Samara Marques Gomes, David Ferreira Lopes Santos and Leonardo Fernando Cruz Basso
The purpose of this paper is to analyze the innovation strategies of the sugar–energy industry in Central-Southern Brazil with regard to its resource structure and results.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to analyze the innovation strategies of the sugar–energy industry in Central-Southern Brazil with regard to its resource structure and results.
Design/methodology/approach
The data were collected through a questionnaire covering the three-year period from 2015 through 2017. The results were extracted based on a combination of factor analysis and multiple regression analysis.
Findings
The innovation strategies of Brazilian sugar–energy companies are characterized as defensive and imitative based on the resources dedicated to innovation and the implementation of innovation with respect to products, processes, eco-innovation and cost reductions.
Research limitations/implications
The sample is representative, but it does not cover all companies in the Brazilian sugar–energy industry. The data were acquired using a survey, and the results could not be compared to the financial results of the companies.
Practical implications
Sugar–energy companies need to define their innovation strategies, as these strategies lead to different results that can be achieved only through the management of resources dedicated to the generation and implementation of innovations. Managers and analysts need to know the profile of these innovation strategies to evaluate the effectiveness of the results based on the resources that were invested.
Originality/value
This study presents an exploratory model that identified two factors related to innovation efforts and three results. It is possible to define the innovation strategies of companies in the Brazilian sugar–energy industry, which is one of the most competitive in Brazil.
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Carla Marques, Carmem Leal, João Ferreira and Vanessa Ratten
The present study aims to identify women microentrepreneurs’ motivations that may influence the legalisation of their businesses and their capacity to reconcile the demands of…
Abstract
Purpose
The present study aims to identify women microentrepreneurs’ motivations that may influence the legalisation of their businesses and their capacity to reconcile the demands of family and work in a developing country (i.e. Brazil).
Design/methodology/approach
Semi-structured interviews were used to gather data on women’s microentrepreneurial initiatives in three northern Brazil cities: Salvador da Bahia (Bahia), Fortaleza (Cear) and Belm (Par). Qualitative content analysis was used to analyse textual data from the 30 interviews. The content was standardised and subsequently analysed using NVivo and IBM’s Many Eyes data visualisation software.
Findings
The results suggest that these women opt for legalised individual entrepreneurship to access the benefits of formalising their businesses and to search for mechanisms that encourage a work–family balance. However, in the more rural city studied, women show greater resistance to, and more distrust of, the benefits of legalising their business, as opposed to women from the two more urban cities.
Practical implications
The results contribute to a better understanding of women’s motivations to legalise their microbusiness. In Brazil, the writing and passing of a law geared towards this type of entrepreneur (e.g. individual microentrepreneurs) has had a quite positive effect on the legalisation of businesses, in particular for women. However, this law has had a more positive effect in urban areas, which suggests that further dissemination is needed of the benefits of formalising microbusinesses in rural areas.
Originality/value
This study contributes to research that seeks to understand better entrepreneurial preferences (i.e. formal vs informal) and the role played by gender and legal, financial and family contexts.
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Mohamed Mousa and Ahmad Arslan
The study aims to find out the extent to which hospitality sector family-owned businesses in Egypt feel committed to responsible leadership practices and subsequently meet their…
Abstract
Purpose
The study aims to find out the extent to which hospitality sector family-owned businesses in Egypt feel committed to responsible leadership practices and subsequently meet their stakeholders' expectations.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors conducted semi-structured interviews with 24 owners of family restaurants in Egypt. Thematic analysis was undertaken on the collected data resulting in four major themes.
Findings
The authors find that the four dimensions (aggregation of virtuousness, stakeholder involvement, individual competencies and ethical contributions) are not fully exercised by the owners despite their readiness to behave correctly according to social norms. Furthermore, the respondents elaborated that they do not fully understand how to commence playing a role in contributing to the common good in their societies.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, the present study is the first to empirically investigate responsible leadership practices in the context of small and medium-sized family businesses (restaurants in this case), particularly in the emerging market and non-Western contexts.
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Ramakrishna Gollagari, Temesgen Birega and Santap Sanhari Mishra
Organizational justice and its impact on employee commitment have received a lot of attention these days. The objective of this study is to see the effect of job satisfaction as a…
Abstract
Purpose
Organizational justice and its impact on employee commitment have received a lot of attention these days. The objective of this study is to see the effect of job satisfaction as a mediator in the relationship between organizational justice and employee commitment. Also, the role of academic rank as a moderator in the model is probed.
Design/methodology/approach
A moderating mediation structural equation model was used for randomly collected cross-section data on 285 employees from public universities in Ethiopia. Necessary condition analysis (NCA) was employed to check the importance of the variables. The Gaussian copula approach was used to check endogeneity in the structural model.
Findings
NCA confirms the importance of organizational justice and employee satisfaction as the independent variables. The Gaussian copula approach reveals no endogeneity problems in the structural model. The results supported the partial mediating role of job satisfaction in organizational justice and academic staff’s commitment. Moreover, though staff rank is not a necessary condition, it plays the role of moderator in the relationship between academic staff’s job satisfaction and commitment.
Practical implications
This paper affirms that public institutions must implement fair initiatives and procedures to promote academic staff satisfaction and commitment.
Originality/value
This is the first study to check the job rank as a moderator in the model comprising organization justice, employee commitment and satisfaction. Moreover, application of NCA and Gaussian copula adds to methodological innovation.
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Kristína Predanócyová, Peter Šedík and Elena Horská
The aim of this paper is to study attitudes and perception of Slovak consumers toward healthy food in terms of consumption, as well as to identify key factors during the…
Abstract
Purpose
The aim of this paper is to study attitudes and perception of Slovak consumers toward healthy food in terms of consumption, as well as to identify key factors during the purchasing process.
Design/methodology/approach
An online questionnaire survey was conducted using snowball sampling method in Slovakia (n = 1,138 respondents) between March and May 2021. By applying categorical principal component analysis, five latent factors were identified. Moreover, non-parametric tests (Chi-square test for independence, Kruskal–Wallis H test) were carried out to study differences between age cohorts.
Findings
Results showed that Slovak consumers mostly perceived as very healthy the following food categories: fruit, vegetables, honey, juices made of fruit and vegetables, fish meat or cereals, nuts and seeds. Moreover, research has identified five latent factors, which consumers mostly consider during purchase of healthy food as follows: price-marketing factor, information and composition factor, authenticity factor, quality factor and factor of motivation.
Originality/value
Research paper gives an important insight about consumer behavior and perception toward healthy food in Slovakia. Results provide valuable information for producers in terms of marketing and communication strategies. In addition, provided information can be used by policymakers for improving food policy to foster public health in the society.