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Few studies have analysed how to actively manage strategic networks (SNs) to achieve individual and collective goals and create value. This paper aims to examine the influence of network management on the value created by SNs and the mediation role of resources and relationship quality.

The authors distributed a survey to 126 companies linked to SNs in the Brazilian information and communication technology sector. This study tested the hypothesized relationships using partial least squares structural equation modelling.

This study found that network management directly influences value creation. Furthermore, the exchange and combination of resources mediate the relationship between the two constructs. Surprisingly, the quality of the relationships does not mediate the relationship between management and the value created. However, it positively impacts the exchange and combination of complementary resources.

This study provides a new interpretation of the determinants of value creation in SNs. The results contribute to the theory by demonstrating that the relationship between network management and value creation is strengthened when the exchange and combination of resources between network participants occur. In turn, these are positively influenced by the quality of relationships established in the network, thus providing a new interpretation of the determinants of value creation in SNs.

This study aims to propose and validate a framework for analyzing management activities in regional strategic networks. It addresses the knowledge gap regarding network management and the lack of focus on specific activities and management modes employed by network actors.

The research methodology involves a literature review to identify essential network management functions, which academic experts and field specialists then evaluate. Based on their feedback, an instrument is refined to assess these activities’ strategic importance and frequency. Data is collected from 86 regional strategic network managers, meeting the required criteria for factor analysis. Principal component analysis with varimax rotation measures the “Network Management” construct and identifies underlying dimensions summarizing observed variables.

The analysis reveals two dimensions within the framework: one encompasses early-stage network development activities (ex ante activities), and the other includes activities associated with more advanced stages (ex post activities). This framework contributes methodologically to measuring and analyzing network management.

This research addresses the need for robust conceptual frameworks in network governance, advancing the understanding of governance drivers and their impact on network outcomes by aligning network phenomena with performance.

The framework provides valuable insights for network managers, enhancing their understanding of management activities’ strategic importance and frequency. This knowledge can inform managerial decisions and improve network management practices.

This study introduces an original framework for analyzing network management activities in regional strategic networks, filling a significant research gap. Despite limitations like specificity to certain network types and subjective responses, the study maintains validity and reliability criteria. Future research opportunities involve applying the framework to different network contexts and conducting longitudinal studies to track network management evolution.

Although the governance and management of networks are deeply intertwined, there is a lack of empirical studies on how strategic networks (SNs) configure both realities for higher performance. This paper aims to analyze the array of governance and management sets adopted by high-performing SNs.

The authors bridge the research gap by using qualitative comparative analysis on the governance (decision-making process, formalization, specialization, incentives and control) and management (strategy, structure, processes and leadership) dimensions of 73 Brazilian SNs.

The authors found that high-performing SNs adopt one of two governance/management configurations. “Piloted SNs” rely on specialized working teams, have structured decision-making processes and avoid using incentives. Conversely, “atomized SNs” run on incentives and control while eschewing specialization and rigid decision-making procedures. The authors also found that both configurations adopt formal procedures and leverage all four management dimensions.

The study’s results offer pathways for SNs to increase their performance and attract new members, as well as insights into the theory of SN governance.

We present a critical literature review debating Brazilian research on social and environmental accounting (SEA). The aim of this study is to understand the role of politics in the construction of hegemonies in SEA research in Brazil. In particular, we examine the role of hegemony in relation to the co-option of SEA literature and sustainability in the Brazilian context by the logic of development for economic growth in emerging economies. The methodological approach adopts a post-structural perspective that reflects Laclau and Mouffe’s discourse theory. The study employs a hermeneutical, rhetorical approach to understand and classify 352 Brazilian research articles on SEA. We employ Brown and Fraser’s (2006) categorizations of SEA literature to help in our analysis: the business case, the stakeholder–accountability approach, and the critical case. We argue that the business case is prominent in Brazilian studies. Second-stage analysis suggests that the major themes under discussion include measurement, consulting, and descriptive approach. We argue that these themes illustrate the degree of influence of the hegemonic politics relevant to emerging economics, as these themes predominantly concern economic growth and a capitalist context. This paper discusses trends and practices in the Brazilian literature on SEA and argues that the focus means that SEA avoids critical debates of the role of capitalist logics in an emerging economy concerning sustainability. We urge the Brazilian academy to understand the implications of its reifying agenda and engage, counter-hegemonically, in a social and political agenda beyond the hegemonic support of a particular set of capitalist interests.

Co-creation experiences are psychologically complex phenomena. This chapter discusses how cognitive psychology can add value to the co-creation of experiences. There are different meanings of co-creation and here the focus is on the customer's mental experience. This chapter analyses the theoretical underpinnings of co-creation and discusses key dimensions of the concept from a cognitive perspective, highlighting the importance of attention and active involvement. Furthermore, it discusses how technologies (augmented reality, robotics, intelligence systems) can prompt experience co-creation. Finally, this chapter examines the literature of co-creation and experiential learning overlap in knowledge building. Opportunities for future empirical research in this area are suggested.

This study relied on the affective events theory to test the mediating role of the ratio of emotions in the relationship between employees' perceived leadership effectiveness and their well-being at work.

A quantitative methodology was used, based on a deductive approach of a transversal nature. Data were collected from a convenience sample consisting of 255 working adults.

Structural equation modeling results demonstrated that perceived leadership effectiveness positively influenced well-being and the ratio of emotions, showing that when employees perceived their leader as effective, they tended to experience more positive emotions and less negative ones (as indicated by a positive ratio). Furthermore, the results supported the hypothesis that perceived leadership effectiveness influenced well-being through increases in the ratio of emotions.

The nature of the sample makes it impossible to generalize the results. Also, the fact that the questionnaires were self-reported may have biased the results because only the employees' perception of the variables under study was known.

This study highlights the fact that perceived leadership effectiveness can be seen as an affective event that triggers positive and negative emotional responses at work, which, in turn, will have an impact on employee well-being.

An effective leadership style has been shown to be pivotal in reducing the prevalence of negative emotions within a team. When leaders foster a welcoming work environment where team members enjoy their roles, it often results in heightened positive emotions and overall well-being.