ABSTRACT This study aims to assess whether the ease of doing business can be considered as an alternative path (indirect path) between innovation and competitiveness of nations, improving the understanding of the effect transfer between these two variables. The study used exploratory/confirmatory factor analysis and mediation techniques applied to data from 141 countries contemplated in The Global Competitiveness report 2019 by the WEF and Doing Business report 2019 by the World Bank. The results show the mediator role of ease of doing business in the relationship between innovation and global competitiveness. Innovation improves the competitiveness of nations, but rules and regulations can be a barrier to this relationship. Therefore, ease of doing business is an essential element in improving the relationship between innovation and competitiveness, helping policymakers to focus their efforts on ease of doing business aspects in such a way as to enhance the economic process and support investors to make the most appropriate decisions when choosing the countries in which to invest their resources. Complementarily, the study also contributes by pointing out that the current method of calculating the EDB index may not be the most suitable, since it can distort analysis affecting international investment feasibility studies.

ABSTRACT Organizational studies highlight the role of innovation for competitiveness, but few of them address ecological sustainability as one of the variables in this relationship. The traditional model only considers economic growth to be anchored in the dimension of innovation, disregarding the environment. Thus, the purpose of this study was to analyze the influence of ecological sustainability on the relationship between innovation and global competitiveness. To reach the goal of the manuscript, a database was used that included indicators from 119 countries present in the Global Competitiveness Report of WEF and the Global Innovation Index. The data were treated using regression analysis with mediation techniques. The results suggest significant mediation of ecological sustainability in the relationship between innovation and global competitiveness. This work shows the importance of ecological sustainability to increase country’s innovative activity and consequently its competitiveness. Additionally, it draws attention to the gap in studies that present these relationships at the country level. In terms of practical contributions, the findings support the recommendation for companies to focus on actions to environmental and innovation management improving sustainability and increasing organizational performance and long-term survival. Finally, this research also draws attention to the lack of an important indicator of ecological sustainability in a report addressing countries’ competitiveness.

RESUMO Contexto: poucos são os estudos que visam a calcular a produtividade em nível microeconômico e uma das variáveis que contribuem para isso é a capacidade das firmas de absorver o conhecimento externo - capacidade absortiva. Contudo, outra variável também vem ganhando poder de explicação nessa direção - a das boas práticas de gestão. Ocorre que não se encontra facilmente estudos que tratem essas duas variáveis em conjunto e que as relacione com a produtividade. Objetivo: o objetivo desta pesquisa é entender como se dá a interação entre boas práticas de gestão e a capacidade absortiva das firmas e seu impacto sobre a produtividade. Método: foi utilizado o método multicasos, tendo este sido aplicado em indústrias transnacionais e nacionais. Resultados: os resultados apontam que a existência de boas práticas de gestão atua como uma influenciadora da capacidade absortiva, e que tal relação gera um impacto positivo sobre a produtividade das firmas. Ademais, foi revelado que os processos de gestão nas empresas transnacionais contribuem de forma mais efetiva quanto à capacidade absortiva e produtividade do que nas empresas nacionais. Conclusões: como contribuição, é apresentado um modelo de análise que demonstra as relações entre as variáveis estudadas, podendo-se evidenciar a importância das boas práticas de gestão como determinante ao desenvolvimento da capacidade absortiva e à melhoria das condições de produtividade das firmas.

ABSTRACT Context: there are few studies that aim to calculate productivity at the microeconomic level and one of the variables that contributes to this is the ability of firms to absorb external knowledge - absorptive capacity. However, another variable is also gaining explanatory power in this direction - that of good management practices. It turns out that studies that deal with these two variables together and that relate them to productivity are not easily found. Objective: the objective of this research is to understand how the interaction between good management practices and the absorptive capacity of firms and the impact on productivity takes place. Method: the multi-case method was used, having been applied in transnational and national industries. Results: the results show that the existence of good management practices acts as an influencer of absorptive capacity, and that this relationship has a positive impact on the productivity of firms. Furthermore, it was revealed that management processes in transnational companies contribute more effectively to absorptive capacity and productivity than in national companies. Conclusions: as a contribution, an analysis model is presented that demonstrates the relationships between the variables studied, showing the importance of good management practices as a determinant for the development of absorptive capacity and the improvement of firms' productivity conditions.

Resumo Objetivo – Este estudo busca investigar se um bom ambiente de gestão nas empresas determina resultados em termos de competitividade do país. Além disso, visa verificar se a inovação desempenha papel em contribuir para isso. Metodologia – O estudo utilizou modelagem de equações estruturais e dados de 138 países contemplados no Relatório de Competitividade Global 2016/2017 (Fórum Econômico Mundial 2016). Várias teorias têm sido usadas para relacionar a competitividade à inovação e às práticas de gestão. Essa discussão foi ampliada, levando essas variáveis em conta em um quadro mais abrangente. Resultados – A análise realizada indica o papel das boas práticas de gestão como mediadoras na relação que existe entre a inovação e a competitividade global, o que reforça a importância de um bom nível de gestão. Contribuições – Há muitos estudos e discussões sobre a competitividade global. Os fatores na literatura usados para explicar o grau de competitividade de um país incluem mão de obra barata, matéria-prima abundante, quantidade de capital disponível para investimento e, especialmente, capacidade de inovar. Alguns autores apontam para um quinto fator: boas práticas de gestão. Este artigo mostra como esse fator contribui para a competitividade. A contribuição mais importante deste estudo é mostrar que a inovação por si só não pode garantir a competitividade em corporações ou nações, mas exige a presença simultânea de boas práticas de gestão.

Abstract Purpose – This study seeks to investigate whether a good management environment in companies determines results in terms of country competitiveness. Additionally, it aims to verify if innovation plays a role in contributing to this. Design/methodology/approach – The study used structural equation modeling and data on 138 countries contemplated in The Global Competitiveness Report 2016/2017 (2016 World Economic Forum). A number of theories have been used to relate competitiveness to innovation and to management practices. This discussion was expanded, taking these variables into account in a more comprehensive framework. Findings – The analysis performed indicates the role of best management practices as a mediator in the relationship that exists between innovation and global competitiveness, which reinforces the importance of a good level of management Originality/Value- There have been many studies and discussions about global competitiveness. The factors in the literature used to explain a country´s degree of competitiveness include cheap labor, abundant raw materials, the amount of capital available for investment, and, especially, the capacity to innovate. Some authors point to a fifth factor: best management practices. The paper shows how this factor improves competitiveness. The most important contribution of this study is to demonstrate that innovation alone cannot by itself ensure competitiveness in companies or nations, and requires the simultaneous presence of best management practices.

Abstract Purpose The purpose of this study is to evaluate whether the perceptions of cleanliness and organization of the point of sale, hygiene and training of those who serve the public (service) and healthiness of the products, constitute a base for the perception of the quality of food sold in the street. Studies about development of street food trade have gained relevance in academic debate because of its social and economic significance. Usually, aspects related to sanitary issues are presented, and the factors that influence consumer perception regarding quality of food consumed are less explored. This was the focus of this work. The relationships among possible predecessors – attendance, cleanliness, organization and healthiness – were tested, all acting together, influencing the variable perception of product quality. Competitive models were tested because of theoretical divergences regarding the relationship between quality and healthiness, not yet totally clear in the literature. Design/methodology/approach A quantitative survey was carried out in the city of Diadema (SP, Brazil), getting 603 respondents, with data and theoretical models analyzed by structural equation modeling. Findings Results indicated that organization variable is not significant regarding perception of product quality, while attendance and healthiness directly affect this perception. On the other hand, cleanliness influences perceived healthiness and this, in turn, reinforces perception of product quality. Practical implications The focus of street food traders should be on clerk cleanliness and politeness (characteristics related to the service) that end up influencing the perception that the consumer develops regarding healthiness (characteristic related to product quality). Originality/value Usually research studies on this theme include only aspects related to sanitary and safety issues, and those which focus on consumer perception of food quality cover conventional outlets such as bars and restaurants. There are few ones performed as in this study that analyze street food consumer behavior regarding his/her perception of quality, cleanliness, care received, among others.

Resumo Conforme as questões ambientais orientam as ações das empresas por meio de sua agenda de inovação, a aprendizagem organizacional surge como importante elemento de análise. Sugere-se que as noções de aprendizagem organizacional e aprendizagem para a sustentabilidade devam convergir, estabelecendo-se como antecedentes do próprio processo de inovação ambiental e denotando, a partir deste ponto, um novo campo de análise - o da Aprendizagem Organizacional para a Inovação Ambiental. Este trabalho tem como objetivo identificar os indutores que determinam a aprendizagem organizacional para a inovação ambiental. Para tanto, foi elaborado um modelo conceitual de análise que foi aplicado por meio de um estudo multicaso em três empresas. Das diversas variáveis analisadas, a regulação, o papel do empreendedor, o trabalho de Pesquisa & Desenvolvimento (P&D) em redes e a existência de um processo de gestão ambiental se mostraram influentes para a consolidação do processo de aprendizagem. Infere-se que as influências das variáveis do processo de aprendizagem organizacional para a inovação ambiental diferem quanto à intensidade em função do modelo de negócio adotado, do grau de autonomia dos gerentes, do tipo de educação ambiental recebido pelos funcionários, do ambiente cultural e do perfil do empreendedor.

Abstract As environmental issues guide the actions of companies through their innovation agenda, organizational learning emerges as an important element of analysis. It has been suggested that the concepts of organizational learning and learning for sustainability must converge in order to establishing themselves as antecedents of the environmental innovation process, and from there a new field of analysis - Organizational Learning for Environmental Innovation. This work aims to identify inducers that determine organizational learning for environmental innovation. A conceptual analysis model was developed and applied through a multicase study of three companies. As analyzed, the most important variables for the consolidation of the learning process were regulation, entrepreneurs, Research & Development (R&D) networks and the existence of an environmental management process. These are all very important for learning process consolidation. It is inferred that organizational learning process variables for environmental innovation differ in intensity depending on the business model adopted, the degree of manager autonomy, the type of employee environmental education, the cultural environment and entrepreneur profile.