The second issue of Volume 39 reflects the thematic breadth that has come to characterize ARLA as a forum for management research in Latin America and beyond. The 10 articles gathered here span capital markets, entrepreneurship, sustainability, organizational behavior and strategic management, drawing on a diverse methodological toolkit that includes cluster analysis, structural equation modeling and mixed methods. Together, they address questions of practical relevance to firms, investors, policymakers and public administrators operating in emerging and developing contexts, while contributing theoretically to ongoing debates in international business, finance and organizational studies.
In this second issue of 2026, the ARLA journal publishes ten articles by 36 authors affiliated with universities in 5 countries: Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Spain and Peru. Below is a brief description of each article in this issue:
The study by Aostri Morales et al. (2026) demonstrates that servant leadership fosters innovative work behavior in the Brazilian Federal Police primarily through creative self-efficacy rather than knowledge sharing, a finding with important implications for rigid public organizations. Employees' confidence in their creative abilities proved the stronger psychological mechanism, amplified when task autonomy is present. For Latin American public administrators, the practical message is clear: invest in servant leadership training including empathy, mentoring and empowerment; create structured knowledge sharing routines and deliberately reduce bureaucratic constraints to grant employees meaningful decision-making freedom. These three levers working together are what actually translate innovation strategy into day-to-day innovative behavior.
Aranguren and Maldonado (2026) offer compelling evidence that institutional quality shapes CSR disclosure in Latin America through a non-linear, U-shaped pattern rather than the simple positive relationship assumed in prior literature. Firms in Chile mirror strong governance through transparent reporting, while Colombian companies substitute for weak institutions with compensatory disclosure. Mexican firms deploy CSR strategically as a legitimacy shield, whereas Peruvian firms disclose least. Industry sensitivity consistently drives environmental reporting regardless of institutional context. The authors recommend that policymakers move beyond mandatory disclosure frameworks, particularly in captured environments, and that civil society develop tools to distinguish substantive CSR commitment from symbolic reporting.
Botero-Guzmán and Ramírez-Alesón (2026) identify four distinct profiles of Colombian export firms using cluster analysis on a sample of 5,181 companies: Globalized Industrial Leaders, large capital-intensive firms with broad geographic reach and high persistence; Agile Global Exporters, specialized SMEs with high-export intensity but low persistence targeting USA and European markets; Committed Regional Industrialists, medium-sized industrial firms with technological capabilities but limited export intensity concentrated in Latin America and Emerging Regional Service Firms, small service companies at early internationalization stages focused on nearby markets. For policymakers, the key takeaway is that effective export promotion requires differentiated instruments tailored to each profile's specific constraints rather than generic support programmes.
The article by Cabral Ribeiro et al. (2026) examines the relationship between sustainability, marketing and profit strategies within the framework of sustainable supply chain management across different industries. Using a mixed-methods design, the authors combine multiple case studies of six companies with a survey of managers from diverse sectors. The findings indicate that profit-oriented strategies tend to be more closely aligned with sustainability practices, while marketing plays a supportive but less central role. The study contributes by integrating the economic, social and environmental dimensions of sustainability and by clarifying how firms balance competing strategic objectives.
Depeng et al. (2026) examine the adoption of sustainable energy community projects by cooperatives, emphasizing institutional and perceptual drivers. Using survey data from 245 Chinese cooperatives and structural equation modeling, the authors identify perceived trust as the main predictor of adoption, followed by perceived risk and facilitating conditions. The findings show that adoption decisions are shaped more by institutional dynamics than by traditional technology factors. The study highlights the central role of trust and risk management in cooperative contexts. It contributes by extending technology adoption models to collective settings. Its insights are particularly relevant for Latin American and European cooperative energy initiatives.
Lopera et al. (2026) analyze how systematic risk can improve peer selection and firm valuation using a fundamentals-based approach. Using data from S&P 500 firms (1996–2024), the authors apply cluster analysis based on asset pricing models and evaluate key financial fundamentals. The findings show that the three-factor model provides the most stable and consistent grouping of firms over time. Results also indicate that combinations of firm size with ROE and ROIC best capture similarities across firms. The study highlights the limitations of traditional industry-based peer selection methods. It contributes by proposing a more robust, risk-based framework for valuation and comparable firm identification.
Molina et al. (2026) examine how organizational factors influence motivation and retention intentions among Generation Z workers in the Chilean mining industry. Using PLS-SEM on data from 256 employees in Antofagasta, the study finds that autonomy is significantly associated with intrinsic motivation and intention to stay, whereas corporate social responsibility is directly associated only with retention. In contrast, transformational leadership and work-life balance show no significant effects. The findings highlight the influence of the mining context and indicate a limited mediating role of intrinsic motivation.
The article by Pelizza Vier Machado et al. (2026) examines the relationship between entrepreneurial passion and risk propensity, focusing on the mediating role of entrepreneurial alertness. Using survey data from 285 small business owners in Brazil and PLS-SEM analysis, the authors test a model integrating emotional and cognitive factors. The findings show that entrepreneurial passion does not directly affect risk propensity. However, entrepreneurial alertness significantly mediates this relationship, linking passion to risk-taking behavior. The results highlight the central role of cognitive mechanisms in entrepreneurial decision-making under uncertainty. The study contributes by advancing a more integrated understanding of how affect and cognition jointly shape entrepreneurial risk behavior.
This study by Santos et al. (2026) develops and validates a qualitative instrument for analyzing GovTech ecosystems, understood as collaborative environments where governments, firms and other actors leverage digital technologies to address complex public problems. Using a multi-method approach that combines a systematic literature review (PRISMA protocol) with content validation through the content validation coefficient (CVC), the authors identify key dimensions and variables and assess the instrument's clarity, practical relevance and theoretical relevance with eight experts in public innovation. The final instrument comprises 41 items with satisfactory psychometric properties and is structured into three dimensions: engagement of ecosystem actors, means for GovTech development and results in terms of innovation and public value. The findings provide a structured and integrated framework for capturing the dynamics of GovTech ecosystems, allowing for consistent qualitative analysis across contexts. The study contributes to the literature by offering a validated and operational tool that supports researchers and policymakers in understanding, evaluating and strengthening public innovation ecosystems, while advancing the integration of sociotechnical and ecosystem perspectives in GovTech research.
Silupu and Reyes (2026) examine the socioeconomic profile of women who run neighborhood nano stores in marginal urban areas of Piura, Peru, applying an innovative adaptive cluster sampling strategy designed to reach statistically invisible units. Their findings show that these informal, family-based enterprises sustain household income while allowing women to balance productive and caregiving roles. The authors conclude that owners are willing to formalize when offered accessible information and training. They recommend building a bottom-up administrative registry led by subnational governments, alongside targeted, intersectoral public policies that empower women entrepreneurs, strengthen productivity and promote sustainable pathways toward formalization in marginalized territories.
Enjoy the published papers. We would like to invite qualified and interested scholars to apply for the position of Associate Editor.
