Impact of environmental sustainability on open innovation in SMEs: An empirical study considering the moderating effect of gender.

Sustainable development has emerged as a crucial factor enhancing the competitiveness of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in light of societal expectations and government regulations. Within this context, innovation assumes a significant role in this challenge, particularly for smaller companies facing greater obstacles in fostering innovation. These constraints have prompted both internal and external innovation initiatives, commonly referred to as open innovation. In this article, we scrutinize the influence of environmental practices on innovation endeavors, specifically examining whether the innovation strategy and its implementation facilitate the advancement of open innovation within SMEs. Furthermore, we explore the potential moderating effect of firm owners' gender on these relationships. The research model is validated using data from 543 companies in Ecuador, employing the partial least squares (PLS) method. The findings elucidate how environmental sustainability can promote the adoption of open innovation practices, with the innovation strategy and its implementation acting as mediators in this relationship. The impact of gender only manifests in the innovation strategy pertaining to environmental sustainability. In conclusion, open innovation stemming from the pivotal role of environmental sustainability emerges as a critical driver in augmenting innovation performance across various dimensions, such as quality, growth, efficiency, process enhancement, organizational practices, employee motivation, and acquisition of new product/service skills.

Engagement of the e-commerce industry in the US, according to Twitter in the period of the COVID-19 pandemic.

E-commerce and the use of social media, particularly Twitter, both grew rapidly during the COVID-19 period. Companies may significantly benefit from social media management, which highlights the significance of responsible consumerism highlighted in SDG 12. This study analyzed the relationship of the level of engagement of leading US e-commerce companies according to their position in the financial market through the use of Twitter. The methodology was a quantitative and longitudinal approach, analyzing statistically (through statistical analysis to descriptive statistics, multiple and simple regressions). The 22,400 tweets during 2020, to estimate their engagement. The results showed that the level of engagement on Twitter is not directly related to the financial ranking, neither to its sales nor to the share price. The main contribution lies in the contribution to the literature, to guide academics, managers and CEOs of companies in efficient decision-making in their business strategies in the areas of marketing with the use of Twitter, where companies can boost loyalty, engagement and sales of their users.

Augmented reality for virtual training in the construction industry.

BACKGROUND: Technology has evolved in surprising ways, and augmented reality (AR) has positioned itself as one of the technologies with outstanding value. Its importance in education is still being debated, but its incorporation in business training has been left out. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to determine variables that explain the intention to use this technology in construction training, focused on preventing injuries and disabilities. METHODS: This study was carried out using the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) through the structural equation method. The variables: perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, attitude toward using, and behavioral intention to use were incorporated. An AR app was developed that addresses the teaching of safety elements on scaffolding, and we collected data from Chilean construction companies. RESULTS: The results show that perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use explain the attitude towards using augmented reality, while perceived usefulness and attitude towards using explain behavioral intention to use. CONCLUSIONS: These findings enrich AR's literature in the construction industry and have high business managers' implications. It may allow them to implement this technology more likely to succeed in their virtual business training to prevent injury-related disability.

Entrepreneurship perception in higher education. A comparative study among Students, Faculty Members and Directors / Percepción del Emprendimiento en Educación Superior. Estudio comparativo entre Estudiantes, Equipos Académico y Personal Directivo / Percepção do empreendedorismo no ensino superior. Estudo comparativo entre estudantes, académicos e diretores

A set of variables affects the building of a university ecosystem fostering an entrepreneurial culture among students. The purpose of this study was to assess the perceptions of students, faculty members and directors of Higher Education Centers in the region of Coquimbo, Chile with respect to entrepreneurship, taking into account diverse variables in order to establish significant differences in these perceptions that could affect institutional policies or actions, which may ultimately have an impact in regional development. The descriptive study performed on a sample of twelve Higher Education institutions revealed significant differences between the perceptions of academics and students on the influence of the following variables: infrastructure; networking; institutional experience; skills; risk-taking. Likewise, the directors showed significant differences in their appreciations of the relative importance of the variables: teaching strategies; academic skills; government programs and strategies covering students and/or academics.

La construcción de un ecosistema universitario que genere una cultura emprendedora en sus futuros profesionales, se ve influenciada por una serie de variables que fomentan su desarrollo. Nuestro objetivo en este estudio es evaluar las percepciones que tienen los sujetos estudiantes, los equipos académico y el personal directivo de los Centros de Educación Superior en la región de Coquimbo, Chile, respecto al emprendimiento, considerando diversas variables a fin de poder establecer la existencia de diferencias significativas en dichas percepciones, que pueden incidir en las políticas de estas instituciones o en las acciones al interior de ellas, las que finalmente impactan en el desarrollo regional. El estudio descriptivo que realizamos sobre una muestra de doce centros de educación superior, permite concluir que existen diferencias significativas en la percepción entre sujetos académicos y estudiantes en las variables que influyen; estas son: infraestructura, networking, experiencia institucional, competencias del sujeto estudiante y capacidad frente al riesgo. Así mismo, los directores y directoras presentan diferencias significativas en las variables estrategias de enseñanza, competencias de académicos y programas y estrategias de gobierno tanto con estudiantes como con personal académico.

A construção de um ecossistema universitário que promova uma cultura empreendedora em seus futuros profissionais se vê influenciada por uma série de variáveis que fomentam o seu desenvolvimento. O objetivo deste estudo é avaliar as percepções dos estudantes, dos acadêmicos e dos diretores dos centros de educação superior na região de Coquimbo, Chile, a respeito do empreendedorismo, considerando diversas variáveis, a fim de estabelecer a existência de diferenças significativas nessas percepções, que podem afetar as políticas dessas instituições ou as ações dentro deles, o que acaba impactando no desenvolvimento regional. O estudo descritivo realizado sobre uma amostra de doze instituições de ensino superior permite concluir que existem diferenças significativas na percepção entre acadêmicos e estudantes em relação às variáveis as quais influenciam, essas são: infraestrutura, networking, experiência institucional, competências do estudante e capacidade frente ao risco. Da mesma forma, os diretores apresentam diferenças significativas nas variáveis estratégias de ensino, competências acadêmicas e de programas e estratégias governamentais tanto para estudantes como para acadêmicos.