Purpose This article aims to investigate the relationship between business model adaptation, company performance and digitalization capability among startups during the coronavirus disease-2019 pandemic to determine whether there is a correlation among these aspects in uncertainty scenarios. Design/methodology/approach The research used a mixed approach. First, it utilized a survey-based data collection method in which over 400 Brazilian startups participated, representing diverse demographic and cultural characteristics. Following the data analysis, the authors interviewed startup founders who participated in the first phase to enrich the discussion section. Findings The results revealed that startups with stronger digital capabilities and higher performance were associated with lower levels of business model adaptation. However, this association was observed primarily in the dimensions of value creation and value capture, and not in value delivery. Research limitations/implications The limitation of this study includes the cross-sectional data collection, which prevents the assessment of causality between variables. Practical implications The findings suggest that startups should carefully evaluate their business models and adaptation strategies during uncertain periods. Social implications The social implications of this study lie in supporting public policies and initiatives for entrepreneurship and startups. Government agencies and support institutions can use the findings to better understand the challenges faced by startups during uncertain times, effectively guiding their assistance and resources. Originality/value This research contributes to the literature on business models and digitalization capability. It offers insights into the interplay between performance, digital capabilities and business model adaptation. Furthermore, the study contradicts the common sense that businesses should favor adaptation in uncertain moments, at least for startups in similar contexts.

Purpose The study aims to ascertain whether educational and social support for entrepreneurs significantly affects university students’ intentions to become successful entrepreneurs. This study examines the mediating role of the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) variables (e.g. entrepreneurial personal attitude, subjective norms and entrepreneurial perceived behavioral control) and entrepreneurial self-efficacy in encouraging young entrepreneurs. Design/methodology/approach An online survey with a structured questionnaire collected data from different university students in Bangladesh; subsequently, it was analyzed through the structural equation model. Findings The results suggested that educational support has a direct positive relationship with the three variables of TPB. Moreover, the findings indicated that social support positively influences the variables of TPB, entrepreneurial self-efficacy and entrepreneurial intentions. The variables of TPB and entrepreneurial self-efficacy were found to have a significant direct impact on entrepreneurial intentions and also exhibited favorable mediating effects of educational and social support on entrepreneurial intentions. Research limitations/implications First, the study is only generalized to some sectors of entrepreneurship activities because the researchers used samples from university students across Bangladesh. Second, the implicit limitation of survey-based research is that respondents need to know more ways of understanding the questionnaires accurately, and some participants need to be taught how to answer the question items. Practical implications The main practical implication for the relationship between entrepreneurial intentions and educational support involves different entrepreneurial educational programs, which give rise to attitude, behavior, self-efficacy and intentions and enhance the student's awareness of advancing a successful entrepreneurial career. Social implications This study demonstrated that universities and social communities should promote the improvement of innovative thoughts for entrepreneurs and offer essential information about entrepreneurship. Originality/value Because entrepreneurial educational support is a crucial factor in entrepreneurial intentions, universities need to develop a practical education system that can help improve the skills required to start new ventures. The results will improve a new route to developing students’ entrepreneurial intentions using the variables of TPB and entrepreneurial self-efficacy. Subsequently, these research findings will help to achieve governmental goals and increase the number of startups in the future.

Serving on editorial boards of management journals for almost a decade has taught us valuable lessons about purposeful research. A key lesson includes the significance of maintaining theoretical and methodological rigour and crafting engaging narratives that effectively convey a study's methodology and contributions to the management research field. Another equally crucial lesson is recognising that getting management research wrong in Global South [1] contexts may lead to missing significant opportunities to address pressing problems such as increased inequality and unsustainable growth. Nevertheless, much remains overlooked in the debate about the need for and the challenges of producing purposeful context-oriented research in the Global South. Most studies have not sufficiently tapped into the challenges faced by scholars from these developing economies, including the trade-off between local relevance and international publication rigour. The growing pressure to publish and the management education curricula, prioritise content, shape and quantity of research production that aligns with mainstream Global North management knowledge at the expense of local purpose (Trzesniak, Plata-Caviedes, & C ordoba-Salgado, 2012; Mattos, 2008; Mascarenhas, Zambaldi, & Moraes, 2011) . So, how do we repurpose management research for the local good? This editorial endeavours to discuss some key challenges of developing and publishing management studies about the Global South, proposing potential solutions. Our objective is to invigorate local dialogues on the essence of quality and purpose within the realm of management research in these contexts. To achieve this purpose, we use Brazil as an illustrative case to help us discuss the challenges and the potential benefits of repurposing Global South research. Such a discussion carries profound implications for developing theories addressing global societal challenges that researchers aspire to tackle. At the same time, it also offers the potential to bring about positive changes in developing economies. We use Brazil as an illustrative case for three main reasons. Firstly, conducting purposeful research in contexts such as Brazil is essential due to its size, influence and need for significant socio-economic improvements (

Purpose This study aims to identify the impact of ethical leadership on ethical voice by determining two paths covering relational identification and psychological safety. The first path focused on relational identification and psychological safety. Alternatively, the second path focused on organizational identification and psychological ownership leading to ethical voice. The specific objective of the study is to develop and test an integrated model of ethical leadership. Design/methodology/approach The objectives were achieved through the adoption of quantitative research techniques. Two hundred forty-eight samples were collected from the banking sector using quantitative research techniques, and data was gathered through a self-administrated questionnaire. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were used through AMOS to generate the results and test hypotheses. Findings The results suggested a significant impact of ethical leadership on ethical voice, while the other paths’ results, such as relational identification, psychological safety, organizational identification and psychological ownership, suggested partial mediation. The study result adds new insights into ethical leadership and social exchange theory since it tested overlooked paths in the literature, such as relational identification and psychological safety. Research limitations/implications The research highlights the significance of ethical voice as a desirable organizational behavior. Ethical voice contributes to a culture of accountability, transparency and ethical decision-making. Organizations should establish channels and platforms for employees to voice ethical concerns and suggestions. This may involve regular feedback sessions, anonymous reporting mechanisms and protection policies for whistleblowers. Leaders should actively encourage and value ethical voices as a valuable contribution to the ethical climate of the organization. Practical implications The study found that ethical leaders influence their followers in such a way that they adopt ethical behavior. It is also validated that organizational ethics are shared by employees who interact with ethical leaders. So, departments should train such leaders because ethical leadership positively affects followers’ attitudes and behaviors, and organizations should encourage ethical behavior in supervisors and subordinates. The study also found that relational and organizational identification helps employees develop psychological capabilities, which leads to reporting workplace misconduct. The current study tested these mechanisms collectively and found that ethical leadership significantly contributes to ethical voice. Social implications The current study highlighted the role of ethical leaders in promoting ethical behavior, improving employee well-being and engagement, cultivating collaboration and inclusion, and making a contribution to the overall ethical climate within organizations and society as a whole. Organizations can have a positive impact on the social fabric by cultivating a culture of ethics, respect and social responsibility if they make these considerations their top priorities. Originality/value The current study is unique since it is intended to develop and test an integrated model of ethical leadership and ethical voice. This research combines an integrated model, focusing on employees’ identities and self-concepts and examining ethical voice as a behavioral outcome.

Purpose This paper aims to study whether Peruvian manufacturing firms that implement innovation have positive performance and whether R&D activities moderate these relationships. Design/methodology/approach Using a data set of Peruvian manufacturing firms from the 2018 National Survey of Innovation, a LOGIT model analysis was applied to 774 companies. In addition, the authors fitted different models into subsamples to explore the moderating effects of R&D on manufacturing firms. Finally, the regression models were computed using R software. Findings The results indicate that product, service and marketing innovation are associated positively with an increase in market share, while process and organizational innovations are associated positively with productivity. Moreover, companies with R&D are more productivity-oriented than companies without R&D. Research limitations/implications This study contributes to the literature on innovation management by supporting the assumption that innovation results in increased productivity and expands market demand. In addition, findings highlight that R&D is essential for boosting firms’ productivity. Practical implications Managers should consider an appropriate combination of the innovation portfolio and R&D investments to make progress and increase performance in the company. In addition, policymakers should consider that investments to promote the development of R&D activities in manufacturing companies will likely lead to médium- or long-term returns. Social implications The correct use of indicators to measure these relationships could help the policymaker to design and measure policy instruments more efficiently. Originality/value These results provide a deeper understanding of how the effects of innovations implemented by manufacturing firms, especially service and process innovation, improve their performance.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate how the business model and the strategic intent to adopt an open collaboration initiative influence the perceived quality of collaboration outcomes. Design/methodology/approach This paper presents a framework to analyze the role of the strategic dimension and the operational dimension in open collaboration initiatives through multiple case studies in three companies to understand how the open collaboration initiative was deployed and how was the level of the alignment between these two dimensions. Findings The studied cases revealed that when an open collaboration initiative starts in the strategic dimension and there is an alignment between the organizational dimension and operational dimension, the collaboration outcomes are clearer and more traceable. Research limitations/implications The study highlights the need to consider the involvement and the internal alignment between strategic and operational dimensions when deploying an open collaboration activity if they want to achieve all the benefits. Practical implications The presented framework can help managers to evaluate and understand how open collaboration activities are deployed within the company. Social implications The study shows that when an open collaboration initiative is planned, its results and benefits can be extended to local communities by developing them. Originality/value This study aims to analyze the open collaboration initiative’s contribution to the overall organizational performance through the alignment between the organizational dimension and operational dimension perspective.

Purpose The purpose of this article is to identify the critical success factors (CSFs) of information technology (IT) projects using cloud computing. CSFs are variables that can influence the success of projects and therefore need to be identified and managed appropriately. Design/methodology/approach This is an exploratory qualitative study with 23 experts in cloud computing projects through semi-structured interviews. The data was analyzed using content analysis. Findings The results present a list of CSFs for projects in a cloud computing environment. The study demonstrated that the CSF with greater relevance to cloud projects is the team’s technical capacity, followed by the support of senior management and the team’s soft skills. In addition, results demonstrated that contract item management is a limiting factor for cloud projects. Research limitations/implications The sample comprised only Brazilian experts, so it may not represent the same scenario as in other locations. The CSF ratio for cloud computing projects may vary depending on the company’s maturity in projects of this nature. Practical implications The CSF relationship can guide managers in properly conducting cloud computing projects, contributing to minimizing the risks and challenges that may interfere with the project. Social implications The relationship of the CSFs in cloud computing projects proposed fills a gap in studies specifically related to this context and tries to minimize project managers’ stress. Originality/value Contract items for the cloud context are added to the CSF literature in IT projects, which have not been addressed so far.

The "Transforming Our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development" was launched in 2015, aiming to drive society in developed and developing countries to reach sustainable development considering economic, environmental and social issues (United Nations, 2022). The agenda comprises 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with 169 targets and 213 measurable indicators. According to the United Nations (UN), these 17 SDGs can be classified into four distinct pillars: social (SDGs 1-6), economic (SDGs 7-11), environmental (SDGs 12-15) and law and governance (SDGs 16 and 17) (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and Conference of Parties, 2015).

Purpose The intangible assets of a company have been presented by national and international surveys as a resource to influence the creation of value and the increase in organizational performance. In view of this, this study aims to analyze the relationship between intangibility and the performance of companies in Latin America. Design/methodology/approach For this purpose, multiple regression with panel data was used and three perspectives for measuring intangible resources were defined: representativeness of the intangible asset, accounting measure for measuring the intangible, degree of intangibility and Tobin’ Q, the latter two representing economic and financial measures to determine intangibility. The study covered the period from 2011 to 2017 with a sample of 1,236 publicly traded companies located in some Latin American countries, namely, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru. Findings The results demonstrated the existence of a significant and positive relationship between the variables of intangibility, degree of intangibility and Tobin’s Q, and the performance variables, return on assets, operating margin and asset turnover, reinforcing the study hypothesis that the greater the investment in intangible resource, the greater the company’s performance. Research limitations/implications The limitations of this study involve the lack of complete information about intangible resources in the financial statements of some companies and some countries, making it hard to analyze the proposed relationship more broadly and accurately. Another limitation involves the causal relationship that may have existed between the regressors of the models defined in the study and their error, thus generating an endogeneity problem in the proposed models. It is recommended for future research to use specific methods to mitigate possible problems of endogeneity in regressions. Practical implications Mainly the possibility of deepening the relationship between intangibility and business performance, thus obtaining new knowledge through the reflexes of this relationship on companies in Latin American countries, finding more consistent results. Social implications The study contributes to the decision-making process in the business world by informing the primary users of accounting information such as investors, administrators, accountants, regulators and creditors. Originality/value This research contributes by addressing a theme whose studies present many gaps, making it possible to deepen the relationship between intangibility and business performance and gain new knowledge through the reflexes of this relationship on companies in Latin American countries.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the efficiency in financial intermediation and the cost efficiency in banking service of credit unions in Brazil, based on essentially accounting variables, and to analyze the temporal evolution of the efficiency of these cooperatives. Design/methodology/approach With a sample of 315 cooperatives over the period from 2007 to 2014, this research uses a two-stage process: application of regression models with panel data to verify which variables are related to the defined outputs, with the reduction of 31 variables to 8 variables in both models; and application of the data envelopment analysis method to obtain an analysis of credit unions’ efficiency. Findings The results demonstrate a high level of efficiency in financial intermediation, with low variation over time, associated with a low efficiency in the banking service, in which few cooperatives have remained efficient over time. In addition, the cooperatives with highest efficiency in financial intermediation were also the most efficient in providing services. Research limitations/implications This research has some limitations about the capacity of the proxies used to capture the real effect of the variables and assumptions of economic relations resulting in restrictions to generalize the results. Practical implications Cooperatives are usually analyzed under just one dimension. By separating the analysis into financial intermediation and banking services, cooperatives that are more efficient in each dimension can be identified, in addition to analyzing the evolution over time. The authors found that efficiency tends to be lower in banking services, and few cooperatives remain at the highest level of efficiency over time in both models. Social implications Credit unions provide an important service in the banking and credit market. Therefore, understanding its operation and the characteristics that influence its efficiency allows a better management of the cooperatives themselves and a greater understanding of this important segment of the financial market.