Unai Tamayo and Gustavo Vargas
The purpose of this paper is to examine the use of biomimicry to inspire sustainable development in economic systems. The research purpose is to explore the link between…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the use of biomimicry to inspire sustainable development in economic systems. The research purpose is to explore the link between ecological systems and economic systems to highlight applied environmental solutions. The goal is to propose some driver to develop sustainable business practices inspired on the principles of biomimicry.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper provides a theoretical approach that builds the basis for a better understanding of the relationship between nature and sustainable economic decisions. The premise is that in the field of sustainable development, strategies based on “learning from nature” are useful. Furthermore, the concept of biomimicry provides principles and tools specifically aimed at design practice.
Findings
The complexity of economic systems has shown that high levels of abstraction are required when conceptualising problems and explanations related with nature-inspired solutions. Stakeholder engagement and transdisciplinary collaboration are required to face long-term environmental challenges. Moreover, the exploratory analysis applied in this paper appeared suitable to compile existing literature.
Practical implications
The study provides some general guidelines and empirical approach through case studies that could help decision makers convert nature-inspired alternatives into valuable strategic business opportunities. Although presented practical cases are framed in the local sphere (i.e. the Basque Country), they can serve as references in other international contexts.
Social implications
New business models should recognize the positive synchronization between well-managed social, environmental and economic systems.
Originality/value
The proposed ideas deepen the understanding on the sustainable development and the link between ecological and economic systems. In fact, the concept of biomimetic economy has not been dealt with or developed in depth in previous academic works, nor has it been published thoroughly in the field of research.
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Gustavo Vargas, Lily Cardenas and José Luis Matarranz
This analysis deals with the integration activities of leading Spanish assembly manufacturing firms. It is based on data from the second International Manufacturing Strategy…
Abstract
This analysis deals with the integration activities of leading Spanish assembly manufacturing firms. It is based on data from the second International Manufacturing Strategy Survey (or IMSS‐II). Results show that: there is a greater correlation between strategic goals and internal integration programs than between strategic goals and external integration programs; forward and backward external integration programs are of similar importance; and logistical integration programs do provide a competitive and economic advantage although still at a low‐potential level.
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Gustavo A. Vargas and Roger G. Dear
The effectiveness of alternative buffering strategies in complexmultilevel assembly manufacturing systems using the Material RequirementPlanning (MRP) methodology is explored and…
Abstract
The effectiveness of alternative buffering strategies in complex multilevel assembly manufacturing systems using the Material Requirement Planning (MRP) methodology is explored and assessed. The safety stock, safety lead time, “hard” safety capacity, and forecast inflation buffering strategies are tested under uncertainties of end‐item demand, resource supply, and task control. The MRP methodology is applied for scheduling along with a complex, realistic simulation model for execution of operations. Average inventory levels for end and component items, capacity utilisation, end‐item backorders and customer undersupport are used as performance measures. Experimental results establish safety stock and “hard” safety capacity as dominant buffering strategies under all uncertainty conditions, and task control is shown as the most disruptive uncertainty source.
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Gustavo A. Vargas and Ghasem H. Manoochehri
The service sector of the American economy is expanding veryrapidly at a greater than 6 per cent annual growth rate during the1984‐88 period. The extraordinary growth of the…
Abstract
The service sector of the American economy is expanding very rapidly at a greater than 6 per cent annual growth rate during the 1984‐88 period. The extraordinary growth of the service sector in the last two decades has focused attention on the challenges of effective management of service organizations and operations, vastly different from those faced in classical manufacturing settings. However, while services play an increasingly significant role in society, the productivity of services is much less than that of manufacturing. Determines and describes operations‐related practices and assesses skills development requirements faced by service firms operating in a real‐life environment. Findings of the study include the degree of awareness of the importance of operations‐related tasks and of their impact or organizational performance in services, the performance drivers and allocation of responsibilities for operational decisions, and the significance of operational gaps and misalignments that need correcting to enhance the effectiveness of service firms.
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President Juan Manuel Santos described the historic milestone as “the last breath of the conflict with the FARC” and tweeted that the country could now begin “the construction of…
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DOI: 10.1108/OXAN-DB223826
ISSN: 2633-304X
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Geographic
Topical
Gustavo Tenorio Reis, Joaquim Rubens Fontes-Filho and Mariana Lima Bandeira
This study aims to show how configurations of the institutional environment, client expectations and fiduciary duty influence private equity (PE) managers in integrating…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to show how configurations of the institutional environment, client expectations and fiduciary duty influence private equity (PE) managers in integrating environmental, social and governance (ESG) aspects into the investment decision-making process.
Design/methodology/approach
The research design combined bibliographic and documentary analysis (including the regulatory framework and secondary sector data) with a phenomenological approach, supported by interviews with managers of PE firms and content analysis.
Findings
The findings revealed the impact of the sociocultural environment on the adoption of ESG practices in investment decisions, the perception of international pressures to embrace ESG principles that differ from national needs, and the diversification of strategies implemented due to excessive regulation.
Originality/value
The study’s uniqueness lies in both the phenomenological approach used to comprehend how concerns about ESG practices influence PE fund investment decisions and the identification of factors not typically emphasized in the literature as moderators of this decision-making process.
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Gustavo Hermínio Salati Marcondes de Moraes, Gisela Consolmagno Pelegrini, Laís Porfírio de Marchi, Gabriela Trindade Pinheiro and Alexandre Cappellozza
This paper aims to identify the antecedents’ factors that positively and negatively influence the intention to use big data analytics (BDA) by future managers of companies.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to identify the antecedents’ factors that positively and negatively influence the intention to use big data analytics (BDA) by future managers of companies.
Design/methodology/approach
The sample comprised 364 business students from a public university in Brazil. The methodology had a quantitative approach, with the use of structural equation modeling.
Findings
This paper presented a robust model with a high explanatory factor for the intention to use BDA, in which the elements of positive influence on the intention to use are expected performance, social influence and cost–benefit, and the negative influence factor is resistance to use.
Research limitations/implications
Research on BDA has improved the understanding of the phenomenon, mostly emphasizing the technical dimensions of BDA and underestimating organizational and human dimensions. This research contributed to the literature by presenting new insights into these organizational and human aspects by presenting influencing factors for future managers. User resistance is a variable that can incorporate technology adoption theories in BDA.
Practical implications
The results present a positive perception of future managers in the decision on financial resources in the acquisition of new technologies and enable managers to improve planning, investment and choice of technologies while presenting insights from the next generation. Issues regarding privacy, security and ethical aspects are key to minimizing user resistance.
Originality/value
This paper fills a significant research gap on the adoption of BDA, presenting the perception of future managers on fundamental aspects of adoption in a developing country. In addition, the research offers a theoretical model with new latent variables for a current and relevant topic.
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Filipe Sobral, Alketa Peci and Gustavo Souza
The main purpose of this study is to present an analysis of the dynamics of the tourism market in South America and, more specifically, in Brazil, by measuring and analyzing the…
Abstract
Purpose
The main purpose of this study is to present an analysis of the dynamics of the tourism market in South America and, more specifically, in Brazil, by measuring and analyzing the growth in tourists' arrivals to the region between 1998 and 2002.
Design/methodology/approach
This study uses the shift‐share technique that decomposes the growth of the number of tourists into various components, enabling in‐depth diagnosis of the dynamics of the sector in the period.
Findings
Despite the fact that Brazil is the leading tourist destination in South America, the study shows that Brazil has been losing ground in relation to some of its neighbors in South America. The study also revealed the impact of 9/11 and Argentina's crises and the growing participation of the European tourist in Brazil.
Originality/value
Despite some limitations, this technique has the advantage of focusing on a region scarcely studied in mainstream tourism researches and offering Brazilian policy‐makers a new methodology such that they may take advantage of emerging opportunities and create competitive advantages for the country.
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Colombian election preview.
Details
DOI: 10.1108/OXAN-DB233432
ISSN: 2633-304X
Keywords
Geographic
Topical
Alan Bandeira Pinheiro, Nágela Bianca do Prado, Gustavo Hermínio Salati Marcondes De Moraes and Wendy Beatriz Witt Haddad Carraro
This paper aims to analyse the influence of board characteristics on corporate reputation.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to analyse the influence of board characteristics on corporate reputation.
Design/methodology/approach
In total, 128 Brazilian publicly traded companies from Refinitiv Eikon were analysed between 2016 and 2020. The dependent variable was corporate reputation, whereas the independent variables were board size, gender diversity, board independence and audit committee presence. Multivariate analysis was used.
Findings
The results presented empirical evidence that board members can impact corporate reputation. Findings showed that board size, gender diversity and independence positively influence Brazilian companies’ corporate reputation. Conversely, an audit committee had no significant impact on corporate reputation.
Research limitations/implications
The paper presents a contribution to the significance of board members in shaping a company's corporate reputation, using the signalling theory and the resource-based view (RBV) theory.
Practical implications
Regarding practical implications, this work provides subsidies for managers to value board characteristics because they directly reflect on corporate reputation and competitive advantage, leading to more sustainable performance.
Social implications
The research findings highlight that a diverse board encourages the organisation to improve its workforce, human rights, relations with the community and responsibility for manufactured products.
Originality/value
The relationship between board characteristics and corporate cooperation is poorly established in the literature. Furthermore, the results prove the RBV theory in an emerging context. Similarly, the signalling theory proved helpful in improving Brazilian firms’ corporate reputation.