Could the ease of doing business be considered a predictor of countries' socio-economic wealth? An empirical analysis using pls-sem

The wealth of nations differs significantly due to different factors. One of the reasons identified by previous studies is the level of entrepreneurship promotion by governments. This aspect has scarcely been studied empirically to date. Therefore, this paper sheds some light on this regard through building a construct out of ten Ease of Doing Business Index (EDBI) measures developed by the World Bank and relating it with a construct shaped by two measures of socio-economic wealth (SEW), namely gross domestic product and the Human Development Index. To this end, we conduct a structural equation model analysis using partial least squares (PLS-SEM) method with a 2018 database comprising secondary data from 190 countries. As the main contribution of this study, the results show that good performance in the EDBI ranking predicts good performance in the SEW ranking. Additionally, this study is pioneer in the use of these rankings to build composite constructs (latent variables) and relate them. For these reasons, our findings are useful for both academia and governments responsible for promoting entrepreneurship, as this latter is identified as the key enabler of economic development

Knowledge Management and the Effectiveness of Innovation Outcomes: The Role of Cultural Barriers

In this paper we propose a conceptual model to test the moderating effect of cultural barriers on the link between knowledge strategies and innovation using healthcare organizations. In order to study the tie (knowledge-innovation) and the effects of the moderating variable (cultural barriers), the resource-based view is followed. It has been generally accepted that both explicit and tacit knowledge play a basic role in organizational innovation. However, there are few research works that study the relationship between knowledge management strategy and the effectiveness of the innovation process. On the other hand, the extant research on this relationship has yielded inconclusive results. Our paper revisits this research topic based on data of knowledge management strategy, Knowledge base, cultural barriers and innovation outcomes from a sample of Spanish hospitals

Los menores en las redes sociales: del modus vivendi al modus operandi

La utilización de las nuevas tecnologías, entre las que incluimos las redes sociales, por parte de los menores de edad, es una realidad que cada vez adquiere más peso en nuestra sociedad. Sin embargo, debemos ser conscientes de que esta nueva realidad parte por tener una doble consideración; los menores como infractores de conductas como el grooming, y al mismo tiempo desde la perspectiva contraria, es decir, menores como víctimas de estas conductas. La ponencia estará encaminada a abordar esta visión de la realidad que puede pasar desapercibida, para intentar explicar cuáles son las consecuencias que un mal uso de las nuevas tecnologías de la información y la comunicación pueden acarrear a los menores que hagan un uso irresponsable de ellas. Para ello, pondremos algunos casos prácticos en los que se abordará esta perspectiva y en la que podremos comprobar las implicaciones que estas nuevas tipologías tienen para este sector de la sociedad.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

BIM: a technology acceptance model in Peru

The purpose of this paper is to empirically study factors that facilitate the adoption of building information modelling (BIM) among practitioners using the unified theory of technology acceptance model (TAM). The factors identified in the TAM were examined using a quantitative approach. The empirical investigation has been conducted using a survey questionnaire. The data set has been obtained from 73 architects and engineers in Peru. Results show that Perceived Usefulness (PU) is the most important determinant of Behavioural Intention (BI), while Perceived Ease of Use (PEOU) is found to have no significant effect on BI. The findings provide an excellent backdrop in the development of policy and a roadmap for BIM implementation in Peru. The original contribution and value of the paper is the use of TAM to provide empirical evidence on factors that facilitate BIM adoption in Peru

Is Gastronomy A Relevant Factor for Sustainable Tourism? An Empirical Analysis of Spain Country Brand

Tourism has become a fundamental industry for the economic growth of many countries. Due to this, there is growing competitiveness among the different destinations to attract as many tourists as possible. As a result, disciplines such as marketing have developed tools to differentiate some destinations from others and concepts such as place branding and country brand have emerged. One of the key factors forming the country brand is gastronomy, as food tourism is one way to reduce the growing problem of sustainability in tourism, as it impacts different aspects of the country’s environment. However, there is a great lack of scientific works that relate both variables. In this paper, we propose to establish that, in the case of Spain, tourists’ perception of Spanish gastronomy is a key element of its country brand. To do that, this study relies on the use of Partial Least Squares Structural Equations Modeling (PLS-SEM) using a 496 cases data set

How Does Positive Work-Related Stress Affect the Degree of Innovation Development?

Many studies sustain that work-related stress exerts pervasive consequences on the employees’ levels of performance, productivity, and wellbeing. However, it remains unclear whether certain levels of stress might lead to positive outcomes regarding employees’ innovativeness. Hence, this paper examines how the five dimensions of work-related stress impact on the employees’ levels of innovation performance. To this aim, this study focused on a sample of 1487 employees from six Italian companies. To test the research hypotheses under assessment, we relied on the use of the partial least squares (PLS) technique. Our results reveal that, in summary, the stressors job autonomy, job demands, and role ambiguity exert a positive and significant impact on the employees’ levels of innovativeness. However, this study failed to find evidence that the supervisors’ support–innovation and colleagues’ support–innovation links are not statistically significant. View Full-Tex

El efecto moderador del aprendizaje relacional en el vínculo PACAP-RACAP. Un estudio en el sector español de fabricantes de componentes para la automoción

Starting from the construct absorptive capacity (ACAP), this paper adopts Zahra and George (2002) con-ceptualization of absorptive capacity, which considers it as two subsets – potential absorptive capacity(PACAP) and realized absorptive capacity (RACAP). Hence we have hypothesized a positive relationshipbetween PACAP and RACAP. We also hypothesized a positive relationship between relational learning(RL) and RACAP. Finally we have assessed the moderating role of RL in the PACAP–RACAP link. Data werecollected from a sample of 110 firms belonging to the Spanish automotive components manufacturingsector. Results from a variance-based structural equation-modeling tool show that RL moderates (rein-forces) the influence of PACAP on RACAP. In addition this paper provides evidence about the importantrole that RL plays as antecedent of RACAPPartiendo del constructo capacidad de absorción (ACAP), este trabajo adopta el concepto de capacidadde absorción propuesto por Zahra y George (2002), que lo conciben como un concepto compuesto pordos – capacidad de absorción potencial (PACAP) y capacidad de absorción realizada (RACAP) – De ahí quehayamos hipotetizado una relación positiva entre PACAP y RACAP. Asimismo hemos hipotetizado unarelación positiva entre el aprendizaje relacional (RL) y RACAP. Finalmente hemos analizado el rol mode-rador del RL sobre el vínculo PACAP-RACAP. Los datos fueron obtenidos de una muestra de 110 empresaspertenecientes al sector espa˜nol de fabricantes de componentes para la automoción. Los resultados arro-jados por una técnica de modelos de ecuaciones estructurales basados en la varianza muestran que el RLmodera (reforzando) la influencia de PACAP sobre RACAP. Además este estudio proporciona evidenciaempírica sobre el importante papel que desempe˜na el RL como antecedente de RACA

La influencia de la cultura organizativa en el rendimiento de los programas de Gestión de la Calidad Total

This paper aims to examine the relationships between different types of cultures and effectiveness in Total Quality Management (TQM) implementation. Using Cameron’s framework, we have tested the connection between a quality culture taxonomy and TQM programme performance using data from a survey carried out with 113 Spanish companies that have implemented TQM systems. A structural equation modelling is proposed to assess the links between both types of constructs using the Partial Least Squares (PLS) technique. The most substantial results confirm, in the sample analysed, the relationship between quality culture types and the TQM programme performance, and there being different influence levels of the quality cultures.Este artículo examina las relaciones entre los diferentes tipos de cultura y la efectividad en la implantación de la Gestión de la Calidad Total (GCT). Utilizando el modelo de Cameron, hemos testado la relación entre una taxonomía de culturas de calidad y el rendimiento de un programa de GCT en una muestra de 113 empresas espanolas ˜ que tienen implantados sistemas GCT. Se propone un modelo de ecuaciones estructurales para evaluar las relaciones entre ambos tipos de constructos utilizando para ello la técnica Partial Least Squares (PLS). Los resultados en la muestra utilizada confirman las relaciones entre los tipos de culturas de calidad y el rendimiento de los programas GCT, así como la existencia de diferentes niveles de influencia de estas culturas de calidad

Safeguarding Health at the Workplace: A Study of Work Engagement, Authenticity and Subjective Wellbeing among Religious Workers

: Research in work and organizational psychology has paid little attention to religious workers, something certainly surprising as faith-based organizations play a key role in the welfare state of many countries. This research shows that religious workers in a Catholic order present a high degree of subjective wellbeing, both in terms of flourishing and satisfaction with life in general, and a positive balance of positive and negative feelings. More specifically, this study examines the relationship between authenticity and wellbeing amongst religious workers. Survey responses from 142 religious workers in Spain were analyzed using partial least squares path modelling. The results reveal that subjective wellbeing at work is positively related to authenticity. In addition, this relationship is mediated by their level of work engagement

The Subjective Well-Being Challenge in the Accounting Profession: The Role of Job Resources

The main activity of the accountant is the preparation and audit of the financial information of a company. The subjective well-being of the accountant is important to ensure a balanced professional judgment and to offer a positive image of the profession in the face of the incorporation and retention of talent. However, accountants are subjected to intense pressures that affect their well-being in the performance of their tasks. In this paper, the job demands–resources theoretical framework is adopted to analyze the relationships between job demands, job resources, and the subjective well-being of a large sample of 739 accounting experts at the European level. Applying a structural equations model, the results confirm, on the one hand, the direct effects provided in the theoretical framework and, on the other, a new mediating role of job demands–subjective well-being relationship resources