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The purpose of this study is to deepen understanding of the effects of using social media technologies to acquire technological knowledge and organizational learning competences, of technological knowledge competences on organizational learning and finally of organizational learning on organizational performance.

The study was performed by analyzing data from a sample of 197 technology firms located in Spain. The hypotheses were tested using a structural equations model with the program LISREL 8.80.

This study’s conceptual framework is grounded in complexity theory – along with dynamic capabilities theory, which complements the resource-based view. The study contributes to the literature by proposing a model that reflects empirically how business ecosystems that use social media technologies enable the development of interorganizational and social collaboration networks that encourage learning and development of technological knowledge competences.

It would be interesting for future studies to consider other elements to conceptualize and measure social media technologies, including (among others) significance of the various tools used and strategic integration. The model might also analyze other sectors and another combination of variables.

The results of this study have several managerial implications: developing social media technologies and interorganizational social collaboration networks not only enables the organizational learning process but also encourages technological knowledge competences. Through innovation processes, use of social media technologies also contributes to strengthening companies’ strategic positioning, which ultimately helps to improve firms’ organizational performance.

Since social media technologies drive information systems in contemporary society (because they enable interaction with numerous agents), the authors highlight the use of complexity theory to develop a conceptual framework.

The study also deepens understanding of the connections by which new experiential learning contributes to the generation of coevolutionary adaptive business ecosystems and digital strategies that enable development of interorganizational and social collaborative networks through technological knowledge competences. Only after examining the impact of social media technologies on organizational performance in prior literature, did the authors underscore that both quantity and frequency of social media technology use are positively related to improvement in knowledge processes that lead to employees’ creation and acquisition of new metaknowledge.

The purpose of this paper is to describe an integer linear programming model to schedule the maintenance crew and the maintenance tasks in a bus operating company.

The proposed methodology relies on an integer linear programming model that finds feasible maintenance schedules. It minimizes the costs associated with maintenance crew and the costs associated with unavailability. The model is applied in a real-world case study of a Portuguese bus operating company. A constructive heuristic approach is put forward, based on solving the maintenance scheduling problem for each bus separately.

The heuristic finds better solutions than the exact methods (based on branch-and-bound techniques) in a much lower computational time.

The results suggest the relevance of such heuristic approaches for maintenance scheduling in practice.

This proposed model is an effective decision-making support method that provides feasible maintenance schedules for the maintenance technicians and for the maintenance tasks in a fleet of buses. It also complies with several operational, technical and labour constraints.

This paper analyses the collapse of credit booms into soft landings or systemic banking crises.

A discrete-time competing risks duration model is employed to disentangle the factors behind the length of benign and harmful credit booms.

The results show that economic growth and monetary authorities play the major role in explaining the differences in the length and outcome of credit booms. Moreover, both types of credit expansions display positive duration dependence, i.e. both are more likely to end as they grow older, but hard landing credit booms have proven to be longer than those that land softly.

This paper contributes to our understanding of what affects the length of credit booms and why some end up creating havoc and others do not. In particular, it calls the attention to the important role that Central Bank independence plays regarding credit booms length and outcome.

The purpose of this paper is to show how social media technologies (SMT) make the firm proficient to act on business opportunities and reconfigure business resources by encouraging networks to routinize the firm’s knowledge and innovation competencies.

The paper analyzes data obtained from a sample of 201 technological firms located in Spain. Structural equation modeling with Lisrel is used to test the hypotheses.

This paper contributes to the literature by reflecting empirically in a structural model how SMT drive technological knowledge competencies to improve organizational performance directly and indirectly by leveraging processes of innovation capability in the firm.

The study has some limitations, among them transversal analysis of different constructs. The number of relationships analyzed is limited, as is the literature focuses on a digital vision from a social media point of view.

Some implications for managers emerge. SMT both enable an emergent participatory culture through ubiquitous digital devices and social networks and balance constant connectivity afforded by digital devices.

Drawing on complexity science, the authors develop a conceptual framework to explain how social media, as emergent IS phenomena, help firms to create business value, leveraging network effects and knowledge flows, and increasing innovative capability.

Advances in technology and the popularity of social media influencers have sparked a rise of “virtual influencers (VIs).” This study examines consumer attitudes toward VIs in social networking services and explores factors that enhance or dampen these attitudes. In three experiments, it was explored how contextual factors (background and companion) interact with human (HIs) and VIs, influencing attitudes through trustworthiness.

Three experiments were conducted using an online panel (N = 894). All experiments were based on the comparison between HIs and VI with mediating role of trustworthiness. In Studies 2 and 3, moderated mediation analyses were conducted to test hypotheses.

The results revealed that human-like VI was less trusted than animi-like VI or HIs. However, the perceived trustworthiness toward VI was enhanced when the VI was in a virtual (vs. real) environment (Study 2) or accompanied by a virtual (vs. human) companion (Study 3), leading to positive attitudes.

This research not only enriches relevant literature (avatars and SMIs) but also provides actionable insight for practitioners who design and utilize VIs. This paper proposes novel and handy tactics to enhance consumers' trustworthiness in and attitudes toward VIs.

Lightweight building systems have emerged as alternatives to reduce the high environmental impact of conventional masonry. However, in subtropical climates, the low thermal inertia of lightweight envelopes negatively affects energy performance. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the thermophysical parameters that influence heating and cooling energy consumption in lightweight residential buildings under subtropical climates and develop a model to predict these parameters using statistical and machine learning tools.

A database was created with computer simulation data on the energy performance of 2048 building conditions generated by factorial combination of 10 parameters. Sensitivity analysis was performed to identify which parameters contribute most to energy performance indicators. Subsequently, decision trees were created using a classification and regression tree (CART) algorithm to visualize parameters and improve energy performance indicators, particularly cooling energy consumption.

Low thermal transmittance and ground contact are interesting strategies for low thermal capacity buildings. Furthermore, the findings showed that relying only on the most influential properties does not ensure good energy performance; rather, it is the adequate combination of envelope properties that leads to good energy efficiency. The tree developed by CART can be used as a guide to assist designers and researchers in the initial selection of building envelopes, demonstrating the impact of each choice on electrical energy consumption for indoor climate control.

By adopting a global approach to assess the thermal performance of lightweight buildings, this study makes a significant contribution to synthesizing the results of a complex and time-consuming methodology into a guide for optimizing envelope design decisions and directing efforts and resources toward efficient strategies.

We adopt the conceptual lens of the Dynamic Capabilities Approach to evaluate the relationship between Entrepreneurial Orientation (EO), Digital Marketing Capabilities (DMC), and Performance in Brazilian franchises.

We applied a survey with franchisors at the Brazilian Franchising Association Expo 2022. Data were collected for 145 franchise systems. We used Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling and tested two distinct models. Model 1 presents the direct effects of EO and DMC on Performance. In Model 2 we include the mediation effect of DMC on the relationship between EO and Performance.

Aligned with prior literature, in our first model we found a direct association between EO and Performance and between DMC and Performance. In our second model, when analyzing the combination of EO and DMC, we observed a full mediation effect of DMC in the relationship between EO and performance, and an indirect effect of EO on performance.

We advance in the debate of the relationship between EO and Performance in the franchise context, adding to our model the DMC perspective. Findings shed light on the importance of digital marketing capabilities for franchise systems. These elements open important avenues for dedicated research to further understand how digitalization process can be redefining the drivers of performance in entrepreneurial firms.

Disinformation has become a latent risk for online audiences, specifically for minors who are commonly exposed to a wide variety of online content at a time they are developing cognitively and emotionally. This paper aims to offer insight on minors’ perception and the tools used by this age group to verify the content to which they are exposed while online.

Twelve focus groups were held in Spain between April and June 2021 with a total of 62 participants aged 11–17. Besides age, sex and socioeconomic group were variables taken into consideration to select the participants. A script covering the intended questions was used to structure the discussion.

Result analysis reveals that minors are excessively confident in their ability to identify false news and feel the need to share content with their online community as a means of participation in discussions or trending topics. Although WhatsApp family groups are seen as a source of misleading news, the study reveals that the family and traditional media (mainly television) act as sources of verification of fake news for minors. In general, minors opt for actions that require less initiative to contrast the content they consume on the internet.

This study produces new findings by further deepening the results of the first quantitative study on the relationship between minors and disinformation in Spain using qualitative method from conducting virtual focus groups.

The aim of this paper is to highlight the importance of different technological aspects of organizations on Spanish high‐technology firms' performance.

The relationships studied are confirmed empirically using a structural equation model to demonstrate our hypotheses. The sample was selected from the database “Dun & Bradstreet España” in the year 2005 and includes 201 Spanish firms. CEOs were our main informants.

The results obtained show that support from top managers will directly influence the organizational learning (OL) process and technological distinctive competencies (TDCs) (antecedents of corporate entrepreneurship) and that corporate entrepreneurship finally influences organizational performance.

The paper is exploratory in character, and its goal is to show whether interrelations exist between the variables. The main limitations are: the sectors chosen refer only to Spain; the analysis is cross‐sectional in character; the study uses a single method and self‐reports (CEOs).

To obtain perfect adaptation of the firm to its environment, it is crucial that managers develop corporate entrepreneurship to improve high‐technology sector firms' performance. The paper shows the important role of the top manager's support in developing TDCs and OL. Success in such issues is of vital importance to corporate entrepreneurship in the firm.

The paper seeks to stimulate new lines of research on one variable (TDCs) and to relate it to other constructs, producing new relationships and observing their repercussions for the firm.

The aim of this paper is to highlight the importance of different technological aspects of organizations for Spanish firms' performance through organizational learning and corporate entrepreneurship (where organizational innovation is essential).

The relationships studied are confirmed empirically using a structural equation model to demonstrate the hypotheses. The sample was selected from the database Dun & Bradstreet España for 2003, obtaining 201 Spanish firms. CEOs were the main informants.

The results show that the support adopted by top managers will directly influence the organizational learning process, technological distinctive competencies and corporate entrepreneurship. Technological distinctive competencies are also supported by organizational slack resources, technological skills and a technological infrastructure. Finally, corporate entrepreneurship influences organizational performance.

The paper is exploratory in character, and its goal is to show whether interrelations exist between the variables. The main limitations are: the sectors chosen refer only to Spain; the analysis performed is cross‐sectional; and a single method and self‐reports are used.

The paper shows that to obtain perfect adaptation of the firm to its environment, it is crucial that managers develop corporate entrepreneurship, especially innovation, to improve high‐technology sector firms' performance.

The paper seeks to stimulate new lines of research regarding technological distinctive competencies, organizational learning and corporate entrepreneurship and to relate them to other constructs, observing their repercussions for the firm.