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In this paper empirical application to the study about the efficiency of the performance of the educational systems across countries is developed. With the information published in the PISA 2015, Data Envelopment Analysis methodology is considered to evaluate the efficiency in the use of the resources devoted to education by OECD countries. Similar to previous studies, the main resources needed for learning, financial, human resources, material and time have been considered. Alternatively to previous proposals, the mean scores have not been included as the output of the process. Instead of that, to quantify the results of the learning process, the percentages of students in each proficiency level of the PISA test have been computed. An ad hoc model based on the Additive DEA-model is proposed, adapting the formulation to the particular features of the vector of outputs considered. Considering that the aggregate value of output is fixed and that the relative weight of the outputs differs, inefficient units improve their performance by reallocating that fixed value among different outputs, moving units from the less valued to the most valued ones.|| En el presente trabajo se presenta un modelo para el estudio de la eficiencia de los sistemas educativos de los países de la OCDE. A partir de la información publicada en el informe PISA 2015, se utiliza la metodología del Análisis Envolvente de Datos (DEA) para analizar la eficiencia en el uso de los recursos destinados a la educación en los países OCDE. Siguiendo la línea de anteriores estudios, se consideran los principales recursos destinados a la educación, esto es, recursos materiales, recursos humanos y tiempo dedicado a la enseñanza. De manera alternativa a los estudios anteriores, no se consideran las puntuaciones medias de los exámenes como las salidas del sistema. En nuestro estudio, la cuantificación de los resultados se realiza a través de los porcentajes de estudiantes que alcanzan cada nivel de desempeño en las pruebas normalizadas realizadas en PISA. Se desarrolla un nuevo modelo de evaluación basado en el modelo aditivo dentro de la metodología DEA, en el que tanto la formulación como los objetivos se adaptan a las características de las variables propuestas. Considerando que el valor agregado de las salidas está fijado y que los pesos que deben asignarse a cada output deben estar ordenados, el modelo evalúa los posibles movimientos de outputs desde las categorías menos valoradas a las más valoradas.

The goal of this paper is to assess the resilience of Portuguese banks to the potential impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. For this purpose, diagnostic variables of 19 banks were selected and prioritized using linear ordering methods. This methodology allowed us to perform rankings of banks using six linear ordering methods and taking into account two weighting procedures and two variants of the diagnostic feature. The study was also supplemented by a sensitivity analysis and an optimization procedure aimed at identifying the optimal linear ordering method. The main results obtained show that the resilience of Portuguese banks is not evenly distributed among individual banks. These findings could be used by regulators to plan support measures for the most fragile banks.

The goal of this paper is to assess the resilience of Portuguese banks to the potential impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. For this purpose, diagnostic variables of 19 banks were selected and prioritized using linear ordering methods. This methodology allowed us to perform rankings of banks using six linear ordering methods and taking into account two weighting procedures and two variants of the diagnostic feature. The study was also supplemented by a sensitivity analysis and an optimization procedure aimed at identifying the optimal linear ordering method. The main results obtained show that the resilience of Portuguese banks is not evenly distributed among individual banks. These findings could be used by regulators to plan support measures for the most fragile banks.

This paper aims to understand the uses of oneself by nurses working in a human milk bank (HMB) which is located at a state capital of the Brazilian Southeast Region. The research used a qualitative approach, through a documentary survey, also with a participant observation with field diary in the milk bank for 3 months, where fourteen individual and semi-structured interviews, and a discussion group with the participants who volunteered was performed. Research has shown how ergology contributes to understanding work in this kind of organization. These professionals' use of the oneself, permeated by experiences, stories, and values, are presented in the context and produce significant improvements in the HMB sector. How professionals engage in care, aiming to do what they think is the best for others, was highlighted by the analysis. The professionals renormalize their activities in an environment full of technical prescriptions, making use of their improved self and transforming the work.

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the relationship between brand and competitive advantage (through differentiation) and the mediating effect of positioning and market orientation in this relationship.An empirical study was developed using a quantitative methodological approach. The object of the study was Portuguese exporting companies in the footwear industry, to which a questionnaire survey was applied.The results show that (1) brand has a significant direct impact on positioning and market orientation and competitive advantage through differentiation, (2) competitive advantage through differentiation is directly impacted by positioning, (3) market orientation does not have a significant direct impact on competitive advantage through differentiation, and (4) positioning has a mediating effect on the relationship between brand and competitive advantage through differentiation, and market orientation does not have on it.

This paper analyses the influence of job discretion on employees’ subjective well-being (SWB) from a gender-based approach. Specifically, it explores whether the level of discretion given to employees in performing their jobs influences their SWB and whether this impact differs between women and men. Data from 20 European countries from Round 8 of the European Social Survey (ESS) are used to undertake an ordered probit analysis. Job discretion is approached through autonomy at work, supervision of other employees and influence on organisational policy decisions. Additionally, the individual's educational level is controlled to further explore gendered differences of job characteristics on SWB. The results show that job discretion does indeed affect SWB, and this effect is different for women and men. Moreover, the effect of job discretion on SWB is not homogeneous across different education levels.

En este trabajo analizamos los resultados de la caracterización de la cultura financiera en microempresarios de Cartagena (Distrito Turístico y Cultural de Cartagena), Bolívar, Colombia. La muestra estuvo compuesta por 322 participantes, de los cuales 43.5% posee microempresas del giro de comercialización, lo que evidencia la importancia de fortalecer las estrategias de comunicación y distribución para afianzar el crecimiento de dicho sector. Por otro lado, 18.6% se dedica a la transformación y 37.9% a la prestación de servicios. Respecto de la antigüedad como propietario del negocio, 47.5% lleva menos de 5 años, por ello y teniendo en cuenta la permanencia en el mercado, es importante hacer estudios que permitan medir con frecuencia los gustos y las preferencias de los clientes y las fluctuaciones del mercado; el resto de la muestra se divide de la siguiente manera: 21.7% tiene entre 5 y 10 años en el negocio, 11.2% entre 10 y 15 años, y 19.6% más de 15 años. Además, 56.8% de los dueños es de género masculino y 43.2% femenino. En cuanto a la edad, 44.1% de los microempresarios es menor de 30 años, lo cual indica que los jóvenes muestran gran interés en continuar siendo partícipes en los emprendimientos como microempresarios en Cartagena; 24.8% tiene entre 31 y 40 años, 20.5% está en la franja de los 41 a los 50 años y el restante 10.6% cuenta con 51 años o más. Respecto al estado civil, 30.7% es casado, 42.3% es soltero —que representa la población con mayor participación en el ejercicio—, 24.5% vive en unión libre y 2.5% es divorciado. En cuanto a escolaridad, 3.8% tiene educación básica, 48.4% obtuvo el título de bachiller y 43.8% cursó estudios profesionales. Abstract This paper analyzes the results of the characterization of financial culture among microentrepreneurs in Cartagena (Tourist and Cultural District of Cartagena), Bolívar, Colombia. The sample consisted of 322 participants, 43.5% of whom are owners of microenterprises operating in the retail sector, which demonstrates the importance of strengthening communication and distribution strategies thus consolidating the growth of this sector. On the other hand, 18.6% are engaged in processing and 37.9% in the provision of services. With respect to the seniority as an entrepreneur, 47.5% have been in business for less than 5 years, therefore, and taking into account their permanence in the market, it is important to conduct studies that allow frequent assessment of customers’ tastes and preferences in addition to market fluctuations; the rest of the sample is divided as follows: 21.7% have been in business between 5 and 10 years, 11.2% between 10 and 15 years and 19.6% more than 15 years. In addition, 56.8% of owners are male and 43.2% are female. In terms of age, 44.1% of the micro-entrepreneurs are under the age of 30, which indicates that young people show great interest in continuing to participate in micro entrepreneurial ventures in Cartagena; 24.8% are between 31 and 40 years old, 20.5% are between 41 and 50, and the remaining 10.6% are 51 years of age or older. Regarding marital status, 30.7% are married, 42.3% are single -which represents the population with the highest participation in the exercise-, 24.5% live in a free union and 2.5% are divorced. In terms of schooling, 3.8% have an elementary education, 48.4% have a high school diploma and 43.8% have a bachelor’s degree.

Global competition and digital market forces imply opportunities and threats in an increasingly fast and competitive job market. In this context, motivated learning through collaboration or cooperation have been extensively studied to develop necessary skills to be competitive. However, in undergraduate teaching little attention has been given to learning through competition and co-opetition, which is more common in entrepreneurial education. This paper proposes and tests a new classroom methodology where undergraduate students in the course Microeconomics interact in teams playing out features of the four C’s of game-based learning in an entrepreneurial environment: cooperation, collaboration, competition and co-opetition. The pedagogical pilot-project, dubbed as “Micro-Challenge”, is a peer-based student challenge which has been implemented in face-to-face classes as well as in a hybrid classroom. A posterior analysis of survey data and academic results, using regression analysis, reveals that the development of collaborative skills and team-based skills depend on personal characteristics and expertise while there is no significant effect of academic performance. Moreover, women are more likely to improve team-working or collaborative skills through the proposed challenge than men and engagement in terms of induced learning effect is found to be higher for students who are already endowed with a high level of competitive or collaborative attitude.

2021AbstractSchool dropout is a serious problem worldwide, and contributes to a great deal of poverty and misery. People who have not finished school obviously suffer the consequences, but these extend to all of society since they become a burden due to lack of education and skills for the workplace. Much like poverty, school dropout is complex and multidimensional. Hence, early warning systems that predict which children are at risk of dropping out of school are of the utmost importance, and furthermore, the interventions to rescue these children must be bespoke, i.e., tailored to the specific situation of each child. Much work has been done using traditional methods such as attendance thresholds and logistic regression. However, school dropout prediction by means of applying machine learning is relatively new. In addition, an application that has worked in one country does not necessarily work in another, since the available data sets are different. Therefore, the following question arises: does machine learning enable a more accurate early warning of school dropout specifically in Chile? In this paper we answer this question, testing and comparing machine learning predictive models with a traditional logistic regression, using public databases from the Chilean Ministry of Education. In addition, we offer some practical recommendations for other researchers and policy makers who endeavour to implement practical working early warning systems for school dropout.

Purpose – The objective of this research was to statistically compare employee’s use of sources of guidance (SOGs) at work in the United States and Brazil and discuss results in the light of differences concerning national cultural characteristics. Method – 220 employees from a Brazilian university and 166 employees from an American university filled out a paper-and-pencil questionnaire. Pearson correlation tests (r) and Student t tests were run in order to investigate statistically significant differences between the two samples, which were discussed in the light of national cultural characteristics. Main results – Americans presented significant higher means than Brazilians on Informal Rules and People Outside Organization, and Brazilians presented significant higher mean than Americans on Formal Rules and Procedures. The discussion showed that some of these differences are compatible with national culture characteristics. Relevance/Originality – Recognizing the importance and the role of national cultures on individual’s attitudes and behavior within the organizational environment is fundamental in the search for effective and contextualized management practices. Theoretical/methodological contributions – Up until 2020, only 12 theoretical-empirical studies about SOGs were developed. Hence, the present study theoretically and empirically contributes to knowledge about this very important work-related construct. Social/management contributions – The results suggest to managers, human resource professionals, and psychologists important differences in the attitudes of American and Brazilian employees with respect to the use of sources of guidance at work, contributing, for instance, to recruitment and selection processes in multinationals.

Purpose: To review the literature that uses institutional theory to examine the internationalization of smaller and entrepreneurial firms, covering the period from January 1, 2008 to September 30, 2020. Method: The bibliometric review uses the bibliographic coupling technique and content analysis. Main Findings: The literature was divided in three periods using bibliometric techniques, and the main themes examined in each period were identified and analyzed qualitatively. Relevance /Originality: Only one previous literature review examined the same issue addressed in this paper, but only covered articles published up to 2008 (Szyliowicz & Galvin, 2010). Theoretical Contributions: The study uncovers the thematic structure of the field throughout the period examined and suggests issues for future research.

The objective of the paper is to present the theoretical and methodological foundations of sociological discourse analysis (SDA) and to demonstrate the practical application of its procedural basis by way of an exemplary case that has as its theme the culture of devotion to organizations. The development of a practical SDA plan is a constructive and incremental process and its paths are outlined as procedures under development. There is no general and/or rigid rule on what procedures are necessary for achieving the research objectives; the contextualizing interpretation of the discourses will determine the practice. The use of SDA as an analytical lens enabled us to explore the internal dimensions of the discourse, considering the social reality in which it is produced and providing an understanding of the culture of devotion through the senses and meanings that are constructed by the workers of the company we studied.

The ‘rule of 72’ provides a useful approximation of when an investment or debt will double. Students can apply it for an estimate, avoiding mistakes later using technology for a precise answer. On standardized tests, moreover, such devices may be disallowed. In job interviews, too, quickly approximating the doubling answer demonstrates impressive problem-solving ability. Illustrations abound online and in traditional media showing how to use it. This is not the same as explaining why it works or the limitations. Inquiring students want to know. This paper combines familiar territories in math and application to provide a relatively simple mathematical explanation.

The research utilized a survey research method, with a research instrument developed from relevant extant literature, to isolate the major factors determining students’ choice behavior towards MBA programs in the Nigerian university system. The research reports that the major factors determining students’ choice behavior towards MBA programs include quality-related, information-related, and convenience-related factors. The limitations associated with the research relate to its cross-sectional nature, in addition to the usual limitations associated with the survey research method used in this research. In addition, the combination of MBA students from both private and government-owned universities is likely to pose some limitations. Also, focusing on students from only one country (Nigeria) presents external validity limitations. The research has practical implications for administrators and regulators of business programs in the Nigerian university system, in addition to organizational decision-makers interested in sponsoring their relevant staff for MBA programs in the Nigerian university system. The research has social implications with regard to the different cohorts of students interested in MBA programs in the Nigerian university system. With regard to value, the paper has theoretical and practical forms of values for students and organizational decision makers, in addition to educational managers and regulators in the Nigerian university system.

Objectives of the study: to demonstrate the methodological gaps in empirical work that use structural models in the area of International Business, and prescribe complementary methods to mitigate the problem of collinearity Method: a simulation was developed to evidence the effects of collinearity with respect to the importance and significance of predictors, and actions aimed at controlling the undesired effects of collinearity was developed Main results: the proposition of complementary methods that include grouping the latent variables that present multicollinearity into a second-order model, and the use of the technique that shows the relative importance of predictors Theoretical and methodological contributions: the contribution is based on the complementary methods offered for the academic community to conduct empirical research that are laid out by the findings of this research paper Relevance and originality: from the gaps pointed out in the recent scientific production of the field of knowledge of international business, complementary methods are presented to mitigate the problem of collinearity, which may render the results of empirical studies invalid Social contributions and management: among the main managerial and social implications achieved through our findings of, we stimulate the development of robust, relevant and reliable empirical research

In the literature on the firm-industry debate to explain organizational performance the firm effect has been more supported than the industry effect by empirical studies, mainly focused on manufacturing firms and long time periods. Unfortunately, little attention has been paid to the service sector. In this paper we study separately manufacturing and services in a broad sample of Spanish companies. We observe that in manufacturing the firm effect outweighs the industry effect while in services the opposite is the case in a ten-year period. However, when we split the time horizon into two five-year sub-periods, this behavior only remains in the second one, of moderate economic growth. In the first one, of strong economic growth, the firm effect prevails for both manufacturing and services. These findings underline the importance of the industry effect for services, suggesting that such effect may have been underestimated in the literature, as well as that of the level of economic growth specially for the decision-making of practitioners.

This paper analyses whether the audience dynamics of one content provider can explain the audience dynamics of a different content provider, and the resulting network of connections among providers. The type of connections in this network determines whether the audience of one creator influences or is susceptible to other creators’ audience. Granger causality networks are applied to prestigious universities that provide online videos on YouTube and the structure of the Audience Dynamics Network is described. This network presents an unbalanced degree distribution and a core-periphery structure. The centrality of the universities in the network is discussed and universities with influential and susceptible roles are identified. We find that audience connection is determined by the differences in the online video impact between each pair of universities. Centrality in the network is associated with university prestige, but this relation is mediated by online video impact.

Innovation plays a vital role in the internationalization process of international new ventures (INVs). However, to date, there are insufficient empirical studies exploring the innovation decisions that enable these firms to grow once the internationalization process has started. In response to this research gap, this paper examines the impacts of the technological pattern adopted at the initial foreign entry and the decisions to improve it afterward. In general, while the original technological patterns contributed to the immediate growth of INVs (that is, 1 year after the market entry), the results of this study reveal that the changes that occurred in the patterns have more significance on the post-entry growth (that is, 4 years after the market entry). Therefore, this study is supported by earlier works that emphasize the role of innovation as a stimulus for internal change as well as resource adaptation as a means of achieving sustainable growth in the international markets.

The aim of this paper is to carry out a systematic literature review about the relationships between quality management, innovation, and performance. For that end, a search was carried out in the Web of Science and Scopus databases, and 172 articles were selected. Results show that there is a positive relationship between quality management, product and process innovation (incremental and radical), and operational and financial performance, and direct and indirect relationships. Based on these results, a set of direct and indirect relationships between these variables is proposed. The study supplements the few previous investigations on these joint relationships.

El presente trabajo muestra los primeros avances de un estudio de caso que tiene como objetivo identificar los factores que influyen en la rotación de personal en el restaurante “El Itacate”, así como proponer estrategias que contribuyan a disminuir la rotación del personal. Se realizó un análisis de variables externas e internas donde se identificaron las principales fortalezas y debilidades. El análisis de los factores internos y externos revela que la rotación de personal y la deficiencia en los procesos y estrategias internas afectan el desarrollo del restaurante El Itacate. Abstract This paper shows the first advances of a case study that aims to identify the factors that influence staff turnover in the restaurant "El Itacate", as well as to propose strategies that contribute to reduce staff turnover. An analysis of external and internal variables was carried out to identify the main strengths and weaknesses. The analysis of internal and external factors reveals that staff turnover and deficiencies in internal processes and strategies affect the development of El Itacate restaurant.

It is common for community-based free software projects to be associated with an organizational scenario that resembles “a bazaar more than a cathedral,” and to differ from the traditional, or ‘bureaucratic’ way of organizing work. This paper analyzes the governance of these organizations from the perspective of their structure and control, considering the development trajectory of three communitybased free software projects in Brazil. Results show that the constant need to produce modern technologies gives rise to external pressures that promote change - albeit temporary - in the governance of these projects, making them resemble a cathedral more than a bazaar. Governance does not follow a cycle of sequential improvement; it changes depending on the external organizational actors present, such as sponsors. This suggests the need for strategic and flexible governance to deal with the acquisition and allocation of organizational resources. Governance of the projects described here varies along a spectrum of (in)formality that allows both production models - cathedral or bazaar - to exist in the same organization at different periods.

Personnel selection represents a valuable decision-making process that determines, in some way, the competitiveness and performance of an organization. The essential elements of the personnel selection task are the position requirements and the accessible information related to candidates. In this paper, the personnel selection task is modeled as a multicriteria decision-making problem, considering varied competencies and skills to assess the applicants for a specific position. We used this multicriteria model to solve personnel selection cases using sadgage, a decision support system that solves examples of the multicriteria ranking problem in decreasing order based on the preferences of the decision-maker. The electre-iii method is embedded in the software in order to construct a fuzzy outranking relation and a multi-objective evolutionary algorithm to exploit such relation and generate a ranking as a recommendation. This work presents a practical application to a personnel selection problem that evaluates a group of applicants to a software developer job in an enterprise based in northwestern Mexico. We show how the proposed multicriteria procedure offers a recommendation to the decision-maker about the applicants in decreasing order of preferences.

The objective of this paper is to rank the competitiveness of tourist destinations based on different aggregation operators, specifically, the ordered weighted average (OWA) operator and the simple additive weighting (SAW) method. The use of these methods allows tourist destinations to be sorted according to their competitiveness. In addition, it enables the generation of different scenarios that highlight the relative importance of each criterion. This information is useful for the government and recreation sites when generating different evaluations based on the specific characteristics of each municipality. An application of these methods to determine the competitiveness of the tourism destinations of Sinaloa, Mexico has been performed. JEL Codes: D49, L83, C44 Received: 10/07/2020. Accepted: 03/11/2020. Published: 01/12/2021.

Objective: We aim to answer four questions. First, with the increasing number of publications, is there a concentration in specific subjects, or on the contrary, a dispersion, amplifying the span of themes related to entrepreneurship? Second, is there a hierarchy of subjects, in the sense that some of them constitute the “core” of entrepreneurship? Third, are they connected with other established research areas? Finally, it is possible to identify papers that are influential, acting as hubs in the cluster’s formation? Method: We developed an original version of the computational procedure proposed by Shibata et al (2008), which allows us to understand the diversity of the different sub-areas of the topic investigated, reducing the need for specialist supervision. Originality / Relevance: We developed and applied a method to capture the formation and evolution of research areas in entrepreneurship literature, via direct citation networks, allowing us to understand the iteration between the different research sub-areas. Results: The dispersion is a feature of entrepreneurship as field research, with a hierarchy between research areas, indicating an emergent organization in the expansion processes. We concluded that research on entrepreneurship consists of specialization, that is, by application in niches. JEL Code: L26, O30, O38, O25

Soft skills are regarded as combination of social, emotional, communication and personal skills which promotes workplace effectiveness regardless of qualifications or knowledge acquired. This paper linked soft skills to business education teachers’ job effectiveness. Three research questions guided the study. The study population includes all the secondary schools principals, Vice-principals, Head of Departments and students that offers business education related subjects in in Ilorin Metropolis. Random sampling and stratified techniques were used to select 316 participants. We used adapted structured questionnaires tagged “Teachers’ Soft Skills Questionnaire (TSSQ)” and Business Education Teachers’ Job Effectiveness Questionnaire (BETJEQ). We used descriptive statistics to answer the research questions and Pearson Products Moment Correlation (PPMC) to test hypotheses. We found the level of business education teachers’ soft skills and their job effectiveness to be high at 70.6% & 64.6 %. Also, the result revealed a strong, positive linkage between the two variables, r = 0.866, n = 316, p < .000. By implication, Soft Skills will promote teachers’ job effectively positively. That is, the higher the soft skills in the teachers, the better their effectiveness. Therefore, we recommended for practice based on the findings that special training inform of workshop should be organised for Business education teachers on regular basis by government in collaboration with professional bodies to promote up-to-date soft skills that are transferable and promotes teaching effectiveness.

Purpose: This paper aims to understand the configuration of strategic entrepreneurship practices of exploration, exploitation, and ambidexterity in craft breweries from Uberlândia, MG. Originality/value: Strategic entrepreneurship enables the comprehension of entrepreneurial phenomena from an organizational perspective. Furthermore, this research is conducted in an emergent industry in Brazil, with few studies in the field of management that consider the idiosyncrasies of craft breweries. Design/methodology/approach: We conducted a qualitative multicase study with three craft breweries from Uberlândia, MG. Twelve interviews were performed, and the set of empirical data collected were analyzed through narrative analysis technique. Findings: We identified several strategic entrepreneurship practices in the craft breweing sector. First, exploration practices were found in some radical innovations, such as the pioneering nature in the production of craft beers in Uberlândia, the creation of new products, and in the setting of new business models. Second, exploitation practices were also identified in incremental innovations that enabled business development. Hence, ambidexterity relied on the balance of exploration and exploitation practices, as innovative endeavors enabled the creation and development of new products and access to new markets. Thus, strategic entrepreneurship practices reflect the initiatives of entrepreneurial agents that seek to promote organizational innovations in terms of quality improvements, new production and marketing strategies, and the adoption of new technologies. Therefore, strategic entrepreneurship reflects and contributes to innovation possibilities, strategic renewals, and the competitiveness of craft breweries, revealing the analytical power of this theoretical approach for the study of entrepreneurial phenomena. / Objetivo: Compreender a configuração do empreendedorismo estratégico a partir da manifestação de práticas de exploration, exploitation e ambidestria em cervejarias artesanais de Uberlândia, MG. Originalidade/valor: O empreendedorismo estratégico permite uma análise do fenômeno empreendedor em uma perspectiva organizacional. Ademais, o estudo é aplicado em um setor emergente no Brasil, com poucos estudos que problematizem suas especificidades na área de administração. Design/metodologia/abordagem: Trata-se de pesquisa qualitativa realizada por meio de estudos de casos múltiplos em três cervejarias artesanais de Uberlândia, MG. Realizaram-se nove entrevistas, e os dados foram tratados com base na técnica de análise de narrativas. Resultados: Foi possível verificar práticas de exploration, como o pioneirismo na produção local de cerveja artesanal, na criação de novos produtos e em torno do modelo de negócio adotado. Práticas de exploitation também foram identificadas, com ações de melhoria contínua que contribuíram para o desenvolvimento dessas empresas. A ambidestria foi observada em situações em que melhorias na produção permitiram o surgimento de novos produtos e o atendimento de novos mercados. Assim, as ações de empreendedorismo estratégico refletem iniciativas de agentes empreendedores que buscam promover

This paper presents estimates of how the pandemic of COVID-19 and the lockdown policies implemented in Costa Rica to contain its spread affected the firm’s decision to post vacancies and workers search behavior, using data from the online job advertisement webpage buscoempleocr. Differences in Differences estimates suggest a drop of 67.2% in the inflow of vacancies posted by firms before and after the policies were implemented, relative to previous year. Results by industry states that Accommodation and Food Services, reported the highest decline in vacancy posting. By occupations, the reduction in vacancy posting was more severe for the groups of service and sales workers and elementary occupations. By location, the most affected provinces are those that i) are characterized by their touristic industries and ii) are main cities where industries are concentrated. Regarding the labor supply, there is an increase in the number of job seekers, however their search intensity might have declined during the pandemic.

Introduction: the purpose of this research is to analyze the relationships and growth trends of Industry 4.0 within the global universe of current literature on innovation, limited to the subject area of business, administration, and accounting by means of a bibliometric analysis. Method: Scopus is used as a database for the analysis of 513 documents for the period from 1998 to 2021. VOS viewer was used for processing Scopus database and elaboration of figures representing the relationships between samples. Results: the number of documents is exponentially growing, starting with a trend in 2017 and increasing ever since. The most dynamic source is Technological Forecasting And Social Change. The author with most documents is Voight, K. L. with 10, and the most distinguished institution is the University of Johannesburg with 14 documents. The country with more documents is Italy, with 69. According to the database 69 % of the total documents are articles and 23,4 % are conference papers. The number of documents in the area of Business, Management and Accounting, with 513 documents, exceeds by far any other area, representing 42 % of all documents. The funding sponsor with more documents is the National Natural Science Foundations of China with 13 documents. Some of the most updated organizations are Department of Mechanical & Industrial Engineering, The center for digital labor markets. The country with more documents is United Kingdom with 50 documents and 584 citations, followed by United States with 1110 citations. United States has mainly bonds with China, Australia, United Kingdom, Germany and Italy. United Kingdom has mainly bonds with France, Italy, Germany and United States. China’s main relations are Australia, United States, Pakistan, Taiwan, Turkey, Brazil and South Korea. Italy’s main bonds are France, Spain, Brazil, Russian Federation, United Kingdom, Austria and Portugal. It could be determined that countries are mostly grouped in 6 clusters. Conclusion: Although there are not many publications yet, it can be inferred that the term industry 4.0 within the available literature of innovation will keep increasing exponentially over time reinforcing relations between authors, institutions and countries. Based on the current state of literature, the subject area of business, management, and accounting will keep on being the one that encompasses most of the available documents.

The present paper analyzed the economic, social, and environmental dimensions of cooperatives sustainability and examined the sustainability oriented competitive strategies adopted by sample cooperatives. Field survey method will be followed. Multi-stage sampling method was adopted to select study area, cooperatives and respondents. Six cooperatives and by adopting PPS 100 members were selected. The sustainability score card approach advocated by Measuring Cooperative Difference Research Network (MDCRN), Canada and Morris Inequality Index were used. The result shows that the agricultural cooperatives do have better position with economic sustainability, to some extent social sustainability, but they do not have favourable situation in environmental sustainability so that the cooperatives are located at moderate and low level of sustainability condition. With regard to comprehensive cooperative sustainability the same result is seen among sampled cooperatives. Sustainability level and ranking are in consonance with the strategies they adopted and right strategy at right time effectively is advocated.

In this paper we propose a methodological tool that seeks to contribute to the empirical study of practices in organization studies. There is a need for innovating and improving analytical tactics for theorizing about practice, particularly for helping connect localized social interactions to broader contexts. We propose the “temporal bracketing of discourses” tool and provide a detailed example that empirically illustrates its application.

There is a socially constructed perception that people with mental illnesses do not have the resilience to endure the pressures of the capitalist model of work. Solidarity economy (SE) appears as an alternative for the inclusion of mentally ill people in the realm of work and productivity, enabling them to (re)produce their subjectivities. In this study, we develop a critical reflection on the possibilities of entrepreneuring, solidarity economy, and financial/accounting literacy as tools towards a health promotion strategy that empowers and allows the emancipation of the individuals, so that they may (re)write their stories and give society an account of themselves other than their mental illness. This paper starts from the analysis of the experience of two Brazilian se ventures engaged in mental health promotion, in which we proposed and conducted a financial education program aimed at providing SE worker-members with tools to actively participate in discussions about financial and accounting-related decisions. Afterwards, we engaged in an action research exercise, building on lessons learned: the importance of abandoning preconceived ideas of mental illness and relying on sharing experiences and participation; and how real-life struggles are a source of knowledge, as discussed through the concept of “learning by doing.”

This paper investigates the dynamics of complexity and expertise in the context of compensation committees (ccs). Drawing on semi-structured interviews, mostly with cc members and consultants, we bring to light two axes of subordination that impact the mindset of corporate governance participants, and may ultimately undermine directors’ degree of accountability to shareholders. The first axis involves cc members’ subordination to consultant expertise, which tends to be considered as an indispensable ally in dealing appropriately with the webs of complexity that allegedly characterize executive compensation. Nourished partially by the first axis, the second implies subservience to these webs of complexity, which are widely presumed and naturalized by cc members and the consulting experts they employ. One of our main contributory statements is to question the ascendancy of complexity in the boardroom, casting doubt on one of the key assumptions upon which practices and expertise in contemporary corporate governance institutions are built and promoted. We also question the extent of epistemic dependency in many compensation committees, where much of the knowledge necessary to properly operate the repertoire of practices (deemed necessary to address the problem of executive compensation determination) is not primarily in the hands of cc members, but rather in those of consultants.

This paper aims to analyze, through a quantitative and qualitative approach, social categories related to vulnerability. This reflection is based on the analysis of concepts that are part of the sociology of poverty, exclusion, and social vulnerability, with contributions from the theory of intersectionality and the concept of social disintegration. Through this approach, vulnerability is a plural concept that results from the intersection of social positions, life experiences, and skills. In addition to the analysis of secondary data, the characteristics of social groups in situations of vulnerability will be examined through interviews with professionals who carry out their daily monitoring. The results indicate that social vulnerability results from the intersection of socio-demographic and economic factors that weaken the educational and professional trajectory of people in situations of vulnerability, particularly about their social and emotional competencies.

Purpose: The study proposes a conceptual framework on how institutions influence risk and uncertainty. Beyond the nuances in defining the concepts in the existing literature, the role of institutions in shaping risks and uncertainties remains understudied. This paper adopts the new institutional economics (NIE) perspective to revisit the concepts of risk and uncertainty and provide a deeper reflection about its interactions with formal and informal institutions. Method: Our conceptual model is based on four propositions that support a theoretical explanation about the relationships between institutions and uncertainties, institutions and risks, and uncertainties and risks. Findings: While formal institutions have a primary role in reducing uncertainties, informal institutions can be seen as a source of risk. These findings imply firms’ strategic decisions. In this regard, we also provide a research agenda for future empirical studies in the area. Originality/value: The study highlights the importance of institutions for companies to deal with risk and uncertainties. The institutions have a primary role in defining the “known part” of the uncertainty, allowing the companies to evaluate the different scenarios for decision-making. Theoretical/Methodological Contributions: This study differentiates risk and uncertainty interaction according to institutional theory. Additionally, we offer an academic discussion of how formal and informal institutions can shape risks and uncertainties.

Objective: To evaluate the influence of external knowledge absorbed on the potential to innovate of multinational companies (MNCs), in the genetically modified (GM) seed sector from 2000 to 2018. Method: A quantitative approach was applied. Data was composed of the main patents filed by MNCs in the GM seed sector, collected from the Espacenet database, the MNCs’ annual reports, and the INPI database. Variables were analyzed using panel regression model. Main results: Results showed that the MNCs’ own resources, as well as the external knowledge absorbed were individually significant. The Interactive variable was not significant in the model. Relevance/ Originality: In addition to addressing literature gaps related for instance to the need to investigate the factors that influence the generation of innovation in multinationals, the present study focused on the agricultural biotechnology sector, which is of paramount importance for the innovations generated in agriculture. Theoretical contributions: This study contributes by filling literature gaps related to the need to understand how important is the influence of the external knowledge and resources to the innovative capabilities of MNCs. Social contributions: This paper helps managers be conscious of the fact that innovation is not only developed internally, involving the MNC’s own network, but in fact, innovation requires relationships with other companies, allowing the access of external knowledge and resources.

COVID-19 is affecting the development of the global economy and threatening the survival of SMEs worldwide. In light of the current situation, this paper examines the factors affecting product and process innovation in SMEs during the COVID-19 crisis. We carried out a simple random sample of 185 SME entrepreneurs in Ardakan, Iran, using a multivariate regression analysis. The results showed that experience is one of the most important factors affecting innovation. Organization size and age were negatively associated with process innovation during the current crisis. Moreover, the findings reveal that training to facilitate cooperation as well as higher commitment to R&D can lead to greater innovation. An important conclusion is that, during the COVID-19 pandemic, government efforts to encourage SMEs to create new products helped them to withstand the crisis. The study suggests that, during the COVID-19 crisis, embracing innovation as a core organizational value helped SMEs to remain competitive.

The COVID-19 outbreak changed dramatically and altered the attitudes, intentions and purchasing patterns of consumers. This global crisis was particularly notable because of globalization—the interconnection of markets and countries—and its unprecedented coverage by traditional and digital media.This research queried the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on consumers’ motivation and behavior. The present paper was based on the results of mixed methods —qualitative and quantitative analyses—conducted in more than 55 countries and collectively engaging 1,015 participants. The studies were performed by the end of March 2020, at which time the pandemic was at its first peak, allowing data to be collected in real time, recording the actual behaviors of consumers and not simply what they could recall after the fact.As a result of the COVID-19 crisis, many changes took place in consumer behavior related to products, channels, and motivations. These changes proved to be more related to consumers’ perceptions of the crisis than to its practical effects. Several managerial and theoretical implications are provided, as well as compelling future research avenues.

The emergence of Covid-19 has affected all aspects of human life across the globe. Lockdowns everywhere are having dramatic social and economic consequences. No therapy has yet been approved, and vaccines are a priority potential tool to control the pandemic and its impacts. Multiple vaccines are in the last stage of the development process, but part of the population is not willing to get vaccinated for Covid-19. Several studies have examined the percentage of the population willing to get vaccinated, but few have analyzed the reasons for their decision. In this context, researching the factors influencing individuals’ intention to use a potential Covid-19 vaccine will be important to public health strategies. This paper analyzes these factors with an adapted Cognitive-Affective-Normative (CAN) model. Perceived vaccine efficacy is used as a cognitive variable, fear of the vaccine and fear of Covid-19 are used as affective variables, and social influence is used as the normative variable. The proposed model strongly explains the intention to use the Covid-19 vaccine (R2 = 0.81). The results show that vaccine efficacy will be the most important determinant of Covid-19 vaccine acceptance, followed by social influence. The findings can be very helpful for public health policies aimed at achieving widespread vaccination, a must for vaccine success.

Drawing on the literature on organizational change, technological change, and inertia, this paper explores how the moment that companies choose to initiate a technological change relative to other companies from the same regional and industrial context influences the company's performance. In particular, we test the excess inertia and excess momentum phenomena that refer to timely and untimely technological shifts in companies. A data set comprising about 1000 of the largest Russian companies, affiliated with 19 industries, located in most of the Russian regions, for 10 years starting from 2008, is used. Applying a multi-level approach of hierarchical linear modeling, we estimated the region environment effect and the industry effect on sales and productivity. The use of moderation effects of the correspondent technology adoption with the average lag or lead from the representative company in the industry or region, could help us demonstrate what digital technologies are probably associated with the excess inertia and the excess momentum phenomena on the industry and regional level. The results reveal that the industry effect is a major determinant of firm productivity, whereas sales are mainly influenced by the region effect. Our investigation also found that companies are more likely to exhibit excess inertia rather than excess momentum.

This paper aims to present an analysis of the scientific output on performance measurement and food waste as well as the trends and challenges in the field. Food waste increases food insecurity and misuses scarce natural and financial resources. However, there are many difficulties in measuring waste at the aggregate level, and the various ways used in companies lack a systemic approach. A systematic literature review was conducted using bibliometrics to guide the content analysis. The results indicate a lack of articles focusing on performance measurement systems for the whole supply chain with an emphasis on sustainability. The application of digital technologies to performance measurement systems is a trend that was observed. That opens an opportunity for research that aims to better quantify food waste and contribute to reduce food insecurity.

Es objetivo del trabajo compartir experiencias sobre desarrollo de competencias para emprender, en cursantes y asesorados por el proyecto INCUBA EMPRESAS, del Centro Loyola Reina, en La Habana, Cuba. Se fundamentó, elaboró y validó la primera versión de un perfil de competencias; así como creó un Observatorio, cuyos proyectos sirvieron de base a fin de rediseñar entrenamientos, y asesorías del programa, lo cual mejoró sus procesos y desempeños, aunque mitigados por factores contextuales. Se concluye generalizando esos resultados y proponiendo nuevas acciones. Abstract The goal of this paper is to share experiences on development of competences for entrepreneurship in beneficiaries of training & advisory activities of INCUBA EMPRESAS project, of Queen Loyola Center, of Jesus Society, in La Habana, Cuba. The foundations, devise & validation of the first version of a competences profile is exposed. An Observatory was created, whose projects gave diagnosis & proposals as premises to redesign the abovementioned activities, improving processes & results, although mitigated due to environmental factors. Generalization of such upshots & new recommendations are given.

El propósito de este artículo es centrarse en la evaluación del liderazgo empresarial de las mypes del municipio de Acapulco. El instrumento de investigación (cuestionario) fue adaptado del elaborado por Víctor Mercader, Modelo de evaluación para el liderazgo empresarial, y fue diseñado en papel para ser contestado por el empresario o director de la empresa. Se analizaron y compararon los elementos de las dimensiones en estudio, procesos y factores en donde se observa que las mypes estudiadas deben mejorar en casi todos los elementos y variables que se consideran prioritarias en el liderazgo empresarial. Abstract The purpose of this article is centered on leadership assessment of MSEs in the municipality of Acapulco. The investigative instrument (questionnaire) was adapted from Victor Mercader’s Assessment Model for Entrepreneurial Leadership and was designed in a paper-based format to be answered by entrepreneurs or directors of the company. An analysis and comparison of the elements of the dimensions being assessed as well as processes, and factors where we observed that, the MSEs studied, must improve in almost all the elements and variables that are considered a priority to entrepreneurial leadership.

Governance mechanisms help manage, direct, and control people, resources, and the interests of those involved in a firm. In family firms, understanding the use of governance mechanisms is particularly important given their rela-tionship with the sustainability of the family and the business. Even though we know a great deal about family busi-ness governance in North America and Europe, we still know very little regarding the use of governance mechanisms in small and medium (SME) family firms in Latin America, nor do we know whether the use of governance mech-anisms impacts financial performance. To address these gaps, this paper presents the results of a survey completed by 2287 representatives of family business SMEs from 24 Latin American countries. Participants indicated the like-lihood of their using different governance mechanisms and responded to questions concerning their businesses. Our results indicate that the small and medium Latin American family firms in our study were not very likely to use for-mal business and family governance mechanisms, however, the use of formal business governance mechanisms was related to financial performance. The implications of these results for research and practice are discussed.

Purpose: This paper discusses the relationship between absorptive capacity, external sources of knowledge, and innovation in the context of the power sector. In doing so, we follow the theoretical debate over absorptive capacity dimensions. We focus on the statistical testing of Zahra and George’s (2002) absorptive capacity construct to identify whether their dimensions find support in reality. We consider that the external environment encompasses both scientific and industrial sources of knowledge, which influence absorptive capacity. Originality/value: Zahra and George’s (2002) model initiated the debate of the absorptive capacity dimensions, and it is disseminated in literature. However, it is poorly tested. There is still a research gap related to the empirical validation stage of the absorptive capacity construct itself. Our research tries to decrease this gap, testing Zahra and George’s (2002) absorptive capacity construct in a Brazilian company’s context. Design/methodology/approach: The research design was quantitative. A survey was applied to 402 industrial firms. We used multivariate sta tistical techniques and the structural models were tested by Partial Least Squares (PLS). Findings: Zahra and George’s (2002) construct of absorptive capacity was proved, and innovation, as well as the external sources types of knowledge, are related to it. The absorptive capacity is contingent on types of external knowledge. / Objetivo: Este artigo discute a relação entre capacidade absortiva, fontes externas de conhecimento e inovação no contexto do setor elétrico. Essa discussão guia-se pelo debate teórico sobre as dimensões da capacidade absortiva. Testou-se o construto da capacidade absortiva de Zahra e George (2002), identificando se suas dimensões encontravam suporte na realidade. Consideraram-se também as influências das fontes externas de conhecimentos científico e industrial. Originalidade/valor: O construto de Zahra e George (2002) iniciou o debate sobre as dimensões da capacidade absortiva e se disseminou na literatura. Entretanto, tal modelo tem sido pouco testado, permanecendo o gap de pesquisa relativo à validação do construto. Esta pesquisa contribuiu para diminuir esse gap, testando o construto de Zahra e George no contexto de uma empresa brasileira. Design/metodologia/abordagem: A metodologia da pesquisa foi quantitativa, em que se aplicou um questionário a um universo de 402 empresas industriais. Utilizaram-se técnicas estatísticas multivariadas com o modelo estrutural testado pelo Partial Least Squares (PLS). Resultados: O construto de Zahra e George (2002) foi respaldado, assim como as relações dos tipos das fontes de conhecimentos relacionadas. Concluiu-se que a capacidade absortiva é contingente aos tipos de conhecimento externo.

This paper analyzes the impact on product innovation of different types of interorganizational relationship partners. An empirical contrast with data taken from the Spanish Technological Innovation Panel (based on Eurostat’s Community Innovation Survey) shows that diversity in the types of partners involved in interorganizational relationships has a positive effect on product innovation. In particular, increased benefits can be achieved in the innovation of goods when there is diversity in the relationships that exist between business partners (customers and suppliers); and in service innovation when there is diversity in the relationships between non-industrial partners (consultants, universities and research entities). Finally, given the results it is not possible to state that a lot of diversity reduces the returns on innovation.

COVID 19 disrupted food supply chains worldwide. Existing problems, such as food and nutrition insecurity, increased exponentially. It has become imperative to move to a more sustainable and equitable food system. In this sense, the challenge in researching food losses and waste (FLW) and proposing solutions mobilizes transdisciplinary approaches and processes to transform food supply chains in an effective manner. Understanding how much food we produce and consume is no easy task. So many different geographical, cultural and societal contexts and levels of economic development and urbanization result in quantitative and qualitative limitations. According to Corrado et al. (2019), accounting for food waste is a central element in designing an FLW policy and the interventions that are proposed. The methodology adopted when accounting for waste is key to monitoring the progress made towards reducing targets. There is no best way of tackling food losses and waste, but many relevant and rigorous attempts are made using different methods. Some of them are discussed in this paper, which suggests a methodological agenda for business and management researchers who are interested in this challenge.

This article problematizes the creation in fashion design. A noticeable majority of companies in the fashion market accompanies trends, which are edited by bureaux de style, disseminated by fashion designers at week runway shows and advertised as successful bets by the fashion media. This investigation results from the development of a research about the agency of fashion designers. The given scope emphasizes the dialectics of creation x adequacy and innovation x security. More specifically, the paper addresses the considerations of three interviewees conducted for the validation of the research’s results. During the dialogues - which consisted of informal telephone conversations aided by a semi-structured script – the professionals reported their reflections on deliberate acts of creation and the business logic of fashion design corporations.

This paper aims to provide a better understanding of conditions that influence the gap between positive attitude and intention towards organic food products and actual behaviour regarding these products. Thus, we propose an extended version of the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) to explain parts of this gap and we highlight the crucial role played by consumers’ involvement as a moderator. A structural equation modelling was performed, and the sta-tistical analysis of a sample of 1327 French consumers supports our organic food products buying behaviour model. The results showed that the difference between the means of actual behaviour was highly different between low- and high-involvement consumers. More specifically, high-involvement consumers express more positive attitudes towards buying organic food products, perceive higher subjective norms and behavioural control, they have higher behavioural intention, and buy organic food products more frequently. Additionally, the results indicated that, com-pared to low-involvement consumers, high-involvement consumers regard organic food products as more attractive, healthier, tastier, and with higher value. We proposed some marketing strategies to help managers to better promote the organic food products market and, in turn, increase their revenues. For example, marketers therefore have a vested interest in increasing consumer involvement, and, among other things, they can do so by educating them (i.e., high-lighting the benefits of consuming organic foods). Moreover, since high-involvement customers have positive atti-tude-intention and behaviour, they can be allies for marketers through their influence (social norms). Thus, we suggest the use of digital influencers to endorse organic food.

Even though, in the past, competition depended on the factors of production possessed, today it depends on the production of value-added goods, their export, and finally, branding of the country today. Since the late 1990s, the brand value of countries has been an important concept that has been studied. Current academic literature is deprived of weighting sub dimensions of country brand strength index and compare index values by years. Having an import-ant role in academic literature, Fetscherin (2010) identified five dimensions of the country brand strength index as export, tourism, foreign direct investment, migration and governance, but not giving any weighting to sub dimensions. In order to contribute to current country brand index literature, sub-dimensions of the index are weighted with the help of the analytical hierarchy process (AHP) method, comparing 2010 and 2015. Therefore, the innovation of this paper is its weighting method and the comparison of index values by years. The Country Brand Strength Index (CBSI) is calculated for G7 countries and Turkey using the survey based AHP method, consisting of 5 different indi-cators: exports, foreign direct investments, tourism, immigration, and governance. According to the results, it is deter-mined that “exports” has the most important weight among those indicators with Canada leading the group with the best index value in 2010 and 2015. The aim of this study, which was conducted with limited resources, is to shed light on studies to be carried out in the future in order to establish a strong country brand and increase country competi-tiveness in the international markets. In this respect, repetition of this research as regards to geographical and regional variations and performing qualitative and quantitative studies, incorporating different dimensions in the index such as culture, science and technology, will strengthen the academic literature in this field.

This paper examines the relationship between intercultural competencies and performance in “international locals”, defined as employees who, albeit not formally appointed to any international position, are regularly exposed to different types of intercultural interactions. From a sample of 258 employees of a multinational company, we selected a sub-group of 94 international locals, and examined the effect of ethnocentrism (ET), cultural intelligence (CQ) and emotional intelligence (EQ) on their performance, utilizing multiple regression analysis. The results show that the higher levels of CQ and/or EQ, the better the performance of international locals. Evidence also indicates that EQ interacts with CQ, triggering or enhancing the effect on performance. Finally, ET does not have any effect on the performance of international locals. The research implies that EQ and CQ are essential for performance in international business situations, and that international locals, who are continually exposed to regular intercultural interactions, need to focus on developing these two competencies. By assessing and helping international locals to develop higher EQ and CQ, organizations can ensure that they have enthusiastic and perseverant employees, who enjoy intercultural interactions, and can contribute to develop competitive advantages and capabilities.