Artur Tavares Vilas Boas Ribeiro, Cesar Alves Ferragi, Guilherme Ary Plonski and André Coimbra Félix Cardoso
This study aims to analyze the phenomenon of entrepreneurial spawning in the new context of software startups, revisiting theory and identifying patterns within the emergence of…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to analyze the phenomenon of entrepreneurial spawning in the new context of software startups, revisiting theory and identifying patterns within the emergence of startups/spin-offs in Brazil.
Design/methodology/approach
A study of two cases of startups recognized for generating several spin-offs founded by former employees. The authors based the data collection on the following triangulation: 11 in-depth interviews, systematic analysis of 33 resumes from entrepreneurs in spawned firms and document analysis.
Findings
Six skills developed in startups were identified: (1) structuring a company, (2) people management, (3) strategic/operational planning, (4) commercial/sales, (5) product development, and (6) behavioral traits. In addition, points of contradiction concerning the literature were found, such as the absence of the location effect, different professional experiences and new local agents to support startups.
Research limitations/implications
The present study covers only two cases in the context of software startups, which requires caution and discretion in extrapolating to other contexts.
Practical implications
The understanding of the phenomenon may reflect in: university programs focused on internships in startups, corporate training programs for entrepreneurs and the design of public policies based on entrepreneurial spawning.
Originality/value
The present study stands out for its access to data from high-impact startups in Brazil, in addition to revisiting the literature bringing a new perspective to the specificities of high-growth software companies.
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Ivana Stevic, Vítor Rodrigues, Zélia Breda, Medéia Veríssimo, Ana Margarida Ferreira da Silva and Carlos Manuel Martins da Costa
This paper aims to analyse residents’ perceptions of tourism growth in Porto prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, aiming to determine the most appropriate strategies to mitigate…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to analyse residents’ perceptions of tourism growth in Porto prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, aiming to determine the most appropriate strategies to mitigate negative tourism impacts. Studies on resident perceptions of tourism impacts are still scarce, particularly the ones addressing the topic in the context of Portuguese urban tourism areas.
Design/methodology/approach
Data was collected through an online survey, focusing on three categories of impacts: (i) economic, (ii) sociocultural (iii) and spatial-environmental, and the respective mitigation strategies, analysed from the perspective of Porto’s residents. Descriptive and bivariate statistics – T-test and Eta correlation – were used to analyse the collected data.
Findings
Respondents who live in the city centre experience specific tourism impacts more negatively, when compared to those living outside the inner-city area. Furthermore, no strong correlation is found between the said impacts and the respective mitigation strategies. However, creating awareness among tourists about acceptable behaviour in shared spaces is the strategy that stands out, as it has a medium correlation with all three impact categories. Most impact-strategy associations are weak, meaning that the defined strategies are not the most case-appropriate, which is something that policymakers should address.
Originality/value
To the best of the author’s/authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to adopt this approach in tackling the negative impacts of rapid tourism growth in Porto.
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Marcela do Carmo Silva, Helder Gomes Costa and Carlos Francisco Simões Gomes
The purpose of this paper is to observe how to invest in upper-middle income countries via an innovation perspective following global innovation index (GII) by multicriteria…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to observe how to invest in upper-middle income countries via an innovation perspective following global innovation index (GII) by multicriteria decision aid (MCDA) approach, once MCDA was designed to support subjective decisions.
Design/methodology/approach
Pearson’s correlation was the milestone for understanding innovation indicators at upper-middle income countries profiles. In a MCDA first step, the analytical hierarchy process (AHP) was applied to obtain the criteria weight. In this step, the judgments or evaluations inputted in AHP were collected from a sample composed by five experts in GII. After getting the criteria weights compose to GII, Borda and Preference Ranking Organization Method for Enrichment Evaluations (PROMÉTHÉE) methods were applied to obtain an MCDA-based GII. The inputs for this second step were: the weights come from AHP output; and the countries performance came from GII data.
Findings
As a result, it was found out the upper-middle countries’ rank to invest and groups with countries acting like “hubs” or “bridges” for economic sectors in near countries; when they are grouped according to their maximum and minimum scores profiles, observing not only a particular region but also similar profiles at diverse world areas.
Originality/value
Pearson-AHP-PROMÉTHÉE works as a supportive decision tool for several and complex investment perspectives from criteria and alternatives analysis regarding innovation indicators for upper-middle income countries. This combination also demonstrates grouping possibilities, aligning profiles and not only ranking countries for investment and eliminating others but also grouping countries with similar profiles via innovation indicators MCDA combined application.
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Francisco Muñoz-Leiva, Luís Miguel Faísca, Célia M.Q. Ramos, Marisol B. Correia, Carlos M.R. Sousa and Marouan Bouhachi
This study aims to analyse the effectiveness of a static promotional banner located on a hotel reservation website in terms of capturing the visitor’s visual attention by…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to analyse the effectiveness of a static promotional banner located on a hotel reservation website in terms of capturing the visitor’s visual attention by exploring how this impact depends on the user’s degree of internet experience.
Design/methodology/approach
An experiment was conducted using the eye-tracking methodology, in addition to a self-administered questionnaire. Through eye-tracking technology, eye movements were recorded whilst participants explored a generic hotel website. The factors used in the analyses were the position of the banner on the website and participants’ experience as internet users.
Findings
The findings showed that positioning a banner at certain locations on the webpage may lead to a better recall, which, in part, seems to result from the visual attention that such locations attract. The mediation analysis showed that the bottom-right and bottom-left positions have a negative effect on banner recall due, in part, to the shorter attention times and the smaller number of fixations those positions induce. Although the visitor’s level of internet experience affected his/her visual attention towards the banner, its impact on banner recall was non-significant. Results are discussed considering which variables produce greater effectiveness in capturing the user’s attention.
Practical implications
The paper draws several implications for the marketing literature, hospitality management and society in general.
Originality/value
The study is the first to analyse the impact of the position of a static ad on users’ visual attention and memory, considering the user’s degree of internet experience.
Propósito
Este estudio analiza la eficacia de un banner promocional estático ubicado en un sitio web de reservas de un hotel en términos de captación de la atención visual del visitante examinando cómo este efecto depende del grado de experiencia del usuario en Internet.
Diseño/metodología/enfoque
Se llevó a cabo un experimento utilizando la metodología de seguimiento ocular (eye tracking), junto con un cuestionario autoadministrado. A través de la tecnología de eye tracking, se registraron los movimientos oculares mientras los participantes exploraban el sitio web genérico de un hotel. Los factores considerados en los análisis fueron la posición del banner en el sitio web y la experiencia de los participantes como usuarios de Internet.
Hallazgos
Los hallazgos mostraron que colocar un banner en ciertas ubicaciones de la página web puede conducir a un mayor recuerdo, lo que, en parte, parece ser el resultado de la atención visual que atraen tales posiciones. El análisis de mediación mostró que las posiciones inferior-derecha e inferior-izquierda tienen un efecto negativo en el recuerdo del banner debido, en parte, a los tiempos de atención más cortos y al menor número de fijaciones que provocan esas posiciones. Aunque el nivel de experiencia de Internet del visitante afectó su atención visual hacia el banner, su impacto en el recuerdo del banner no fue significativo. Los resultados son discutidos considerando qué variables producen mayor efectividad a la hora de captar la atención del usuario.
Implicaciones prácticas
El artículo presenta una serie de implicaciones para la literatura de marketing, la gestión hotelera y la sociedad en general.
Originalidad/valor
Nuestro estudio es el primero en analizar el impacto de la posición de un anuncio estático en la atención visual y la memoria de los usuarios, considerando el nivel de experiencia del usuario en Internet.
目的
本研究分析了位于酒店预订网站上的静态促销横幅在吸引访问者视觉注意力方面的效果, 并探索了这种效果如何受到用户的互联网体验程度的影响。
研究方法
本文除了采用自填问卷的方式, 还使用眼动追踪方法进行了实验。通过眼动追踪技术, 记录了参与者在浏览一般酒店网站时的眼动情况。分析中使用的因素是网站上横幅的位置和参与者作为互联网用户的体验。
研究结果
调查结果显示, 将横幅定位在网页上的某些位置可能会导致更佳的记忆, 这种效果在一定程度上是由于横幅的位置吸引了视觉注意力。调解分析表明, 横幅在右下角和左下角的位置对的回忆有负面影响, 部分原因是这些位置引起的注意时间较短、固定次数较少。虽然访问者的互联网体验水平影响了他/她对横幅的视觉注意力, 但其对横幅记忆的影响并不显著。讨论结果时考虑到了某些变量在吸引用户的注意力方面具有更明显的效果。
实践意义
本文对市场营销文献、酒店管理和社会都具有一定的借鉴意义。
原创性/价值
本次研究是第一个分析静态广告的位置对用户视觉注意力和记忆的影响的研究, 考虑到用户的互联网体验程度。
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Jeová Torres Silva Júnior, Jailson Santana Carneiro, Patrick Wendell Barbosa Lessa and Carlos Leandro Soares Vieira
The challenges of the growth of the sharing economy are becoming more and more noticeable and urgent, especially concerning labor relations (e.g. uberization). The purpose of this…
Abstract
Purpose
The challenges of the growth of the sharing economy are becoming more and more noticeable and urgent, especially concerning labor relations (e.g. uberization). The purpose of this paper is to understand what app-based drivers think of working conditions and labor relations.
Design/methodology/approach
The research was carried out in three stages: bibliographical and documental research, and two empirical research, a quantitative one with the application of a questionnaire in a sample of 54 respondents and another qualitative one using an interview script with ten drivers. For data analysis, the abductive method and the content analysis technique were used.
Findings
The results reveal they have an exhausting labor routine, by checking that they work more hours per week than those who have a formal job. They are driven mainly by the extra income and flexibility that digital platforms of the sector of shared private transportation can offer, although the costs intrinsic to the activity often affect their revenues significantly.
Research limitations/implications
The number of answers from women was very small, which hinders the analysis of the potential specificities of women app-based drivers. Future studies could focus on this public for a more precise analysis, to bring the discussion on gender to the working context of app-based drivers.
Practical implications
The authors’ intention with the research reports was to make them relevant, leading to effective policies concerning working conditions and labor relations in the sharing economy, and to stimulate other surveys to understand the activity of an app-based driver of shared private transportation.
Originality/value
The authors’ research and this article contribute to the discussion on new work relationships, motivations and (dis)satisfaction with the activity, from the perspective of app-based drivers.
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Alan Bandeira Pinheiro, José Carlos Lázaro da Silva Filho and Márcia Zabdiele Moreira
The purpose of this study is to examine the influence of characteristics of the institutional environment on the disclosure of corporate social responsibility (CSR).
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to examine the influence of characteristics of the institutional environment on the disclosure of corporate social responsibility (CSR).
Design/methodology/approach
This is a quantitative and descriptive research. The dependent variables used were environmental dimension (ED) and social dimension (SD) that together compose the corporate social performance (CSP). The independent variables that will be used are the characteristics of the institutional environments of Brazil and the UK. Thus, for this end, variables of the national business system of both countries will be used: corruption transparency, access to credit by countries, quality of the education system and labor relations. After their collection, the data were submitted to descriptive and inferential statistics and hierarchical regression.
Findings
Data show that UK companies make more disclosure in CSR than Brazilian companies. Through linear regression, it can be seen that the institutional environment affects disclosure in CSR. In the UK, a country with better educational, labor, political and financial indicators than Brazil, it presented better CSR practices. The findings reveal that the better an institutional environment, the more firms act in CSR. The findings of the research confirm the premise of institutional theory: different institutional fields can modify business performance.
Research limitations/implications
The study analyzed only the disclosure practices of companies in the public sector. Thus, the results should be carefully analyzed, without generalizations for all industry sectors. Therefore, it is suggested that future research looks at other industry sectors as well as other institutional contexts, i.e. other countries.
Practical implications
Multinational companies may have different CSR practices according to the institutional environment in which they operate. For example, companies in developed countries, such as the UK, have greater stakeholder pressure. Given this, managers must adapt their environmental strategies according to the institutional environment in which they operate.
Originality/value
This research contributes to CSR studies in various institutional contexts. There is a consensus in the literature that institutional environments affect firms' CSR practices. However, few empirical studies show results between the national business system and CSR. Thus, the present study intends to fill this research gap.
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Fábio Luís Falchi de Magalhães, Marcos Antonio Gaspar, Edimara Mezzomo Luciano and Domingos Márcio Rodrigues Napolitano
investigate and analyze the aspects of legitimation, theorization and trends for the evolution of research in information technology governance (ITG) in Brazil, according to…
Abstract
Purpose
investigate and analyze the aspects of legitimation, theorization and trends for the evolution of research in information technology governance (ITG) in Brazil, according to researchers familiar with the matter.
Design/methodology/approach
By means of a qualitative and quantitative research of exploratory-descriptive approach, the Delphi method was applied using a questionnaire supported by content analysis.
Findings
ITG is an increasingly interdisciplinary research field, with significant help from other fields of knowledge, such as administration, computer science and engineering. The main means of ITG publication are periodicals (MISQ, JMIS, JISTEM RESI), scientific events (AMCIS, ECIS, HICSS, EnANPAD, CONTECSI) and researchers, such as Peter Weill and Edimara Mezzomo Luciano. Best practice models are the most significant theoretical frameworks, and the main trend of research are on emerging technologies such as cloud computing and Internet of things (IoT) in the context of ITG.
Research limitations/implications
To the unavailability of some researchers to participate in the second phase of the Delphi research performed, as well as the non-completion of a third Delphi round. Likewise, the “Block B (open answer questions)” it was not contemplated in the second phase for a new collection of answers, which could partially change the results presented here.
Practical implications
The results show important insights for ITG researchers that can allow new researches about its applications, jointly reflecting on relevant aspects for the advancement of this research field.
Social implications
There are several research contributions to broaden the discussion and the evolution of this new scientific field in Brazil and that can be grouped for each set of stakeholders: academia and related researchers; the practicing community of business managers and private and public organizations; the academic legitimizing bodies; the non-academic legitimating bodies and researchers from other areas of knowledge.
Originality/value
ITG is a concept that emerged as part of corporate governance (CG), which has evolved as an emerging theme and is expanding in the international academic arena. However, the current stage of legitimation, theorization and trends of ITG in the Brazilian researches are lacked greater understanding, in order to provide better targeting for new researches.
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Carlos Larrinaga and Jan Bebbington
The aim of this paper is to provide an account of the period prior to the creation of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI): a body that was critical to the institutionalization…
Abstract
Purpose
The aim of this paper is to provide an account of the period prior to the creation of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI): a body that was critical to the institutionalization of sustainability reporting (SR). By examining this “pre-history,” we bring to light the actors, activities and ways of thinking that made SR more likely to be institutionalized once the GRI entrepreneurship came to the fore.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper revisits a time period (the 1990s) that has yet to be formally written about in any depth and traces the early development of what became SR. This material is examined using a constructivist understanding of regulation.
Findings
The authors contend that a convergence of actors and structural conditions were pivotal to the development of SR. Specifically, this paper demonstrates that a combination of actors (such as epistemic communities, carriers, regulators and reporters) as well as the presence of certain conditions (such as the societal context, analogies with financial reporting, environmental reporting and reporting design issues) contributed to the development of SR which was consolidated (as well as extended) in 1999 with the advent of the GRI.
Research limitations/implications
This paper theorizes (through a historical analysis) how SR is sustained by a network of institutional actors and conditions which can assist reflection on future SR development.
Originality/value
This paper brings together empirical material from a time that (sadly) is passing from living memory. The paper also extends the use of a conceptual frame that is starting to influence scholarship in accounting that seeks to understand how norms develop.
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Thiago Bruno de Jesus Silva, Cristian Bau Dal Magro, Joséilton Silveira da Rocha and Carlos Eduardo Facin Lavarda
The resource-based theory (RBT) explains that the management control system (MCS) represents a resource that complements dynamic capabilities by steering employees toward…
Abstract
Purpose
The resource-based theory (RBT) explains that the management control system (MCS) represents a resource that complements dynamic capabilities by steering employees toward strategies, leading to superior performance. This study aims to identify the impacts of the MCS and dynamic capabilities such as entrepreneurship, innovation, organizational learning and market orientation on financial performance.
Design/methodology/approach
The research sample included 200 managers from grain-producing agribusiness organizations in Brazil. Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was used to conduct a symmetric analysis, while fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) was applied for an asymmetric analysis.
Findings
In the symmetric analysis, the linear association model did not fully explain how the use of MCSs and dynamic capabilities drive financial performance. However, the findings indicate that diagnostic and interactive MCSs positively affect dynamic capabilities. In the asymmetric analysis, the results suggest that the high financial performance of the analyzed organizations can be achieved without considering the need for Entrepreneurship or Innovation.
Research limitations/implications
The study broadens and complements the interpretive scope of previous studies and allows for comparisons.
Practical implications
MCSs must be used in a balanced and synergistic manner (diagnostic and interactive), with an emphasis on monitoring goals and discussions with managers. This is important and contributes to developing internal capabilities, which are embodied in decisions and actions, potentially impacting financial performance. These results are crucial for Brazilian agribusiness organizations, as they provide actionable insights into how the strategic use of MCSs can directly enhance financial performance. By revealing that the balanced and synergistic use of diagnostic and interactive MCSs fosters dynamic capabilities such as innovation and market orientation, the study offers practical guidance for managers aiming to boost organizational effectiveness. This research not only informs management practices but also positions Brazilian agribusinesses to remain competitive in a global market.
Originality/value
This study has generated new discussions based on possible combinations and interactions between MCSs and dynamic capabilities to predict high organizational performance. In practical terms, MCSs and dynamic capabilities can be designed in various manners to reach optimal performance levels.
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Managerial discourses tend to portray work-related mobility practices in a positive light, presenting mobility assignments as a place of stimulus and differentiation. A conception…
Abstract
Purpose
Managerial discourses tend to portray work-related mobility practices in a positive light, presenting mobility assignments as a place of stimulus and differentiation. A conception of mobility as an opportunity, may contrast, in specific economies and business settings, with lived personal experiences. This article reports the results of a three-year study, aimed to question how multinational companies (MNCs) located in a small and developing European economy (Portugal) are building talent pools for expatriate assignments. Interaction effects, as proposed by the job demands-resources (JD-R) theory, are considered as lens to understand the interplay of company expatriate policies, willingness profiles and psychological contracts of expatriates. By using a Portuguese sample, the study examines whether prior findings in mature economies and consolidated MNCs can be generalized to less developed international business settings.
Design/methodology/approach
A three-year study, encompassing 24 expatriate cases observed in five multinational firms born or located in Portugal. Two techniques of empirical data collection were used: statistical sources and documental analysis and in-depth interviews. A total of 37 interviews were conducted, both in-person and remotely, of which 13 were with company managers and representatives, and 24 with expatriates (as defined and referred like this by the companies under study).
Findings
Heterogeneous company policies, ranging from juvenile, functionalist to more dynamic and flow-based approaches, are presented as qualifying resources of willingness levels and psychological contracts of expatriates. Observed interaction effects between policies, willingness and psychological contracts, empirically mirrored in three profiles (conformist, protean and disrupted expatriates) suggest that incentive effects (emanating from company policies) and job demand-resource balance, factored as terms of social and economic trade, are non-linear and asymmetric, influencing firm propensity to succeed while using international work to support company expansion goals. As job resources, expatriate policies are presented as operating as pull or push factors: functionalist HR approaches seem to act as push factors generating more conformist or compelled willingness profiles.
Research limitations/implications
Generalization of study's outcomes has limitations. Future studies are encouraged to use comparative and longitudinal research designs. Furthermore, future research should include business expatriates with entry-level positions, and increase the number of interviewees, as results can also be considered as limited by sample size.
Practical implications
It is suggested that further strategic work is needed to present expatriation development value, formally screen and consider willingness level as selection criteria, and enlarge the pool (from internal to external) of candidates, in peripheral economic settings such as Portugal. A shift to more dynamic and job resource-dense policies are suggested as beneficial, as pathway to optimize social and economic value from expatriation assignments and work experiences.
Originality/value
By putting the interplay between macro and micro-level processes into perspective, the study provides empirical evidence on how company expatriate policies have come to promote unforeseen differentiation of employee willingness and psychological contracts at the heart of MNCs. This is particularly relevant in developing economies such as Portugal, challenging the need to build talent pools for international work assignments. Empirical data illustrating company policies interactive effects with different willingness profiles and psychological contracts of expatriates is provided.