This is our first issue of 2025, and we begin by renewing our wishes for good health, peace and joyful moments for all our readers, authors, reviewers and assistants, without whom REGE – Revista de Gestão – would not exist. We are immensely grateful for the trust placed in our work and reaffirm our commitment to academic excellence and the dissemination of relevant and transformative knowledge.
As a generalist journal, REGE is open to research from various fields of interest in management, employing diverse methodological approaches: empirical studies, theoretical essays, case studies and literature reviews. We do not discriminate against any ontological perspective or epistemological choice. However, our research and reflections should contribute to building a more diverse, sustainable and democratic society and organizations while promoting inclusion, equity and ethics in all dimensions.
The current context of scientific management production both in Brazil and globally is marked by significant transformations, mainly due to the internationalization movement. Pursuing greater global visibility has driven academic journals to seek indexing in high-impact databases such as Scopus, Web of Science and CABS. This strategy has expanded the reach of Brazilian publications, positioning them competitively within the global academic landscape. Furthermore, publishing in English has become a requirement for studies to engage with the international scientific community, broadening opportunities for citations and collaborations.
In Brazil, the reformulation of the Qualis/Capes system, scheduled for 2025, is another key factor influencing the direction of publications. The new guidelines prioritize criteria based on international rankings, such as the Association of Business Schools (ABS) List, over metrics focused exclusively on citations. This shift represents a critical reconfiguration, where editorial quality, global indexers and scientific impact become central criteria for evaluating national journals. Consequently, Brazilian journals have been adapting to rigorous standards of peer review, ethical practices and methodological clarity, raising the bar for editors and authors.
One primary indicator of a journal’s quality is its publications’ impact on subsequent research (Tsang & Frey, 2007). This drives researchers to seek indexed and highly qualified journals, where evaluations are more rigorous and rejection rates are higher. There is also a notable gap in training graduate students and early-career researchers to structure articles effectively. In this regard, Sun (2024) notes that inadequate structure can hinder both publication and the article’s impact.
Harmonizing academic rigor and practical relevance is essential, especially during crises and rapid transformations. Management research plays a critical role in developing innovative and applicable solutions. Furthermore, it offers concrete responses to organizations’ challenges (Rajagopalan, 2020).
Emerging and interdisciplinary topics also play a central role in the current landscape: sustainability, digital transformation, artificial intelligence (AI) and issues related to environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) have gained prominence due to their practical relevance and potential impact. Moreover, integrating management with other fields of knowledge, such as engineering, computing, economics and social sciences, reflects a trend of methodological innovation and expansion in the scope of research. This interdisciplinarity enriches the academic field and promotes solutions to contemporary challenges. Additionally, understanding the role of leadership in a constantly evolving organizational landscape is fundamental.
Although the field is called “management,” relatively little attention is paid to managers themselves – their functions, actions, challenges and contributions – at different levels (operational, tactical or strategic) and in various contexts (organizational, geographic or global). Instead, the field often prioritizes abstract theories, models or organizational phenomena, overlooking managers’ practical realities and daily responsibilities (Hillman, 2021). Paula and Gouvêa (2023) highlighted the disconnect between scientific production and managers’ needs, arguing that academia’s opaque communication and institutional structures do not effectively contribute to organizational transformation.
Additionally, there is an ongoing debate about reconciling methodological rigor with practical relevance. Often, highly theoretical studies lack applicability, while practical research may be perceived as less rigorous. Organizations operate in dynamic and multifaceted contexts, which makes it challenging to develop thorough and relevant research.
Impactful research is that which, beyond advancing knowledge, promotes significant changes in the real world, improving processes, advancing public policies or solving practical problems. Often, this impact is reflected in either social or practical outcomes. Practical impact refers to research’s relevance for practice – its potential to enhance decision-making among managers, policymakers and other professionals. Conversely, social impact pertains to tangible benefits research can bring to society, including economic, cultural, public policy, healthcare, environmental and quality-of-life improvements. By analyzing the social impact of academic study, it is possible to identify and quantify how findings are utilized by non-academic stakeholders such as policymakers, market professionals and the broader community. We encourage authors to highlight this aspect in all their research.
Another critical element to consider is the growing adoption of the open-access model in scientific publishing, which aims to democratize access to academic knowledge. While this movement positively contributes to knowledge dissemination, it presents financial challenges for journals, which must balance publication costs with editorial quality. Simultaneously, initiatives to promote inclusion and diversity among authors and reviewers are gaining traction, contributing to the representation of various regions and contexts in the global academic landscape.
In recent years, there has been a notable increase in articles indexed in databases like Scopus and Web of Science. This growth is partly attributed to major publishers adopting strategies such as publishing special issues. However, the increased volume of publications has overburdened the scientific system, particularly concerning the availability of qualified reviewers for peer review, raising concerns about the integrity of the editorial process. Moreover, growing attention to quality metrics highlights the issue of “impact inflation,” where citation-based metrics (e.g. JCR) are often misinterpreted. This phenomenon has various repercussions, including decisions on funding and academic career progression.
Integrating AI into scientific research marks a new era of possibilities, significantly altering traditional paradigms of knowledge development. AI tools play crucial roles, from reviewing and organizing large volumes of literature to conducting complex analyses and generating new hypotheses. This shift promises to accelerate scientific processes and enable advances in areas previously limited by human or computational resources, expanding the reach and depth of investigations.
However, adopting this technology requires caution, as reliance on algorithms is not without risks: the quality of results is directly linked to the quality of the data used to train the models. Moreover, algorithms often function as “black boxes,” making it difficult to understand the reasoning behind specific outcomes – a science challenge that values reproducibility and transparency.
Ethical issues also arise in this context, particularly regarding the use of AI to automate the writing of academic texts or generate content. This raises concerns about authorship, authenticity and the risk of plagiarism. In response, many scientific journals now require authors to disclose the use of AI tools during the submission process, reinforcing a commitment to transparency and academic integrity.
This movement underscores the growing need for clear and comprehensive guidelines on the application of AI in research. These guidelines aim to preserve the value of intellectual work and ensure appropriate recognition of contributions. The debate extends to defining acceptable limits for AI use in scientific production to protect publications' methodological rigor and originality.
Drafting codes of conduct and developing institutional policies are essential for managing these transformations and promoting a balance between AI’s innovative potential and the ethical principles underpinning academic research.
Researchers must maintain control over their work’s creative and interpretative aspects, ensuring that technology is used as a support tool rather than a substitute for the critical analysis and originality inherent to research.
REGE is a valuable asset to the Brazilian academic community in terms of management. It plays a fundamental role in connecting academic studies to organizations’ practical and strategic demands, contributing to the advancement of business and management fields. Through its ability to attract research aligned with international standards of excellence, REGE strengthens the position of the University of São Paulo’s School of Economics, Business and Accounting (FEA-USP) in the global academic landscape. We extend our gratitude to the Fundação Instituto de Administração (FIA), a nonprofit institution linked to the Department of Management at FEA-USP, for its significant financial support, which makes fulfilling our mission of excellence possible.
In 2024, REGE celebrated 30 years of existence, solidifying its reputation as a benchmark for excellence in management research publications. The inclusion of REGE in the ABS List is the result of a strategic internationalization process meticulously conducted over the last decade under the leadership of Professor Dr Adriana Marotti de Mello as Editor-in-Chief. Her leadership has been instrumental in aligning the publications of the FEA-USP Management Department with the highest global standards, fostering academic partnerships, international research projects and transformative advancements in scientific journals. Under her coordination, REGE underwent a complete restructuring, including profound changes to the editorial board, expanded international visibility and continuous improvements in the quality of published articles.
The relevance of REGE as an essential academic vehicle has also been supported by the dedication of Professor Dr Flávio Hourneaux Junior, who served as the General Coordinator of scientific journals in the FEA-USP Management Department. His leadership was pivotal in aligning REGE with international standards of excellence, such as those required by the ABS List, consolidating its position as a prominent journal in management.
In 2018, Emerald partnered with the journal to include it in high-impact indexing systems such as Scopus and Web of Science. These partnerships were critical in expanding the journal’s global reach, increasing its visibility within the international academic community and paving the way for its inclusion in the ABS List.
The Academic Journal Guide (AJG), commonly called the ABS List, is a global reference organized by the Chartered Association of Business Schools. It selects publications of excellence in fields such as strategy, finance, marketing and international business. REGE was included organically due to its growing relevance in Latin America and recognition by international authors and reviewers who recommended its addition to the catalog.
This achievement also reflects the transformation underway in the Qualis/Capes system, which will adopt international classifications like the ABS List to evaluate journal quality starting in 2025. The efforts undertaken since 2018 have enabled REGE to meet these new requirements and establish itself as a scientific reference, reinforcing FEA-USP’s role as a global academic leader.
REGE announces its new editorial team for the 2025 cycle. The leadership will consist of Editors-in-Chief: Professor Dr. Luis Hernan Contreras Pinochet, Professor Dr. Paula Sarita Bigio Schnaider Nissimoff, and Professor Dr. João Vinícius de França Carvalho, all renowned professionals committed to excellence and innovation in management research. The journal will also feature a group of associate editors representing various fields of knowledge within management, ensuring diversity, quality, and depth in its publications. Additionally, REGE relies on a specialized pool of reviewers who rigorously conduct the peer review process, adhering to the journal’s editorial guidelines and policies.
This new editorial formation reflects REGE’s commitment to remaining at the forefront of academic discussions in management, fostering the integration of theory and practice, and encouraging the production of high-quality scientific research (Van de Ven, 1989). Under this leadership, the journal is expected to expand its impact and relevance nationally and internationally.
REGE welcomes submitting various papers, including research papers, editorials, guest editorials, ThinkBox, viewpoints, technical papers, conceptual papers, case studies, literature reviews and general reviews. These formats broaden the possibilities for academic contributions, fostering scientific rigor and the exchange of perspectives in management.
Preserving the legacy means honoring the collective effort that has shaped REGE’s identity, ensuring that it remains a space of excellence for disseminating innovative and relevant research. The new administration has a unique opportunity to continue this virtuous cycle, enhancing the journal’s reputation and broadening its influence. This requires a strategic focus on emerging trends such as digital transformation, sustainability and diversity — topics that dominate both academic and corporate agendas. Furthermore, strengthening national and international partnerships, extending the journal’s reach and investing in technologies that facilitate access to and interaction with published content will be crucial.
Finally, REGE plans to expand its contribution to academic training by offering a series of courses, webinars and materials focused on academic writing, peer review and scientific publishing in the future. These initiatives aim to empower new authors and enhance the quality of submissions while amplifying the journal’s impact on the scientific community. In collaboration with FEA-USP and partner associations, REGE intends to promote events led by experts, encouraging best practices in academia and fostering a community of increasingly prepared and engaged researchers.
