brazil. This paper aims to assess Brazilian waterway infrastructure budgetary execution and governance arrangements to determine the influence of these factors on policy failures. We performed a qualitative analysis of policy plans and investments made between 2014 and 2020 through interviews and documental research to examine 109 waterway infrastructure projects. All respondents pointed out the lack of planning as an obstacle to waterway projects, and 74% reported budget shortness. Nevertheless, we found USD 43.2 million available in budgets that were never utilized. The inability to invest is a bigger obstacle for Brazilian waterway projects than budget insufficiency. We recommend an adaptive management approach to allocate investments, in which stakeholders learn together to implement more effective project strategies.

In this paper, we employ the life story method to investigate the multiple boundaries that, visible or invisibly, have influenced the trajectories of outsourced cleaners working in organizations, delimiting their career opportunities. Based on the Bourdieusian framework, we aim to contribute to the expansion of the debate in the field of career studies by emphasizing the influence of the contextual dimension of analysis in the career construction process. Above all, we privilege a social class perspective, scarcely present in career studies, in which the dominance of constructs such as boundaryless and protean careers reflects the typical emphasis attributed to individual agency. Access to the life stories of the respondents enabled us to unveil multiple boundaries interposed throughout their trajectories, associated with family (family disorganization and early transitions: maternity, conjugality, and insertion into domestic work), educational (early school dropout), neighborhood (local ties associated with low career returns), and professional (intersubjective relationships associated with experiences of pleasure and social humiliation) contexts. Taken together, these boundaries ended up circumscribing the topography of their careers by largely limiting them to providing care and cleaning services.

Objective of the study: This paper gathers, and reviews published empirical or theoretical articles in which the entrepreneurial logics of causation and effectuation, coined by Sarasvathy in 2001, are discussed to answer the research question of “Under what circumstances do firms combine effectuation with causation?”. Methodology/approach: The research is based on a systematic literature review of top-tier journals over a 20-year period. Main results: Findings suggest causation and effectuation logics can be applied simultaneously or in sequence, depending on factors at the micro (the entrepreneur), meso (the firm), and macro levels (business context—institutional and situational). Theoretical/methodological contributions: It delivers a compiled, synthesized, and contrasted set of past work for future researchers to build upon and a preliminary conceptual matrix for further testing and refinement, not to mention an in-depth discussion at the micro, meso and macro level. Relevance/originality: Over 20 years after Sarasvathy’s seminal work, most literature investigating decision-making still focuses on contrasting the logics of causation or effectuation, not fully understanding the conditions under which each prevails or when they are combined. Social/management contributions: At the micro level, this research can help entrepreneurs better understand their profile and the benefits of considering both logics throughout their decision-making process. At the meso level, companies can benefit from understanding how logics relate at each life stage. Finally, at the macro level, policymakers and educators can help entrepreneurs navigate uncertain and turbulent environments if different logics and circumstances are more broadly acknowledged.

We have analyzed the association between firms' life cycle stages (LCSs) and their debt maturity (DM). This paper deepens the discussion on capital structure from the perspective of the LCSs' dynamic effect associated with DM. The sample was composed by secondary data from 370 (non-financial) Brazilian listed companies in the period from 2010 to 2019, gathered quarterly. The data were analyzed through descriptive statistics, tests of differences between means and regression analysis from panel data. The results showed that the DM presents no association with LCS, following an inverted U-shape. It has been observed that the maturity stage had a positive effect on the DM, however, as companies move towards the shake-out and decline stages, DM experiences successive reductions. The findings are relevant for providing insights for future research. In addition, they have the potential to contribute to managers, board members, credit committees, capital providers in general, risk management process, and resource allocation.

The literature on interorganizational relationships has explored them at the organizational level and ignored interpersonal relationships. This paper consists of a literature review analyzing, consolidating, and synthesizing studies on boundary spanners in business-to-business (B2B) interorganizational relationships, pointing out directions for future research. The review was carried out in ten steps, separated into three phases encompassing planning, collecting, and synthesizing data, and disclosing the results. The study assesses 3,156 published articles, and 45 of them addressed the theme of boundary spanners in B2B interorganizational relationships. These articles were analyzed, identifying their characteristics and the evolution of research through time. The definitions of interpersonal and interorganizational relationships were compared, observing how the literature has addressed the interdependency between these relationships. Also, the concepts and roles assigned to boundary spanners were analyzed, leading to an integrated framework of the existing literature on the theme. Finally, suggestions for future research are presented, followed by this review’s implications and limitations.

This paper investigated the essential elements for building a public governance model in Brazil, with the objective of proposing an analytical framework with contributions from different theoretical lenses. The concepts and debates emerging from the literature were analyzed along with the normative instruments that guide the principles of public governance in Brazil, and, finally, empirical research was carried out in a Brazilian public organization (Brazilian Navy). The study found that, in the Brazilian context, external control bodies have been playing the role of giving rise to an increase in governance levels within the scope of public administration, restricting at first its application to the perspective of control, and involving, to a lesser extent, the concepts of governance as instruments for achieving political-administrative effectiveness. This result corroborates the need to develop more comprehensive proposals related to public value creation involving the structuring of both political and administrative bodies in Brazil.

The literature on business models has developed under the assumption that they are tools that managers in general, and entrepreneurs in particular, use intensively to analyze information and make decisions. However, this approach has historically presented little empirical evidence about its relevance. This paper investigates this issue by assessing whether and how entrepreneurs use business models in their everyday practice. We used qualitative analysis of interviews with a group of micro and small entrepreneurs to evaluate their attitude toward one of the best-known business model frameworks on the market, the Business Model Canvas (BMC). The results indicated that these entrepreneurs tended to adopt the BMC if they believed their market was static. In more dynamic markets, they preferred to draw on their practical experience. These results highlight that entrepreneurs' perception of their firm's competitive environment is decisive in defining their attitude toward using business models as viable managerial tools.

In this paper, we analyzed the risk-adjusted performance of funds related to Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG-related funds), considering periods of financial constraints and the COVID-19 Pandemic. The database is comprised of 3,840 equity mutual funds in the period from January/2006 to December/2020. Each year, considering daily returns, we employed the Returns-Based Style Analysis to classify each fund as an ESG-related fund or a conventional fund; all funds in the category “Equities - Sustainability / Governance” were also considered as ESG-related mutual funds. Using daily data, for each year, the performance was estimated based on the four-factors model. The main results indicate that, on average, ESG-related funds presented higher risk-adjusted returns during periods of financial constraints. These results suggest that, during market downturns, investors tend to obtain better risk-adjusted returns for investing in green funds. A similar result was observed in relation to the COVID-19 period, suggesting that, based on the methods and procedures used, ESG-related funds achieved a better performance when compared to “conventional” funds during the Pandemic.

The aim of this paper is to investigate the performance of low-volatility portfolio strategies representing risk aversion after the 2008 global financial crisis. Five investment portfolios were built by taking into consideration the weight distribution criteria defined by the inverse of the standard deviation of assets, the natural logarithm and exponential of these values, as well as the minimum variance and tangent portfolios, based on the S&P 500 futures index, dollar futures index, US government long-term bond (10-year Treasury Bond) and gold futures. The design of the strategies used both twelve- and thirty-month rolling windows for the standard deviation and conditional volatility estimates. Mean return of portfolio, risk through standard deviation, Sharpe index, and risk-adjusted return were calculated for evaluation purposes. Results have evidenced that, together, risk-based portfolios using 12-month rolling window or conditional volatility were superior to the tangent portfolio, as well as that the minimum variance portfolio was competitive to other alternatives. The main contribution of the current study lies in the fact that risk aversion was relevant to portfolios’ performance in the post-crisis period.

The article aims to analyze the mediating effect of technologies and technological capabilities on the relationship between supply chain strategic orientation and chain performance and its impact on the target company performance. To collect data, a sample of 125 manufacturing companies sited in technological hubs in Brazil was used. The data, treated by modeling in structural equations, revealed that technology and technological capabilities mediate the relationship between the strategic orientation and the supply chain performance, in turn, impacts the focal company performance. Given these results, it was concluded that technology and technological capabilities are the best strategies to improve the relationship between the strategic orientation of the supply chain and performances for chain and company. The contribution of this paper was proof that technology and technological capabibilities play an important role in performances both for the supply chain and the focal company.

Abstract This special issue, generously accepted and published by Cadernos EBAPE.BR, emerges from the daily life-preserving struggles in Brazil and other parts of the Global South against the radical invisibility of colonial and racial oppressions at a time of the double pandemic of COVID-19 and white supremacy. This collection of articles that we have the pleasure to share with you embodies our decolonizing and deracializing response to normalization of necropolitics, of deciding who may live and who must die. This normalization can be seen in the false idea of impunity of law enforcement officials, such as the Minneapolis police officer who killed George Floyd in the USA. It is important to highlight that George Floyd’s death would have been yet another mere statistic if not for the courage and determination of the 17-year-old Black teenager who filmed it with her cell phone. Inspired by the attitude of this Black girl, we brought together eight provocative and insightful articles which will help us to reflect on the struggles faced by marginalized communities and the impact of the domain of Eurocentric perspective on the understanding of management practices and organizations’ dynamics. These papers cover topics such as the role of accounting in the slave-owning system, contemporary forms of slavery in Brazil, and the intersectional experiences of Black women in labor exploitation. Our goal is to challenge existing narratives and shed light on hidden histories to contribute to the decolonization and deracialization within and outside the field of Management and Organizational Studies.

Abstract A few research papers on modern slavery have outlined how this phenomenon flourishes and persists despite institutional pressures against inhumane practices. In order to analyze slavery from an institutional perspective and answer the question of the main factors in the institutional field that sustain modern slavery, qualitative data were collected in the Brazilian context, where the country is widely recognized for its significant actions against modern slavery practices. This study draws on primary and secondary data collected through in-depth interviews and participant observation at conferences, as well as content analysis of documents using NVivo software. The study suggests that certain contextual conditions legitimize organizational practices of formal and informal firms, called institutional deflection. As a contribution to modern slavery management patterns, this article presents the “modern slavery wheel” based on the results of a dynamic cycle that incorporates and systematizes the elements that support the phenomenon. Wheel mechanisms such as favorite conditioning, recurrence, enticement, and truck system seem to contribute to modern slavery practices and their maintenance over time. Moreover, we suggest that these same components may also contribute to breaking the modern slavery wheel

Green human resource management (GHRM) is a crucial element of the globally trending topic of green management. Although GHRM has received considerable research attention in recent years, confusion remains regarding its antecedents, the social, and psychological processes through which GHRM influences employee behavior, and the potential outcomes to be derived from its use. This paper aims to disentangle and summarize the components that have been explored in the GHRM-performance relationship. To achieve these goals, we conduct a systematic review based on the preferred reporting items method and then present a series of theoretical approaches to stimulate new debates on theory building and its subsequent use in GHRM research. We also carefully explain information on organizational and employee-level factors that motivate and hinder GHRM and display this information in a visual framework. The implications for practice provide focused recommendations to help managers understand how to create favorable conditions for enhancing sustainability performance. The gaps identified should open the way to new lines of research that still need attention.

In this paper, we approach the manifestations of Internet users in online social networks when an operation initiated by the Federal Police in Brazil against corporate corruption, with great national and international repercussions, the “weak flesh”. Our aim is to understand the use of humor in demonstrations against the supposed criminal actions of corporations, especially when they harm consumers. The research is qualitative and we use thematic analysis with a focus on intertextuality. We analyze the appropriation in the memes in the social networks Facebook and WhatsApp, trying to recognize in what way the humor has been used. Our analysis has identified that memes represent a strategy of discursive resistance against corporate crimes, which manifests itself in the form of humor as a denunciation: denunciation of corporations, denunciation of our fragility towards corporations and denunciation against corporate marketing.

Objective: This article presents the process data research approach as an opportunity to improve management studies and to create a roadmap for beginners. Process research is a sidelined way to conduct qualitative studies. The fundamental concern of the process approach is to capture and apprehend the meanings attributed to organizational phenomena directly in the field of research, aiming to understand and answer the questions of ‘how’ and ‘why’ events change over time. Method: This study reviews selected recent research on innovation management that used process research criteria (temporal orientation, units of analysis, sample, data, analytical strategies, and conceptual products) as the backdrop. Main Results: The main result of this paper is the creation of a roadmap for applying the process research approach. Also, it highlights elements of improvement for management studies from the process data approach. Relevance / Originality: This study provides several examples of qualitative process research in innovation. The proposed roadmap helps increase the rigor and uses of this research approach. Theoretical / Methodological Contributions: We offer an academic discussion on process research’s role in improving (innovation) management studies.

Objective of the study: In this paper, we will analyze the moderating effect of financial performance exerts on the interaction of absorptive capacity and organizational performance. Methodology / approach: A conceptual model was developed to assess the relationship between absorptive capacity, financial performance, and organizational performance in small and medium-sized Brazilian companies. To capture the multidimensional nature of absorptive capacity, this study uses structural equation modelling and measures the meditating effects of financial performance. Main results: The main finding is the moderating effect. The effect of absorptive capacity on organizational performance has a moderating effect of financial performance. Theoretical / methodological contributions: Small businesses ought to recognize and take advantage of the practical benefits of absorptive capacity. However, entrepreneurs should find motivation to develop more formalized absorptive capacities to raise the organizational performance. The results can help companies identify ways to better appropriate external information and knowledge to improve absorptive capacity. Relevance / originality: The research contributes to the proposition and empirical test of a predictive model of organizational performance in small and medium-sized enterprises, which can predict organizational performance in Brazilian´s SMEs. This study represents one of the first attempts to investigate the relationships between absorptive capacity, organizational performance, and financial performance. Social / management contributions: The results can help companies identify ways to better appropriate external information and knowledge to improve absorptive capacity.

Abstract This special issue of Cadernos EBAPE.BR sought to provoke a reflection focused on uncertain consumption practices in an uncertain future. While prior marketing and consumer research has explored consumer practices framed by an institutionalized, known, and more or less predictable context, the set of articles approved in this edition reveals different nuances. From experiential accounts of grief to the role of music in coping with the struggles of isolation to the overlap of social roles, these papers may help us to reflect on what we can do together, as a society, to tackle the challenges brought by COVID-19 not only at the local level but also globally.

Abstract The phenomenon of watching live online music events became popular during the COVID-19 pandemic as a leisure activity practiced at home while social distancing. For 3 months, they were part of the routine of Brazilians and foreigners, before exponentially losing their audience. This trajectory is the object of research for this paper, studied under the prism of practice theory to understand the elements that form this consumption practice, its synchrony with other everyday practices, and external phenomena that act in the consolidation (or not) of a practice. In-depth interviews were conducted with 24 practitioners, and the results were analyzed through a thematic analysis. The findings provide clues as to why the practice declined, emphasizing the overlapping of practices belonging to the routine created during social distancing and the reduction of the initial originality (understanding) of more intimate lives that get lost in the search for innovations in practice. Possible developments in the future of post-pandemic live events and theoretical and managerial contributions are also discussed.

Abstract The agroecology movement has become the most relevant resistance to agribusiness in Brazil in recent decades. Grounded on Paulo Freire’s liberating education and critical consciousness theories, we aimed to contribute to Organization Studies (OS) on rural social movements by unveiling the case of the agroecology movement in Araponga, Minas Gerais, Brazil, in its formation phase. We asked: How does the beginning of the trajectory of the agroecology movement in Araponga, Minas Gerais, help us reflect on the construction of the protagonism of the oppressed? Through this case, we highlight that to overcome oppressive relationships, small-scale family farming and peasants/rural workers had to first identify themselves under an oppressive system to which they have been historically submitted. Acknowledging their authenticity and autonomous mechanisms of land access were central to developing new forms of production and redefining their identities. Thus, the second important moment is the pedagogy of women and men in a continuous and permanent process of liberation. Hence, the collective identity and resistance building in the agroecology movement in Araponga arose through farmers and rural workers’ struggle and through their self-recognition as a humanized, critical, free, and autonomous people. This reflects the ‘action-reflection-action’ process of collective and horizontal learning where everyone is both educator and learner simultaneously. From this paper, we encourage more reflections in OS on rural movements through the Freirean approach.

Abstract In recent decades, universities have experienced substantial change. Several studies in Brazil and abroad adopted a critical perspective on the marketization of higher education. This paper contributes to this stream of research and focuses on the transformation of a large private university in Brazil. After an investment fund acquired an equity stake in this university, the institution implemented new teaching and administrative practices and adopted values embraced by private financial organizations and a set of so-called modern management methods. We present the case and discuss the perspectives for private higher education institutions and their faculties. We also claim that private universities should be theorized as hybrid organizations. Finally, we speculate on the vectors that could contribute to a positive transformation of private universities.

ABSTRACT The main objective of this article is to understand how institutional logics (ILs) - family, religion, community, state, profession, organization, and capital and labor market - influence (or not) the Brazilian accounting professional in their intention to report irregularities. The study helps fill an epistemic gap by using the theory of ILs to comprehensively understand the professional in their world, in contrast with the whistleblowing studies that are generally based on behavioral theories. Most of those studies are quantitative, using the vignette technique (elaborated by researchers), which highlights the relevance of this paper, as it chooses to allow the accountants to reflect on the phenomenon and elaborate explanations for their actions and the dimensions that surround them. The main contribution lies in the theoretical advancement in accounting by extending the classic whistleblowing model, in order to socioinstitutionally recognize the individual’s reflection process (at the micro level) and the structuring elements (macro and meso levels) involved. In methodological terms, the study is qualitative and interpretative, based on content analysis (CA) through the lens of the hermeneutic circle. Standing out among the results are: (a) a typology of the influence of ILs on the accounting professional’s intention to report irregularities; (b) the differentiation of influences that favor whistleblowing or lead to the avoidance of it according to various logics; and (c) discussions about the premises that greater protection and support for the whistleblower would favor whistleblowing or, in contrast, that recognition and financial reward would be considered as factors that would not favor whistleblowing, among other aspects. The impact and applicability of the study derive from an alternative approach in epistemic-methodological terms, enabling an understanding of the socioinstitutional structure that influences whistleblowing intentions, thus allowing for the construction of mechanisms that increase the potential for whistleblowing.

This paper analyzes the lines of research derived from the implementation and development of the organizational culture of innovation in order to identify the trends followed within this field of study. In doing so, we identified potential and recent-interest trends that could contribute both to the development of this scientific field and to the search of companies for competitive advantages. The most productive authors, journals and countries were also identified, thus offering a solid basis for future research. The methodology consisted of the analysis of bibliometric indicators from scientific articles in Scopus database published between 1980 and 2000. The Web of Science was not considered since the results obtained in both databases were similar. Among the relevant findings related to administration, in publishing terms, the United States is the most productive country, followed by the United Kingdom and Australia. The analysis of topological data between keywords and science areas shows that the analyzed sample focuses on inter- and multidisciplinary studies, and that most theories and basic frameworks were created between 1980 and 2000. These findings provide a basic framework for qualitative and quantitative research that could be applied by experts in the field of management.