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This study examines the relationships between green management, perceived barriers to sustainability and innovation performance in Latin American SMEs and how formal and informal institutional factors influence these relationships.

The study used a dataset collected by Iberoamerican small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) Observatory in 2022 and included 15 country-specific indicators for Latin American countries published in international data sources to address the formal and informal institutional contexts. Accordingly, the final sample comprises 11,319 SME observations from 16 countries. The analysis involved three phases. First, an R-Type Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA). Second, a cluster analysis. Third, a testing of the mediation theoretical model between the groups identified in the second study. To this purpose, the analysis included a multigroup analysis for covariance structure by three-stage procedures conducting structural equation modeling (SEM).

The results revealed that both formal institutions (such as government policies and regulations) and informal institutions (such as social norms and cultural values) have a positive impact of green management practices on innovative outcomes in SMEs. However, the magnitude of this impact varies depending on the level of country-specific performance of the context. Additionally, the perceived barriers to sustainability do not play an intermediary role in this relationship within both institutional contexts. However, the effect of perceived barriers to sustainability on SMEs' innovation performance is diminished in the informal institutional context.

These conclusions provide valuable insights for policymakers seeking to promote sustainable development in Latin America, highlighting the importance of institutional support in fostering SMEs' adoption of ecological practices.

Este estudio examina la relación entre la gestión verde, las barreras percibidas a la sostenibilidad y el rendimiento de la innovación en las PYME latinoamericanas y cómo los factores institucionales formales e informales influyen en esta relación.

El estudio utilizó un conjunto de datos recogidos por el Observatorio Iberoamericano de la PYME y se incluyó 15 indicadores de desempeño de países de América Latina publicados en fuentes de datos internacionales para abordar los contextos institucionales formales e informales. Por consiguiente, la muestra de datos final del estudio lo conforman 11,319 observaciones de Pymes de 16 países. El análisis incluyó tres fases. En primer lugar, un análisis factorial exploratorio. Segundo un análisis de conglomerados o clústeres. En tercer lugar, una prueba del modelo teórico de mediación entre los grupos identificados en el segundo estudio. Para ello, el análisis incluyó un análisis multigrupo para la estructura de covarianza mediante un procedimiento de tres etapas por medio de un modelado de ecuaciones estructurales.

Los resultados revelaron que tanto en las instituciones formales (como las políticas y normativas gubernamentales) como en las informales (como las normas sociales y los valores culturales) las prácticas de gestión verde influyen positivamente en desempeño innovador. Sin embargo, la magnitud de este impacto varía según el nivel de desempeño del contexto de estos países. Además, el estudio mostró que las barreras percibidas a la sostenibilidad no tienen un papel de mediación en esta relación, en ambos contextos institucionales. Finalmente, se observó que el efecto de las barreras percibidas a la sostenibilidad sobre el desempeño innovador disminuye en el contexto institucional informal.

El trabajo aporta valiosas ideas para los responsables políticos que buscan promover el desarrollo sostenible en América Latina, destacando la importancia del apoyo institucional para fomentar la adopción de prácticas verdes por parte de las pymes.

The present work is an experimental and numerical study of a sloshing problem including baffle effects. The purpose of this paper is to assess the numerical behavior of a Lagrangian technique to track free surface flows by comparison with experiments, to report experimental data for sloshing at different conditions and to evaluate the effectiveness of baffles in limiting the wave height and the wave propagation.

Finite element simulations performed with a fixed mesh technique able to describe the free surface evolution are contrasted with experimental data. The experiments consist of an acrylic tank of rectangular section designed to attach baffles of different sizes at different distance from the bottom. The tank is filled with water and mounted on a shake table able to move under controlled horizontal motion. The free surface evolution is measured with ultrasonic sensors. The numerical results computed for different sloshing conditions are compared with the experimental data.

The reported numerical results are in general in good agreement with the experiments. In particular, wave heights and frequencies response satisfactorily compared with the experimental data for the several cases analyzed during steady state forced sloshing and free sloshing. The effectiveness of the baffles increases near resonance conditions. From the set of experiments studied, the major reduction of the wave height was obtained when larger baffles were positioned closer to the water level at rest.

Model validation: evaluation of the effectiveness of non-massive immersed baffles during sloshing.

The value of the present work encompass the numerical and experimental study of the effect of immersed baffles during sloshing under different imposed conditions and the comparison of numerical results with the experimental data. Also, the results shown in the present work are a contribution to the understanding of the role in the analysis of the proposed problem of some specific aspects of the geometry and the imposed motion.

This paper aims to examine the existing literature on firms’ power through the lens of the supply chain and highlights some gaps that could be covered by future research.

This study uses a systematic framework-based review combining the insights of the antecedents, decisions and outcomes (ADO) and theories, contexts and methods (TCM) frameworks. The review was carried out using a sample of 108 articles published between 1984 and 2022 in 25 prestigious journals.

The ADO framework maps out the state of the art of the antecedents of power (i.e. sources and types of firm power), the decision to use power and the effect that exercising power over other firms may have on firm performance and the quality of inter-firm relationships. In addition, this framework highlights factors that mediate or moderate the decision to exercise power and the factors that mediate or moderate the outcomes of exercising power or power asymmetry. The TCM framework provides insights into the theories, contexts (i.e. countries, industries, level of analysis and sources of data) and methods used by the existing literature. The content analysis using the aforementioned frameworks provides the basis to elaborate propositions for future research on power in the supply chain from the perspective of gender differences.

This systematic literature review offers a comprehensive guide for researchers to understand the antecedents, decisions and outcomes of firm power in the supply chain, as well as the TCM used in the literature. The content analysis using frameworks provides a road map to investigate the proposed factors that might moderate the decision to exercise power and the outcome of exercising power or power asymmetry from the perspective of gender differences. In addition, based on content analysis, the authors make propositions about TCM that could be applied in future research.

From a practical perspective, this systematic literature review may help managers to better understand the sources and consequences of their firm’s power. This would allow managers to make better decisions when negotiating with their supply chain parties, which could potentially lead to better performance for their firms and the whole supply chain.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to conduct a comprehensive systematic literature review of the different dimensions of firms’ power in the supply chain.

The unequal distribution of economic activities, transposed in economic, social and territorial disparities is the general characteristic of the European economy. Gaps increased in the context of European Union (EU) enlargement towards Eastern and Central Europe and of the economic crisis, thus bringing new differentiations among member states’ economies. The main aim of the chapter is to emphasise the centre-periphery differentiations in the European economy, by using a composite index of peripherality, in order to better understand the determinants of growth and convergence in Central and Eastern European countries and to reach normative conclusions for increasing Cohesion Policy (CP) effectiveness. The first part of the chapter provides a short overview of the main theories and models of the peripherality analysis and the relationships between the centre and the periphery, in order to find out how this analysis relates to the research in the field. The second part provides a comparative analysis of the evolution of European economies during 2003–2014, in order to find out whether the EU enlargement process stabilised the EU core-periphery pattern or, on the contrary, the process of core-periphery structural convergence occurred. The third part includes the suggested model of analysis (methodology, data, and main results) from a multidisciplinary perspective, underlining the centre-periphery differentiations on the two axes, North–South and West–East. The results have been interpreted in conclusions, with a focus on their relevance for the European CP challenges.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of growth temperature on the evolution of indium incorporation and the growth process of InGaN/GaN heterostructures.

To examine this effect, the InGaN/GaN heterostructures were grown using Taiyo Nippon Sanso Corporation metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) SR4000-HT system. The InGaN/GaN heterostructures were epitaxially grown on 3.4 µm undoped-GaN (ud-GaN) and GaN nucleation layer, respectively, over a commercial 2” c-plane flat sapphire substrate. The InGaN layers were grown at different temperature settings ranging from 860°C to 820°C in a step of 20°C. The details of structural, surface morphology and optical properties were investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM), atomic force microscopy and ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectrophotometer, respectively.

InGaN/GaN heterostructure with indium composition up to 10.9% has been successfully grown using the MOCVD technique without any phase separation detected within the sensitivity of the instrument. Indium compositions were estimated through simulation fitting of the XRD curve and calculation of Vegard’s law from UV-Vis measurement. The thickness of the structures was determined using the Swanepoel method and the FE-SEM cross-section image.

This paper report on the effect of MOCVD growth temperature on the growth process of InGaN/GaN heterostructure, which is of interest in solid-state lighting technology, especially in light-emitting diodes and solar cell application.

The subject area of the case study is strategic management with emphasis in stakeholder satisfaction and added value and business performance.

The case study illustrates the challenges of business dynamics in an emerging market. It is applicable, especially, for undergraduate and graduate students in management studies.

The case of LPCI Insurance Company in Mexico illustrates the challenges that firms face when doing business in an unstable, rapidly changing environment. Conflict-affected areas pose significant threats and opportunities for firms; it is, however, up to the firm to decide whether to avoid change and risk or to design and execute effective strategies to tackle such external issues. The case has been developed in a narrative way as to demonstrate the intricacies of internal incidents and board meeting discussions, which lead to strategic planning and decision-making.

outcomes It is expected that students enhance their awareness of businesses’ role in the protection of Human Rights as a key factor in their engagement in corporate social responsibility and achievement of objectives. It is expected that students also increase their awareness of the implications of operating in a conflict-affected area in emerging markets. Also, it is expected that students learn that doing business effectively requires a holistic approach to business dynamics.

Teaching notes.

CSS 11: Strategy.

Polyvictimization means looking at multiple victimizations of different kinds that one person has experienced. Virtually, all of the work in this field focuses on the effects of childhood trauma and victimization on currently distressed children, and empirical and theoretical work on the intertwining of adult female offline and online abuse experiences is in short supply. Recently, however, some scholars are starting to fill these research gaps by generating data showing that technology-facilitated violence and abuse are part and parcel of women's polyvictimization experiences at institutions of higher education. This chapter provides an in-depth review of the extant social scientific literature on the role technology-facilitated violence and abuse plays in the polyvictimization of female college/university students. In addition to proposing new ways of knowing, we suggest progressive policies and practices aimed at preventing polyvictimization on the college campus.

In a democratic system such as the United States, freedom of expression and free speech are core values in the Constitution and fiercely protected by civil liberties organizations and advocates. The Supreme Court has consistently upheld the right to protest and to express what may be considered unpopular or dissenting opinions. However, the right does not extend to incitement of violence and the state is authorized to protect the safety of citizens. One of the most recent movements challenging the country’s recognition of freedom of expression has been the alt-right/white nationalist movement, particularly Richard Spencer who is a vocal white supremacist and president of the National Policy Institute. A number of universities such as Auburn University, Texas A&M, the University of Florida, and Michigan State University recently found themselves in the middle of a free speech and expression event versus the potential for political violence situation because of the rhetoric of Spencer’s White Lives Matter campus tour and possibility of protests or counter-protests following his speeches. This invites the question of to what extent a university can ban controversial speakers out of concern for violence and when must they allow controversial speech? The chapter will start by looking at state control of political protests and speech in the United States and then how similar dissent is addressed in other countries.

Internationally, dissent is often handled differently with much less tolerance and often a more confrontational response by the state. For example, following the Arab Spring and passage of restrictive laws to prohibit influencing public opinion, Saudi Arabia has seen a rise in political arrests as the state uses its authority to suppress political competitors and consolidate power. The State Security Agency, overseen by the king, claimed in September 2017 that a group of academics, scholars, writers, and leading Islamist figures were inciting violence and called for their arrest. This wave of arrests along with several prior ones and state exercise of media control, exemplifies Saudi Arabia’s desire to suppress dissent by exercising state control. In Venezuela, a law prohibiting messages of hate from being transmitted via broadcast and social media was passed, carrying a possible sentence of 20 years in prison if convicted. The Assembly claimed the law was intended to promote “peace, tolerance, equality, and respect,” but it has been criticized for suppressing extremist sectors of right-wing political groups in the country. Additional case studies of Uganda’s use of military forces to control public outcry over corruption and deteriorating public services will also be evaluated.