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The purpose of this paper is to identify the level of disclosure about mobile banking (MB) on bank websites.

The study sample comprises Brazilian and American banks, and the authors employed both quantitative and qualitative approaches to analyze the data. An index of 14 items was used to measure levels of disclosure. The quantitative stage involved descriptive analysis of disclosure levels, which was associated with other variables through the application of multivariate regression analysis. The qualitative stage involved a content analysis technique.

The statistical analysis indicated that size and country were significant explanatory variables for the level of information disclosed on bank websites. American banks disclosed more information about MB on their websites than Brazilian banks.

In the approach, using elements of voluntary disclosure theories, the authors expect to provide insights on how to increase MB information for potential users through a low-cost mechanism, web-based disclosure.

This study aims to identify comfort food (CF) consumption and its associated factors during the pandemic period. The study also involves an online survey conducted five months after the quarantine started in Brazil.

Data on lifestyle, eating habits and anthropometric data were collected before and during the pandemic, and the differences in these habits were analyzed. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression models were performed to identify predictors of CF consumption by gender.

A total of 1,363 individuals were included in the sample, with a median age of 31 years old, of whom 80.3% were women. Since individuals were free to respond about the food consumed without predetermined categories, it was possible to carry out a faithful assessment of the occurrence of this behavior. At the same time, allowing the subjectivity and symbolism inherent to the concept of CF to be embraced. CF consumption was present for 54%, with “sweets” being the most mentioned group by both genders. The factors associated with CF consumption in women during the pandemic were increased snacking, increased bread, candies and alcoholic beverage intake, increased time spent at work, worsened sleep quality, reduced meals, perceived stress (PS), emotional eating (EE), age and increased frequency of meat intake. In men, the predictors for CF consumption were remote full-time work/study, PS, EE and early waking time. For both genders, CF consumption during the pandemic period was associated with PS and EE.

This study provides an important overview of the possible contributions of the pandemic on behaviors and food choices related to the consumption of CF in Brazilians. This information is valuable to support further studies to investigate and treat the impacts of the pandemic on lifestyle, eating habits and behavior, mental health and other factors in the postpandemic period.

This study aims to compare the financial performance of the tourism distribution sector between Portugal and Spain, regarding the years 2007 and 2017. It is also intended to determine which variables influence the performance of tourism intermediaries' enterprises.

This is a quantitative study based on financial information available on SABI database, with official data of Spanish and Portuguese enterprises. The final sample gathers 6095 intermediaries (1585 Portuguese and 4510 Spanish) which were analyzed regarding their profitability through DuPont model and an additional variable – size.

The return on equity (ROE) calculation in 2007 and 2017 identifies an increase of 12.8% for Portugal and 19.6% for Spain. Through Spearman's Rho, return on sales (ROS), asset turnover and return on asset (ROA) have a positive association with ROE, but the results about asset on equity and enterprise size did not reveal such precise evidence.

This study intends to reinforce the literature in terms of performance evaluation techniques to be used in this type of enterprises, applying DuPont model. At a practical level, besides aiming the maximization of the enterprise's profit, managers are faced with other financial challenges. Thus, this study provides important indications about aspects that should be considered to improve the enterprise's financial performance, supporting managers' decision making.

Financial studies focusing on the tourism distribution sector are limited. Even less frequent are studies with financial and official data from large samples, representative of the universe under study. The value of this study is based on these two aspects, allowing to strengthen the knowledge about tourism intermediaries and their financial performance, in a comparative approach between two countries.

This study aims to investigate the moderating effects of brick-and-mortar (BM) store characteristics and customer satisfaction on the relationship between ship-to-store (STS) retailing and BM store performance in an emerging economy. The purpose is to explore how BM store characteristics and customer satisfaction influence online buying behaviour when customers visit the stores to pick up their products.

This study collected secondary longitudinal data from 615 BM stores from one of Brazil's largest retailers and performed a panel-data regression analysis using the following moderating variables: customer satisfaction with BM stores, BM store's size, convenience and inventory transparency.

Customer satisfaction with BM stores moderates the effect of STS transactions on the revenue per store. Results also show that BM store's convenience, size and inventory transparency moderate STS online customers' impact on BM store cross-sales.

The STS strategy can increase online and BM store performance. Some BM store characteristics and customer satisfaction influence online customers to buy more products when they visit BM stores to pick up their products, providing a more complex model for the relationship between STS strategy and BM store performance.

Companies in emerging economies can use the BM store more strategically in combination with the STS strategy to increase overall retailer performance. By managing some BM store characteristics, managers can improve retail sales.

This study demonstrates how new moderating factors expand the understanding of the relationship between online and physical retailing in emerging economies. Also, the panel data regression results control for extraneous variables and provide more robust evidence of the relationships observed.

This paper aims to investigate the use of m-government applications for public services providing in Brazil. As a secondary objective, the paper aims to analyze the relationship between the use of m-government applications and development.

To achieve the objective of this research, the 100 smartest cities of Brazil were selected and the mobile apps provided by their local governments were identified. Both qualitative and quantitative methods were adopted, including content analysis technique, chi-square test and regression analysis.

The results show that mobile apps developed by local governments of Brazilian smart cities include information and public services access, health, education, security, tourism, water supply system, environment, among others. The results also show a positive relationship between apps downloads and development indexes.

This paper emphasizes the social side of information technology, showing that it can contribute to the implementation of more inclusive cities that respond to the needs and interests of their citizens.

This paper presents empirical evidences of the potential benefits of m-government technologies for development in an emerging country. Moreover, it highlights how mobile applications developed by local governments may lead to a better quality of life of the population, considering a comprehensive approach of development that involves its economic, social and human dimensions.

This part of the book has provided overviews of the current situation of research management and administration (RMA) in over 50 countries around the world provided by a total of 96 authors. Thirty-eight chapters cover individual countries from six continents, with a chapter bringing together this situation in the three Baltic states, another covering the Western Balkans, one more focused on the Caribbean, and there is a chapter on the Catalonia region of Spain. Here, we attempt to draw out common themes and to highlight differences in RMA and of Research Managers and Administrators in different parts of the world. Further, more holistic, insights can be found in the final chapter of the book (Yang-Yoshihara, Kerridge, et al., 2023, Chapter 6).

The aim of this chapter is to describe a four-type model of organisational structures and to discuss two cases, Embrapa and the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation, as well as additional cases at SAM-Research and the centre for shared medical support services established at the University of Bologna.

These cases should help readers understand the importance of designing distinctive, tailored-made support services while keeping these structures flexible for further adaptation under unforeseen changes.

The chapter concludes by stressing the role of institutions to steadily invest in the design of these tailored support structures and in personalised training for their support staff.

This section of the book brings together descriptions of the current state of research management and administration (RMA) in individual countries – or in some cases regions. There are over 50 countries included, the first time that such a comprehensive overview of RMA around the world has been brought together.

The chapter aims to provide an overview of organisational structures in Research Management and Administration (RMA); in doing so, the chapter moves from explaining main sources of knowledge – broadly on HE Management (HEM) and specifically on RMA – to assessing institutionalisation and maturity level of the profession.

Understanding these forms of knowledge will help readers design research support services and develop a competency/career development plan.

Additionally, the chapter aims to call for individuals and institutions to engage with the varied forms of knowledge associated with different phases of a research project life cycle (RPLC). The goal is to raise individual awareness while helping countries improve their RMA maturity.