Now I can see: how brand interactions influence channel loyalty and purchase intention in optical physical stores

Purpose This study aims to analyse the effect of brand interactions such as personal interaction, problem-solving, reliability and store physical appearance on channel loyalty and purchase intention in optical physical stores. Design/methodology/approach The hypotheses are tested through quantitative research based on a questionnaire with a sample of 414 respondents. Researchers conduct multiple regressions to analyse the data. Findings The findings reveal that channel loyalty and purchase intention are positively influenced differently. Person-to-person interactions play a vital role in both constructs (dependent variables). This study also offers relevant managerial implications and future research avenues. Originality/value Despite the relevance of purchase intention in the literature, almost no studies have been published about the intention to buy glasses in the optical physical stores, a relevant contribution this paper offers to the literature. The finding that the store’s physical aspect did not prove to be influential for channel loyalty is also an innovative and relevant contribution of this research.

Empirical research on high-growth entrepreneurship: a literature review and Latam research agenda

Purpose Given the lack of theoretical and empirical research on high-growth entrepreneurs in developed and developing economies; this paper aims to answer, what are the main definitions and typologies used to explain the high-growth phenomenon? How could be described the high-growth entrepreneurs’ life cycle? And what are the main findings and limitations in the empirical research of high-growth entrepreneurship? Design/methodology/approach To advance the study of high-growth entrepreneurship and provide a means through which these advancements can contribute to the understanding of how this phenomenon is defined, the authors organize and review the extant literature based on the foundational definition of entrepreneurship, the typologies used to describe it and the phases of new venture process. The final sample of this methodology consisted of 54 empirical works that explored this issue from 2010 to 2020. Findings This research develops a roadmap on the current state of high-growth entrepreneurship and provides suggestions to guide future research in extending the understanding of this phenomenon. Practical implications The theoretical frameworks developed could be used for both policymakers and entrepreneurs to understand the variables that affect the entrepreneurial life cycle and how they could increase the likelihood of survival of new firms in developed and developing economies. Originality/value The research provides evidence about the definitions and entrepreneurial typologies used to describe the high-growth ventures, bridging unconnected theoretical frameworks and proposing an integrated view to exploring the phenomena in a new setting.

Being inclusive boosts impact of diversity practices on employee engagement

Purpose This study aims to analyse the relationship between diversity practices and employee engagement in the specific context of a telecommunications company. Design/methodology/approach Using simple and multiple linear regressions, the authors test the mediating effect of the perception of inclusion and the moderating role of inclusive leadership, as well as whether this style of leadership promotes the perception of inclusion among employees. Findings The results are based on a sample of 238 responses and show that a positive correlation exists between the perception of diversity practices and engagement which is mediated by the perception of inclusion. However, inclusive leadership fails to moderate this relationship, although it does positively influence employees’ perception of inclusion. Practical implications The study emphasises: the importance of employees’ perceptions of diversity and inclusion as a strategic priority of their organisations and the importance of its embeddedness in the organisational culture and daily practices and the role of inclusive leaders in shaping employees’ perceptions, as this leadership may have significant implications for their engagement and performance. Originality/value This research offers a better understanding of what contributes to an inclusive workplace and the role of inclusive leaders in building up employees’ perception of inclusion that, thus, enhances their engagement.

Social entrepreneurship review: a gap in the Latin American context

Purpose Social entrepreneurship (SE) has been a field of research that has interested researchers for over 30 years. However, there is no consensus on the concept of SE, and research in this field moves in several directions. The purpose of this study is to summarize the definitions of SE, propose a unified definition of SE and describe the state-of-the-art of SE in the Latin American context. Design/methodology/approach This study carries out a literature review on SE from 2010 to 2020 to explore the main topics in the SE field, searching, reviewing and selecting the most representative articles published. Findings The findings of this study suggest agreements and disagreements in the main topics of SE and reveal a significant gap in the SE research in the Latin American scenario. Originality/value This study contributes to the future growth of SE literature under a common umbrella that allows for more and better knowledge in this field and proposes a novel research agenda for the SE field in Latin America.

Technological entrepreneurship: present conditions and future perspectives for Latin America

Purpose Technological entrepreneurship is distinguished from other types of initiatives by its innovative characteristics and rapid growth, as well as by the high uncertainty it faces, both in terms of investment cost and capacity for continuous adaptation. The purpose of this study is to investigate the definitions, measures and methods that have been used to investigate the phenomenon and to define the process of the “entrepreneurial journey” and the associated typologies according to the technological level. Design/methodology/approach This paper provides a systematic review of the literature on technological entrepreneurship focusing on emerging economies in Latin America. Based on the review of 62 papers, it analyses the current state and future research perspectives on the topic. Findings The authors can conclude that technological entrepreneurship in Latin America has great opportunities, especially linked to growth, but faces the threats of an uncertain and dynamic environment. Taking advantage of technologies allows the formulation of unique value propositions linked to the environment through innovation that improves the quality of life of the population. Research limitations/implications This study is a starting point for the development of research on resilient technology ventures. Latin America represents a limited location but offers insight into the developing phenomenon to measure the impacts that this phenomenon generates in society. Originality/value Considering the possibilities offered by technology and its continuous evolution, the impact that this type of entrepreneurship generates on the environment can be on a global scale. However, high growth and success are as likely as a failure and this is part of the improvement process.

Does law as resource bring a competitive advantage to companies?

Purpose Resources and their analysis are essential to understand better companies’ internal and external dynamics and the weight each has in obtaining competitive advantages over the competition. This study aims to address the law and legal knowledge as a fundamental resource for companies to succeed in the markets to obtain a sustainable competitive advantage. Design/methodology/approach Based upon a sample of 200 managers, a structural equation model was used to validate the hypotheses under study. Findings Results show awareness and managers’ perception of the importance of law as a resource and its advantages for companies and the dichotomy between recognising this importance and not using it consistently. Originality/value Knowing the scope of business law and its growing importance for companies and being academically aware of the inexistence of studies that analyse the law as an individualised resource for companies, this study has a crucial contribution to the interconnection of these two fields – business and law.

Employer branding and psychological contract in family and non-family firmsEmployer branding e contrato psicológico em empresas familiares e não familiaresEmployer branding y contrato psicológico en empresas familiares y no familiares

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to assess differences between employees of family and non-family firms regarding their perceptions of employer branding and psychological contract levels. Moreover, focusing on family firms, the authors assess the relation between the employees’ perceptions of employer branding and the psychological contract levels. Design/methodology/approach The empirical evidence is provided by a sample of 165 Portuguese employees, 76 employees of family firms and 89 non-family firms’ employees, who responded to a questionnaire that included employer branding and psychological contract measures. All respondents study in small and medium-sized private companies. Findings The results confirmed the research hypotheses, suggesting that employees of family companies show higher perceptions of employer branding and psychological contract levels than employees of non-family companies. Results also reveal that the perceptions of employer branding are positively related to the psychological contract levels of the family firm’s employees. Originality/value This paper aims to contribute to the literature by addressing two contemporary organizational aspects yet under-addressed in the comparison between family and non-family firms while pursuing to offer insights on the relationship between the perceptions of employer branding and levels of the psychological contract of employees working in family firms.

Survival mode: how Latin American family firms are coping with the pandemic

Purpose The main objective of this manuscript is to describe the current situation of a sample of family business and their response to COVID-19 pandemic. This exploratory study analyzes a series of challenges faced by this type of firm in Latin America. This study puts special focus on how the pandemic is impacting transgenerational and family entrepreneurship and the sense of legacy in family businesses. Design/methodology/approach The authors performed an online survey during June–July 2020. The survey includes 20 questions to owners or executives of family businesses about how they had been facing the onslaught of the COVID-19 pandemic in their companies. The authors received 194 valid respondents from firms that have their headquarters in Mexico, Colombia, Venezuela, Peru, Chile and other Latin American countries. Findings The empirical analysis shows that family firms in Latin America have managed to survive and stay current through family entrepreneurship, protecting their heritage and relying on legacy. Out of four main competencies, “family entrepreneurship” was the most important on which business families relied to face this crisis. Research limitations/implications The authors were able to gather information from just under 300 participants. However, the authors decided to take into account only those complete responses in the survey, so the present analysis was carried out on the valid sample of 194 respondents. Practical implications The results of this study show that business families have managed to survive and stay current through family entrepreneurship, protecting their heritage and relying on legacy. Strategic leadership and intergenerational dynamics alone are not enough to face this crisis. Social implications Family firms, like other companies, have shifted their mindset over the last months from “how can we grow” to “how can we survive”. Consequently, what competencies are necessary to develop so that family businesses can cope with this and the following crises? How are Mexico and Latin America’s family-owned businesses navigating the economic disruptions resulting from COVID-19? This paper explores the role of family firms in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak. Originality/value This study provides an overview of the coping mechanisms that some family businesses are implementing to overcome the challenges during the pandemic, putting focus on the specific context of Latin America. Family businesses represent approximately 60% of the region’s GDP, so their survival is completely relevant in terms of not only economic impact but also social development. Future research and implications are discussed.

Are public employees more satisfied than private ones? The mediating role of job demands and job resources

Purpose This paper aims to compare job satisfaction in public and private sectors and the mediating role of several job demands and resources on the relationship between the employment sector and job satisfaction. Design/methodology/approach Drawing on the job demands-resources model, this study argued that differences in job satisfaction were explained largely by the job characteristics provided in each sector. Data comes from the quality of working life survey, a representative sample of 6,024 Spanish public and private employees. Findings This study revealed that public employees were more satisfied than private ones. This relationship was partially mediated by job demands and job resources, meaning that the public and private employment sectors provided different working conditions. Public employees, in general, had fewer demands and more job resources than private ones, which resulted in different levels of job satisfaction. Additionally, partial mediation indicated that public employees are more satisfied than private ones, despite accounting for several job demands and job resources. Research limitations/implications While the findings of this study highlighted the relative importance of job demands and job resources in affecting job satisfaction of public and private employees, the generalizability of the results to other countries should be limited as the study only used data from a single country. Practical implications A significant portion of the positive effect on job satisfaction of public employees is channeled through the lower levels of routine work and lower number of required working hours and through better job resources such as higher salary, more telework, greater prospects at work and more training utility. To improve job satisfaction, it is apparent that managers should pay special attention to things such as routine work, working hours, training and telework. Originality/value This paper contributes to the comprehension of how several job demands and resources simultaneously play a mediating role in explaining the relationship between the employment sector and job satisfaction.

Board gender diversity and the timing of CEO stock option awards

Purpose This study aims to explore the role of board gender diversity in mitigating chief executive officer (CEO) luck. CEOs are “lucky” when they receive stock option grants on days when the stock price is the lowest in the month of the grant, implying opportunistic timing. Design/methodology/approach This study uses a logistic regression analysis and an instrumental-variable analysis. The sample consists of 3,249 firm-year observations from 2010 through 2015. Findings The results show that female directors significantly deter the opportunistic timing of option grants. This study finds that gender diversity – as measured by the percentage of women on the board, the percentage of female independent directors and the percentage of female directors on the compensation committee are likely to reduce the odds that CEOs receive opportunistically timed lucky grants. The results are consistent with those in prior research that documents the benefits of board gender diversity. Practical implications The research findings are beneficial to policymakers and regulators, as it allows them to assess the importance of diversity on boards in the monitoring of the managers, particularly as it pertains to the design of CEO compensation packages. Furthermore, these findings have implications for Ibero-American countries as they shed light on the importance to undertake measures and reforms to promote board effectiveness by the introduction of gender diversity. Originality/value While prior research has examined the effect of board gender diversity on firm performance, the study is the first to investigate the effect of female directors on the opportunistic timing of option grants, using a rigorous empirical framework that explicitly accounts for endogeneity.