ISSUE 1
INTERORGANIZATIONAL LEARNING AND ABSORPTIVE CAPACITY: EMPIRICAL RESEARCH IN SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES
ALESSANDRA CASSOL, MÁRCIO L. MARIETTO, GRACIELE TONIAL e NATHALIA B. WERLANG
ABSTRACT
Purpose: This research analyzes the influence of interorganizational learning (IOL) on the absorptive (Acap), potential (Pacap) and realized (Racap) capacities on the environment of small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
Originality/value: The study contributed to the understanding and expansion of IOL research operationalized through the elements of Acap. The understanding of these elements are fundamental for the development of competencies of SMEs from Brazil and/or emerging countries embedded on dynamic sectors and high technology mobility to adapt and develop new dynamic capabilities.
Design/methodology/approach: The research was conducted by a survey with a sample of 215 organizations of the information technology and communication (ITC) sector in the State of Santa Catarina, Brazil. The data were analyzed using the structural equation modeling technique.
Findings: The results showed that the relationships of IOL influence the development of new capabilities and have a strong influence over absorptive capacity development. The organizations ability to acquire, assimilate, apply and internalize the available knowledge in the sector through interorganizational relations was fundamental for their adaptation and survival.
KEYWORDS: Organizational learning. Interorganizational learning. Absorptive capacity. Small and medium enterprises. Information and communication technology sector.
ABSORPTIVE CAPACITY AS FEEDBACK ON THE SUSTAINABILITY OF ORGANIZATIONS
ROSANE MALVESTITI, DANIEL B. L. ESTEVES e GERTRUDES A. DANDOLINI
ABSTRACT
Purpose: To describe the characteristics of the phases that make up the evolution of knowledge, such as, innovation, social innovation, innovation oriented to sustainability, organizational sustainability and absorptive capacity, as well as their correlations.
Originality/value: It provides a panoramic view of the potential of absorptive capacity relating it to social innovation, innovation oriented towards sustainability and organizational sustainability. It addresses related themes and concepts that incorporate strategies to achieve organizational sustainability and have been gaining more importance and space between these discussions. Three scientific databases were used to select the articles: Scopus, Web of Science and SciELO. Then, to support the main concepts, theoretical references from more recent scientific studies were needed, which could contribute to clarifying the terms and definitions.
Design/methodology/approach: This is a narrative bibliographic review. Works characterized by broader discussions were used, ideal for identifying and describing the conceptual state of a specific theme.
Findings: Through the researched articles, it was possible to explore the characteristics of innovation, innovation oriented towards sustainability, and social innovation, which guide the values of society and influence the strategies of organizations more and more, thus, observing and understanding the absorptive capacity as a fundamental instrument for the strategies that ensure organizational sustainability.
KEYWORDS: Innovation. Social innovation. Organizational sustainability. Learning. Absorptive capacity.
SUBJECTIVE WELL-BEING AND FLOURISHING AT WORK: THE IMPACT OF PROFESSIONAL FULFILMENT
LIGIA C. OLIVEIRA-SILVA e JULIANA B. PORTO
ABSTRACT
Purpose: The main purpose of this study was to investigate the impact professional fulfilment has on aspects of positive psychology, such as subjective well-being and flourishing at work.
Originality/value: We analyse whether professional fulfilment, as a career aspect, influences only work factors, such as flourishing, or if it also contributes to subjective well-being in life. Additionally, few studies have focused on professional fulfilment because of its novelty. Therefore, this study contributes to advancing a new concept, as well as to the development of new models and theories in positive psychology.
Design/methodology/approach: This is a quantitative, survey-type research study involving 358 participants who have a wide variety of jobs and professions. The questionnaire presented subjective wellbeing, flourishing at work and professional fulfilment scales, as well as socio-demographic questions. Data were analysed using bivariate correlations and multiple regression analysis.
Findings: Results indicated that professional fulfilment predicts higher subjective well-being and flourishing at work. Therefore, the more people perceive they have achieved what they value in their career and demonstrate positive goal progress, the more they experience well-being in life in general and the more they flourish at work. There are major positive relationships between career goals, well-being and flourishing at work, which is consistent with previous studies. Future studies could analyse under which specific contextual conditions the pursuit of career goals has a higher or lower impact on subjective well-being and flourishing.
KEYWORDS: Subjective well-being. Flourishing at work. Professional fulfilment. Career. Goals.
CAREER ADAPTABILITY, ENGAGEMENT AND JOB SATISFACTION: A PSYCHOLOGICAL NETWORK IN THE MILITARY EDUCATION CONTEXT
PEDRO P. PIRES, GEORGE H. S. PINTO, MARCOS A. SOUZA, MAGNO O. MACAMBIRA e GABRIEL L. FIGUEIRA
ABSTRACT
Purpose: Evidence indicates that career adaptability and engagement are characteristics that improve coping with challenges inherent in a military career. Job satisfaction appears as a variable that interacts with both because it improves the maintenance of performance. The objective of this paper is to examine a psychological network (PN), including these variables.
Originality/value: The interaction among these is well documented in the literature; nevertheless, it has not been researched in the context of military education. Information on the network can provide important insights for the development of strength-based training directed towards highly influential behaviors and attitudes of students.
Design/methodology/approach: The research design was sectional and based on a quantitative analysis framework. A total of 962 male students from the second (n = 323; 33.6%), third (n = 345; 35.9%), and fourth (n = 294; 30.6%) years of the Academia Militar das Agulhas Negras (Aman), between 18 and 26 years old, completed our survey. Instruments included a demographic questionnaire, Job Satisfaction Scale, Career Adaptabilities Scale, and Utrecht Work Engagement Scale for Students. PNs were estimated for the complete sample and also for every academic year.
Findings: One of our main findings indicates that the PN tends to lose connections across the academic years, especially considering job satisfaction and engagement items. Aman students might experience a natural process of disconnection from the academic environment and, therefore, constructs showing, for example, engagement for students lose configuration as a graphical community. A longitudinal study is needed in order to confirm differences detected among students from different years.
KEYWORDS: Job satisfaction. Engagement. Career adaptability. Psychological networks. Organizational psychology.
FINANCING OF BRAZILIAN COMPANIES DURING FINANCIAL CRISES: COMPARATIVE BETWEEN THE CRISES OF 2002, 2008 AND 2015
TATIANE D. A. FRANZOTTI, VINÍCIUS M. MAGNANI, MARCELO A. AMBROZINI e MAURÍCIO R. VALLE
ABSTRACT
Purpose: The purpose of this study is to verify the financing decisions by Brazilian companies in the financial crises of 2002, 2008 and 2015, and to identify the impacts of these crises, as well as the influence of the funding sources – banking, subsidized sources and capital markets – on the leverage and maturity of companies’ debts in these periods.
Originality/value: Crises establish opportunities for the study of determining factors and their impacts on companies. There is no empirical evidence on the impacts of crises on the capital structure of Brazilian companies taking into account the comparison between the crises of 2002, 2008 and 2015, which motivated the present study.
Design/methodology/approach: We performed descriptive analyzes and estimated regressions by panel data.
Findings: The results showed a statistically positive relationship between financial crises and corporate leverage, as well as short and long-term debt. With regard to leverage, banking resources, resources from capital and subsidized markets showed a statistically positive relationship with the level of leverage of companies only in the 2008 crisis. Considering the maturity of debts, the 2002 crisis was an important determinant for companies’ short-term debt decisions, in view of the predominant participation of banking resources at that time. Financing sources were important in determining companies’ long-term indebtedness in the 2008 crisis.
KEYWORDS: Capital structure. Financial crises. Credit market. Funding sources. Leverage.
RE-EXAMINING ANALYST SUPERIORITY IN FORECASTING RESULTS OF PUBLICLY-TRADED BRAZILIAN COMPANIES
RAFAEL C. GATSIOS, FABIANO G. LIMA, LUIZ E. GAIO e TABAJARA PIMENTA JUNIOR
ABSTRACT
Purpose: This research examines the superiority of analysts over random walk models in forecasting the results of publicly-traded Brazilian companies in the short and long term.
Originality/value: The literature indicates the uncontested superiority of market analysts because of their temporal and informational advantages. However, recent international studies call for a re-evaluation of this superiority, indicating that, for certain company characteristics, and primarily for long-term estimates, the superiority of analysts is not confirmed.
Design/methodology/approach: This work evaluates the profit forecasting of analysts and simple and growth random walk models over the short and long term over 2010-2015 for publicly traded Brazilian companies, using the information available for the period with annual intervals.
Findings: The results indicate: 1. the greater forecasting accuracy of simple random walk models compared to the growth random walk models; and 2. the greater forecasting accuracy of random walk models overall, with analyst forecasts only being superior for cases with three months of lag. The evidence suggests the forecasting superiority of the random walk models when compared to the market analysts’ forecasts. The results suggest low efficiency of the forecasts of market analysts for the forecast of future results of publicly traded Brazilian companies in the analyzed period.
KEYWORDS: Earnings per share. Superiority of analysts. Market analysts. Time-series models. Random walk.
ISSUE 2
THE INFLUENCE OF ENTREPRENEURIAL PASSION AND CREATIVITY ON ENTREPRENEURIAL INTENTIONS
BERNARDO BIGNETTI, ANA C. M. Z. SANTOS, PETER B. HANSEN e EDER HENRIQSON
ABSTRACT
Purpose: This study aims to analyze the influence of entrepreneurial passion and creativity on entrepreneurial intent. It also examines the mediating role of entrepreneurial self-efficacy between the personal/ cognitive variable and entrepreneurial intention.
Originality/value: By stressing the importance of cognitive and emotional variables that may influence entrepreneurial intentions among university students (such as creativity and entrepreneurial passion), this study shows the important role that universities have in the development of entrepreneurial intent. According to the Social Cognitive Theory (SCT), the environment influences individual behavior and, therefore, universities should encourage an entrepreneurial environment, enabling the creation of new jobs and companies.
Design/methodology/approach: Data were collected through a survey with business and technology students from a Brazilian university. In total, 338 valid responses were obtained, which were analyzed through structural equation modeling. The data were collected in a cross-sectional manner and by a stratified and non-probability sampling method. To address the research hypothesis and to attain the objectives of the study, all constructs were adapted from relevant literature in the field of entrepreneurship. The structural model was examined in relation to the model fit, which enabled the hypothesis to be tested.
Findings: Results showed both a direct and indirect positive relationship between entrepreneurial passion on entrepreneurial intention. Regarding the creativity factor, results indicated only an indirect effect of creativity on entrepreneurial intention, this relationship being mediated through entrepreneurial self-efficacy. No significant differences were found in the model regarding age, gender, graduation program, entrepreneurial family background, role models or family income.
KEYWORDS: Entrepreneurial intention. Social Cognitive Theory. Creativity. Entrepreneurial passion. Self-efficacy.
FINANCIAL WELL-BEING OF THE BENEFICIARIES OF THE MINHA CASA MINHA VIDA PROGRAM: PERCEPTION AND ANTECEDENTS
KELMARA M. VIEIRA, AURELIANO A. BRESSAN e LUANA S. FRAGA
ABSTRACT
Purpose: This article has two main objectives: to measure the level of financial well-being (FWB) of the beneficiaries of the Minha Casa Minha Vida program (PMCMV) and test the hypothesis that financial literacy is an antecedent of the FWB.
Originality/value: Considering that there is still no universally accepted definition and measure for the FWB (Brüggen, Hogreve, Holmlund, Kabadayi, & Löfgren, 2017), this study seeks to apply the methodology proposed by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) in Brazil, since the previous applications attempts of other scales showed great instability. Also, the hypothesis that the financial literacy is a antecedent of the FWB is tested.
Design/methodology/approach: To measure the FWB, the scale developed by the CFPB was used. Financial literacy was built from the three dimensions proposed by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), which are: financial behavior, attitude and financial knowledge. The instrument was implemented in 561 beneficiaries of the three funding ranges of the PMCMV. It was used for descriptive statistical analysis, confirmatory factorial analysis and multiple linear regression.
Findings: The results indicated that the majority of the beneficiaries of the program present medium-low and medium-high levels of FWB. The hypothesis that financial literacy is an antecedent of the FWB was confirmed, and all three dimensions had a positive impact. Levels of income also presented a positive influence, whereas the fact of having dependents had a negative impact. The BEF measure proposed by the CFPB seems adequate to the Brazilian context. And advances in the national financial literacy strategies tend to increase the FWB of the Minha Casa Minha Vida program.
KEYWORDS: Financial well-being. Minha Casa Minha Vida program. Financial literacy. Financial protection. Well-being scale.
DAILY PRACTICES AND PROCESSES OF TERRITORIALIZATION OF SETTLERS IN QUERÊNCIA DO NORTE, PARANÁ, BRAZIL
ELINE G. O. ZIOLI, FÁBIO S. RODRIGUES, EVANDRO L. GAFFURI e ELISA Y. ICHIKAWA
ABSTRACT
Purpose: To understand the processes of territorialization in the daily life and work routine of settlers in Querência do Norte, Paraná, Brazil.
Originality/value: This work contributes to the context of discussions on territory and territorialization processes (Haesbaert, 2011; Raffestin, 1993, 2008; Saquet, 2008) in the daily life (De Certeau, 2014) of workers marginalized by society in general.
Design/methodology/approach: We developed this qualitative article from data collected through eight life history interviews with settlers, pre-settlers, and residents of Querência do Norte, in the State of Paraná (PR). After transcribing the interviews, they went through an analysis of narratives.
Findings: We identify that, through the practices of work, study and claims, the settlers territorialize the space, and there they create their own rules and norms of coexistence. In their struggles for land, it is clear that their place of belonging is the field, justifying the insistence on the struggle for the right to land to cultivate. The sense of belonging of the workers is represented by the struggle that unites them and places them as part of a larger movement. Placing men at the center of the construction of territoriality is accomplished through the daily struggle and work of the settlers and pre-settlers in Querência do Norte (PR).
KEYWORDS: Everyday life. Territory. Processes of territorialization. Settlers. Querência do Norte (PR).
THE UBER DRIVER IS NOT AN ENTREPRENEUR
LUCAS CASAGRANDE, MARTÍN A. M. ZAMORA e CARLOS F. T. OVIEDO
ABSTRACT
Purpose: To analyze the conceptual relationship between entrepreneurship and the Uber driver since the company is the pinnacle of a new way of organizing work. It is argued here that, contrary to what is used in numerous articles and in the media, the Uber driver is not an “entrepreneur” but a precarious worker with flexible facilities.
Originality/value: With the emergence of a new type of employment contract that is referenced in the labor relations of the company Uber, it becomes necessary to discuss the impacts of this new organization of labor. The conceptual discussion about the framework of the Uber driver is still incipient in the field. The research contributes to a better understanding of the discourse that the worker understood as an entrepreneur legitimizes exploitation.
Design/methodology/approach: This is a theoretical-analytical article. Historical and theoretical literature was used to weave how the concept of entrepreneurship emerges historically and changes over time. Also, Uberized labor is compared to Taylorism and Toyotism.
Findings: It demonstrates how the Uber driver cannot be considered an entrepreneur in any of the historical concepts. It is also demonstrated that the driver is a precarious employee, with flexible time and automated management, incorporating elements of the work organization of both Taylorism and Toyotism.
KEYWORDS: Entrepreneur. Uber. Uberization. Precarization of labor. Work flexibility.
SUSTAINABLE CONSUMPTION: THEMATIC EVOLUTION FROM 1999 TO 2019
ANGELICA C. M. ARAÚJO, VERÔNICA M. OLIVEIRA e SUZANNE E. N. CORREIA
ABSTRACT
Purpose: Analyze the thematic evolution of the research field on sustainable consumption from 1999 to 2019.
Originality/value: The study advances the understanding of the development of the research field on sustainable consumption, analyzing the main publications and topics covered.
Design/methodology/approach: Systematic literature review through a bibliometric study with analysis based on citations supported by the CitNetExplorer software, using core publication and clustering techniques. Two hundred sixty-four articles were analyzed.
Findings: The most recent publications converge on the need to change the current patterns and levels of consumption and to engage dif- ferent stakeholders in participatory and co-creation processes. Also, the existence of five research clusters was identified, namely: 1. eco-efficiency with a focus on greening the market; 2. consumer behavior with an emphasis on encouraging the purchase of green products; 3. social nature of consumption that inserts the sociological perspective; 4. dynamic approach for considering the interdisciplinarity of the field; and 5. the role of education for sustainable consumption. The various themes found reveal contributions from different areas of knowledge and the importance of developing research that integrates the dynamics of the challenges to achieve sustainable consumption. We emphasize the need for an integrated approach due to the inherent complexity of the theme that involves economic, technological, political, social, psychological, and environmental aspects for governance in favor of sustainable consumption.
KEYWORDS: Sustainable consumption. Bibliometrics. CitNetExplorer. Core publication. Cluster.
THE EFFECTS OF CAR WASH OPERATION ON THE BRAZILIAN CAPITAL MARKET: THE PETROBRAS CASE
ELIANA M. M. F. TORGA, CAROLINA M. S. ROMA, MIRIAN A. PIRES, PAULA M. S. ROMA e BRUNO P. FERREIRA
ABSTRACT
Purpose: The study aimed to identify the effects of the Car Wash Operation on the Brazilian capital market, focusing on the state-owned company Petróleo Brasileiro S.A. (Petrobras), including in the analysis other publicly traded companies that belong to the oil and gas sector.
Originality/value: This research is relevant because it advances in discussing the influence of the Car Wash Operation on the stock price in the Brazilian context. This study contributes to revealing the use of the Google Trends tool to measure market attention and its effects.
Design/methodology/approach: This is a quantitative research based on evidence of the volume of research in relation to the movement of the stock prices. The sample consisted of data from Petrobras and other companies belonging to the oil and gas sector in the period from January 2, 2013, to December 28, 2018. The most relevant dates were defined through the search volume index for the terms “Car Wash” and “corruption”, obtained from the Google Trends tool. The GARCH model (1,1) was adopted in the estimates.
Findings: The results obtained from the dummies inserted to capture the abnormal returns showed a significant reaction in the behaviors of the assets. The flow of capital seems to have opted for assets of greater confidence than PETR3 and PETR4 in a few weeks of the Operation. This work showed that, in general, the outbreak of the Car Wash Operation influenced and brought some instability to other companies in the sector.
KEYWORDS: Car Wash Operation. Corruption. Petrobras. Investor sentiment. Google Trends.
ISSUE 3
THE ROLE OF IoT IN THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN STRATEGIC LOGISTICS MANAGEMENT AND OPERATIONAL PERFORMANCE
YAN M. LOPES e ROBERTO G. MOORI
ABSTRACT
Purpose: Against the backdrop of the transaction costs and theoretical strands of thought in authors of the strategic logistics management (SLM), operational performance (OP), and the internet of things (IoT), the purpose of this study is to verify if the IoT performs a mediating effect on the relationship between SLM and OP.
Originality/value: The bibliometric study indicated that studies on the IoT aimed at the business area are still scarce. Therefore, there is a prospect of expansion of the knowledge frontier of the administration field. This article seeks to show whether the IoT has a mediating influence on the relationship between SLM and OP, in addition to highlighting the most significant variables of each construct. This study can help business managers and researchers to identify the benefits of adopting IoT.
Design/method/approach: For that, a quantitative research was carried out. The research collected data through a semi-structured questionnaire with a sample of 76 companies. Data were treated by descriptive statistics and multivariate statistics with the modeling technique in structural equations. Before the application of the modeling technique in structural equations, data were submitted to tests of convergent and discriminant validity.
Findings: The IoT plays a mediating but partial role in the relationship between SLM and OP. Implementing the IoT provides better efficiency by enabling proactive decisions, interconnecting resources, automating, streamlining, remotely controlling, generating customer information, and eliminating errors.
KEYWORDS: Strategic logistics management. Internet of things. Operational performance. Structural equation modeling. Measurement scale.
WORK DESIGN: WORK FEATURES OF CIVIL SERVANTS OF THE SUPERIOR COURT OF JUSTICE
PABLO F. P. FREITAS e CATARINA C. ODELIUS
ABSTRACT
Purpose: To identify and analyze differences in the tasks, knowledge, and social features of the work of civil servants of the Superior Court of Justice, and, secondarily, to verify the factorial, convergent, predictive, and discriminative validity of the Work Design Questionnaire (WDQ) in the Brazilian Judiciary context.
Originality/value: With the WDQ’s development, the work design became the subject of further studies all around the world. Also, in Brazil, since its translation and adaptation, this variable has caused great repercussions in people management, becoming the first study within the scope of the Brazilian Judiciary.
Design/methodology/approach: Through a survey sent to 2,898 civil servants, 895 responses were obtained and subjected to descriptive statistical analysis, confirmatory factorial analysis, reliability analysis, Kendall’s tau correlation analysis, and the Kruskal-Wallis test.
Findings: The most indicated work feature was social support, and the least indicated was interaction outside the organization. Special knowledge was most required from professionals with higher education. For the men, there were more problem solving, specialized knowledge, and decision-making autonomy in their work. Civil servants who work in judicial activities claimed to have more meaningful tasks. Managers claimed to have less autonomy in planning their tasks, as all other civil servants stated that their work has a more definite beginning, middle, and end. In a public body of great size and complexity, work features are differentiated by their sociodemographic and functional variables, requiring customization in the management practices of people and organizational policies.
KEYWORDS: Work design. Work Design Questionnaire. Public sector. Judiciary. Superior Court of Justice.
HIPSTERS VERSUS POSERS: FANNISH SPLIT IN THE INDIE MUSIC WORLD
RODRIGO C. T. CAVALCANTI, ANDRÉ L. M. SOUZA-LEÃO e BRUNO M. MOURA
ABSTRACT
Purpose: Web 2.0 technologies have enhanced relational dynamics in fan communities. Indie music fans significantly identify themselves with the genre and participate in these communities within a music industry reinvention scenario. Based on the Foucauldian perspective, by sharing knowledge about media products, fans manifest truths capable of expressing subjectivities – parrhesia, a way of mutually affecting different truths. Thus, the aim of the present study is to analyze how parrhesia is operated in interactions among indie music fans.
Originality/value: The present research expands an important theoreticalinvestigative path in the consumer culture theory (CCT) field by adopting Michel Foucault’s later theoretical cycle, which addresses the construction of subjectivities.
Design/methodology/approach: Netnography of interactions among indie music fans was carried out in one of the largest online discussion forums on the topic.
Findings: Heated discussions observed in the investigated community often create a split that shows a dispute focused on defining what being an indie music fan means. Based on disruptive parrhesia anchored in moral backgrounds associated with erudition and collectivism versus hedonism and individuality, self-declared true fans and those who seek fun establish alter-subjectivities as hipsters and posers.
KEYWORDS: Fans. Indie music. Subjectivity. Parrhesia. Netnography.
IMPACT OF THE FOREIGN EXPERIENCE OF BOARD DIRECTORS ON THE PERFORMANCE OF PUBLICLY TRADED BRAZILIAN COMPANIES
VAGNER N. MACHADO e IGOR B. SONZA
ABSTRACT
Purpose: We analyzed the impact of board directors with foreign experience on the accounting and market performance of companies listed on the Brazilian Stock Exchange (B3).
Originality/value: We show unpublished empirical evidence about the relationship between the foreign experience of board directors and the performance of Brazilian firms. Knowing this relationship better contributes to the formulation of internal policies for the qualification of senior management, in addition to being valuable to shareholders, especially in a context of weak legal protection, as it is in Brazil.
Design/methodology/approach: We collected data from 230 companies between 2010 and 2016, submitted it to unbalanced panel data regressions using the Systemic Generalized Method of Moments (GMM-Sys).
Findings: The results suggest that the higher the proportion of board members with academic and professional foreign experience, the lower their accounting and market performance. This finding can be justified by institutional isomorphism, in which having an experience abroad would be a myth, a status institutionalized by the Brazilian society. In addition, foreign owners and directors face cultural barriers and would have less knowledge of the local environment, which would increase information asymmetries, impacting negatively in firms’ performance. On the other hand, an increase in the number of foreigners on the board positively influences the market value of companies, since, by having weaker local power networks and, consequently, less possibility to obtain private benefits, the investors could value companies with this characteristic.
KEYWORDS: Performance. Board of directors. Foreign experience. Corporate governance. Institutional isomorphism.
IS ACCOUNTING ALCHEMY STILL THE RIGHT MEDICINE FOR FIRM’S EARNINGS AND BOOK VALUE? EVIDENCE FROM SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA
EDESIRI GODSDAY OKORO e CHIZOBA M. EKWUEME
ABSTRACT
Purpose: A major thread in accounting literature, which has remained a contentious issue, is how accounting alchemy can be modeled. The paper builds on existing accrual models in proposing an accounting alchemy model and tests if it is still the right medicine for earnings and book value of firms. The accounting alchemy model was based on mechanisms of earnings, book value, earnings before extraordinary items, net profit after tax, cash flow from operations, revenue, and total assets. We modified accrual models on the view that accrual models suggest that incomes/expenses are the most manipulated; contrarily, accounting alchemy proposes that assets are alchemized.
Originality/value: This paper proposes a new empirical model of accounting alchemy and practically assesses the validity of the model in Sub-Saharan Africa, where there are no studies. The proposed accounting alchemy model can be used in Asia, Europe, and other parts of the world to see if the study results can be replicated.
Design/methodology/approach: Ex post facto design was used, and secondary data were obtained for selected quoted firms in Sub-Saharan Africa comprising Nigeria, South Africa, and Kenya from 2012 to 2016. A sample of 64 firms was selected in the consumer and industrial goods subsector, and data were analyzed via descriptive (mean, standard deviation, correlation) and inferential (regression, fixed, and random effects) statistics.
Findings: Findings indicated that earnings and book value are significantly affected by accounting alchemy. This implies that accounting alchemy is not the right medicine for firm’s earnings and book value. The result has practical application for researchers and the regulatory framework of accounting.
KEYWORDS: Accounting alchemy. Earnings per share. Book value per share. Accounting choices. Sub-Saharan Africa.
DO OWNERSHIP CONCENTRATION AND THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS AFFECT EXPORTS?
VITOR F. M. B. DIAS, MICHELE A. CUNHA, FERNANDA M. PEIXOTO e DUTERVAL JESUKA
ABSTRACT
Purpose: To investigate whether the shareholder concentration and the board composition influence the export of Brazilian listed firms from 2010 to 2017.
Originality/value: The study contributes to the literature on exports and corporate governance by highlighting that companies with good governance practices, measured by the board composition and ownership/control structure, might increase their exports. This research can serve as a guide for companies to structure their boards in order to positively influence exports and improve performance. In addition, the study raises the question of what would be the “optimal level” of firms’ shareholding concentration in order to improve the decision-making process involved in choosing to expand borders through export.
Design/methodology/approach: The study performed logistic regression (logit model) and regression with the censored dependent variable (tobit model). Propensity to export and intensity of export were used as dependent variables. The logit regressions involved a sample of 307 exporting and non-exporting companies, and the tobit regressions involved a sample of 61 exporting firms.
Findings: We found a positive relationship between board independence and exports, that is, the greater presence of independent members on the board, the higher the export level of firms. We also found that there is a non-monotonic relationship between shareholder concentration and level of exports. In summary, the study suggests that some corporate governance mechanisms may act as antecedents for firms’ export practices.
KEYWORDS: Export. Brazilian companies. Shareholder concentration. Composition of the board. Corporate governance.
ISSUE 4
GAMIFICATION AS A NEW TREND IN THE CO-CREATION PROCESS
IVO M. F. M. RODRIGUES, NUNO F. M. SOARES, JOÃO M. LOPES, JOSÉ C. OLIVEIRA e JORGE M. N. G. LOPES
ABSTRACT
Purpose: Interaction through the use of social media, smartphones, and online games is increasingly growing. Regarding games, it is estimated that part of the population spends more than 12 hours a week in interactions provided by online games. In this context, the objective of the present research is to study and deepen the connection between co-creation and gamification applied to the services sector.
Originality/value: This research aims to contribute to the gap reduction in the existing literature in the areas of gamification and co-creation applied to the services sector. The fact that the research is applied to a peripheral region of Europe and to a different business sector contributes to a better understanding of the relationship established between gamified co-creation and the business sector in these types of regions. It also helps companies in the process of developing and implementing new strategies.
Design/methodology/approach: By using a qualitative methodology, seven interviews were carried out in different companies located in Portugal and operating in the services sector.
Findings: This research will allow a better understanding of the Portuguese business world and if this corporate environment is ready to work with new methodologies. It was possible to point out some good practices related to the implementation of a gamified co-creation methodology, as well as to provide an alert for the negative aspects that may arise when working under this approach. Companies acknowledge that the adoption of a gamified co-creation methodology brings some advantages and increases their competitiveness levels in the market.
KEYWORDS: Gamification. Co-creation. Companies. Marketing. Peripheral region.
TRANSACTION COSTS IN THE PHARMACEUTICAL RETAIL MARKET: IMPACTS OF OPPORTUNISM AND ANALYTICAL DIMENSIONS OF TRANSACTIONS
ADILSON A. SILVA
ABSTRACT
Purpose: The study explores the predictive relationships of the analytical dimensions of transactions and opportunistic behavior on the transaction costs of the Brazilian pharmaceutical retail market.
Originality/value: The study contributes to the advancement of empirical research on the subject and proposes indicators modeled by structural equations to simultaneously estimate the effects of uncertainty, asset specificity and frequency of transactions, and opportunism in transaction costs. Design/methodology/approach: Transaction costs were estimated with indicators related to the costs of analysis, preparation, and adaptation of contracts; these are analytical dimensions of transactions with indicators that reflect the specificity of human assets and physical/dedicated assets, technological and market uncertainty, and the recurrence of transactions between partners. The data collected via an electronic questionnaire were processed with the technique of Modeling in Structural Equations.
Results: Data processing demonstrated the significant influence of the frequency of transactions on opportunism and hence on transaction costs. It also confirmed the impact of uncertainty on ex ante transaction costs and the specificity of assets on ex post costs. The results denote the relevance of analytical dimensions in the theoretical framework of Transaction Cost Theory and the importance of frequency as a catalyst for opportunism. It can be used as a parameter in strategic actions to create reliable commitments and circumvent unforeseen contractual failures in the pharmaceutical retail market.
KEYWORDS: Transaction costs. Pharmaceutical retail market. Opportunism. Transaction dimensions. Governance structures.
SHARING ECONOMY AND THE SOCIAL-ECONOMIC CONTEXT: MERCENARISM OR COMMON GOOD?
ALINE D. R. LAZZARI, MAIRA PETRINI e ANA CLARA SOUZA
ABSTRACT
Purpose: The aim of this research is to understand how the social-economic context influences the transformative potential of the sharing economy (SE).
Originality/value: The literature on SE is still fraught with uncertainty. We have found that there is a paradox between generating social benefits to the community versus increasing social inequality.
Design/methodology/approach: Data were collected from documentary analysis, netnography, participant observation, and interviews. The data collected were analyzed in the light of the theoretical framework proposed by Wittmayer et al. (2019) for the analysis of narratives related to social innovation.
Findings: The produced narratives differ in terms of the type of platform (profit and non-profit). We have found that, in non-profit platforms, the economic and social context does not influence the transformative potential guided by the SE; for-profit platforms, on the other hand, the narrative of ‘income opportunity’ is context-sensitive. The main contributions of the research are the use of a theoretical framework of social innovation to analyze the narratives of the SE and the observation of contextual differences about the phenomenon, which should lead platforms and governments (in their regulatory role) to have different views on SE. We conclude that the narratives of the SE are different. For-profit platforms either do not take part or contribute very little to the phenomenon of social innovation as a transformative process and, in the contexts of greater social-economic vulnerability, it can be a mechanism of worsening social inequality.
KEYWORDS: Sharing economy. Social innovation. Narratives. Context. Platform.
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN JOB PERFORMANCE, WELL-BEING, JUSTICE, AND ORGANIZATIONAL SUPPORT: A MULTILEVEL PERSPECTIVE
NATASHA FOGAÇA, FRANCISCO A. COELHO JUNIOR, TATIANE PASCHOAL, MARIO C. FERREIRA e CAMILA C. TORRES
ABSTRACT
Purpose: The aim of this research is to understand how the social-economic context influences the transformative potential of the sharing economy (SE).
Originality/value: The literature on SE is still fraught with uncertainty. We have found that there is a paradox between generating social benefits to the community versus increasing social inequality.
Design/methodology/approach: Data were collected from documentary analysis, netnography, participant observation, and interviews. The data collected were analyzed in the light of the theoretical framework proposed by Wittmayer et al. (2019) for the analysis of narratives related to social innovation.
Findings: The produced narratives differ in terms of the type of platform (profit and non-profit). We have found that, in non-profit platforms, the economic and social context does not influence the transformative potential guided by the SE; for-profit platforms, on the other hand, the narrative of ‘income opportunity’ is context-sensitive. The main contributions of the research are the use of a theoretical framework of social innovation to analyze the narratives of the SE and the observation of contextual differences about the phenomenon, which should lead platforms and governments (in their regulatory role) to have different views on SE. We conclude that the narratives of the SE are different. For-profit platforms either do not take part or contribute very little to the phenomenon of social innovation as a transformative process and, in the contexts of greater social-economic vulnerability, it can be a mechanism of worsening social inequality.
KEYWORDS: Sharing economy. Social innovation. Narratives. Context. Platform.
ASYMMETRIC IMPACT OF INVESTOR SENTIMENT ON BRAZILIAN STOCK MARKET VOLATILITY
TALIEH S. V. FERREIRA, MÁRCIO A. V. MACHADO e POLYANDRA Z. P. SILVA
ABSTRACT
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to analyze the effect of investor sentiment on the volatility of the Brazilian stock market. Specifically, it aimed to identify if the asymmetric behavior of sentiment could be observed in emerging markets, considering companies that have characteristics that are difficult to price.
Originality/value: Unlike most studies on investor sentiment, this study focuses on its impact on the stock market volatility, as well as on the characteristics of companies associated with difficult pricing.
Design/methodology/approach: The volatility of the IBRX100 index was used to represent the Brazilian stock market, and as a proxy for investor sentiment it was selected Miranda’s index (2018), based on market data. Data were estimated using the two-stage least squares (MQ2E) technique to address endogeneity problems. Finally, the volatility of companies with difficult-to-price characteristics was segregated to analyze their sensitivity to sentiment.
Findings: The results indicate that sentiment has a negative and significant relationship with the volatility of the Brazilian market, as well as evidences an asymmetrical behavior, being statistically stronger in pessimistic periods. Additional analyzes evidence that the explanatory sentiment capacity is sensitive to companies’ characteristics, but only companies with a high book-to-market ratio showed asymmetric behavior, as expected by the literature. The portfolios segmented by size and illiquidity maintained an asymmetric behavior, but it was the volatility of the large companies and the less illiquid ones that were best explained by sentiment, indicating that the Brazilian market has distinctive characteristics in relation to developed markets.
KEYWORDS: Volatility. Investor sentiment. Asymmetry. Asset pricing. Mispricing.
THE BANKRUPTCY RISK IN INFRASTRUCTURE SECTORS: AN ANALYSIS FROM 2006 TO 2018
VANDERSON A. DELAPEDRA-SILVA
ABSTRACT
Purpose: This research aims to identify the probability of default of infrastructure companies considering the sector specificities of their activities. In addition, the work seeks to identify the application of structural variables of probability of default in a model in a reduced way in order to identify the significance of its use. For this purpose, we investigated 1,520 North American companies from six different sectors linked to infrastructure.
Originality/value: The analyzes carried out to identify the probability of a company going bankrupt hardly consider its sectorial particularity. Although most models bring important inputs for risk assessment, most of them do not consider this sectoral view. Then, this work has as value and originality the contribution to fill this gap and identify the existence of sectorial differences in the analysis of default risk in infrastructure companies in the North American market in the period between 2006 and 2018.
Design/methodology/approach: The study performed a logistic regression (logit model) using 11 model variables established in calculating the probability of default. It also used the variable distance to default as an explanatory variable in order to identify its ability to explain the researched phenomenon.
Findings: The study identified that, in addition to the size of the companies, the distance to default variable is the only variable that can be applied with significance in all the analyzed sectors. In addition, it was identified that companies in the oil and gas sector have less sensitivity to this variable than companies in the other sectors.
KEYWORDS: Sectoral risk. Distance to default. Infrastructure. Merton model. Credit risk.
ISSUE 5
MECHANISMS FOR RISK ELIMINATION OF A COMPLIANCE TRAP IN THE BRAZILIAN TELECOMMUNICATIONS INDUSTRY
GUILHERME A. SANA e EDSON R. GUARIDO FILHO
ABSTRACT
Purpose: This study aims to analyze how the Brazilian National Communications Agency (Agência Nacional de Telecomunicações – Anatel) and cellular operators in Brazil used ceremonial and discursive practices to build enforcement and compliance actions, adopted during a period of crisis in the cellular sector industry in 2012 when the legitimacy of the respective regulatory model and the regulatory agent were challenged, shaping a compliance trap situation.
Originality/value: The work fills a theoretical gap by associating the normative-cultural perspective of regulation associated with organizational institutionalism, based on the assertion that the relationship between regulator and regulated is interactive and not unidirectional, allowing that enforcement mechanisms represent political efforts, realigning the interests of the actors within their institutional environments.
Design/methodology/approach: The case study research strategy with a qualitative approach is adopted, studying the 2012 crisis in the cellular sector industry, with the collection of data from documentary sources and semi-structured interviews with participants in the process.
Findings: The results show that, in the compliance trap situation, symbolic criteria can appropriate the speeches, producing texts and practices in favor of legitimizing the enforcement mechanisms and the respective compliance responses in view of the audience. Therefore, the compliance trap risk on the regulatory agent is mitigated to the extent that ceremonial and discursive practices manifest themselves responsively and gain political and cultural support, reducing social pressure on the legitimacy of the regulation model.
KEYWORDS: Ceremonialism. Legitimacy. Regulation. Telecommunications. Compliance trap.
ABSORPTIVE CAPACITY, INNOVATION, AND EXTERNAL SOURCES OF KNOWLEDGE: THE BRAZILIAN POWER SECTOR
ÂNGELA F. VERSIANI, MARINA A. CRUZ, SÉRGIO F. L. REZENDE e JOSÉ M. CASTRO
ABSTRACT
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 statistical 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.
KEYWORDS: Absorptive capacity. Innovation. External sources of knowledge. Scientific and industrial knowledge. Power sector.
PERSONAL VALUES AND INTRAGROUP RELATIONSHIP: THE CASE OF THE POLICE TACTICAL GROUPS IN BRASÍLIA
FAGNER O. DIAS, EDGAR REYES JUNIOR, CAROLINE C. B. COSTA e ANDRÉIA E. S. BARROS
ABSTRACT
Objectives: This article aims to describe how the personal values of members of specialized workgroups impact their intra-group relationships based on professional and personal trust.
Originality/value: The contributions of this study are threefold: 1. the consolidation that the analysis of trust in work groups has different results in the instrumental (professional or reputation trust) and the experimental (personal or friendship trust) relationship when verifying difference in the predominance of personal values for each type relationship; 2. the use of the functionalist theory of human values and to the use of social network analysis techniques and in conjunction with classical quantitative techniques such as ANOVA and multiple regression; 3. the verification of personal values that contributes to the organization and how trust relationships are structured in the group.
Design/methodology/approach: The present study is characterized as descriptive field research with a quantitative approach. A survey was conducted with 171 participants from the two tactical groups of the Brasília police, using the Basic Values Questionnaire (BVQ) questionnaire of functionalist values and a questionnaire with eight questions about the instrumental and expressive relationship. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to evidence the validity of the instrument, analysis of social networks (ASN) for trust relationships and ANOVA, and multiple regression for relationships between values and relationships.
Findings: The tactical groups presented characteristics of more pragmatic personal values and with less appreciation of individualism, denoting characteristics of appreciation of execution and intragroup collectivism. The normative and supra-personal values were negatively related, respectively, to friendship and professional relationships, while the achievement value was positively related to both trust relationships.
KEYWORDS: Personal values. Confidence. Social networks. Friendship. Professional reputation.
BODY AND SENSES IN ORGANIZATIONAL RESEARCH: EMPATHIC UNDERSTANDINGFROM AN EMBODIED EXPERIENCE
TATIANE A. FERREIRA, LETÍCIA D. FANTINEL e RUBENS DE A. AMARO
ABSTRACT
Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to discuss the contributions of the method of empathic understanding to the field of Organizational Studies by highlighting the corporeality and sensitivity of the researcher in the production and interpretation of data.
Originality/value: Since empathic understanding can be viewed as a method for analyzing the researcher’s experience during fieldwork, this paper situates the role of the researcher’s body as an instrument for the collection of data during their research. The theory of organizational aesthetics is taken as a basis to discuss the relevance of the sensory dimension during the research process. Without giving priority to any particular sense (such as that of sight, for example), the construction of scientific knowledge is therefore discussed in terms of the human senses that respond to diverse stimuli by highlighting the relevance of the processes involved in the production of embodied and sensible knowledge for Organizational Studies.
Design/methodology/approach: A theoretical-empirical study of qualitative nature was carried out in a street market of a Brazilian city. The method of empathic understanding directed the entire process of data collection and analysis, in which the limitations of field observations were discussed by expanding the notion of the researcher’s own experience into that of a sensory experience.
Findings: The findings suggest that it is possible for the researcher to engage their mind and body during research by experiencing the field and overcoming dichotomies such as cognition/sensitivity. Such an engagement can be viewed as a major contribution of the method of empathic understanding to Organizational Studies. Thus, the notion of the body as a major vehicle for the construction of knowledge is made evident in this paper through both the discussion of the empathic understanding approach and the research carried out.
KEYWORDS: Empathic understanding. Organizational aesthetics. Sensible knowledge. Fieldwork. Qualitative methodology.
LEARNING SUSTAINABILITY IN THE HARVESTING PRACTICES OF A FOREST-BASED COMPANY
KÁTIA CYRLENE DE ARAUJO VASCONCELOS e ANNOR DA SILVA JUNIOR
ABSTRACT
Purpose: The objective of this study is to understand how the learning process of sustainability occurs within the context of the harvesting practices of a forest-based company.
Originality/value: The study contributes to understanding the learning process of sustainability under the approach of practice when demonstrating how the knowledge of sustainability is created and reproduced from the practices established by a group. In practical terms, the narrative of the flow of knowing and learning has the potential of assisting managers and educators to structure more integrative corporate education projects, in which the initiatives are integrated into the practices of the occupational communities.
Design/methodology/approach: This is a qualitative research of descriptive nature, through a single-case study in a forest harvesting operation in a Brazilian company that has sustainability at the core of its business strategy. It was adopted as collection instruments the in-depth observation, the semi-structured interview, and the documental research, which were analyzed through the thematic analysis of narratives.
Findings: The results suggest that, in the given context, the learning process of sustainability happens in a combination of the processes of creation and dissemination of knowledge conducted by the company and the practices developed within the occupational communities. There are indications that, in a social construction process, new working models are learned, based on an entanglement of planning, safety, and discursive practices, activating the knowledge-in-practice of sustainability.
KEYWORDS: Learning process for sustainability. Knowledge-in-practice. Situated learning process. Practice-based studies. Sustainability.
PRIORITIZATION OF URBAN MOBILITY INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS BASED ON URBAN CONFIGURATION AND ON MULTIDIMENSIONAL SCALING
ADRIANO C. PARANAIBA e ELIEZÉ B. CARVALHO
ABSTRACT
Purpose: This article aims to propose an alternative methodology of analysis, assessment, and prioritization of urban mobility master projects capable of supporting investment decision-making, considering financial, economic, and space variables.
Originality/value: There are no clear criteria on project proposal selection, what corroborates the critics about the selection process and prioritization of urban mobility projects in the Ministry of Cities. Intrinsically economic issues that are leveled in recent methodologies of investment and project analyses are variables considered hard to be converted into financial benefits to make up the financial evaluation.
Design/methodology/approach: The methodology proposed will draw on the multidimensional scaling as a multivariate assessment tool in order to evaluate and prioritize the projects using their economic variables, the spatial variables of the urban planning, and the financial models of each project. The economic variables arise from the economic analysis available in the projects, as well as the projects’ financing models. The spatial variables acquired from the social logic of space theory or spatial syntax allow the assessment of cities’ integration capacity before project implementation and after their development, making it possible to identify improvements in urban mobility conditions.
Findings: The use of multidimensional scaling by applying economic, financial, and spatial variables has proved to be effective in promoting decision-making, whether by indicating the best project or identifying how close and/or distant they are from the objectives of a given public policy.
KEYWORDS: Space syntax. Projects prioritization. Infrastructure. Urban mobility. Multidimensional scaling.
ISSUE 6 - SPECIAL ISSUE: digital TRANSFORMATION
DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION: CONSTRUCT DEFINITION CHALLENGES AND SCENARIOS FOR A RESEARCH AGENDA
RODRIGO B. CARVALHO, ANTÓNIO M. P. REIS, CLÁUDIO L. C. LARIEIRA e LUIS H. C. PINOCHET
THE ROLE OF BIG DATA STEWARDSHIP AND ANALYTICS AS ENABLERS OF CORPORATE PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT
MAURICIUS M. MEDEIROS, ANTONIO C. G. MAÇADA e NORBERTO HOPPEN
ABSTRACT
Purpose: Digital transformation and big data (BD) have generated a real revolution in data-driven management. While BD improves corporate performance management (CPM), this also implies increasing exposure to risks at various BD’s life cycle stages. As regulatory requirements and the need for database analysis in various business areas increase, the organization must establish definitions, policies, and processes to ensure data quality in order to protect and leverage its data to obtain a competitive advantage. Therefore, understanding data stewardship (DS) and business analytics (BA) is essential for business management. The purpose of this study is to analyze the role of BD, DS, and BA as enablers of CPM.
Originality/value: We contribute to the theory by conceptualizing, validating, and discussing the DS construct and by highlighting its role together with BA in the relationship between BD and CPM. The evidence in this study indicates that, in practice, DS and BA are critical paths for organizations to obtain better control over the effects that BD can have on business performance management.
Design/methodology/approach: A survey was conducted with 312 managers who use big data analytics (BDA) in Brazilian organizations. The data were analyzed through structural equation and mediation tests.
Findings: The findings suggest that DS and BA, both alone and jointly, can transmit the BD effect to CPM. However, a better level of model adjustment is obtained when there is a serialized multi-mediation in this relationship, being DS an antecedent to BA.
KEYWORDS: Big data. Business analytics. Data governance. Data stewardship. Corporate performance management.
KEY DIMENSIONS OF DIGITAL MATURITY: A STUDY WITH RETAIL SECTOR COMPANIES IN BRAZIL
PAULA K. SALUME, MARCELO W. BARBOSA, MARCELO R. PINTO e PAULO R. SOUSA
ABSTRACT
Purpose: The objective of this research was to identify which dimensions are related to the establishment of higher levels of digital maturity.
Originality/value: There is little academic scientific literature on digital maturity in Brazil. This research will offer subsidies to companies regarding the different dimensions that need to be emphasized by managers in order to achieve a full and effective digital transformation. This information will be valuable to support the digital transformation process of these companies. The study fills a gap in the academic context related to the lack of more comprehensive empirical studies based on digital maturity.
Design/methodology/approach: This study evaluated the relationship of eight dimensions of capacity (strategy, leadership, market, operational, people, culture, governance, and technology) with the development of digital maturity. This survey applied an electronic questionnaire to directors of the strategic level of Brazilian retail sector companies located in different regions of Brazil. At the end, a total of 260 valid questionnaires were obtained. The responses were analyzed using the Partial Least Squares (PLS) method.
Findings: The research results showed that the strategy, market, operations, culture, and technology dimensions are those that are most related to the development of digital maturity.
KEYWORDS: Digital transformation. Digital maturity. Digital capabilities. Digital orientation. Retail.
IMPLICATIONS OF BLOCKCHAIN AND TRANSPARENCY FOR BUSINESS SUSTAINABILITY: AN INTEGRATIVE REVIEW
HEDWIK D. GIESEL e FARLEY S. M. NOBRE
ABSTRACT
Purpose: Blockchain protocol comprises several attributes, among which transparency stands out. In this vein, the purpose of this article is to advance research on the implications of transparency (as derived from the use of blockchain) for business sustainability (BS).
Originality/value: There is continuing interest in applying blockchain for creating and improving transparency, with this latter representing a strategic asset in BS. However, despite advancing this subject, the literature still lacks studies that explain the organizational circumstances in which blockchain can enable progress on transparency in the scope of BS.
Design/method/approach: The methodology involved an integrative literature review on blockchain, transparency, and BS, and it was conducted with the support of Web of Science and Scopus to attend the research objective.
Findings: The results favored the proposal of two analytical frameworks: one refers to the concepts of blockchain and transparency presented by the academic literature, and the other to the benefits of blockchain and transparency for the economic, social, and environmental BS dimensions. Furthermore, discussions involved deducing propositions about the use of blockchain to improve transparency in the BS context. The propositions open future research directions to studies that aim to test them qualitatively or quantitatively.
KEYWORDS Blockchain. Transparency. Business sustainability. Integrative review. Disruptive innovation.
PUBLIC VALUE THROUGH TECHNOLOGIES DEVELOPED WITH OPEN GOVERNMENT DATA: THE LOVE SERENADE OPERATION CASE
EDUARDO D. COUTINHO e ANGILBERTO S. FREITAS
ABSTRACT
Purpose: To understand the public value that the website Operação Serenata de Amor [Love Serenade Operation], based on open government data, can generate for society.
Originality/value: Researchers are investigating public value generation through digitally transformed public services, i.e., public value directly generated by the government. However, the literature needs a better understanding of this phenomenon through digital technologies, based on open public data, developed by non-governmental actors, such as the Operação Serenata de Amor website.
Design/methodology/approach: The study adopted a qualitative approach to understand and describe the public value generated by Operação Serenata de Amor. The data were collected through citizen comments about the website’s initiatives on social media and in articles published on the internet. The data were analyzed through content analysis.
Findings: The Operação Serenata de Amor generated public value by doing, facilitating, and stimulating social control. It was also identified that the site added value to society by increasing citizens’ ability to exercise social control. However, this work was limited to analyzing data collected on the internet. In future studies, researchers may collect data through interviews with citizens to understand, with more details, the public value generated by the website.
KEYWORDS: Government’s digital transformation. Open government. Open public data. Public value. Social control.
CORPORATE DIGITAL RESPONSIBILITY: FOUNDATIONS AND CONSIDERATIONS FOR ITS DEVELOPMENT
JOSÉ LONDOÑO-CARDOZO e MARÍA PÉREZ DE PAZ
ABSTRACT
Purpose: To propose corporate digital responsibility as a new area of interest for social accountability in the contexts of technologies that are part of the 4.0 industries.
Originality/value: In this regard, it was found that there is not enough theoretical and legal foundation that allows different types of organizations to face the implications of the adoption of new technologies. Therefore, essential foundations and considerations are raised for the development of corporate digital responsibility.
Design/methodology/approach: The document presents a hermeneutical investigation based on a systemic literature review within the framework of two investigations. The first addressed the relevance of creating a new subject for traditional social responsibility in digital contexts, and the second demonstrated the epistemological need for social responsibility in technologies.
Findings: Firstly, the fact that new technologies pose a social risk makes them a subject of social responsibility study. Secondly, the absence of regulations on industry 4.0 and the unpredictability of the advancement of technologies is not a limitation for creating a scenario of corporate digital responsibility. To conclude, the development of social responsibility in digital contexts is possible and necessary. However, we must be attentive to the variables of social risk that may arise with each new technology. Therefore, a constant review of the foundations and bases of corporate digital responsibility is needed.
KEYWORDS: Social risk. Corporate social responsibility. Industries 4.0. Digital transformation. Artificial intelligence.
DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION IN PRIVATE BRAZILIAN HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS: PRE-CORONAVIRUS BASELINE
FRANCISCO D. S. LUNA e VIVALDO J. BRETERNITZ
ABSTRACT
Purpose: To present the planning for the digital transformation of Brazilian higher education institutions (HEI) and to measure their degree of digital mastery, according to Westerman, Calméjane, Bonnet, Ferraris, and McAfee (2011).
Originality/value: Some studies evaluate digital transformation and/or the degree of digital mastery carried out in HEI individually. However, those that assess them comparatively have not been identified, allowing to draw a baseline to assist managers in benchmarking processes.
Design/methodology/approach: It is an exploratory, qualitative research, with field study, in which the secondary data were obtained through bibliographic and documentary sources and the primary data through semi-structured interviews. For this purpose, representatives of ten private HEI were interviewed using an instrument consisting of a script of questions. The content was analyzed according to the model of Bardin (2011) and supported by the tool Iramuteq. The findings served as an input for completing the digital mastery questionnaires.
Findings: Elements identified in the research refer to the fact that the evaluated HEI have good maturity in their digital transformation processes. Such allegations could be verified from the evaluation of digital mastery, which found that most institutions have a good level of digitalization and that, despite having some limitations related to the development of digital and leadership skills, can be considered digital masters.
KEYWORDS: Digital transformation. Higher education institution. Digital mastery. IT governance. Technology.
