Publicações

The purpose of this study is to analyze the extent to which intangible assets drive Small and Medium-Sized Enterprise (SME) sales growth in post-pandemic contexts characterized by volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity. The empirical analysis is based on a sample of 588 Portuguese SMEs operating in medium-high and high-tech industries, using data from 2023. The results show that intangible assets are significant drivers of SME sales growth in this context. In contrast, tangible assets and firm age are found to have a negative influence on growth, suggesting that structural rigidity and organizational inertia may limit firms’ ability to adapt to dynamic environments. Regarding control variables, return on assets is positively associated with growth, while liquidity and financial structure do not show consistent statistical significance across models. The study contributes to the literature by showing that SME growth in uncertain environments is not linear, but rather conditioned by the firm’s ability to reconfigure its asset portfolio. The findings highlight the importance of intangibility, resource efficiency, and financial flexibility as key drivers of growth in dynamic economies. Furthermore, the results underline the relevance of policy mechanisms aimed at supporting SMEs through more flexible financial instruments and innovation-oriented strategies.

Purpose

In developing countries, women’s entrepreneurship plays a crucial role in poverty alleviation, economic development and social empowerment, yet it remains constrained by structural and gendered barriers. This study analyzes empirical insights to provide an integrated, dynamic understanding of the challenges faced by women entrepreneurs (WEs) in developing contexts and the strategies they employ to overcome them.

Design/methodology/approach

Through a systematic review of 84 peer-reviewed papers on WEs in developing countries, we map key theoretical approaches, methodological trends, contextual features and main findings.

Findings

The review reveals that the challenges span across three levels: micro (e.g. psychological insecurities and family expectations), meso (e.g. limited networks and market volatility), and macro (e.g. institutional bottlenecks and policy mismatches). In response, WEs exhibit evolving forms of agency and resilience, conceptualized through four archetypes: the Constrained-Resilience Entrepreneur, who copes with restrictive norms through psychological endurance; the Adaptive-Networking Entrepreneur, who leverages informal cooperation and social learning; the Legitimization-Oriented Entrepreneur, who strategically seeks institutional validation and formal recognition; and the Transformative-Influence Entrepreneur, who channels entrepreneurial success into collective empowerment and structural change.

Originality/value

The study offers a novel analytical lens by introducing a dynamic, multi-level framework linking structural challenges to evolving forms of entrepreneurial agency. By framing resilience as an iterative process embodied in evolving entrepreneurial postures, it advances beyond static classifications. The four archetypes not only mirror and counteract structural challenges but also illuminate pathways through which WEs transition from coping within limitations to reshaping them, and providing deeper insight into the temporal, relational and transformative dimensions of women’s entrepreneurship under adversity.

This chapter aims to explore the prevalence and complexities of women’s workplace harassment experiences. A systematic search was conducted on Scopus to identify relevant studies. The review included qualitative, quantitative and mixed-methods studies focused on women’s workplace harassment. The analysis categorized studies into four themes: types of harassment, contributing factors, impact on women and prevention and intervention. The review found a significant number of studies, primarily qualitative, highlighting the pervasiveness of reported incidents across sexual harassment, psychological harassment and gender-based discrimination. It emphasizes the need for comprehensive policies, reporting mechanisms and organizational commitment to tackle these issues. Supportive measures, such as counselling and informal networks, were also identified as crucial for victims. However, a gap was identified in the exploration of the dignity-workplace harassment relationship and the need for more research on organizational prevention practices. This review provides a comprehensive overview of women’s workplace harassment experiences, highlighting under-researched areas, such as the dignity aspect and organizational prevention strategies.

Previous studies have analyzed the influence of service encounter on traditional variables in the literature, such as perceived value or repurchase intention, showing influence effects on both (direct and indirect, respectively). However, studies analyzing the differences in the perception of this variable depending on socio-demographic aspects are scarce in fitness centers. For this reason, this research was conducted to analyze the differences in users’ perception of service encounter according to gender, membership length, and the typology of users. Data sampling was performed using an online questionnaire that was surveyed to a total of 263 users from three different low-cost fitness centers. The questionnaire was made by several different scales (among which was the service encounter scale included), as well as several sociodemographic questions. Answers to the survey were collected using Limesurvey and analyzed using JASP statistical software. According to the results, significant differences were found by sex and membership length of the users, as well as by the type of user (p<0.05). Future research should use longitudinal designs to better understand the influence of seniority and experience on this variable.

This study introduces Craft-Tourism Orientation (CTO) — the motivation to engage with local crafts during travel — as a novel construct and examines how it shapes purchase intentions for handcrafted fashion. Drawing on value theory and the Theory of Planned Behavior, a model is proposed in which CTO’s association with purchase intention is mediated by perceived value and attitude. Survey data from 810 respondents were analyzed using PLS-SEM. Results show that CTO’s relationship with behavioral outcomes is fully mediated by perceived value: a tourism mindset is associated with enhanced value perceptions of craft garments, which in turn foster positive attitudes and purchase intentions. Among craft-oriented slow fashion attributes, functionality and exclusivity show the strongest associations with perceived value, while localism shows no significant relationship. The findings offer practical guidance for destination marketing organizations and craft retailers. Strategies should move beyond attracting craft-oriented tourists and instead focus on activating value perceptions — through narrative storytelling, immersive artisan experiences, and positioning craft garments as the “ultimate souvenir” that combines functional durability with cultural exclusivity. The study makes three contributions: it introduces and empirically validates CTO as a contextual value-amplifying mindset; it delineates the cognitive pathway through which tourism engagement translates into commercial action; and it bridges tourism studies and consumer behavior research by integrating situational context into core models of purchase decision-making.