Departament de Ciències Econòmiques i Empresarials

Students’ academic and social adaptation is linked to factors such as their initial study moti- vations, the atmosphere of the academic environment and their perception of academic wellbeing. This paper analyses the initial adaptation of first-degree students in their first semester through a quantitative ex post facto study with a descriptive-exploratory approach, using a questionnaire as the information-gathering instrument. Findings shed light on the concept of initial adaptation itself (through the creation of an index) and validate the study of the construct through three factors: initial motivation, the academic environment and per- ception of academic wellbeing. Also, the influence on initial adaptation of the academic and social context of the degree course taken is demonstrated:, as the constitutive features of the degree contribute information predicting how students will integrate into the institution. Therefore, it is suggested that institutional means and actions should be designed and put in place in accordance with measurements that indicate how students function best in a spe- cific context (the bachelor’s degree), in order to boost motivation and the perception of aca- demic wellbeing.

El marketing de influencia se ha convertido en una herramienta efectiva para que las marcas conecten con sus consumidores en las redes sociales a través de los influenciadores. Aunque esta forma de marketing ha generado en los últimos años un mayor interés en la comunidad científica, se sabe relativamente poco sobre el contenido y la estrategia de los influencers y los vínculos con los comportamientos que generan en sus seguidores. En este contexto digital, cabe destacar un tipo de influencer relacionado con la literatura: los bookstagrammer. Usuarios que comparten su pasión por los libros, reseñan noticias de editoriales y fomentan el hábito de la lectura. Este estudio analiza cómo la estrategia de contenido y engagement de los bookstagrammers (medida por el número de seguidores, volumen de contenido y publicaciones de interés) se asocia con el engagement de los seguidores de estos influencers culturales en Instagram, tanto de forma independiente como interactiva. El estudio analiza un conjunto de datos recopilados de booskstagrammers analizando el contenido generado por estos influencers para probar las hipótesis propuestas. Los hallazgos muestran que las publicaciones que incluyen fotografías del autor o portadas de libros se asocian positivamente con la participación de los seguidores en las cuentas de Instagram, mientras que las publicaciones emocionales que expresan sentimientos se asocian negativamente con la participación de los seguidores. Estos hallazgos demuestran que los elementos analizados y la estrategia de contenido de los influencers literarios contribuyen al compromiso de los seguidores en Instagram.

Purpose: This article presents a maturity model for the evaluation of the information-driven decision-making process (DMP) in small and medium enterprises. This model is called “Simplified Holistic Approach to DMP Evaluation (SHADE)”. The SHADE model is based in the “Circumplex Hierarchical Representation of the Organization Maturity Assessment” (CHROMA) framework for characterizing the information-driven DMP in organizations Design/methodology/approach: The CHROMA-SHADE provides a competency evaluation methodology regarding the SME’s use of data for making better-informed decisions. This model groups the main factors influencing the information-driven DMP and classifies them into five dimensions: data availability, data quality, data analysis and insights, information use and decision-making. It addresses these dimensions systematically, delivering a framework for positioning the organization from an uninitiated to a completely embedded stage. The assessment consists of interviews based on a standardized open-ended questionnaire performed to key company personnel followed by an analysis of the answers and their scoring performed by an expert evaluator. Findings: The results of its application indicate this model is well adapted to the SMEs resulting useful for identifying strengths and weaknesses, thereby providing insights for prioritizing improvement actions. Originality/value: The CHROMA-SHADE model follows a novel, holistic approach that embraces the complexities inherent in a multiplicity of factors that, at the technological and management level, converge to enable more objective and better-supported decisions to be made through the intelligent use of information.

The purpose of this study is to analyze policies related to women promoted by the social media platforms TikTok and Instagram. A qualitative research has been conducted using documentary analysis complemented with a focus group study to female university students in order to incorporate their point of view on the regulation and accountability in the contents published on these platforms. One of the aims is to see how it affects the sexist attitudes they contain. The results highlight important shortcomings of the social network platforms analyzed in relation to the role that women play on these platforms.

The decision-making process (DMP) is essential in organizations and has changed due to multidisciplinary research, greatly influenced by the progress in information technologies and computational science. This work’s objective is analysing the progressive interaction between DMP and information technologies and the consequent breakthroughs in how business is conducted since 1950 to recent times. Therefore, a chronological review of the information-driven DMP evolvement is presented. The major landmarks that defined how technology influenced how information is generated, stored, managed, and used for making better decisions, minimizing the uncertainty and gaining knowledge, are covered. The findings showed that even if current data-driven trends in managerial decision making have led to competitive advantages and business opportunities, there is still a gap between the technological capabilities and the organizational needs. Nowadays, it has been reported that the adoption of technology solutions in many companies is faster than their capacity to adapt at managerial level. Aware of this reality, the “Circumplex Hierarchical Representation of Organization Maturity Assessment” (CHROMA) model has been developed. This tool makes it possible to evaluate whether the management of organizations is making decisions using the available data correctly and optimizing their information systems.

En el marco de la respuesta a la COVID-19, categorizada por la OMS como pandemia, el concepto de distanciamiento social se ha perfilado como clave en la gestión de esta bioemergencia. Este artículo discute el distanciamiento social desde una perspectiva sociológica, partiendo de los conceptos de proximidad y distancia de Simmel, Cantó-Milà y Sabido Ramos. Queremos mostrar los sentidos y dimensiones implícitos y explícitos otorgados a los conceptos de distancia y distanciamiento sociales durante los primeros meses de pandemia, así como su impacto en las relaciones, las interacciones y los vínculos. Abrimos una reflexión sobre el rol del encuadre de toda relación social entre distancias y proximidades, diferenciando analíticamente entre los conceptos de relación, interacción y vínculo.

One of the most significant challenges facing family businesses, and therefore the most studied, is how to successfully manage succession from one generation to the next. The purpose of this article is to allow the vast quantity of evidence and experience to be contextualised, and enable a better understanding of the challenges, the role the new generation plays, the probate process, the preparation of the successor and the importance of family harmony in family business successions. The paper points to the importance to develop new generation leaders as well as the need to carefully consider when to begin with the succession process. It also highlights that preparing the successor is an evolutionary process and that family harmony is critical to succeed in the process.

Today, economic sustainability is a social priority and it implies positive, rewarding, and creative relationships in the workplace. Creativity, innovation, and subjective welfare will remain extremely important for sustainable production models in an age of technological acceleration, ecological threats, and digital globalization. With the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the new ways to organize work, this is even more important. The basis for this is to be found in education, especially in secondary and higher education. Good mentoring is becoming essential in professional development; this activity is based on words and silence, using corporate and individual coaching tools to open new doors of creativity. Following Peter Drucker’s (1954) work in management thinking and the approach of positive psychologists, this paper presents a new concept of sustainable working relationships for the 21st century based on words and narratives.