AMIDI.Biblioteca

Innovation and Entrepreneurship for Sustainable Development

Wed, 25 Sep 2024 00:00:00 +0000

At the end of September 2023, the Universidad Autónoma Benito Juárez de Oaxaca hosted the 1st International Congress on Social Entrepreneurship, organized by ANFECA. This institution, with 65 years of history, brings together 274 universities in Mexico, focusing on curriculum development, academic updates, and innovative methodologies in fields such as accounting, management, and business. ANFECA aims to actively contribute to solving social and regional problems, addressing issues such as gender equality, environmental accounting, and socially responsible companies.

Social entrepreneurship was the central theme of the congress, considered key for regional and civilizational development. This concept, as noted by Muhammad Yunus, Nobel Peace Prize laureate, refers to the creation of innovative solutions to social problems. During the event, the importance of cooperative and community business models was highlighted, such as those of Mondragón in Spain and entrepreneurship examples in Oaxaca, where communities like Usila and San Antonino have implemented successful projects based on local cultural practices, such as vanilla cultivation and embroidery production. These cases reflect the potential of social entrepreneurship to improve quality of life and preserve culture.

Artificial Intelligence. Fundamentals of Prompt Engineering with ChatGPT as An Innovation Driving Creativity (Over 500 Prompts Included)

Juan Mejía Trejo — Thu, 30 May 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Artificial Intelligence: Fundamentals of Prompt Engineering with ChatGPT as an Innovation Driving Creativity

The book "Artificial Intelligence: Fundamentals of Prompt Engineering with ChatGPT as an Innovation Driving Creativity" is an indispensable work for understanding the essential pillars of artificial intelligence (AI) in various applications. In this context, AI, and specifically the ChatGPT platform, are presented as key tools that are profoundly transforming how we interact with technology and generate content.

This work covers everything from the theoretical foundations of AI to practical prompt engineering strategies to optimize the use of ChatGPT. With over 500 prompts included, this book aims to achieve the following objectives:

Provide a deep understanding of the fundamentals of AI, including its definition, historical evolution, and key architectures.
Explore the functioning and implications of generative AI (GenAI), highlighting foundational models like GPT and strategies to mitigate its controversies.
Detail techniques and strategies for prompt engineering to maximize the capabilities of ChatGPT, from text to image and video.
Provide practical recommendations and strategies for effectively communicating with ChatGPT and optimizing generated content.
Offer a wide variety of specialized prompts and tools that enhance the prompting experience, from designing learning courses to marketing and project management, among many others.
Present a wide variety of available GenAI software, understanding its functionality and possible application fields, which are constantly growing.

To achieve this, the book is divided into:

Chapter 1: Fundamentals of Artificial Intelligence. This first chapter delves into the essential foundations of artificial intelligence (AI), from its definition to its impact on modern life. We will explore its historical evolution, from its beginnings to its current significance, highlighting key architectures and types of learning. We will also analyze the relevance of AI from its foundations based on education and the regulations surrounding it, including ethical implications and possible future risks.

Chapter 2: Generative AI. In this chapter, we delve into the fascinating area of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI), exploring its functioning in text and images. We will analyze foundational models such as the Generative Pre-trained Transformer (GPT) and examine the controversies surrounding GenAI, as well as strategies to mitigate them. Additionally, we will discuss the future of GenAI and the challenges it faces in its ongoing development.

Chapter 3: Prompt Engineering. This chapter will take you through the history and evolution of prompts, from their early applications to the most advanced techniques used today. You will learn what a prompt is and what its basic components are, as well as discover how prompts are transforming interaction with language models like ChatGPT. Immerse yourself in innovative prompting techniques that enhance the accuracy and creativity of GenAI responses, taking you on a journey from basic strategies to the most complex and sophisticated techniques. With this comprehensive guide, you will be ready to optimize and revolutionize your interactions with artificial intelligence.

Chapter 4: ChatGPT and Prompt Engineering. Here, we dive into the world of ChatGPT, from its history to its features and limitations. You will learn how to open an account, write effective prompts, and review conversation history. Furthermore, we will delve into the definition and strategies of prompt engineering in the context of ChatGPT, ensuring safe and effective use of this powerful tool.

Chapter 5: ChatGPT Strategies Based on Prompt Engineering. This chapter presents a variety of strategies for effectively communicating with ChatGPT and optimizing generated content. From adopting roles to controlling the length and format of responses, we will explore practical techniques to improve production, language, and tone with ChatGPT.

Chapter 6: Description of Over 200 Types of GenAI Software Mentioned on Social Media 2022-2024. This chapter provides an informative, though not exhaustive, overview of various areas such as marketing, translation, sales, business management, image and video enhancement, graphic design, voice-to-text and text-to-sound/image conversion, conversational systems, and academic applications. We will introduce the learning field about the functions and capabilities of each mentioned tool for its respective application field.

References. This chapter offers a comprehensive list of references to delve deeper into the topics covered.

Appendix. Extensive appendix listing more than 500 detailed prompts for a variety of defined purposes in 14 disciplines.

Artificial Intelligence: Fundamentals of Prompt Engineering with ChatGPT as an Innovation Driving Creativity

Provide a deep understanding of the fundamentals of AI, including its definition, historical evolution, and key architectures.
Explore the functioning and implications of generative AI (GenAI), highlighting foundational models like GPT and strategies to mitigate its controversies.
Detail techniques and strategies for prompt engineering to maximize the capabilities of ChatGPT, from text to image and video.
Provide practical recommendations and strategies for effectively communicating with ChatGPT and optimizing generated content.
Offer a wide variety of specialized prompts and tools that enhance the prompting experience, from designing learning courses to marketing and project management, among many others.
Present a wide variety of available GenAI software, understanding its functionality and possible application fields, which are constantly growing.

To achieve this, the book is divided into:

References. This chapter offers a comprehensive list of references to delve deeper into the topics covered.

Appendix. Extensive appendix listing more than 500 detailed prompts for a variety of defined purposes in 14 disciplines.

Social Innovation with Impact. Defining the Path to a Sustainable World

Juan Mejía Trejo — Sat, 18 May 2024 00:00:00 +0000

In a constantly evolving world, social innovation has emerged as a transformative force that goes beyond traditional technological and business innovations. However, based on the 17 Sustainable Development Goals promulgated by the United Nations in 2015, it becomes increasingly important for governments to create a master plan that envisions a future not only focused on economic wealth generation but also on sustainability. This sustainability is based on combating inequality, environmental degradation, prosperity, climate change, poverty, peace, and justice, among other relevant issues, reflected as social impact. This perspective requires a broad understanding that addresses current needs, focusing on the approaches and techniques used to evaluate the social impact generated by social innovations in both public and private projects.

Thus, the aim of this work is to demonstrate to academics, students, entrepreneurs, officials, and the general public the importance of conceptualizing social innovation and its relationships, as well as to present the tools available for measuring them. Special emphasis is placed on the social return on investment (SROI), a clear tool that allows projects to measure not only their economic profitability but also their social relevance.

The work is divided into four parts: In the first chapter, we explore the essence of social innovation, outlining its characteristics, definitions, and typologies. From its intersection with the circular economy to its relationship with social entrepreneurship and social responsibility, we examine how social innovation serves as a dynamic platform for addressing complex social challenges and fostering human progress.

The second chapter delves into the crucial task of measuring the impact of social innovation. From the theory of change to social impact management, we explore the methods and tools for evaluating the scope and effectiveness of social innovations. Additionally, we analyze future implications and the various transformative and open approaches that characterize social innovation.

In the third chapter, we turn our attention to sustainable development, a global imperative that demands a holistic and integrated approach. From its conceptual foundations to its challenges and criticisms, we explore how sustainable development interweaves with education, social awareness, and efforts to ensure a harmonious balance between human growth and the planet's limited resources.

Finally, in the fourth chapter, we dive into the concept of Social Return on Investment (SROI), a powerful tool for assessing the social and economic impact of innovative initiatives. From its evolution to its practical applications, we examine the key stages of SROI, its advantages and disadvantages, as well as its relevance for various entities and sectors.

Through practical exercises and reflections, this book invites the reader to actively explore the concepts and principles presented, fostering a deep understanding and effective application of social innovation in the pursuit of a more equitable, sustainable, and prosperous world.

It is hoped that readers will experience a moment of reflection, understanding that current economic activity must be accompanied by a new consciousness and actions that steer towards a positive direction to stop further environmental harm for the benefit of society.

Social Innovation and its Return on Investment to Promote Change. How to Promote Projects with Social Impact

Juan Mejía-Trejo, Carlos Gabriel Borbón-Morales, Carlos Omar Aguilar-Navarro — Thu, 18 Apr 2024 00:00:00 +0000

The topic of social innovation continues to be a concept that is updated every day worldwide, given the different approaches with which it is approached, such as political and environmental. The above allows us to visualize that social innovation is projected as a transcendental activity that directly impacts sustainability for the coming decades in our country. However, for those who apply the best-known innovations, such as products and services, marketing, processes, technology, organizational, and business models, their common denominator is measuring the implementation of each of them, based directly on its financial impact.

This has caused imbalances to be generated in terms of social well-being since although innovations have represented economic benefits to the public and private companies that apply them, it does not mean that societies necessarily improve their levels of quality. expected life and well-being. Thus, it is necessary to associate the aforementioned innovations around a concept that makes them convergent to translate them into social innovations and thus determine the well-being generated, that is its social impact.

However, a question arises: how to measure it to be in a position to control it? Given that social innovation and social impact are emerging concepts, this work is presented as relevant in the current era. It offers a valuable contribution to non-specialized readers by establishing the foundations of social innovation and the methodologies for its measurement. The highlight lies in its approach to conducting impact measurements by monetizing social impact.

This is achieved by linking it with the social return on investment of projects, both public and private, that will set the standard in the 21st century.

Quality Assurance Principles for Software Design. Process Innovation in Information Technologies

Juan Mejía Trejo — Thu, 01 Feb 2024 00:00:00 +0000

In the field of software engineering, it is essential to understand the fundamental concepts that underpin the development and maintenance of quality systems. This book delves into the fascinating world of software innovation and quality, addressing everything from the most basic elements to advanced aspects that shape the efficiency and effectiveness of digital products and services.

Chapter 1: Basic Concepts. The starting point lies in understanding innovation and its intrinsic relationship with software. From essential definitions to differentiating between internal and external quality, this chapter lays the necessary foundations for approaching Software Quality Engineering. We will explore how quality assurance addresses errors and defects, corrective and preventive actions, and the importance of effective communication between client and developer.

Chapter 2: Life Cycles, Culture, and Costs in Software Quality. The journey continues with a detailed analysis of different software life cycle models, from the traditional waterfall to agile methods such as Scrum and eXtreme Programming. We will delve into the costs associated with quality and its management, exploring statistical aspects, Six Sigma, and Lean techniques. The culture of innovation in software quality will be a guiding thread throughout the chapter, highlighting the importance of leadership and ethics in quality teams.

Chapter 3: Software Quality Architecture and Requirements. The third chapter focuses on system architecture and software requirements engineering. From embedded systems to client-server architectures, we will explore various methodologies for specifying and designing quality requirements. Innovative models and current standards, such as ISO 25000 and IEEE 1061, are presented as essential tools in this process.

Chapter 4: Software Engineering Standards. In the fourth chapter, we will delve into the evolution of software engineering standards. From the ISO 9000 family to maturity models like CMMI, we will analyze how these standards influence quality and process management. We will also explore models like ITIL, COBIT, and the key role of quality assurance in the implementation of standards.

Chapter 5: Reviews. Reviews, both personal and desk, are crucial to ensuring software quality. This chapter examines standards and models such as ISO/IEC 20246, CMMI, and IEEE 1028. The planning and execution of reviews, along with requirements traceability, are presented as key elements in software quality management.

Chapter 6: Software Audits. Auditing, a crucial process in software quality management, is addressed in this chapter. From the necessity of conducting audits to internal and external audits, we will explore standards like ISO/IEC/IEEE 12207 and best practices for conducting an effective audit. Corrective actions and the relationship between audits and the quality assurance plan are also highlighted.

Chapter 7: Verification, Validation, and Risk Management. The final chapter delves into verification and validation, exploring standards such as IEEE 1012 and their relationship with business models. Risk management is also covered, from identification to execution and monitoring of the action plan. The integration of validation in software development and risk management as an essential component of quality are analyzed in detail.

With these topics, our goal is to provide readers with a comprehensive understanding of software quality, from its fundamentals to its advanced applications, offering a valuable guide for those involved in software engineering and quality management.

Qualitative Comparative Analysis. VOLUME II. FUZZY-SET (fsQCA) Theory and Practice

Juan Mejía Trejo — Sun, 24 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +0000

The present document is a continuation of the work, Crisp-Set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (csQCA) and its Relationship with Innovation: Discussion and Interpretation of Results, and aims to introduce researchers to the concepts and applications involved in the case of Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA) with fuzzy-set data (fsQCA) through demonstrations of its use with various examples in the administration of innovation.

Since the late 1980s, its precursor, Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA), has been at the forefront of social science methodology as it is based on the set of relationships and established objectives for discovering sufficient and necessary conditions.

It is worth noting that it is common to refer to the original Boolean version of QCA as csQCA, where cs (crisp-sets) denotes a set of crisp data. The version that allows for the use of multiple-category conditions is called mvQCA, where mv (multi-value) describes the multi-value aspect, and fsQCA where fs (fuzzy-set) describes the fuzzy-set data. The goal of QCA analysis, in general, is to account for a particular outcome, unlike regression-based analyses, which typically aim to be fundamental tools for explaining the effects of causes (Wagemann and Schneider, 2010).

Regarding the state of social sciences, as a general basis for the administration of innovation, Sartori (1970) stated:

"...the science is in a poor state, oscillating between two weak extremes: unconscious thought, which is predominant, and overly conscious thought, done by a small minority..."

Calling on scholars to acquire training in basic logic:

"To guide an intermediate course between crude logical mishandling on one side and logical perfectionism (and paralysis) on the other side..."

It was in the late 1980s that Dr. Charles Ragin brought Boolean algebra and set theory to social sciences with his innovative book, The Comparative Method (Ragin, 1987), which deeply describes all components of QCA. Even so, real attention began to surge some years later with his book Fuzzy-Sets Social Science (Ragin, 2000). By now, there are scholars who use configurational comparative methods, given the possibility of formalizing case-oriented analysis, thus providing tools to enhance comparative research. These methods are particularly apt for identifying the minimally necessary and/or minimally sufficient (combinations of) conditions that produce an outcome of interest (i.e., evaluating the causes of effects), with great potential for quantitative applications in fields like engineering (Mendel and Korjani, 2010; Marks, et al., 2018).

Given the advantages offered, recent discussions on configurational comparative methods suggest that regression-based quantitative approaches and QCA are best applied alongside each other (Ragin, 2008; Schneider and Wagemann, 2010; Rihoux, 2006). However, there is a warning for enthusiasts that scholars should not become QCA monomaniacs (Ragin and Rihoux, 2004, p. 6).

On the other hand, initial efforts of applying fsQCA in entrepreneurship and innovation, such as the work by Kraus et al. (2017), compile 77 articles published from 2005 to 2016 with keywords: fsQCA, business administration, entrepreneurship, and innovation, revealing a gradual increase in these fields for using fsQCA. Thus, administrative sciences oriented towards innovation can leverage the advancements in social sciences through Dr. Ragin's significant contributions. Consequently, this work comprises eleven chapters, which we briefly describe:

CHAPTER 4. Qualitative Comparative Analysis of Fuzzy-Set Data (fsQCA). This chapter introduces the reader to a very special type of data, the fuzzy type used by fsQCA software, revealing basic concepts through understanding its nature and the possibility of using them at levels and continuously. It presents fuzzy-set data operations such as Boolean negation, conjunction (logical AND), and union (logical OR). It includes models and calibration methods, analysis of necessary and sufficient conditions and consistency, how to create truth tables, and analyze vector space corners. Fourteen exercises demonstrate the use of the fsQCA software, confirming the main concepts.

CHAPTER 5. Evaluation of the fsQCA Data Set. This chapter describes the importance of what are known as INUS and SUIN conditions as well as consistency and coverage in general. It presents the manual development of five cases that confirm the main concepts.

CHAPTER 6. Calibration and Its Importance in fsQCA. This chapter opens a debate on the implications of calibration before starting measurements in scope and context, the pros and cons of using indicators by quantitative research, SEM vs. fsQCA relationship, qualitative research, and the need for calibration, direct and indirect calibration methods. The manual development of four cases confirms the main concepts.

CHAPTER 7. Configurational Thinking in fsQCA. This chapter demonstrates the importance of configurational thinking from both qualitative and quantitative perspectives, discussing the evaluation of the degree of membership in a configuration and comparing causal pathways.

CHAPTER 8. Net Effects in fsQCA. This chapter describes what is meant by net effects, the associated problems, a proposed shift to case types, comparison of fuzzy data cases, and configuration analysis.

CHAPTER 9. Net Effects vs. Configurations in fsQCA. Through two hypothetical cases, the study develops each of the concepts seen, explaining by comparison their results, to understand the nature of net effects versus configuration effects by fsQCA.

CHAPTER 10. csQCA Analysis Guide. With crisp data from an innovation case, this chapter offers the reader a quick and visual guide through screenshots and eight exercises on how to solve a case through necessary condition analysis, representing data in the truth table, identifying contradictory and logical remainders, sufficiency analysis, truth table minimization for occurrence and non-occurrence of the phenomenon, and result interpretation.

CHAPTER 11. fsQCA Analysis Guide. With fuzzy data from an innovation case, this chapter offers the reader a quick and visual guide through screenshots and nine exercises on how to solve a case through accessing the work file, necessary condition analysis with phenomenon occurrence and reporting, interpreting coverage, generating the truth table, applying the Standard Analyses option, interpreting generated solutions, generating the truth table with phenomenon non-occurrence, analyzing main implications, and interpreting the case.

GLOSSARY. A glossary of the most commonly used terms in this context is provided.

Maturity Processes in Technological Developments in Postgraduate Courses with Social Links

María Hidalia Cruz-Herrera, José Antonio Orizaga-Trejo — Thu, 14 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +0000

This work records actions and reflections on sensitive topics in teacher-student collaboration, highlights academic intervention in priority sectors, and alludes to the interdisciplinary opportunity in social and abstract areas with proposals from you. The company, industry, and government do not prioritize the objects of study in light of federal strategies, but they are the ones who intervene in technological innovation, connectivity, and concomitant strengthening of human capital with specific profiles, whose value chain will be demanding in the organizational formations that our country attracts.

Those who write, warn the university ecosystem with areas of opportunity and emphasize postgraduate programs recognized by CONAHCYT to recompose the strategic policies of higher education in Mexico, time will offer data to evaluate the relevance and viability of the strategic axes with social perspective regarding the requirements of the industry or other sectors.

Between Numbers and Society: Theoretical and Technical Reflections

Ana Isabel Barocio-Torres, Ingrid Georgina Claire-Torres — Sun, 10 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +0000

The book "Between Numbers and Society: Theoretical and Technical Reflections" immerses us in a fascinating world where numbers and society intersect in a complex and exciting manner. In this work, the authors have gathered a collection of chapters that address a wide range of crucial topics in areas such as business management, economics, accounting, education, and finance, all examined through the prism of their interaction with the surrounding society.

This work stands as a valuable resource for students, academics, professionals, and anyone interested in understanding how numbers and data influence our lives and the business world. Within the pages of this book, readers will find a rigorous and enriching analysis of topics ranging from succession in family businesses to corporate governance, including the challenges of cryptocurrency adoption and social and solidarity economy.

"Between Numbers and Society" transcends the boundaries of conventional academic disciplines and shows us how financial and economic concepts are intrinsically linked to social, cultural, and ethical issues. The authors of these chapters not only provide us with valuable theoretical reflections but also share technical and practical knowledge applicable in business decision-making and addressing contemporary challenges.

Each chapter becomes a window into a world of possibilities, an exploration of the meeting points between mathematics and statistics with economic and social reality. Whether analyzing the importance of transparency in financial decisions, investigating the fiscal impact on small and medium-sized enterprises, or considering financial literacy among students, this book offers an enriching and insightful perspective.

In Chapter 1, the complexities faced by family businesses during the succession process are exposed through the perspective of a case study, breaking down the administrative and organizational implications that arise in this process.

Chapters 3, 4, and 5 delve into financial topics. Chapter 3 explores the importance of adequate inventory control in business financial decision-making, while Chapter 4 delves into the effects of mobile payments and the use of digital wallets on finances, both at a personal and business level. Chapter 5 closes this block, reflecting on the evolution of financial literacy among Public Accounting students over six years.

Chapter 7 offers an interesting analysis of how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected students about to graduate at the undergraduate level and the implications of this challenging period.

Chapter 8 addresses a cutting-edge topic in current finance: the use of cryptocurrencies. Although their use has been increasing in recent years, there is still much to analyze and understand about them. This chapter presents an initial view of the case of Colombia.

Chapters 9 and 10 focus on micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises. Chapter 9 analyzes the fiscal challenges these economic units face after the COVID-19 pandemic, while Chapter 10 examines solidarity economy enterprises as an alternative form of social entrepreneurship that promotes financial and environmental sustainability.

Thus, "Between Numbers and Society" invites us to recognize that financial management, economics, and numbers are not abstract concepts isolated from society but essential tools for understanding and improving our interaction with the world around us. This book calls us to reflect, debate, and act, with the certainty that its content will enrich all adventurers who delve into its reading.

Industry 4.0 in Manufacturing Companies in Mexico

Gonzalo Maldonado-Guzmán, Sandra Yesenia Pinzón-Castro — Thu, 07 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +0000

In a world with over eight billion people, the growing demand for goods and services has led to excessive exploitation of non-renewable resources, accelerating global warming through CO2 emissions. "Industry 4.0: Sustainability and Business Transformation" proposes changing industrial production to address this problem.

The book explores how the scientific, academic, and business communities collaborate in the face of this challenge. It suggests using recyclable materials and renewable energies in manufacturing to enhance the environment. However, this transformation faces obstacles.

Although Industry 4.0 represents a significant change, its adoption comes with challenges. Costs and a lack of collaboration in supply chains hinder its implementation. Skills and infrastructure gaps impede its progress in developing economies.

The book highlights Industry 4.0 for businesses, especially in emerging economies like Mexico, aiming for environmental and sustainability goals in the metal-mechanical, automotive, aerospace, chemical, and textile manufacturing sectors. However, it requires a robust network to connect resources and people.

The central goal of Industry 4.0 is to merge value and production in intelligent enterprises. Horizontal and vertical integration will enable automatic exchanges, connecting products, machinery, employees, and consumers. "Industry 4.0: Sustainability and Business Transformation" advocates for adaptable production systems to meet current challenges.

This book is essential for those interested in industrial sustainability, business innovation, and technology

Gender and Social Entrepreneurship: Perspectives in the Context of Innovation

Rosa Rojas-Paredes, Alejandro Campos-Sánchez, Elia Marúm-Espinosa — Sat, 11 Nov 2023 00:00:00 +0000

This book aims to analyze, from a multidisciplinary perspective, the development of social entrepreneurship as the economic approach to social innovation, but with a gender perspective centered on female entrepreneurship, which has become one of the most potent strategies for women's economic equality in recent decades. The activities stemming from this perspective often address social issues related to the lack of opportunities, poverty, marginalization, and exclusion in the labor market, as well as situations of inequity and gender inequality. Therefore, analyzing female empowerment and leadership and their potential for generating innovative and sustainable social and productive enterprises is a way through which women will have more significant opportunities to improve their quality of life and increase their social and political participation, thereby contributing to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for the Sustainable Development Goals.
Universities must promote social entrepreneurship to support the transformation of society, promote job creation, and strengthen the formation of values and transversal skills in our students. In our academic commitment and our conviction to conduct research that contributes to understanding how social entrepreneurship projects are carried out and how women participate in and drive these projects, we present to the reader the results of works that will undoubtedly be enormously useful in understanding this approach to social innovation and will provide elements to advance innovative decision-making in the education of higher education students and in the training and actions of teachers, managers, and directors of these transformative institutions.

Contemporary Fiscal Topics

Tue, 10 Oct 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Addressing fiscal issues today is essential for business economics due to their implications for micro, small, medium enterprises, and multinationals, whether they are individuals or corporations. Compliance with tax and labor regulations is key to business success and sustainability, influencing access to financing and the legalization of commercial and administrative operations.

The government must promote policies that support productivity and economic growth, increasing taxpayer confidence to ensure legitimacy and acceptance. It is crucial that tax burdens do not exceed the capacities of businesses to avoid hindering existing activities, and that efforts are directed towards improving productivity and training rather than imposing complicated tax regulations.

Trust in institutions is low due to corruption and the misuse of public resources. Transparency and accountability are essential to legitimize institutions and foster democracy, improving public perception and reducing corruption.

Fiscal compliance should be a responsibility of both taxpayers and public officials. Despite efforts to facilitate tax formalization, tax evasion remains high. It is crucial for taxpayers to analyze their fiscal and legal risks to avoid severe penalties.

The book addresses these issues through several sections. The first section deals with tax culture, ethics, and transparency in tax compliance, highlighting the importance of the consistency of tax authorities and the perception of justice in the tax system. The second section examines tax regimes that facilitate compliance, including the Simplified Trust Regime, its benefits, and practical challenges. The third section focuses on support systems to reduce fiscal risks, such as Compliance, which helps plan and minimize risks in companies.

Overall, the book provides a comprehensive view of how the tax system and public perception of the government and its institutions affect tax compliance and business sustainability, promoting reflection and knowledge about tax changes and options to reduce risks in companies.

Questionnaire Design for Scale Development in Social Sciences: Use of Exploratory (SPSS) and Confirmatory (EQS) Factor Analysis

Juan Mejía Trejo — Fri, 15 Sep 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Research is a permanent activity in the cycle of analysis, field testing, and synthesis. It requires keen discernment from the researcher to evaluate the sources of information and resources utilized. Moreover, gaining recognition and credibility in scientific research results depends on the strategy that best clarifies and justifies the measurement technique used. Various strategies can be proposed to develop and refine measurements; however, their true impact depends on the type of scientific phenomenon being measured, both with directly observable variables and their underlying relationships.

Thus, based on the focus and scope of your research concerning the broad range of disciplines within social sciences, you should center your interest on the formulation, design, development, and validation of constructs, both of direct and underlying relationships, to theoretically explain reality.

Particularly, this latter type of relationships involves constructs that, representing abstractions, can only be evaluated indirectly. Indirect evaluation implies the design and use of multiple elements (in our case, indicators) that measure the construct, i.e., form the measurement scale. Therefore, starting from a specific research problem and characterizing the factors, variables, and indicators that best describe it in the form of constructs, the main objective of this document is to propose and design the relationships of these factors, variables, and indicators to discuss how to measure and validate them through the creation of scales.

To achieve this, the reader is provided with:

BACKGROUND. RESEARCH AND SOURCES OF INFORMATION. This section offers brief backgrounds on the research idea, its approaches and scopes, problem statement, objectives, and how to build the theoretical framework. Recommendations are given for better data capture. There is a special emphasis on describing the sources of information, how to handle them according to the type of research, and various characteristics and conditions of instruments such as panel designs, interviews, questionnaires, etc.

CHAPTER 1. THE IMPORTANCE OF MEASUREMENTS IN RELATION TO SOCIAL SCIENCES This chapter justifies and emphasizes the importance of scale development theory by explaining key and basic concepts such as dimensionality, reliability, and validity. The importance of the four-stage approach (construct; content; exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis) in developing a scale that involves these three concepts is highlighted.

CHAPTER 2. DIMENSIONALITY. This chapter clarifies how this stage defines the scope of the construct and the final model, to understand two basic techniques in all social science research: exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis.

CHAPTER 3. RELIABILITY. This section explains the importance of the concept and the different types of reliability, the implication of internal consistency, reliability, and composite variance in scale design.

CHAPTER 4. VALIDITY. Here, the impact of the validity of the instrument to be designed is discussed, highlighting different types, with an emphasis on the importance of discriminant and nomological validity for confirmatory factor analysis.

CHAPTER 5. DEFINING THE CONSTRUCT AND ITS CONTENT. This section begins with the four-stage approach, providing extensive recommendations on the importance of designing a broad and sufficient theoretical framework that supports scale design through the creation of indicators.

CHAPTER 6. DESIGNING THE SCALE. EXPLORATORY FACTOR ANALYSIS (Stage 3). This technique allows the first reductions of variables and their indicators in the construct and final model. It is explained through problems based on the use of the statistical software SPSS for better understanding.

CHAPTER 7. FINALIZING THE SCALE. CONFIRMATORY FACTOR ANALYSIS AND STRUCTURAL EQUATION MODELING. This is the last design stage and accounts for the use of structural analysis software EQS 6.2. The objective is to provide a clear and concise demonstration of how to input and interpret the results provided by this tool to confirm the model and identify underlying relationships that the theoretical framework did not consider.

Finally, it should be noted that scale design based on constructs that ultimately define a model is the foundation of scientific research. These processes are more iterative than linear. This means that, rather than following linear or consecutive steps and activities as in any logical and sequential process, the suggested scale development process tends to be iterative and continuous, with all scale creation procedures being restarted. This is because conscientious researchers learn from their efforts and mistakes in the field of social sciences, making it necessary to revise, including early stages like defining factors, variables, and indicators at the conceptual level, as well as redefining the dimensionality, reliability, and validity of the construct

The Multicolor of Energy: Challenges and Opportunities for the Energy Transition

Aleida Azamar-Alonso — Sun, 20 Aug 2023 00:00:00 +0000

In the heart of our existence and progress as a civilization, energy plays a central role as the axis around which our economies, our cities, and our daily lives revolve. However, as we advance into the third decade of the 21st century, we face a crossroads: the energy paradigms of the past no longer seem to sustain the future, which is threatened by climate change and environmental degradation. The global energy crisis we face today is not only a matter of supply and demand but also touches the depths of sustainability and equity.

The depletion of non-renewable energy resources (such as fossil fuels) and growing concerns about climate change have driven the need for a transition to cleaner and more sustainable energy sources. This energy transition (ET) has become a global priority to mitigate negative environmental impacts and to ensure a reliable and affordable energy supply for future generations.

In this regard, there has been a significant increase in investment and development of renewable energy technologies, such as solar, wind, geothermal, hydroelectric, and biomass. These energy sources are considered more sustainable as they generate fewer greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, although it is worth noting that they also maintain a high dependency on the use of resources classified as pollutants; for example, hydrocarbons, scarce minerals, and various types of chemicals. As these technologies become more efficient and economically viable, their adoption has accelerated in many countries and has become an integral part of energy strategies at national and regional levels.

However, the ET also presents significant challenges. The intermittent generation of renewable energy presents storage and grid management issues. Additionally, the existing infrastructure and distribution systems are primarily designed for conventional energy sources, requiring significant investments and upgrades to effectively integrate renewable energies into the grid. Furthermore, the dependence on critical minerals for the manufacture of renewable energy technologies has raised concerns about supply security and the socio-environmental impacts associated with their extraction.

In geopolitical terms, the ET has reshaped the global landscape. Countries rich in traditional energy resources face the challenge of diversifying their economies and reducing their dependence on revenues from these resources. At the same time, nations with significant potential for renewable energy generation are gaining importance and influence in the energy sector. The competition for access and control of these strategic resources has led to geopolitical tensions and disputes in different regions of the world.

For these reasons, this book is positioned amid these significant changes and seeks to provide a deeper understanding of key concepts, the global energy context, essential mineral resources, the geopolitical landscape, as well as the challenges and opportunities related to the global ET towards a sustainable and inclusive future.

Organizational Innovation Theory

Juan Mejía-Trejo — Wed, 16 Aug 2023 00:00:00 +0000

It is a characteristic of the condition of the human being, its sense of social interrelation since there is historical evidence that prehistoric person grouped and organized them to achieve various activities such as hunting, protection, war, and even selecting a partner for the consolidation of their clans or tribes. Once sedentary, it required more sophisticated forms of organization to practice agriculture and cattle raising and build their homes, cities, and diverse infrastructure.
However, even though the usefulness of organizing has been evident to humanity, it was not until the 20th century which various thinkers, particularly in the area of psychology, ventured into the deliberation of its design, implementation, as well as the causes and effects that have different organizational structures to use, more than anything, in the business field.
In this way, this work is addressed to those who are insiders and outsiders to organizational innovation who need to know about the various structures that have been adopted throughout history and have a notion of how both the external and internal environment has influenced their development. Its definition.
They are presented in various chapters so that it is known, in an approximate chronologically, what each current of organizational thought consists of, as well as learning the primary authors and their contribution works with discussions of their scope and limitations. Since the organization is an activity that is the product of the habits and customs that prevail in different periods of history, it is expected that the organizational models presented here will continue to evolve; In fact, it stands out that there is no single organizational innovation structure, but that it responds to a series of factors that, as will be discussed in the book, present themselves in various forms, according to the human group that analyzes them and their interests. You will be free to adopt to the best of your ability.

Electronic Business: A Description of its Main Tools

Juan Mejía Trejo — Mon, 07 Aug 2023 00:00:00 +0000

It is a fact that the 21st century showcases new trends in the consumption of goods, products, and services across all generations involved (baby boomers, millennials, Generation X, Generation Z, etc.), thus affecting the way business is conducted. Consequently, the aim of this work is to present to both novices and experts in the field the various concepts, models, and tools available for implementing any transaction by leveraging innovative technologies such as the internet cloud. It is recommended to start by reading Chapters 1 and 2. Once completed, the order of the remaining chapters can be read in any sequence, as the document's design is modular rather than progressive.

Chapter 1 introduces the birth and evolution of the internet, along with the importance and future of conducting electronic business through it, including its implications and impact on consumption habits, economics, etc. The goal is to acquaint the reader with the current internet context for conducting electronic business.

Chapter 2 presents the different concepts the reader needs to understand, such as e-commerce, digital marketing, and electronic business. It defines the business model concept, emphasizing customer value, different types and approaches to electronic business, the role of e-commerce as a driver of activity, and the income it generates. The chapter concludes with the presentation of the electronic business innovation model based on 19 elements proposed in this work.

The fundamental objective is to present the reader with various perspectives and elements that comprise electronic business, enabling its planning, implementation, and future development. At this stage, it is suggested to propose an electronic business plan to incorporate the various tools from the subsequent chapters.

Chapter 3 briefly introduces all the tools available for promoting and capturing customers through digital marketing (e-Marketing) based on:

Website planning and construction
Content Marketing
Online advertising (SEM - Search Engine Marketing)
Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Web Analytics
Blogging
Email Marketing
Social Media
Video
Online Public Relations
Mobile Marketing

Given the breadth and depth of these topics, we recommend exploring the author's work titled "Digital Marketing: A Description of the Tools That Support Strategic Planning of Any Web Campaign," available at: Google Play Books. The objective is for the reader to understand and apply these tools as alternatives to promote their electronic business through digital marketing.

Chapter 4 covers the history and various aspects of e-commerce, such as EDI, XML, e-Procurement, e-Marketplaces, and e-Payment. It also includes tables of the most well-known and recommended software platforms for implementing each of these. The chapter concludes with a simple practice on how to set up an EDI, Shopify, PayPal, and Payoneer account. The goal is for the reader to understand and plan how to implement each of these tools for their electronic business.

Chapter 5 introduces CRM, its characteristics, and basic components, as well as the software platforms recommended by the industry for its implementation. It concludes with a simple practice on how to set up a Zoho account. The goal is to make the reader aware of the capabilities and limitations of this tool in their proposed electronic business implementation.

Chapter 6 teaches the history and evolution of ERP, its characteristics, and basic components, as well as the software platforms recommended by the industry for its installation. It concludes with a simple practice on how to set up an Oracle SAP account. The goal is to make the readers aware of the capabilities and limitations of this tool in their proposed electronic business implementation.

Chapter 7 introduces the history and evolution of SCM, its characteristics, and basic components, as well as the software recommended by the industry for its installation. It concludes with a simple practice on how to set up a Megaventory account. The goal is to make the readers aware of the capabilities and limitations of this tool in their proposed electronic business implementation.

Chapter 8 teaches the history and evolution of e-Procurement, its characteristics, and basic components, as well as the software recommended by the industry for its installation. It concludes with a simple practice on how to set up a Market Dojo account. The goal is to make the readers aware of the capabilities and limitations of this tool in their proposed electronic business implementation.

Chapter 9 teaches the history and evolution of SRM, its characteristics, and basic components, as well as the software recommended by the industry for its installation. It concludes with a simple practice on how to set up a Fishbowl Inventory account. The goal is to make the readers aware of the capabilities and limitations of this tool in their proposed electronic business implementation.

Chapter 10 provides a historical overview of information security (e-Security) in transactions and infrastructure, along with related concepts, different types of threats, viruses and their various forms, factors to consider for a proper security policy, IT Governance, and tables of recommended software platforms at four levels: computer, network, physical, and installation.

Multivariate Statistics. VOLUME II. Interdependent Techniques with SPSS in the Social Sciences

Juan Mejía Trejo — Mon, 24 Jul 2023 00:00:00 +0000

With greater computing capabilities and resource availability today, multivariate analysis is now featured in several software applications, increasing its potential use across various disciplines such as Administrative Sciences. Some of the most widely used software in both academic and professional fields worldwide include the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS, by IBM), Analytics, Business Intelligence and Data Management (SAS, by SAS Institute and/or World Programming), Statistica (by STATISTICA), and the R language (open-source software), to name a few.

Therefore, it is not surprising that in Social Sciences, there is an increasing trend in the publication of reports, articles, book chapters, or books that discuss various theoretical and empirical aspects and their interpretation based on these software applications.

In our case, we adopted IBM SPSS 20 for the development of the topics in this book. Based on this, we present this work with the main objectives:

To present a document that serves both those familiar and unfamiliar with the topic, who need to understand both the concepts addressed in this volume and how to manipulate the various commands offered by IBM SPSS 20 regarding the example problem cases presented.
For a better understanding of case treatments, we follow the sequence proposed by Hair et al. (1999) of the six steps: objectives, design, assumptions, execution, interpretation, and validation, as the axis for presenting and resolving these cases.
The basic development of techniques such as factor analysis, multidimensional analysis, correspondence analysis, and cluster analysis.

The author hopes to contribute to the reader's acquisition of knowledge that can be applied in the practical world and aid in its theoretical interpretation. If this is not the case, it is hoped that at least it will serve as another useful step in achieving their academic and/or professional development.

Rural Michoacan

Thu, 13 Jul 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Rural Michoacan.Economy, Migration, Population, Peasant Society, Regions, Water Resources

Comparative Qualitative Analysis. VOLUME I. Crisp-Set (csQCA) Theory and Practice

Juan Mejía Trejo — Fri, 07 Jul 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Regarding the state of social sciences, as a general basis for the administration of innovation, Sartori (1970) stated:

"...the science is in a poor state, oscillating between two weak extremes: unconscious thought, which is predominant, and overly conscious thought, done by a small minority..."

Calling on scholars to acquire training in basic logic:

"To guide an intermediate course between crude logical mishandling on one side and logical perfectionism (and paralysis) on the other side..."

It was in the late 1980s that Dr. Charles Ragin brought Boolean algebra and set theory to social sciences with his innovative book, The Comparative Method (Ragin, 1987), which deeply describes all components of QCA. Even so, real attention began to surge some years later with his book Fuzzy-Sets Social Science (Ragin, 2000). By now, there are scholars who use configurational comparative methods, given the possibility of formalizing case-oriented analysis, thus providing tools to enhance comparative research. These methods are particularly apt for identifying the minimally necessary and/or minimally sufficient (combinations of) conditions that produce an outcome of interest (i.e., evaluating the causes of effects), with great potential for quantitative applications in fields like engineering (Mendel and Korjani, 2010; Marks, et al., 2018).

Given the advantages offered, recent discussions on configurational comparative methods suggest that regression-based quantitative approaches and QCA are best applied alongside each other (Ragin 2008; Schneider and Wagemann 2010; Rihoux 2006). However, there is a warning for enthusiasts that scholars should not become QCA monomaniacs (Ragin and Rihoux 2004, p. 6).

On the other hand, initial efforts of applying fsQCA in entrepreneurship and innovation, such as the work by Kraus et al., (2017), compile 77 articles published from 2005 to 2016 with keywords: fsQCA, business administration, entrepreneurship, and innovation, revealing a gradual increase in these fields for using fsQCA. Thus, administrative sciences oriented towards innovation can leverage the advancements in social sciences through Dr. Ragin's significant contributions. Consequently, this work comprises eleven chapters, which we briefly describe:

CHAPTER 1. Regression Analysis vs. Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA). This chapter presents how regression works and its use by social researchers oriented towards innovation administration; the most common errors made and the resulting inconveniences for research. This leads to potential errors when assuming hypotheses that, when subjected to QCA, greatly reduce effectiveness. The chapter closes with a description of fsQCA, which allows visualizing its application in innovation administration.

CHAPTER 2. QCA Software and fsQCA Configuration. This chapter enables the reader to understand the scope of the fsQCA software, designed by Dr. Charles Ragin, to learn each function it comprises, from creating and opening a file in different formats to configuring and testing available functions, in twelve practical exercises using the fsQCA software described in detail.

CHAPTER 3. Qualitative Comparative Analysis of Crisp-Set Data (csQCA). This chapter introduces the reader to a type of data very common in csQCA, revealing basic concepts through the use of binary data, Boolean negation, truth tables, groupings, Boolean addition and multiplication, combinatorial logic, main implications, De Morgan's Law, necessary and sufficient causes, and minimization. It addresses concepts about counterfactual cases, the problem of coincident cases, how counterfactual cases compare to QCA, and a contrast with conventional quantitative research. Six exercises using the fsQCA software confirm the use of the main concepts.

GLOSSARY. A glossary of the most commonly used terms in this context is provided.

Technological Future Studies: Definitions Towards a Conceptual Model of Foresight

Juan Mejía Trejo — Wed, 07 Jun 2023 00:00:00 +0000

The management of technology considers it a valuable asset for the firm; thus, it uses auditing, monitoring, and forecasting to detect the value and potential of technology for the benefit of the company. Forecasting activities are currently the focus of the telecommunications industry due to the vast scope, variety, and technological complexity largely driven by Moore's Law: every 18 months, computing power doubles. As a result, companies in the sector suffer significantly from rapid technical obsolescence, coupled with the high demand for technology needed annually to meet their clients' changing needs. How can we grow while replacing and satisfying the services demanded by users in the future? The answer lies in foresight, that is, the study of the probable, possible, and desirable future by imagining it from the future, not the present. The main objective of this work is to propose a technological foresight model for telecommunications companies to support managers' decisions. By evaluating technological threats and opportunities, the firm can timely and rationally anticipate changes in the political, economic, social, technological, organizational, and environmental environment through various scenarios, thus maintaining and increasing its competitive advantage. The result is obtained by explaining the importance that technology management and strategy represent to the firm, contextualizing the importance of technology and telecommunications services, the advantages that foresight represents over other future studies, and how it is practiced through scenarios and cross-impact assessment of different technological alternatives. To achieve the conceptual model, technology models by Twiss (1992) and Preez and Pistorius (1999) are compared and discussed, as well as foresight models by Ackoff (1969), Ozbekhan (1970), and Sachs (1976), concluding with the proposal of the model in the modules: intelligence-surveillance, normative planning, scenario selection, strategy selection, and implementation.

Development of New Products and Services: A Practical Guide for Design and Implementation

Juan Mejía Trejo — Sun, 07 May 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Innovation in today's world is regarded as one of the most valued concepts by industry due to its ability to drive the competitiveness of companies. However, firms frequently forget or assume they already understand consumer perceptions (CP), and the latest technology may not always be the best response to their needs.

Thus, the role of marketing specialists (MS) emerges as a determining factor that intervenes to guide the role of product development engineers (PDE) and support the decisions of senior management (SM) in innovation-oriented products and services (IOPS), which will require an innovation management system to effectively connect them.

This work aims to show interested readers, whether from academic or professional fields, who are starting their innovative project, a systematic and managerial model called DIPSV (Development of Innovation in Products and Services Based on Value). This model will help determine how to detect consumer needs and the procedures needed to create an IOPS proposal that aligns with the business's mission and vision and positively impacts consumer perceptions (CP), considering the market to which the proposal is directed.

Advice 1: Do not go to market if you do not truly understand the needs of your customers that your IOPS satisfies with value (See Chapter 1).

One common mistake entrepreneurs make is not knowing and understanding their competition, so it is vital to identify them and magnify their impact when introducing the IOPS, utilizing different available software resources.

Advice 2: Do not go to market if you do not know the competitors of your IOPS (See Chapter 2).

It is important to recognize that the organization has limitations in financial, human, technological resources, and even environmental constraints (political, economic, social, organizational, environmental, etc.) to meet customer needs. However, it should also define the scopes that various voices will require, such as the voice of the consumer to determine product attributes. Both documentary and field research should be conducted to specify the needs and attributes of the IOPS being designed.

Advice 3: Do not go to market without having listened to all the attribute requirements of the IOPS from your customers (See Chapter 3).

At this point, with the previously identified attributes of the IOPS, take a moment to apply creativity. As a member of the SM, engage your MS and PDE teams to apply various creativity techniques (more than 65 described here) both individually, in groups, and collaboratively, which are supported by different software resources provided in this work.

Advice 4: Do not go to market without designing your IOPS creatively (See Chapter 4).

However, creativity alone does not ensure the success of your IOPS, which at this stage is only an invention. You must ensure, through various innovation techniques, that your IOPS is economically viable. Your IOPS should include a price-value assignment process compared to the competition, customer retention costs, element costs, system costs, organizational costs, marketing costs, etc., and understand at which stage of the innovation diffusion curve it will be in the market (innovators, early adopters, late adopters, and/or laggards) or at which part of the product life cycle curve it will be when entering the market.

Advice 5: Do not go to market unless your IOPS is indeed an innovative proposal (See Chapter 5).

Moreover, as MS_PDE_SM, you should include assessments particularly in two areas: an assessment of what the company expects regarding CP and how our brand should reflect both objectively and subjectively in the design of every IOPS.

Advice 6: Do not go to market without having an idea of what your brand should reflect through the IOPS (See Chapter 6).

An assessment of the company's human, financial, and technological resources and even the environment to determine the feasibility of fulfilling an IOPS worthy of meeting customer needs.

Advice 7: Do not go to market without reviewing if the company can design, manufacture, and/or market the IOPS at an appropriate price-value (See Chapter 7).

The entrepreneur should remember that they are not entirely alone, as various public entities can support potential financing both federally and locally (even the internet is a great option), so it should be considered.

Advice 8: Do not go to market without knowing the financing of your IOPS beforehand through friends, family, and very close friends (family, friends, and fools—not banks) (See Chapter 8).

As a result of the above, the MS_PDE_SM should be able to conduct positioning and risk mappings for strategic decision-making.

Advice 9: Do not go to market without the ability to measure your IOPS's competitive positioning and risk (See Chapter 9).

Every IOPS should consider protection at the brand, patent, utility model, and copyright levels.

Advice 10: Do not go to market without having protection over your IOPS (See Chapter 10).

It is highlighted that the design, manufacturing, and marketing of an IOPS is a cyclical process, as determining the IOPS’s position in the product life cycle requires a cyclical and preventive review of the business plan for updating, review, and determination of a new IOPS cycle.

Advice 11: Do not go to market without a consolidated business plan (See Chapter 11).

Finally, we have the new potentials that artificial intelligence (AI) is bringing, from capturing consumer styles to consumption habits, allowing for more precise characterization through the collection of multiple data, leading to better development of innovative products and services.

Advice 12: Do not go to market without a prototype based on artificial intelligence (See Chapter 12).

Therefore, the content of this work is broken down as follows, based on the explanation of the chapters: Chapter 1. Consumer needs, value, business model, and market detection. Chapter 2. Competitor analysis. Chapter 3. Voice of the consumer in generating IOPS attributes based on their characterization. Chapter 4. Creativity. Chapter 5. Innovation. Chapter 6. Voice of the consumer and marketing in generating IOPS attributes based on brand characterization. Chapter 7. Voice of the firm, requirements, and technology in evaluating IOPS and brand attributes. Chapter 8. Sources of financing and financial analysis for the success of IOPS. Chapter 9. Strategic mapping of IOPS. Chapter 10. Industrial property. Chapter 11. Business plan. Chapter 12. Software platforms for designing IOPS.

Multivariate Statistics. VOLUME I. Dependent Techniques with SPSS in the Social Sciences

Juan Mejía Trejo — Thu, 27 Apr 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Multivariate analysis is present in various software applications, thereby increasing its usability across different disciplines such as Administrative Sciences. Some of the most widely used software in both academic and professional fields worldwide include the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS, by IBM), Analytics, Business Intelligence and Data Management (SAS, by SAS Institute and/or World Programming), Statistica (by STATISTICA), and the R language (open-source software). Given this, it is not surprising that Administrative Sciences support academic development through various postgraduate programs and in the professional world related to Social Sciences. Consequently, there is a growing trend in the publication of reports, articles, book chapters, or books discussing various theoretical and empirical aspects and their interpretation based on these software applications. In our case, we adopt IBM SPSS 20 for the development of the topics in this book.

Based on the above, we present this work with a triple purpose:

To present a document that serves both those familiar and unfamiliar with the topic, who need to understand both the concepts addressed in this volume and how to manipulate the various commands offered by IBM SPSS 20 regarding the example problem cases presented.
For a better understanding of case treatments, we follow the sequence proposed by Hair et al. (1999) of the six steps: objectives, design, assumptions, execution, interpretation, and validation, as the axis for presenting and resolving these cases.
As the Coordinator of the Doctorate in Administrative Sciences at the University Center for Economic and Administrative Sciences (CUCEA) of the University of Guadalajara (UdG), to present the foundational book for the Quantitative Methods I and II courses.

Mobile Apps Without Coding: Key Tools for Creating Them

Juan Mejía Trejo — Fri, 07 Apr 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Mobile applications (Apps), as immediate access software that performs specific tasks for various user requirements (ranging from entertainment to office tasks), are now seen as disruptive innovations with unforeseen consequences yet to be confirmed in various industries such as hospitality, restaurants, or transportation services, among others. It's interesting to highlight that the term "App" has gained such notable popularity that, in 2010, it was listed as the Word of the Year by the American Dialect Society.

There are Apps that reside on fixed devices (web Apps), available on various platforms of proprietary operating systems like Windows and Mac OS, as well as those that reside on mobile devices, such as tablets and smartphones, both Android and iOS (mobile Apps).

This work is thus oriented towards a description and use of the main mobile Apps, aimed primarily at students, professionals, and/or academics interested in understanding the context and opportunities presented by Apps through the knowledge of consumer habits, uses, profiles, etc., both globally, internationally, and specifically in Mexico. Based on the above, it aims to inform about the necessary tools for planning the design and, above all, choosing a platform that allows configuring the required functions without using programming. The book concludes with a description of three portals that provide App templates, such as: AppMakr (now AppyPie), FileMaker (now Claris), and Adiante Apps as some of the most representative.

To achieve the above, this work is divided into: Chapter 1. The context of Apps Chapter 2. Apps and their uses Chapter 3. Developing and configuring an App Chapter 4. Practice with the main App templates

The Dynamic Organizational Structure: A Compendium of Leading Authors

Juan Mejía Trejo — Tue, 21 Mar 2023 00:00:00 +0000

A characteristic of the human condition is its sense of social interrelationship, as there is historical evidence that prehistoric humans grouped and organized themselves to achieve various activities such as hunting, protection, war, and even selecting partners to consolidate their clans or tribes. Once sedentary, they required more sophisticated forms of organization to practice agriculture, engage in livestock activities, and build their homes, cities, and diverse infrastructure.

However, despite humanity's evident understanding of the utility of organization, it was not until the 20th century that various thinkers, particularly from the field of psychology, began to delve into the design, implementation, and causes and effects of various organizational structures, especially in the business realm.

Thus, this work is directed at both those familiar and unfamiliar with organizational innovation who need to understand the various structures that have been adopted throughout history and gain a notion of how both external and internal environments have influenced their definition.

Presented in various chapters, this work offers a chronological overview of each organizational thought movement, introducing the main authors and their contributing works, and discussing their scope and limitations. As organization is an activity resulting from the habits and customs prevailing in different historical periods, it is anticipated that the organizational models presented here will continue to evolve. Indeed, it is emphasized that there is no single organizational innovation structure, but rather, it responds to a series of factors that, as discussed in the book, appear in various forms according to the analyzing human group and their interests, allowing them the freedom to adopt it in all its capacities. This way, eleven chapters are presented, describing:

Chapter 1. TERMS, SCOPE, AND DIMENSIONS addresses the basic concepts of organizational innovation, as well as the essential elements to consider for a proposal of organizational architecture design.

Chapter 2. EVOLUTION OF ORGANIZATIONS. Travels through time, referring to the main authors from biblical times to the present. It mentions the thinkers who shaped various organizational models and structures, their main works, and events to inform the reader about the historical contexts in which they developed, to better understand their characteristics and future projections.

Chapter 3. CLASSICAL ORGANIZATION THEORY. Follows a similar timeline to the well-known management theory, introducing the main promoters of organizational architecture from this period, such as Frederick Winslow Taylor with his concepts of specialization, Henri Fayol with his contribution to organizational departmentalization, and Max Weber, the father of bureaucracy. The various basic organizational structures used today are explained.

Chapter 4. NEOCLASSICAL ORGANIZATION THEORY. This stage lays the groundwork for criticism of classical theory, presenting authors of great significance today for their contributions, such as Chester Barnard, Herbert A. Simon, Philip Selznick, Ernest Dale, and Peter Drucker with their works focused on management characteristics.

Chapter 5. HUMAN RESOURCES THEORY. The human stage where organizational theory offers insights on working conditions, showcasing the achievements of Elton Mayo and his Hawthorne experiment, Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of needs, Douglas McGregor's Theory X and Y workers, Irving Janis's groupthink, and organizational development represented by Kurt Lewin, Richard Beckhard, and Rensis Likert.

Chapter 6. MOTIVATION THEORIES FOR ORGANIZATION. This section is one of the broadest, providing a historical account of how motivations are perceived as the main element for organizational performance. It discusses how even self-motivation can be incentivized to improve working conditions. The works of Victor Vroom's expectancy theory, Edwin Locke's goal-setting theory, Albert Bandura's self-efficacy theory, Robert Yerkes and John Dodson's optimal arousal theory, John Stacy Adams's equity theory, Solomon Asch's conformity theory, and Peter Drucker's management by objectives are considered.

It also includes irrational factors of motivation based on the theory of needs: Clayton Alderfer's ERG theory, David McClelland and John Atkinson, and Edwin Locke's goal-setting theory or Clark Hull's homeostatic theory.

External factors of motivation are also considered, explaining job design theories with references to Frederick Herzberg's two-factor theory, Richard Hackman's job characteristics model, B.F. Skinner's reinforcement theory, and the path-goal theory.

Finally, it concludes with considerations of financial and social factors such as money, illness, and age for both employees and managers.

Chapter 7. STRUCTURAL ORGANIZATION THEORY. Different structural approaches are addressed, such as Tom Burns and George Stalker's mechanistic/organic theory, Joan Woodward's technological complexity theory, Paul Lawrence and Jay Lorsch's contingency theory, Henry Mintzberg's strategic planning theory, Ludwig von Bertalanffy's systems theory, Norbert Wiener's cybernetic theory, Daniel Katz and Robert Kahn's reinforcement, Paul Hersey and Ken Blanchard's situational theory, Fred Fiedler's contingency or leadership effectiveness theory, Ronald Coase's organizational economics theory, Michel Jensen and William Meckling's agency theory, W. Edwards Deming and Joseph Juran's quality theory, concluding with Eric Trist and Ken Bamforth's sociotechnical systems theory.

Chapter 8. POWER AND POLITICS THEORY IN ORGANIZATIONS. Approaches public organizations and how the effect of politics and power also reflects in private enterprises. The works of Rosabeth Moss Kanter, Jeffery Pfeffer, Karl Weick, and Edgar Schein are presented and discussed.

Chapter 9. ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE REFORM MOVEMENTS. Presents the works of William Ouchi with his theory of seeking excellence, James March and Johan Olsen, as well as Peter Senge and Chris Argyris contributing to the theory of learning organizations, and finally Hammer and Champy's reengineering theory.

Chapter 10. MANAGEMENT AND LEADERSHIP IN ORGANIZATION. Leadership is considered a key success factor driving organizations, thus presenting and discussing the works of John Kotter and his book "Leadership and Change," James Kouzes and Barry Zaner Posner's management and leadership theory, Robert Tannenbaum and Warren Schmidt's management behavior continuum, Paul Hersey and Ken Blanchard's situational leadership theory, Gilbert Wayne Fairholm's values-based leadership theory, Verner Petersen's bureaucratic values-based leadership, and David Cooperrider's appreciative inquiry theory.

Chapter 11. POSTMODERNISM AND THE INFORMATION AGE IN ORGANIZATION. Information technologies in the 21st century are considered determinants in organizational development, thus taking into account the works of Shoshana Zuboff, Janet Fulk, Richard M. Burton, and Borge Obel, as well as Stewart Clegg.

Finally, four of the most innovative 21st-century organizational theories are described: Zygmunt Bauman's liquid organization theory, Benoit Mandelbrot and Hans-Jürgen Warnecke's fractal organization theory, Edward Lorenz's chaos theory, and Salim Ismail's exponential organization theory.

Ultimately, it is confirmed that the objective is not to delve deeply into each of the mentioned authors' organizational innovation theories and their impact but rather to present what they are and how they have contributed to motivate the reader to delve deeper into those that are most useful in their professional development.

Supply Chain Fundamentals: Theory and Practice

Juan Mejía Trejo — Tue, 07 Mar 2023 00:00:00 +0000

The present work, titled: Fundamentals of Supply Chain, Theory and Applications, is aimed at the general public interested in understanding the principles that govern this vital activity in commercial operations, both locally and globally. To achieve this, the work is divided into chapters.

Chapter 1 describes the basic concepts to be discussed, as well as the history and importance of the supply chain in our current times, considering the global environment of recent years, including the chip war, the Russia-Ukraine war, and the strategic role played by countries like Mexico. The chapter concludes with a description of the potential future of the supply chain due to the new normal and emerging technologies such as IoT and AI, among others. The scope of the book is established in the fields of inventory, warehouse control, transportation methods, design, demand calculation, and pricing of supply chains, as well as the importance of information technologies.

Chapter 2 provides a description of inventories, how they are controlled, how their demand is calculated and replenished. Exercises are included for better understanding.

Chapter 3 explains the types of warehouses that exist, how outbound flows are managed, what identification codes are, RFID standards and support technologies, storage cycles, types of storage racks, warehouse management systems, and their costs. It concludes with application exercises.

Chapter 4 describes the means of transportation, the types that exist, and their selection criteria. It concludes with detailed application exercises based on Excel Solver.

Chapter 5 offers the reader an understanding of what supply chain networks are and how they are designed, their characteristics by network type, and how they are selected. It also concludes with detailed application exercises based on Excel Solver.

Chapter 6 describes demand forecasts and their calculation types, both qualitative and quantitative. It explains what forecast errors are and how they affect trends and seasonality. Calculation exercises are included for comprehension.

Chapter 7, building on the knowledge acquired, explains how to set prices in the supply chain, both by revenue in multiple customer segments and by capacity allocation within those segments. Calculation exercises are provided throughout the chapter for better understanding.

Chapter 8 describes the importance of information and communication technologies in the supply chain. It recommends the 10 most recognized software platforms and includes a final practical application using Megaventory software, one of the most representative.

Chapter 9 references another complementary modality to the supply chain, e-Procurement, describing its history and operation as well as the 5 most popular software platforms. A practice exercise is offered to appreciate how it works with the Market Dojo application software.

Finally, Chapter 10 allows us to corroborate other types of software applications that are now more focused on the supplier’s perspective. The 5 most popular software tools are described. A practice exercise is provided to appreciate how it works with Fishbowl Inventory application software.

Social Impact Evaluation. VOLUME II. Use of STATA with Methods: Instrumental Variable Estimation and Regression Discontinuity

Juan Mejía Trejo — Fri, 24 Feb 2023 00:00:00 +0000

In the business and industrial world, the design and implementation of projects usually consider the economic, financial, and even political or environmental impact when introducing innovations. However, in the first twenty years of the 21st century, various events have demonstrated that the evaluation of social impact in generating well-being is of vital importance. In fact, in the times of the new normal expected in the post-COVID-19 era, this becomes particularly relevant since all policies and actions issued by companies and governments must have the necessary approval of a social impact evaluation for the introduction of innovations.

For this reason, this work is a continuation of Volume I and is aimed at describing to both insiders and outsiders what social impact is, its characteristics, conditions, and implications, the main methods used to calculate it, as well as the opportunities that loom in the post-COVID-19 era, which demands that the resources and actions of innovation design and implementation reflect high standards of social impact that promote well-being, particularly in emerging countries.

To achieve this, this work is divided into a collection of two volumes, with Volume II covering:

Chapter 6. Instrumental Variable Estimation (IV). This chapter introduces the reader to the types of estimations, the two-stage least squares approach, what imperfect compliance and weak instruments mean in the estimates, the marginal treatment effect, and the significance of random promotion in the technique. The chapter concludes with the scope and limitations, as well as an application example in STATA.

Chapter 7. Regression Discontinuity (RD). This chapter is designed to present the theory of regression discontinuity, both sharp and fuzzy, the steps involved in its application, possible variations, the verification of the design's validity, the advantages and disadvantages of the technique, comparisons with other methods (pipeline), limitations and scope of the technique, and a checklist. An example using STATA is included.

Chapter 8. Choosing the Method to Use. Given the variety of techniques available, this chapter is designed to help the reader identify the most appropriate one by explaining the importance of determining comparison groups, the implications of prospective studies, how to create a comparison group, and the identification and prioritization of beneficiaries. This serves as a basis for comparing and supporting impact evaluation methods, determining the minimum intervention unit, and how to achieve and avoid implementation difficulties. Considering human intervention, the chapter discusses how behavior and its unintended effects intervene, the imperfection of compliance, indirect or spillover effects, and sample attrition. Design suggestions are provided, as well as considering the effects and their persistence over time. The possibility of combining various treatment options in impact evaluation at different treatment levels and adapting the evaluation of multiple interventions is also explained.

Chapter 9. Sample Selection and Data Collection Design. To support a project prospectus, this chapter provides elements for determining the sample using the most well-known sampling methods, the calculation of sample power, and the treatment vs. comparison groups. Potential errors to avoid are cited, what statistical power is and how to calculate it is defined, the meaning of clusters related to random assignment, recommendations for data collection, and how to make them indicators that measure.

Chapter 10. Project Management Guidelines for Impact Evaluation. This chapter highlights the importance of innovation projects in social impact, how society becomes more involved and participatory in the stages of innovation projects, specifies the company's social commitment, and generally outlines the UN's sustainable development goals and community capital. With this reference, the components of the impact evaluation management team are specified, suggesting how to establish collaborations and determine both a timeline and a budget for an impact evaluation project management.

Chapter 11. Social Impact Evaluation in the Post-COVID-19 Era. Finally, the work concludes with a general description of the COVID-19 phenomenon worldwide and its economic impact, international trade, and the internet. For Latin America and the Caribbean, the opportunities for social impact evaluation in the introduction of innovations in health, education, employment, poverty, and SMEs are described. The chapter concludes with a report on the post-COVID-19 world, the social impact of COVID-19 in Mexico, and the operational structure and strategies in response to COVID-19, which form the basis for introducing social impact evaluation in the introduction of innovations in the post-COVID-19 era.

Social Impact Evaluation. VOLUME I. Use of STATA with Methods: Causal Inference, Randomization, Propensity Score Matching, and Double-Difference

Juan Mejía Trejo — Mon, 20 Feb 2023 00:00:00 +0000

In the business and industrial world, the design and implementation of projects usually consider economic, financial, and even political or environmental impacts when introducing innovations. However, in the first twenty years of the 21st century, various events have demonstrated that the evaluation of social impact in generating well-being is of vital importance.

In fact, in the times of the new normal expected in the post-COVID-19 era, this becomes particularly relevant since all policies and actions issued by companies and governments must have the necessary approval of a social impact evaluation for the introduction of innovations.

For this reason, this work is aimed at describing to both insiders and outsiders what social impact is, its characteristics, conditions, and implications, the main methods used to calculate it, as well as the opportunities that loom in the post-COVID-19 era, which demands that the resources and actions of innovation design and implementation reflect high standards of social impact that promote well-being, particularly in emerging countries.

To achieve this, this work is divided into a collection of two volumes, with Volume I covering:

Chapter 1. Basic Concepts. This chapter is aimed at explaining what social impacts are, the reasons for evaluating them, the differentiation between monitoring vs. evaluation, the indicators of both, what result-based monitoring implies, and its configuration. This allows for a better definition of what impact evaluations are, their relationship as efficacy and effectiveness studies, the implications of operational evaluation as well as their qualitative and quantitative impact characteristics, and the reference point at which the impact evaluation is required, whether prospective or retrospective. Conducting any social impact evaluation for the introduction of innovations requires recognizing the treatment and control groups, which needs to solve the problem of how to determine the counterfactual group; with and without comparisons, as well as its relationship with bias. A case description is provided, explaining selection bias in an ex-post scenario and detailing the accompanying characteristics such as process and project evaluations, the importance of cost-benefit and cost-effectiveness analysis, and the ethics in social impact evaluation in the introduction of innovations.

Chapter 2. Preparation, Causal Inference, and Counterfactuals. Given the preparation of the treatment and control groups, this chapter is designed to consider the steps that serve to construct counterfactual scenarios that enable the groups to explain the construction of a theory of change, the links in a results chain, the techniques that facilitate the specification of evaluation questions, the selection of outcome and performance indicators, and creating a data-based checklist for the indicators. This equips the researcher to conduct causal inference, describe, and estimate counterfactuals, through two case studies that close the chapter.

Chapter 3. Randomization. From this chapter through Chapter 7, different techniques based on STATA 14 software are introduced, so it is recommended to start with the Appendix: Introduction to STATA if you are not familiar with the software. Chapter 3 will allow the reader to understand the characteristics of random assignment, the advantages and disadvantages of its use, the recommended conditions for its application, ethical implications, the different randomization methods that exist, checklists for carrying it out, and an example with STATA for comprehension.

Chapter 4. Propensity Score Matching (PSM). This chapter explains to the more diligent reader what this technique is and does, the assumptions and rules that must be met for its application, steps to achieve it, as well as the use of complementary techniques. Its advantages and disadvantages are debated, and it is completed with a STATA example to verify its comprehension and use.

Chapter 5. Difference-in-Differences (DiD). This chapter is designed to explain what the method is, how it is used, what happens in it through the use of a fixed effects panel, how to implement it, advantages and disadvantages, its utility, trends, alternative models, the possibility of combining it with PSM, adjustments, limitations, concluding with a STATA example to verify its comprehension and use.

Dispute over Natural Resources: Militarization and Armed Forces in Mexico

Aleida Azamar-Alonso — Tue, 07 Feb 2023 00:00:00 +0000

In the 1980s, Latin America began transitioning from military governments to representative democracies in 15 countries. This process, though diverse in its execution, did not eliminate military influence, which remains evident in many areas of governance.

The persistent violence in the region has led several countries to militarize public security, using military forces to confront organized crime, which has surpassed the capacity of police forces. This process of militarization has weakened democratic institutions and exacerbated violence, complicating the consolidation of democracy.

The economic crisis of the 1980s and globalization created new opportunities for organized crime, increasing violence and cooperation between these groups and security forces. In countries like Mexico, the "war on drugs" has exemplified how militarization, rather than reducing violence, has intensified the conflict.

In summary, the militarization of public security in Latin America has been a response to growing violence, but it has had the effect of undermining democratic progress in the region.

Convergence of Knowledge and Social Innovation

Carlos Omar Aguilar-Navarro, Juan Mejía-Trejo — Fri, 30 Dec 2022 00:00:00 +0000

This book integrates the results of a 2022 frontier science project entitled "Convergence of knowledge and social innovation as factors in the development of CONACYT's public technological research centers in achieving social impact in Mexico," under the direction of Dr. Carlos Aguilar, a researcher at the Research and Technology Assistance Center of the State of Jalisco. Dr. Aguilar has focused on studying the relationship between knowledge and social innovation, specifically in Public Research Centers.

Innovation and markets generate inequalities and tensions in society. Given this atmosphere, it is necessary to reevaluate the dynamics of innovation and markets in society.

It is estimated that the COVID-19 pandemic globally will force over 250 million people into poverty, demonstrating the need to propose strategies to address poverty-related issues. One of these strategies is addressing the issue of social impact in a Public Research Center of the National Council of Science and Technology (CONACYT) with an applied orientation. What would happen if a Research Center oriented towards CONACYT application, in addition to proposing innovative technological solutions, developed equitable, low-cost technology for disadvantaged sectors of a community, based on social principles and practices?

This is one of the reasons why the book was developed based on the convergence of knowledge and social innovation; where these approaches are essential in the post-COVID-19 era. The concept of social impact is new and therefore has a long way to go, especially in Mexico and in Public Research Centers with an applied orientation. Since it is a topic that has only been around for a few years, achieving understanding requires solid frontier science with stable norms accepted by a scientific community.

At this point, the book aims to be a tool for reflection for a Public Research Center with an applied orientation, but also a reference point for all those interested in technological social impact. The book is divided into 10 chapters, designed in an inverted triangle form from normative and public policy aspects to specific cases, following the reflection process of the contributors.

The first chapter aims to establish common criteria and reference frameworks regarding social impact and technological production; the second chapter reflects on the challenges faced by an agricultural population in accessing knowledge, innovations, and technology to improve their processes. The third chapter describes the measures for preventing health risks caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The fourth chapter reflects on how the High-Impact Social Innovation Center of the State of Jalisco (CISAI) has collaborated with the Center for Applied Chemistry Research (CIQA) on the social and scientific aspects of hemodialysis. The fifth chapter presents some proposals for the social appropriation of knowledge generated in the CONACYT Public Centers System. The sixth chapter analyzes the convergence of knowledge and social innovation as factors in economic development in the Metropolitan Zone of Puerto Vallarta (ZMPV), providing a description of the circular economy project under inclusive business models and economic, social, and environmental sustainability schemes, using quito-sano as a biopesticide in watermelon crops in ZMPV. The seventh chapter analyzes how existing educational paradigms have been modified by the COVID-19 pandemic, so Public Research Centers and Universities must strengthen their collaboration to promote competitiveness and economic and social growth.

Chapter eight contextualizes the collective construction of knowledge so that technology transfer occurs through horizontal approaches in innovation models, based on the generation of horizontal networks for the exchange of knowledge and experiences (RHICE) where users participate not only in the technology reception process but also in problem diagnosis, proposal generation, and application and sustainability. The ninth chapter informs how, through corporate social responsibility, CIAD AC has implemented a social responsibility management scheme as an inclusive business model in agricultural companies. In the tenth chapter, a hypothetical model is described in which a Public Research Center with an applied orientation uses the social network Reddit to allow users to access information about technological developments and, thus, disseminate knowledge.

The book presents academic criteria and reference frameworks, where it was not easy to identify proposals. In this way, it is a first step to propose structures and ideas that contribute to the debate and allow agreements to be reached on social impact issues, thus progressing in the knowledge of cutting-edge science. As an unplanned result, a network of researchers interested in the issue of social impact in a Research Center with an applied orientation of CONACYT was created, where the network seeks to learn and progress on the issue, and to awaken interest in postgraduate students.

The book is a first step on the path, which seeks to return to society the work demanded by the design and execution of the project. The next step will be to discuss indicators and best practices for Public Research Centers with an applied orientation, in order to continue learning and shaping criteria and methodology regarding the subject. Likewise, in the short term, criteria will be proposed for the identification and selection of equitable low-cost technologies, as well as tools for their transfer and measurement.

Finally, this book, in addition to opening a perspective for reflection and analysis of social innovation, contributes to the dissemination of knowledge and science in the country.

Lithium in Latin America. Global demand against socio-environmental damage

Aleida Azamar-Alonso — Sat, 30 Apr 2022 00:00:00 +0000

The objective of this work is to analyze the situation of lithium in six Latin American countries: Mexico, Bolivia, Peru, Chile, Argentina, and Brazil, as well as the importance of this mineral for the processes of modern energy transition. The relevance of the book stems from the need to situate the process of energy transition and lithium extraction in Latin America from a regional perspective that helps identify the problems and conditions of each country from the viewpoint of local actors, as this work results from the collaboration of a group of experts in analyzing the situation of this mineral.
We consider it essential to understand the short-term productive relevance of this resource for our region, especially in a context of great productive and economic competition at an international level. These aspects far exceed the supposed interest in an energy transition seeking social and environmental well-being.
The document is composed of three sections. It begins with a chapter that analyzes the global situation of energy transition and the role of minerals in this process in the current context in Latin America in light of the global dispute over lithium due to its relative importance. It is necessary to comment on how this situation has led to socio-environmental costs in the nations of the Global South, as they possess a significant amount of the economic resources necessary for this change, although this transition only focuses on paving the way for green capitalism that does not care about socio-environmental impacts and effects but rather about the large profits that extractive companies can obtain from the intensive exploitation of these resources.
Next, the book contains two sections, the first presenting the cases of countries still in the process of lithium exploration (Mexico and Bolivia), and the second addressing those already in exploitation and/or operation (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Peru). The intention is to show how the path Mexico and Bolivia wish to follow is similar to what has been done by Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Peru, how they have relaxed their laws, norms, and others to allow the entry of various companies in lithium exploitation; likewise, it is essential to mention and demonstrate through data the environmental, social, and economic consequences this generates. It suffices to observe what has happened in Chile and Argentina regarding the extensive use of water and how this increasingly affects communities; also in the case of Brazil and Peru, various socio-environmental conflicts have arisen due to metallic mining, so it is very likely that this will happen in places where lithium is extracted, as most are indigenous and native communities that have been vulnerable in different ways. The contents of the chapters are mentioned below.
In the first chapter, "The Myth of Energy Transition and the Importance of Lithium," written by Aleida Azamar Alonso, the conceptual and practical aspects that allow identifying the process of energy transition and how it was established in the world as part of a strategy to strengthen productive processes in the face of the threat of energy scarcity are discussed.
Thus, the author reviews global energy consumption models and the distinctions made to ensure North America and Europe's economic and productive competitiveness. Similarly, in this work, the author highlights the vital role that Latin America begins to have in the so-called energy transition, as they have a high amount of lithium deposits in their territories, a material that becomes relevant due to its functional characteristics for the development of long-lasting batteries suitable for vehicles, computers, among others. The text contrasts this issue with the fundamental role of lithium in the dynamic of energy transition proposed by the World Bank for the next 30 years. In the second chapter, "The Supposed Abundance of Lithium in Mexico," prepared by Aleida Azamar Alonso, the industrial processes of lithium extraction in Mexico are analyzed in the framework of the discussion on the nationalization of this material, a topic promoted by the current president of the country. For this, the author conducts a historical review of the use of this resource in Mexico during the present century, the public and private efforts to appropriate it, and the conditions in which activities associated with this mineral are found.
Furthermore, in this chapter, Azamar Alonso addresses the general characteristics of lithium and those that differentiate the deposits found in Mexico, which allows her to study the conditions and scenario of the use of this mineral in the country and the relevance of foreign private actors for its exploitation. Additionally, the Mexican government's media strategy addressing the issue of resource nationalization is discussed, emphasizing the challenges and problems of an extractive project carried out by it.
In the third chapter, "Lithium in Bolivia: Background, Challenges, and Inconsistencies," by Jorge Antonio Campanini Tejerina, an interesting reflection on the challenges and implications of developing a national project for the exploitation and use of lithium in Bolivia is made in the face of the restrictions, technological limitations, and practices imposed by the private sector on this market to limit the development of such projects, reflecting on the inconsistencies in which government management has fallen to carry out this project.
The author presents the chapter's objective as the contextualization of lithium at a global level and, particularly, the path Bolivia has taken to industrialize it. For this, he exposes the global motives regarding the growing demand and its perspectives, to then make a retrospection on the background and processes that Bolivia has faced to develop its project, including the debate on reserves and resources; thus, he explains the risks and events that have marked the advancement of the Bolivian strategy on recent policies, paradigm shifts, and implications around lithium extraction.
In the fourth chapter, "Accumulation by De-fossilization, False Energy Transition Agenda. Twenty-five years of lithium exploitation in Argentina," prepared by the Geopolitics and Common Goods Study Group (GyBC), a detailed analysis of the extractive conditions of lithium in the South of the continent is presented, contrasting with the exploitation process itself in Argentina based on an explanation of how this sector, with 25 years of work in the country, has not had a positive impact on a fair socio-ecological transition; that is, it has not benefited the population.
This chapter aims to reveal the dynamics hidden behind the discourses on promises of sustainable development and fantasies of unimaginable wealth through lithium. For this, the GyBC proposes to establish the category of "accumulation by de-fossilization," a concept collected in the analysis of the country's extractive situation. The existing legal framework and the participation in the global value chain of batteries and their socio-environmental impacts are also discussed.
In the fifth chapter, "Debates and Confrontations: History and Policies of Lithium Exploitation in Brazil" by Elaine Santos, the author makes an interesting historical reflection on the process of using lithium in this country, as well as the conflicts Brazil had with the United States in attempting to strengthen its local capabilities for the transformation of this resource and obtain products with more excellent added value. Additionally, the industrial situation of this resource in Brazil is updated to the present, and its relevance for the future is also mentioned. This chapter aims to debate how Brazil and the industries exploiting lithium in the region of Minas Gerais develop their strategies in a chain driven by the increase in lithium consumption for batteries, also mentioning the impacts of this exploitation on the communities in the region. The author collected part of the information through interviews with some actors leading the public debate on this topic in the State of Minas Gerais.
In the sixth chapter, "Lithium Mining in the Salar de Atacama: Extractivism and Dispossession in the Name of a Distant Transition" by Ramón Balcázar Morales, the author describes the context of lithium mining already consolidated in Chile for decades, in a scenario of political tension due to the election of the new president, who has openly discussed the possibility of modifying the mining regime in favor of a higher level of social justice, all in the environment of a new international tender for a large deposit in a territory marked by conflict with local indigenous communities. The author aims to contribute to the understanding of the conditions explaining the expansion of lithium extractivist in the Salar de Atacama in a global crisis context marked by climate change and the growing questions posed by Indigenous organizations, socio-environmental movements, academics, and politicians. To do this, the work focuses on the tender of 400,000 tons of this mineral, undertaken by the outgoing government of Sebastián Piñera, addressing the historical progress of lithium mining in the country and the negative socio-environmental effects it has had on the population.
In the seventh chapter, "Lithium in Peru: Promises of Abundance" by Fabiola Escárzaga and Roxana Loarte Villalobos, the characteristics of the lithium deposits in the Puno Region are analyzed, as well as the political strategies of local governments to promote these mining projects based on promises of industrialization and wealth despite being in the hands of foreign companies under a productive regime that allows them to minimize their social investment to the maximum, generating socio-environmental conflicts. To do this, the authors analyze the difficulties presented in Peru to concretize technical, political, and social lithium exploitation. Thus, they first address mining legislation and the policies established by neoliberal governments in favor of large foreign-owned mining, initiated in the 1990s and still in force. They also discuss the characteristics of the deposits in the country and how they differ from the rest of the region due to the content of uranium in combination with lithium, complicating the process.

To conclude this introduction, it is worth mentioning that we believe this book will serve as a turning point to spark greater debates and questions about how we conceive lithium and the supposed energy transition, who uses this resource, where it is found, what it is used for now and in the near future, who benefits from this mineral, how necessary and important it is for populations, what impacts its extraction and/or exploitation is leaving in different regions, and what role states play with the various policies and/or legislative proposals they have developed over the past decades on this issue. Therefore, we invite you to read this work, to reflect and question with various elements what is happening in our America.

Finally, it only remains to thank the great work, dedication, and collaboration of all the authors from different parts of Latin America who participated in this book, as well as the trust in this project by the Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources (Semarnat) and the Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, Xochimilco Unit (UAM-X).

Social Impact Evaluation in Innovation Projects via STATA, Methods

Juan Mejía-Trejo — Thu, 30 Dec 2021 00:00:00 +0000

In the business and industrial world, the design and implementation of projects typically take into account the economic, financial, and even political or environmental impact when introducing innovations. However, in the first two decades of the 21st century, various events have demonstrated that social impact assessment in generating well-being is of vital importance.

In fact, in the times of the new normalcy anticipated as the Post-COVID-19 era, this becomes particularly relevant since all policies and actions issued by companies and governments must have the necessary endorsement of a social impact assessment for the introduction of innovations.

For this reason, the work: "Social Impact Assessment in Innovation Projects Via STATA. Methods: Instrumental Variable Estimation, Regression Discontinuity, Choice of Method to Use VOLUME II," is aimed at describing both to those familiar and unfamiliar with the subject, what social impact is, its characteristics, conditions, and implications, the main methods used to calculate it, as well as the opportunities that emerge in the Post-COVID-19 era, demanding that the resources and actions of innovation to be designed and implemented reflect high standards of social impact to promote well-being, particularly in emerging countries.

To achieve this, this work is divided into a collection of two volumes, corresponding to Volume II:

Chapter 6. Instrumental Variable Estimation (IV). In this chapter, the reader is briefed on the types of estimations, the two-stage least squares approach, what imperfect compliance entails, and weak instruments in estimates, marginal treatment effect significance, and random promotion in the technique, a checklist. The chapter closes with the scope and limitations, as well as an application example in STATA.

Chapter 7. Regression Discontinuity (RD). This chapter is designed to present the theory of discontinuity regression, both sharp and fuzzy, the steps involved in its application, possible variations, verifying the validity of the design, advantages and disadvantages of the technique, comparisons with others (pipeline), limitations, and scope of the technique, a checklist. An example using STATA is included.

Chapter 8. Choice of Method to Use. Given the variety of techniques to be used and to help the reader identify the most suitable one, this chapter is designed to explain the importance of determining comparison groups, the implication of what is prospective, and how to create a comparison group, identifying beneficiaries and prioritizing them. This serves as a basis for comparing and supporting impact evaluation methods, meaning determining the minimum unit of intervention, how to achieve it, and avoid implementation difficulties. Given human intervention, it is perceived how behavior intervenes and its unintended effects, imperfect compliance, indirect or spillover effects, and sample attrition. Design suggestions are provided as well as taking into account effects and their persistence over time. Likewise, the possibility of combining various treatment options in impact evaluation at different levels of treatment is explained, as well as adapting to multiple intervention evaluations.

Chapter 9. Sample Selection and Data Collection Design. In order to support a project prospect, the elements are provided here to determine the sample from the most well-known sampling methods, which involves calculating sample power as well as treatment vs. comparison groups. Potential errors to be avoided are cited, defining what statistical power is and how to calculate it, the meaning of clusters related to random assignment, recommendations for collecting data and making them measurable.

Chapter 10. Project Management Guidelines for Impact Evaluation. In this chapter, the importance of innovation projects in social impact is highlighted, how society becomes more involved and participatory in innovation project stages, the specification of the company and its social commitment, and in general, UN Sustainable Development Goals and community capital. With this as a reference, the components of the impact evaluation management team are specified, suggesting how to establish collaborations and determining both a schedule and a budget for an impact evaluation project management project.

Chapter 11. Social Impact Assessment in the Post-COVID-19 Era. Finally, the work concludes with an overview of the COVID-19 phenomenon globally as well as its economic impact, international trade, and the internet. For Latin America and the Caribbean, opportunities for social impact assessment in the introduction of innovations in health, education, employment, poverty, and SMEs are described. It concludes with a report on the global post-COVID-19 future, the social impact of COVID-19 in Mexico, as well as the operational structure and strategies against COVID-19, which form the basis for the introduction of social impact assessment in the introduction of innovations in the Post-COVID-19 era.

VOLUME II. Fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA) and its Relationship with Innovation

Juan Mejía-Trejo — Thu, 30 Dec 2021 00:00:00 +0000

The present document is a continuation of the work "Crisp-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (csQCA) and its relationship with Innovation: Discussion and Interpretation of Results." Its objective is to introduce researchers to the concepts and applications involved in Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA) with fuzzy-set data (fsQCA) through demonstrations of its use with various examples in innovation management.

Since the late 1980s, its precursor, Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA), has been at the forefront of social science methodology because it is based on a set of established relationships and objectives for discovering sufficient and necessary conditions.

It should be noted that the original Boolean version of QCA is commonly referred to as csQCA, where cs (crisp-sets) denotes a crisp data set. The version that allows the use of multiple-category conditions is known as mvQCA, where mv (multi-value) describes the multi-value, and for the version fsQCA, where fs (fuzzy-set) describes the fuzzy data set. The objective of QCA analysis, in general, is to account for a particular outcome, as opposed to regression-based analyses, which generally aim to be foundational tools for explaining the effects of causes (Wagemann and Schneider, 2010).

Regarding the state of social sciences as a general basis for innovation management, Sartori (1970) stated:

"...there is a deplorable state of science... oscillating between two flimsy extremes: unconscious thinking, which the overwhelming majority does, and overly conscious thinking, done by a small minority..."

Calling on scholars to acquire training in primary logic:

"...to guide a course between crude logical mismanagement on one side, and logical perfectionism (and paralysis) on the other..."

It was in the late 1980s when Dr. Charles Ragin brought Boolean algebra and set theory to the social sciences with his groundbreaking book "The Comparative Method" (Ragin, 1987), which describes in depth all components of QCA. Even so, the real stimulus in attention began a few years later, with the book "Fuzzy-sets Social Science" (Ragin, 2000). Now, there are already academics using configurational comparative methods, given the possibility of formalizing case-oriented analysis and thus providing tools to improve comparative research. These methods are particularly suitable for identifying the minimally necessary and/or minimally sufficient (combinations of) conditions that produce an outcome of interest (i.e., evaluating the causes of effects), with great potential for quantitative applications such as in engineering (Mendel and Korjani, 2010; Marks, et al., 2018).

Given the advantages offered, in recent discussions on configurational comparative methods, scholars argue that quantitative approaches based on regressions vs. QCA are best applied together (Ragin, 2008; Schneider and Wagemann 2010; Rihoux, 2006). However, there is a warning for enthusiasts that academics should not become monomaniacal about QCA (Ragin and Rihoux 2004, p. 6).

On the other hand, there are early efforts in the application of fsQCA in the field of entrepreneurship and innovation, such as the work of Kraus (et al., 2017), which compiles 77 articles published from 2005 to 2016 with the keywords: fsQCA, business management, entrepreneurship, and innovation, revealing a gradual increase in these fields for the use of fsQCA. Thus, innovation-oriented management sciences have the opportunity to leverage what has been achieved in social sciences through the significant contributions of Dr. Ragin. Therefore, the present work is composed of eleven chapters, which we briefly describe:

CHAPTER 4. Fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA). This chapter introduces the reader to a very special type of data, the fuzzy type, using the fsQCA software. It reveals basic concepts of its use through the knowledge of its nature, the possibility of using it by levels and continuously. Operations of the fuzzy data set are presented, such as Boolean negation, conjunction (logical AND), and union (logical OR). It includes models and methods of calibration, analysis of necessary and sufficient conditions, and consistency, how to create truth tables and analyze the corners of vector space. Fourteen exercises demonstrate the use of the fsQCA software, confirming the use of the main concepts.

CHAPTER 5. Evaluation of the fsQCA data set. This chapter describes the importance of what is known as INUS and SUIN conditions, as well as consistency and coverage in general. The manual development of five cases confirms the use of the main concepts.

CHAPTER 6. Calibration and its importance in fsQCA. This chapter opens a debate on the implications of calibration before starting measurements in scope and context, the pros and cons of using indicators by quantitative research, the relation of SEM vs. fsQCA, qualitative research, and the need for calibration, direct and indirect methods of calibration. The manual development of four cases confirms the use of the main concepts.

CHAPTER 7. Configurational thinking in fsQCA. This chapter demonstrates the importance of configurational thinking from both qualitative and quantitative perspectives. It discusses the evaluation of the degree of membership in a configuration as well as the comparison of causal pathways.

CHAPTER 8. Net effects in fsQCA. The chapter describes what should be understood by net effects, the problems associated with it, proposes a shift in focus to types of cases, presents a comparison of fuzzy data cases, and the analysis of configurations.

CHAPTER 9. Net effects vs. Configurations in fsQCA. Through two hypothetical cases, the study is conducted, and each of the concepts is developed, explaining their results by comparison, in order to understand the nature of net effects versus configurational effects by fsQCA.

CHAPTER 10. Guide to csQCA analysis. With crisp data, from an innovation case, a quick and visual guide is offered to the reader through screenshots and 8 exercises, explaining how to solve a case by performing: analysis of necessary conditions, representing data in the truth table, identifying contradictory and logical remainders, sufficiency analysis, truth table minimization for occurrence and non-occurrence of the phenomenon, and interpretation of results.

CHAPTER 11. Guide to fsQCA analysis. With fuzzy data, from an innovation case, a quick and visual guide is offered to the reader through screenshots and 9 exercises, explaining how to solve a case by performing: access to the working file, analysis of necessary conditions with the occurrence of the phenomenon and its reports, interpretation of coverage, generation of the truth table, application of the Standard Analyses option, interpretation of generated solutions, generation of the truth table with non-occurrence of the phenomenon, analysis of main implications, and case interpretation.

GLOSSARY. A glossary of the most commonly used terms in the subject is presented.

VOLUME I. Crisp-Set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (csQCA) and Its Relation to Innovation

Juan Mejía-Trejo — Wed, 30 Jun 2021 00:00:00 +0000

ChatGPT

The objective of this work is to introduce the reader to the basic concepts of using Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA) with crisp-set data (csQCA) through demonstrations of its use with various examples in the administration of innovation. Since the late 1980s, its precursor, Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA), has been at the forefront of social science methodology because it is based on the set of established relationships and objectives for discovering sufficient and necessary conditions.

It should be noted that it is common to refer to the original Boolean version of QCA as csQCA, where cs (crisp-sets) denotes a set of crisp data. The version that allows for the use of multi-category conditions is called mvQCA, where mv (multi-value) describes the multiple values. The fsQCA version, where fs (fuzzy-set) describes the set of fuzzy data. The goal of QCA analysis, in general, is to account for a particular outcome, as opposed to regression-based analyses, which typically aim to be foundational tools for explaining the effects of causes (Wagemann and Schneider, 2010).

Regarding the state of social sciences as a general foundation for innovation management, Sartori (1970) stated:

"...one observes a poor state of science oscillating between two weak extremes: unconscious thinking, which is the overwhelming majority, and overly conscious thinking, done by a small minority..."

Calling on scholars to acquire training in basic logic:

"To steer a middle course between crude logical mismanagement on one side and logical perfectionism (and paralysis) on the other..."

It was in the late 1980s when Dr. Charles Ragin introduced Boolean algebra and set theory to the social sciences with his groundbreaking book The Comparative Method (Ragin, 1987), which describes in depth all the components of QCA. Nevertheless, the real stimulus in attention began some years later with the book Fuzzy-sets Social Science (Ragin, 2000). By now, there are scholars using configurational comparative methods, given the possibility of formalizing case-oriented analysis and thus offering tools to improve comparative research. These methods are particularly suited for identifying the minimally necessary and/or minimally sufficient (combinations of) conditions that produce an outcome of interest (i.e., assessing the causes of effects), with great potential for quantitative applications such as in engineering (Mendel and Korjani, 2010; Marks, et al., 2018).

Given the advantages offered, recent discussions on configurational comparative methods suggest that quantitative approaches based on regressions and QCA are best applied together (Ragin 2008; Schneider and Wagemann 2010; Rihoux 2006). However, there is a warning for enthusiasts that academics should not become monomaniacs of QCA (Ragin and Rihoux, 2004, p.6).

On the other hand, there are early efforts of fsQCA application in the field of entrepreneurship and innovation, such as the work of Kraus et al. (2017), where a compilation of 77 articles published from 2005 to 2016 with keywords: fsQCA, business management, entrepreneurship, and innovation, reveals a gradual increase in these fields for the use of fsQCA. Thus, innovation-oriented management sciences can leverage what has been achieved in social sciences through the significant contributions of Dr. Ragin. Therefore, this work consists of eleven chapters, which we briefly describe:

CHAPTER 1. Regression Analysis vs. Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA). This chapter presents how regression works and its use by social researchers oriented towards innovation management; the most common errors made, and therefore, the inconveniences for research. This potentially results in errors when assuming hypotheses that, when subjected to QCA, lose much of their effectiveness. The chapter concludes with the description of fsQCA, which allows for visualizing its foray into innovation management sciences.

CHAPTER 2. QCA Software and fsQCA Configuration. This chapter enables the reader to understand the scope of the fsQCA software, designed by Dr. Charles Ragin, to learn about each of its functions, from creating and opening a file in different formats to configuring and testing the available functions, in twelve practical exercises using the fsQCA software described in detail.

CHAPTER 3. Qualitative Comparative Analysis of Crisp-set Data (csQCA). This chapter introduces the reader to a very common type of data used in csQCA, revealing basic concepts through the use of binary data, Boolean negation, the use of truth tables, groupings, Boolean addition and multiplication, combinatorial logic, main implications, De Morgan's Law, necessary and sufficient causes, and minimization. It addresses concepts about counterfactual cases, the problem of coincident cases, how counterfactual cases compare vs. QCA, and a contrast with conventional quantitative research. Six exercises using fsQCA software confirm the use of the main concepts.

CHAPTER 4. Qualitative Comparative Analysis of Fuzzy-set Data (fsQCA). This chapter introduces the reader to a very special type of data, the fuzzy type used by fsQCA software, revealing basic concepts through understanding its nature, the possibility of using them in levels and continuously. Fuzzy-set data operations, such as Boolean negation, conjunction (logical AND), union (logical OR), are presented. It includes models and calibration methods, analysis of necessary and sufficient conditions, consistency, how to create truth tables, and analyze the corners of vector space. Fourteen exercises demonstrate the use of fsQCA software, confirming the use of the main concepts.

CHAPTER 5. Evaluation of fsQCA Data Set. The chapter describes the importance of what is known as INUS and SUIN conditions, as well as consistency and coverage in general. The manual development of five cases confirms the use of the main concepts.

CHAPTER 6. Calibration and Its Importance in fsQCA. This chapter opens a debate on the implications of calibration before starting measurements in scope and context, the pros and cons of using indicators in quantitative research, SEM vs. fsQCA relationship, qualitative research, and the need for calibration, direct and indirect calibration methods. The manual development of four cases confirms the use of the main concepts.

CHAPTER 7. Configurational Thinking in fsQCA. This chapter demonstrates the importance of configurational thinking from a qualitative and quantitative perspective, discussing the evaluation of membership degree in a configuration and the comparison of causal paths.

CHAPTER 8. Net Effects in fsQCA. The chapter describes what is meant by net effects, the associated problems, proposes a shift in focus to types of cases, exposes the comparison of fuzzy data cases, and the analysis of configurations.

CHAPTER 9. Net Effects vs. Configurations in fsQCA. Through two hypothetical cases, the study is conducted, and each of the concepts discussed is developed, explaining their results by comparison, to understand the nature of net effects versus configuration by fsQCA.

CHAPTER 10. csQCA Analysis Guide. With crisp data, from an innovation case, a quick and visual guide is offered to the reader, through screenshots and eight exercises on how to solve a case through the analysis of necessary conditions, representing data in the truth table, identifying contradictory and logical remainders, sufficiency analysis, truth table minimization for occurrence and non-occurrence of the phenomenon, and result interpretation.

CHAPTER 11. fsQCA Analysis Guide. With fuzzy data, from an innovation case, a quick and visual guide is offered to the reader, through screenshots and nine exercises on how to solve a case through accessing the work file, analyzing necessary conditions with the occurrence of the phenomenon and its reports, interpreting coverage, generating the truth table, applying the Standard Analyses option, interpreting generated solutions, generating the truth table with non-occurrence of the phenomenon, analyzing main implications, and case interpretation.

GLOSSARY. A glossary of the most commonly used terms is provided.

Social Impact Assessment in Innovation Projects via STATA, Methods:

Juan Mejía-Trejo — Wed, 30 Jun 2021 00:00:00 +0000

In the business and industrial world, the design and implementation of projects typically take into account the economic, financial, and even political or environmental impact when introducing innovations. However, in the first two decades of the 21st century, various events have demonstrated that the evaluation of social impact on well-being generation is of vital importance.

In fact, in the times of the new normality envisioned as the Post-COVID-19 era, this becomes particularly relevant since all policies and actions undertaken by companies and governments must have the necessary endorsement of a social impact evaluation when introducing innovations.

For this reason, the work: "SOCIAL IMPACT EVALUATION IN INNOVATION PROJECTS VIA STATA. Methods: Causal Inference, Randomization, Propensity Score Matching, and Double Difference," Volume 1 is aimed at describing both to those familiar and unfamiliar with the topic, what social impact is, its characteristics, conditions, and implications, the main methods used to calculate it as well as the opportunities that arise in the Post-COVID-19 era, which demands that innovation resources and actions designed and implemented reflect high standards of social impact that foster well-being, particularly in emerging countries.

To achieve this, this work is divided into a collection of two volumes, corresponding to Volume I:

Chapter 1. Basic Concepts. This chapter is aimed at explaining what social impacts are, the reasons for evaluating them, the differentiation between monitoring vs. evaluation, the indicators of both, what a results-based monitoring entails, and its configuration. This allows for a better definition of the idea of impact evaluations, their relationship as studies of efficacy and effectiveness, the implications of operational evaluation as well as their qualitative and quantitative impact characteristics, in addition to the reference point where impact evaluation is required, either prospectively or retrospectively. Conducting any social impact evaluation for the introduction of innovations requires recognizing the treatment and control groups, which necessitates solving the problem of determining the counterfactual groups; with and without comparisons as well as their relationship with bias. A case description is provided, explaining selection bias in an ex-post scenario and explaining the characteristics that accompany it, such as process evaluations and project evaluations, the importance of cost-benefit and cost-effectiveness analysis as well as ethics in social impact evaluation in the introduction of innovations.

Chapter 2. Preparation, causal inference, and counterfactuals.

Given the preparation of treatment and control groups, this chapter is designed to consider the steps that serve the construction of counterfactual scenarios that enable groups to explain the construction of a theory of change, explain the links in a results chain, the techniques that facilitate the specification of evaluation questions, the selection of outcome and performance indicators, and to create a data-based checklist for the indicators. This equips the researcher to perform causal inference, describe and estimate counterfactuals, through two case studies with which the chapter concludes.

Chapter 3. Randomization. It is from this chapter until chapter 7, where different techniques based on STATA 14 software are introduced, so it is recommended, if not familiar with the software, to start with the Appendix: Introduction to STATA. This will allow you to understand the operating rules as well as to access the example case files that will be discussed and that are hosted at the link: [link]. Thus, Chapter 3 will allow the reader to understand the characteristics of random assignment, advantages and disadvantages of its use, the recommended conditions for its application, the ethical implications, the different randomization methods that exist, checklists to carry it out as well as an example with STATA for understanding its use.

Chapter 4. Propensity Score Matching (PSM). It explains to the more avid reader, what this technique is and does, the assumptions and rules that must be met for its application, steps to achieve it as well as the use of complementary techniques. Its advantages and disadvantages of use are debated and it is completed with an example in STATA to check its understanding of use.

Chapter 5. Double Difference (DD). The chapter is designed to explain the method, what it is, how it is used, what happens in it through the use of fixed effects panel, how to implement it, advantages and disadvantages, its usefulness, trends, alternative models, the possibility of combining it with PSM, adjustments, limitations, concluding with an example in STATA to check its understanding of use.

Contributions from Management Sciences to Intellectual Property

Edith Roque-Huerta, Juan Mejía-Trejo — Wed, 30 Jun 2021 00:00:00 +0000

This research prioritizes the topic of Intellectual Property linked to knowledge susceptible to protection by some form of intellectual property, in relation to innovation, competitiveness, the intellectual capital of organizations, and the challenge with universities in technology transfer. This work was carried out by doctoral students in management sciences, who linked their research line with intellectual property.

The economic sector seeks for its processes to be innovative and competitive, to have value for its environment and create competitive advantages and be more efficient.

Intangible property has created new sources of knowledge, new foreign investments, and has been a trigger in business economic progress.

The construction of new technology is guided by innovation and development, with new strategies whose academic value is a contribution to the creation of new knowledge.

This bilingual work contributes to knowledge and creates new paradigms with a diversified and strategic approach for the deconstruction of new lines of research.

Organizational Innovation and Social Impact

Juan Mejía-Trejo, Carlos Omar Aguilar-Navarro — Sat, 12 Dec 2020 00:00:00 +0000

The present work, "Organizational Innovation and Social Impact: Managing Diverse Approaches to Development," aims to bring together a series of essays developed by students of the Doctorate in Administration Sciences (DCA) at the University Center for Economic and Administrative Sciences (CUCEA) of the University of Guadalajara (UdeG), based on what they have learned in the subject of Organization Theory.

These essays are primarily aimed at conducting a discourse exercise that reinforces either the argumentation of their thesis in the methodological part or contributes to the subject matter.

For both cases, the relevance of their writing is highlighted, starting from the introduction to develop the concepts and/or models that justify the basis of the opposing points to be addressed, serving as the basis for the discussion that clarifies the expected contribution.

Finally, essential conclusion points are presented to serve the reader and the presenter for further studies. The merit of the above is to bring the viewpoint of each author closer to the social context that has been rescued in recent years in various forums in which the quintuple helix intervenes.

Thus, this work is divided into ten essays, where the first work: "Marxism as the Basis of the Chinese Economy" reflects on how the economic regime of a society defines the social knowledge of every individual, their beliefs, philosophies, politics, religion, and the political institutions that are built on the economic base.

The second: "Comparative Analysis of the Theories of Disruptive Innovation and Exponential Organizations" addresses the concepts that drive innovation to create new types of organizations and how these should be exploited.

The third contribution: "Adoption of Blockchain Technology as an Innovation Factor in Supply Chain Management" shows how the influence of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) has a greater presence in logistics through blockchain and its industrial impact.

In the fourth section: "Citizenship as a Key Factor for Organization and Corporate Social Responsibility" shows how the latter has transcended the business field, considering employees as the basis of the organization, to its impact on the social environment as citizenship.

In the fifth essay: "Business Cooperation for the Conservation of Socio-Environmental Systems" highlights how business cooperation has come to establish different theoretical approaches arguing that it is considered as a strategy or action through which the conservation of socio-environmental systems can be achieved, taking into account the applicability of organizational theories.

The sixth work: "Innovation as a Consolidation Factor for SMEs" shows that preventing the premature death of SMEs is achieved through innovation.

The seventh contribution: "Technology and Social Impact: Towards the Convergent Paradigm of Knowledge" starts with the question, "Is a new paradigm necessary to consider the social impact of technologies?" A discourse is made explaining the scope and limitations of each of the factors that are suggested to intervene.

The eighth essay: "Disruptive Innovation or Gradual Innovations? What is better seen from the perspective of dynamic capabilities theory?" reflects on how innovation is conceptualized from various theories such as dynamic capabilities and how it can be used.

The ninth work: "Oil and Gas Companies, Transnationals, Multinationals, and the process of Capital Accumulation on a Global Scale from the Multiplicity of Imperialisms to Collective Imperialism" tries to explain and understand the role of oil and gas energy companies in shaping the new global energy model.

Finally, the work: "University and Business: Alliance to Promote Development and Social Pacification" aims to lay the groundwork for establishing a serious and fruitful dialogue in order to focus on the mission that companies and universities have within a society, with the aim of designing a common project that promotes a culture of peace as a way to address violence.

The coordinators of this work hope that it contributes to the reader's enthusiasm for learning about the projects being developed and informing them of the opportunities that are presented, in order to follow up on their evolution during their stay in postgraduate studies.

Essays 2019

Juan Mejia Trejo — Tue, 30 Jun 2020 00:00:00 +0000

From Questionnaire to Scale: Exhibition of Research Papers in Management Sciences as a Basis for Innovation aims to bring together a series of essays prepared by doctoral students in Management Sciences (DCA) at the University Center for Economic and Administrative Sciences (CUCEA) of the University of Guadalajara (UdeG), based on what was learned in the course of Selected Topics: Questionnaire Design and Scale Creation. These essays are primarily aimed at conducting a dissertation exercise that reinforces either the argumentation of their thesis in the methodological part or contributes to the subject matter.

For both cases, the relevance of their writing starting from the introduction to develop the concepts and/or models that justify the basis of the opposing points to be addressed is highlighted, being the foundation for conducting the discussion that allows clarifying the expected contribution. Finally, essential concluding points are presented to serve the reader and the presenter for further studies.

Thus, this work is divided into ten essays, where the first one: Validation of a scale for measuring factors that integrate a model of exponential transformation defines organizations whose impact or result is disproportionately large, at least ten times superior when compared with their competitors, due to the use of new organizational techniques that take advantage of exponential technologies. Exponential organizations will dominate future markets, and successful organizations of the past will not be able to continue succeeding if they do not change the way they operate, as they have been exposed for years to premature obsolescence. The purpose of this research will be to describe the steps for validating a scale that allows measuring the degree to which the factors that integrate a theoretical model of exponential transformation for medium-sized enterprises relate. Likewise, it will seek to detail how through factorial analysis it will be possible to define the structure of the proposed model and determine if such information can be condensed into smaller factors or components.

The second: Multivariate analysis techniques used in the agricultural sector will mention some of the contributions, definitions, origins, applicability, importance, among others, of multivariate analysis techniques and some research used will be highlighted considering their proposed objectives, their results, and how they supported the agricultural sector. Some research where multivariate analysis techniques were applied in the agricultural sector in an international and national context are related.

The third contribution: Scales for measuring peace in organizations: The new challenge for researchers. Currently, the high levels of stress experienced by the economically active population, especially working-class people who mostly reside in large cities, are associated with various psychosocial factors that are sources of stress and negatively affect the quality of life and health of the population worldwide. This essay aims to provide indications of how to measure these factors through factorial analysis.

The fourth section: Structural analysis in economic administrative sciences, a bibliometric analysis is carried out regarding the use of structural equations in the field of economic administrative sciences. This is in order to contribute a little more to disseminating the utility of this tool in said field.

The fifth essay: Process of creating scales through an exploratory factorial analysis seeks to explain in a clear manner how the use of an exploratory factorial analysis (EFA) helps in the scale creation process of a research. For a more accurate understanding, images of each of the steps that were carried out for the creation of scales through the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) program will be used. It is also important to highlight that the use of EFA for scale creation is relevant because it provides the parameter to analyze if what is being done in the research will be correct to subsequently use a confirmatory factorial analysis (CFA).

The sixth work: Creation of scales and questionnaire design from the study and analysis of business cooperation aims to analyze the importance of correctly creating scales within the design of questionnaires in the study of business cooperation, since this can provide information closer to the reality of the situations that occur in the interaction of the topic with the dimensions that influence it and the variables involved in the research to find findings that give us data, through which the statistical value that the relationships that act on the topic treated may have can be determined.

The seventh contribution: The importance of questionnaire design for scale creation in economic administrative sciences mentions the importance and degree of application of the questionnaire as a very useful technique within economic administrative sciences, this due to its easy applicability; its ability to be applied massively in a standardized way and its capacity to be applied impersonally. The objective of this essay is to conceptualize the questionnaire tool, as well as the elements necessary for its construction and validation in order to turn it into a scale.

The eighth essay: Proposal of factors and measurements to explain the competitiveness of the Mexican meat sector in international markets, takes into account the meat industry as the object of study, whose main purpose is to inform the reader based on a literature review or contributions from other authors, the factors and indicators that should be used to measure the competitiveness of the Mexican sector in terms of exports in international markets. This will generate a precedent and support for subsequently conducting a confirmatory factorial analysis, the theory will be fundamental to assemble the factors, indicators, and scales of the competitiveness variable of the sector in international markets, which is one of the dependent variables of the proposed model in the doctoral thesis.

The ninth work: SEM, a proposal for business model innovation in a research center, aims to review the second-order multivariate analysis technique called Structural Equation Modeling in a proposal for business model innovation in a research center. It also aims to emphasize the various submodels such as structural, measurement, reflective measurement, and formative measurement, as well as data analysis tools in the creation of predictive models. This method is increasingly expanding due to its acceptance in the social sciences, its more flexible approach, and the emergence of increasingly sophisticated programs such as EQS and PLS.

Finally, the work: Empirical essay for the creation of a scale that measures; quality, attention, and school services using Exploratory Factor Analysis by Principal Components, aims to demonstrate the validity of a scale aimed at measuring academic services and attention provided at the University Center for Economic and Administrative Sciences (CUCEA) using the statistical method of Exploratory Factor Analysis, by Principal Components. The base documents of the essay for its creation are presented. The idea is that it serves as a tool to help those interested in using this type of methodology, that is, moving from purely theoretical aspects to empirical practice in the application of this type of methodology. The software used in this work was SPSS Statistics Version 21. It is intended that this essay serves as a guide for the realization of works that aim to reduce variables, through Factor Analysis for the creation of reliable scales for measurement. Currently, the OECD has instructed the need to implement this type of analysis in works that aim to measure variables, with the aim of giving them rigorous validity. This essay mainly addresses the empirical part of the technique and leaves aside the theoretical aspects, moving from theory to practice.

Essays 2019

Juan Mejía Trejo — Mon, 15 Jun 2020 00:00:00 +0000

The present work, Essays 2019: Interdependent Approach to Multivariate Analysis and its Application in Management Sciences as a Foundation for Innovation, aims to bring together a series of essays developed by students of the Doctorate in Management Sciences (DCA) at the University Center for Economic and Administrative Sciences (CUCEA) of the University of Guadalajara (UdeG), based on what they learned in the Quantitative Research II course. These essays are oriented towards either reinforcing the argumentation of their thesis in the methodological part or contributing to the subject matter. In both cases, the relevance of their writing is highlighted, starting from the introduction to develop the concepts and/or models that justify the basis of the opposing points to be discussed, serving as the basis for the discussion that clarifies the expected contribution. Finally, essential concluding points are presented to serve the reader and the presenter for further studies.

Thus, this work is divided into ten essays, where the first essay: Exploratory Factor Analysis for the Creation of a Linear to Exponential Organization Transformation (ExOs) Model conceptualizes these, emphasizing their disproportionately large impact or result, at least ten times greater when compared to their competitors, due to the use of new organizational techniques that take advantage of exponential technologies. Its purpose is to describe how through exploratory factor analysis it is possible to examine the relationships between the set of variables that make up a theoretical model of exponential transformation for medium-sized enterprises.

The second essay: Exploratory Factor Analysis and its Adoption in Agroindustrial Value Chains, aims to describe a guideline or a guide on how an ideal factor analysis could be generated to select the factors that explain the proposed model, with an emphasis on the Food Safety variable in production in Mexico, which in turn helps national products compete with other countries prominent in food production, for example: Brazilian, Chinese, Australian, or American chains.

The third contribution: Exploratory Factor Analysis and its Use in Corporate Social Responsibility aims to introduce the technique of exploratory factor analysis and analyze its utility within the discipline of social sciences. Likewise, an analysis of the authors who have been working on it more recently is conducted to distinguish the most novel uses of it, as well as to identify new trends that have emerged in the development and implementation of the tool.

In the fourth section: Multivariate Statistical Analysis of Clusters or Conglomerates in Stakeholder Groups Related to Cooperation, the applicability of interdependent multivariable techniques, referring to cluster or conglomerate analysis used for the study of business cooperation, is carried out to study the factors through which conglomerates can be located that intervene in actions that can generate positive synergy among entrepreneurs, as well as to identify actions belonging to the same interest group.

In the fifth essay: Exploratory Factor Analysis: A Bibliometric Study of the State of the Art in Economic-Administrative Sciences, an analysis of the state of the art and the use of exploratory factor analysis over the last 10 years is conducted to draw conclusions on whether the technique has been used more frequently in economic-administrative sciences.

The sixth work: Forms of Training Artificial Neural Networks in a Purchase Intent Project in an Advanced Field, seeks to analyze the state of the art and the use of exploratory factor analysis over the last 10 years to draw conclusions on whether the technique has been used more frequently in economic-administrative sciences.

The seventh contribution: Bibliometric Analysis of Cluster Technique Use for Economic-Administrative Sciences is considered important as it will contribute to understanding where the study of business clusters is currently located in Mexico and therefore, to develop the tools they need for their benefit.

The eighth essay: Contributions of a Prospective Analysis for Development in the Coffee Sector aims to define the concept of prospecting and see its different contributions to diverse sectors such as the mentioned sector, and determine its applicability in coffee production, specifically, and finally, to make a comparison where the use of these tools in the sector in general is recorded.

The ninth work: Multivariate Statistical Factor Analysis, Components, and Indicators for Competitiveness, the power of the tool in the article, aims to discuss the concepts handled by the OECD on the particular, suggesting that the studies carried out should use this analysis tool as a preliminary study, confirming the validity and authenticity of using a previously proven methodology.

Finally, the work: Multivariable Analysis Techniques: Alternatives to Measure the Impact of Training on Organizational Results seeks to expose only from the theoretical contributions given by literature, a multivariate analysis technique, factor analysis, that could shed light on the relationship between the training provided and the results obtained by the organization.

It is the desire of the coordination of this work that it contributes to the reader's interest in knowing the projects that are being developed and to inform them of the opportunities that arise, in order to follow up on their evolution during their stay in the graduate program.

Essays 2019

Juan Mejía-Trejo — Mon, 30 Dec 2019 00:00:00 +0000

The present work, Essays 2019: Multivariate Analysis with a Dependent Approach in Management Sciences as a Basis for Innovation, aims to bring together a series of essays developed by students of the Doctorate in Management Sciences (DCA) at the University Center for Economic and Administrative Sciences (CUCEA) of the University of Guadalajara (UdeG), based on what they learned in the Quantitative Research I course. These essays are primarily aimed at conducting a dissertation exercise that either strengthens the argumentation of their thesis in the methodological part or contributes to the subject matter. For both cases, the relevance of their writing from the introduction to developing the concepts and/or models justifying the basis of the opposing points to be discussed is highlighted as the foundation for conducting the discussion that clarifies the expected contribution. Finally, essential concluding points are presented to serve both the reader and the presenter for further studies.

Thus, this work is divided into ten essays, where the first essay: Statistical Power Calculation: Why is its calculation not common in scientific research? addresses the concepts of statistical power and its historical use in research. Its main contribution is the discovery of schools that have dealt with it and the scope of its consideration.

The second essay: Obsolescence of Quantitative Methods: Do past research lose their validity with the introduction of more refined methods? reflects on the methods that allow for more refined tests, revealing possibilities of inadequacy in demonstrating the obsolescence and validity of a model. It interestingly concludes on the convenience of considering the future application of refinement methods.

The third contribution: Considerations in Quantitative Methodologies for Economic-Administrative Sciences with the use of Multiple Linear Regression compiles knowledge on the application of linear regression and its usefulness in administrative sciences, suggesting more pros than cons, with its use being a guarantee of variable verification in model testing.

In the fourth section: Fuzzy Logic, Multiple Regression, Artificial Neural Network for use in Administrative Sciences. The main techniques for making projections in model treatment are presented, along with their advantages and disadvantages. It concludes with a description of the scope of each technique in order to select the most convenient one for research in management sciences.

In the fifth essay: Propensity Analysis in Social Sciences, there is an option for data analysis that is preliminarily entering administrative sciences given its initial application in health and social sciences. It closes with an interesting pros and cons table of this technique and reflections on its use in administrative sciences.

The sixth work: Simple Linear Regression, a current technique for obtaining results in quantitative research, allows visualizing the condition of using this relevant statistical technique through a bibliometric analysis. It concludes with the author's views on the advantages and disadvantages of the technique in order to consider them in future studies.

The seventh contribution: Specificities, Limitations, and Particularities of Logistic Regression in Administrative Sciences, refers to a comparison of the most extended uses of both techniques, concluding with recommendations for their application in administrative sciences research.

The eighth essay: Approaches and validity of bibliometric analysis as a simple linear regression tool to show the relationship between tourism and administrative sciences, demonstrates the author's ability to find the relationship between the use of regression technique with tourism and administrative sciences using traditional bibliometric techniques and those based on Leiden indicators. It provides concentration maps by country and keywords.

The ninth work: The Statistical Regression Model in clear concepts, for its dissemination and application in the administration area, makes a contribution of the main concepts supporting the technique and recommendations for use.

Finally, the essay: Data analysis using either logistic regression and/or linear regression in disability studies which analyzes both techniques and their applications in inclusion issues reported at the country level and describes various related works.

It is the desire of the coordination of this work that it contributes to the reader's enthusiasm for knowing the projects that are developed and informing about the opportunities that are shown, in order to follow up on their evolution during their stay in the postgraduate program.

Values-Based Innovation

Juan Mejía-Trejo, Ángel Rodriguez-Bravo — Mon, 30 Dec 2019 00:00:00 +0000

What is the mean reason to formulate values in firms or organizations? The main answer is to facilitate the alignment of employees and organizational values to increase motivation and effectiveness with better outcomes in performance and investment alike. However, there are few efforts to design, implement and prove empirical models to analyze their results that conform to an integral view of factors involved in a value-based management model. The mentioned above represents a great opportunity for the management sciences to show their abilities to propose a model able to determine and weigh an inventory of values per industry/sector and select the values, according to the division or department of the firm or corporate organization. Due to the values-based innovation is the main reason for this book and according as mentioned above, this is divided in:

Chapter 1 highlights the importance of values for management sciences, showing, several values studies and models that describe them, and the main key performance indicators to as- sess them, inspired by values-based management. Remarkable models are explained, such as Evaluation VAlue protocol (Eva protocol), which is introduced as a tool for selecting values from a previously determined inventory.

Chapter 2, describes the relationship between values and innovation and the recent and novelty models as the value-based innovation management model (Breuer, H., and Lüdeke-Freund (2015), and its relationship with the open innovation model (Mejía-Trejo, 2017 b)

Chapter 3, describes the general conceptual model proposal, based on the models mentioned above, and describes the pro- cess of eva protocol to be applied. The model proposal includes a broad scope to define specific values into specific areas, interchangeables along the horizontal or vertical structure of the firm or corporate organization, with certain characteristics such as: normative, strategic, and/or instrumental/operational as management views. It previewed, three innovation management associated with each one of the management views: the normative, the business model, and the process-product-service innovation views. A decision point is incorporated in order to change or not the actual values on operation. If the answer is no, the process continues in its own flow of feedback linkage to keep the supervision of the key performance indicators such as efficiency or effectiveness inspired in values-based management as a feedback linkage; if the answer is yes, then the Eva protocol process is applied as a feedback linkage to review, modify, interchange, suppress or enter new values according to the division, the de- partment within the firm or corporate organization.

Chapter 4, as a benchmarking research of the most innova- tors firms at worldwide, no matter what industries or sectors are being, shows an empirically study case as a preliminary stage to determine an inventory of values with an innovation view, based on Mejía-Trejo (2017c) research applied at Guadalajara’s Mexico software development firms with the hope to be implemented in Spain for future studies.

Finally, the conceptual model proposal is considered important and ready to be applied in any sector of the industry interested in values-based innovation management, due to its flexibility, simplicity, and broad scope to measure the performance of the firm or corporate organization not only in the economic value, but in the general perception of value in all the involved parties.

Essays 2018. From Questionnaire to Scale

Juan Mejía-Trejo — Mon, 30 Dec 2019 00:00:00 +0000

The present work, "From Questionnaire to Scale: Presentation of Research Papers in the Administration Sciences as a Basis for Innovation, 2018," aims to bring together a series of essays developed by students of the Doctorate in Administration Sciences (DCA) at the University Center for Economic and Administrative Sciences (CUCEA) of the University of Guadalajara (UdeG), based on what they learned in the Scale Creation subject.

These essays are primarily oriented towards conducting a dissertation exercise that reinforces either their thesis or serves as a contribution to the subject, emphasizing the relevance of their writing, conceptualizing, and proposing the models reviewed as part of their dissertation development. The above serves as a basis for conducting discussions that clarify the expected contribution, and finally, to conclude with essential points that serve both the reader and the presenter for further studies.

Thus, this work is divided into fifteen essays. The first essay, "Comparative Analysis of Software Tools for Structural Equation Modeling (SEM)," provides a relevant contribution to the reader by conducting a comparative analysis of various SEM analysis techniques, particularly focusing on the capabilities of AMOS, EQS, and LISREL, and making a series of usage recommendations.

The second essay, "Decoding Consumer Behavior Through Mathematical Analysis," bases its importance on neoclassical conceptions explaining consumer behavior in terms of utility, microeconomic theories in consumer behavior research from various approaches (revealed preference, rational theory, and neuroeconomics), proposing a mathematical approach to evaluate consumer behavior.

The third work, "Discussion of Results Obtained in the Application of the Differentiation Matrix between Craftsmanship and Handicrafts (DAM) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA): Case of Craft Companies in Tonala, Jalisco," presents the fundamental bases of the research thesis of the presenter. The value of this work lies in proposing how to adapt DAM to discover, through CFA, the relationship of the new proposed variables that underlie the sector.

The fourth document, "Bibliometric Analysis of Open Data in the Last Ten Years: Temporal Perspectives towards Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) of the Open Data Policy of the Mexican Government," is essential for social sciences (economic-administrative), providing knowledge about Open Data and its impact on the development of public policies, such as portals and applications for accessing information, allowing citizens to make better decisions and thus strengthen innovation and entrepreneurship in countries.

The fifth essay, "MAAS and Langer Scales to Measure the Degree of Mindfulness and Its Influence in Organizations," is a notable effort in comparing two scales to measure business mindfulness. Its results aim to describe the advantages and disadvantages of use, allowing for the anticipation of an original model proposal that considers them for a thesis to be developed.

The sixth work, "From the Creation to the Adaptation of Scales to Measure the Experience and Motivations in Massive Events," is a very interesting work that attempts to contribute to previous scales of Event Experience Scale (EES) and Motivation-Opportunity-Ability (MOA). The author disserts on the variables that define them with the aim of laying the foundations for the development of her thesis.

The seventh document, "Comparative Measurement of Innovative Personality Traits: Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis," is the result of the author's efforts to compile previous scales that define innovative personality to make a final qualitative-quantitative methodology proposal defining the innovative subject, taking into account psychological and administrative factors.

The eighth essay, "Design of a Base Questionnaire to Create a Scale that Determines the Level of Social Capital in Organizations," is valuable in showing the most relevant aspects to consider in developing a questionnaire to determine the current situation of social capital in organizations, based on literature review, considering the most important factors it should include to determine the situation in the Mexican context.

The ninth work, "From Questionnaire to Scale: Model to Measure the Impact of Endomarketing," is of high value as it proposes a valid and reliable instrument to measure endomarketing and identify relationships with organizational factors such as attitudes, staff retention, staff conformity, relative competitive position, and customer satisfaction.

The tenth document, "Contrast of Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analysis Applied to Total Quality Management (TQM) as a Variable of Organizational Performance," offers an important contribution by compiling and analyzing the scope of exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis applied to analyze the most recent TQM models to propose adjustments between them.

The eleventh essay, "Causal Models: A Knowledge View from Structural Equation Modeling," shows a significant effort by the author to analyze, from a more knowledge-oriented perspective, the effects that working with causal models has tested from the use of structural equations (SEM), helping to correctly ground the assessment given by the exogenous and endogenous variables that make up the proposed theoretical model, this in order to contribute to a change of paradigms from scientific research in administration, generating proper cohesion between constructs already tested and others of empirical analysis.

The twelfth work, "Basic Considerations of Design and Facet Analysis in the Qualitative Cut Questionnaire: A Guide for Questionnaire Design in Technology Transfer," is valuable in contrasting previous studies based on facet structure and the opportunity to create scales that facilitate technology transfer.

Essays 2018

Juan Mejía-Trejo — Sun, 30 Jun 2019 00:00:00 +0000

The present work, "Essays 2018: Multivariate Analysis with a Dependent Approach in the Management Sciences as a Basis for Innovation," aims to bring together a series of essays written by students of the Doctorate in Management Sciences (DCA) at the University Center for Economic and Administrative Sciences (CUCEA) of the University of Guadalajara (UdeG), based on what they have learned in the Quantitative Research I course.

These essays are initially aimed at conducting a dissertation exercise that reinforces either their thesis or serves as a contribution to the subject, highlighting the relevance of their writing, conceptualizing, and proposing the reviewed models as a development of their dissertation. This serves as a basis for conducting discussions that clarify the expected contribution and, ultimately, concluding on essential points that serve both the reader and the presenter for further studies.

Thus, this work is divided into ten essays. The first essay, "Predictive Multivariate Analysis Tools and Data Mining with SPSS Modeler and Statistic: A Comparative Study," represents an excellent opportunity for the reader to become familiar with the SPSS software, the most widely used tool in social and health sciences regarding inferential statistical tools, with its contribution being very valuable in terms of the specific scope of each version of SPSS.

The second contribution, "The Importance of Simple Linear Regression Technique in the Field of Economic-Administrative Sciences," is a great reference to the utility represented by parametric projection techniques based on linear regression, demonstrating its current use through extensive bibliometric study and its opportunity for use in economic-administrative sciences.

The third essay, "Software as Tools for Strategic Prospective Methods: MICMAC," presents valuable justifications and relevant bases on how to conduct prospective studies with this software, clarifying the scope of additional computer tools that allow specifying possible, probable, and desirable future scenarios through: MACTOR, MORPHOL, MULTIPOLAR, and SMIC.

Regarding the fourth work, "Comparative Analysis between Multiple Linear Regression and Partial Least Squares and its Application in Economic-Administrative Sciences," its value in making comparative analyses that allow readers to understand the scope and impacts of both techniques when determining usage recommendations in the field is highlighted, with partial least squares technique gaining sustained importance.

The fifth essay, "Applied Linear Regression: Analysis of Corporate Social Responsibility," shows its relevance by conducting a broad and in-depth bibliometric analysis of the contributions of linear regression technique in the field of corporate social responsibility, comparing four related models and discussing the impact of the discovered variables.

The sixth work, "Multivariate Analysis Techniques for Validating a Conceptual Model of Transformation from Linear to Exponential Organization," reveals the importance of its contribution by verifying previous exponential organization models in which the variables discussed so far are exposed to make an original proposal for a new model based on constructs resulting from the review of the state of the art.

The seventh work, "Correlation of Competitiveness Variables through the Application of Dependent Multivariable Analysis Techniques (Multiple Linear Regression)," makes a dissertation on the various models that address competitiveness through a broad and in-depth bibliometric analysis that allows comparing six models with their corresponding variables and discussing the proposal of an original model as a result.

The eighth essay, "Multivariate Analysis as a Tool for Measuring Human Resources Management Processes and Knowledge Management and its Relationship with Innovation," is based on extensive and in-depth bibliometric analysis showing the opportunity to contribute to the relationships between various human resources management processes and knowledge management in innovation through an original proposal based on previously published models in this regard.

The ninth work, "The Use of Multivariate Statistical Techniques through Discriminant Analysis, Applied in Business, Companies, and Organizations in General," meets the challenge of discussing models and variables that explain the relationships present in businesses, companies, and organizations from a financial point of view, hence the value represented by the proposal of this essay.

The tenth essay, "Scientific Research in HR: The Challenge Professionals Must Face," informs about the opportunity in the field of human resources to propose models that allow discovering the main determinants explaining the various relationships to which individuals are subjected, based on multivariate analysis.

It is the desire of the coordination of this work that it contributes to the reader's enthusiasm for knowing the projects being developed and informing about the opportunities presented, with the aim of monitoring their evolution during their stay in the postgraduate program.

Creation of Scales in Management Sciences

Juan Mejía-Trejo, Gonzalo Maldonado Guzmán — Sat, 30 Jun 2018 00:00:00 +0000

Achieving recognition and credibility in scientific research results depends on which strategy best clarifies and justifies the measurement technique used. Thus, it is possible to propose various strategies that allow for the development and refinement of measurements; however, their true impact will depend on the type of scientific phenomenon being measured, both with directly observable variables and their underlying relationships. Therefore, administrative sciences should focus their interest on the formulation, design, development, and validation of constructs, both direct and underlying relationships. Particularly, this latter type of relationship involves constructs that, by representing abstractions, can only be evaluated indirectly. Indirect evaluation involves the design and use of multiple elements (in our case, indicators) that measure the construct, i.e., "propose the scale for measurement." Thus, starting from a specific research problem and characterizing the factors, variables, and indicators that best describe it in the form of constructs, the main objective of this document is to propose and design the relationships of these factors, variables, and indicators to discuss how to measure and validate them through the creation of scales.

To achieve this objective, Chapter 1 justifies and emphasizes the importance of scale development theory by explaining key and basic concepts such as dimensionality, reliability, and validity. Additionally, the importance of the four-step approach in scale development involving these three concepts is highlighted. Chapters 2, 3, and 4 discuss each of these key concepts in greater detail. Chapters 5, 6, and 7 emphasize and detail the four-stage approach and provide relevant empirical examples for each step.

Particular emphasis is placed on exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. The four-stage approach is based on the precedent of multiple scale development works by various authors (Churchill, 1979; Clark & Watson, 1995; DeVellis, 1991; Haynes, Nelson, & Blaine, 1999; Nunnally & Bernstein, 1994; Spector, 1992).

It is worth noting that the design of a scale based on constructs that ultimately define a model is the foundation of scientific research, which is primarily iterative rather than linear. This means that, instead of following linear or consecutive steps and activities like a logical and sequential process, the suggested scale development process tends to be strongly iterative and continuous, where "all scale development procedures are restarted." This is because researchers, being aware, learn from their efforts and mistakes, making revisions necessary, including those at early stages such as the definition of factors, variables, and indicators at a conceptual level, as well as the definition of construct dimensionality.

Management Sciences and Multivariate Analysis

Juan Mejía-Trejo — Sat, 30 Dec 2017 00:00:00 +0000

With greater capabilities and availability of computing resources today, multivariate analysis is now featured in various software applications, increasing its use across multiple disciplines such as Administrative Sciences. Some of the most widely used models in academic and professional fields worldwide include Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS, by IBM), Analytics, Business Intelligence and Data Management (SAS, by SAS Institute and/or World Programming), Statistica (by STATISTICA), and the R language (open-source software), to name a few. It is not surprising that Administrative Sciences support academic development in various postgraduate programs as well as in the professional realm related to Social Sciences. Consequently, there is a growing trend in the presentation of reports, articles, book chapters, or books that discuss various theoretical-empirical aspects and their interpretation based on these software applications. In our case, we have adopted IBM's SPSS 20 for developing the topics in this book.

Based on the above, we present the work: Administrative Sciences and Multivariate Analysis under the approach of Interdependent Techniques. Research Projects, Analysis, and Discussion of Results. Volume II, with the recommendation to have previously read the first three chapters of Volume I. The main objectives are:

To present a document that serves both those familiar and unfamiliar with the topic, who need to understand the concepts discussed in this volume and manipulate the various commands offered by IBM's SPSS 20 regarding the problem cases presented as examples.
For better comprehension of the treatment of cases, the sequence proposed by Hair et al. (1999) of the six steps: objectives, design, assumptions, execution, interpretation, and validation, is used as the framework for presenting and solving these cases.
As the Coordinator of the Doctorate in Administrative Sciences at the Centro Universitario de Ciencias Económico Administrativas (CUCEA) of the University of Guadalajara (UdG), to present the base book for the course Quantitative Methods I and II.

The author hopes to contribute to the reader's acquisition of knowledge that can be applied in the practical world and aid in its theoretical interpretation. If not, it is hoped that at least it serves as another useful step towards achieving their academic and/or professional formation.

Management Sciences and Their Relationship with Competitive Organization

Juan Mejía-Trejo — Sat, 30 Dec 2017 00:00:00 +0000

The present work is a compilation of project proposals from the most outstanding students of the Doctorate in Administrative Sciences from the 2015b and 2016b cohorts at the University of Guadalajara. These projects revolve around the development of organizations in various aspects; for example, the first work addresses the relationship between knowledge generation in organizations and the development of competencies among individuals working in them, emphasizing its importance. This leads to advantages, as described in the second proposal, which analyzes the relationship between conflict management and organizational learning, and how this can transform a company into an intelligent organization. All of this requires new ways of introduction and application, as discussed in the third project of this work, whose purpose is to integrate various concepts and propose a model that identifies the requirements, sources, and processing of information necessary for decision-making, thus fostering organizational growth.

As observed, the aforementioned works demonstrate that knowledge management generates value through innovation, a point addressed in the fourth research proposal, which describes it as one of the organizations that learn to achieve greater competitiveness. It is pertinent to highlight that the 21st century is no longer about ventures involving the commitment of unilateral resources and capabilities, but rather about alliances and collaborative networks, as analyzed in the fifth article, from a perspective of joint and collaborative dynamics, as it is one of the best ways to do business with other countries.

The challenge for administrative sciences is to address different problems of complex reality through simple and impactful proposals that contribute to their solution. This is the case with study number six, which explains how organizations can apply their corporate social responsibility policies from various perspectives, such as economic, social, and environmental.

Document number seven is another example of how administrative sciences allow us to explain the main factors motivating the entrepreneurship of e-businesses by SMEs, taking into account the dispersion and scarcity of their resources. In this sense, and in a case study focused on the furniture industry of the Metropolitan Area of Guadalajara (MAG), one of the strategies that e-businesses have implemented in Mexico in recent years is customer relationship management (CRM), a situation presented in project eight, which explains the findings on this matter. Another case study is explained in project proposal number nine, which relates a micro-enterprise ("cybercafe") to motivational concepts inspired by Maslow's hierarchy of needs; the results are attractive given the accessibility of the proposed tool. Project number ten allows us to reflect on the importance of quantitative valuation for SMEs, through a complementary qualitative approach.

Finally, article 11 shows the great opportunities that administrative sciences have when collaborating with research centers, such as the Center for Research and Assistance in Technology and Design of the State of Jalisco (CIATEJ), to analyze how innovation management has the potential to drive companies in such novel sectors as nanotechnology to achieve greater competitiveness.

Knowledge Management, Open innovation and e-Marketing & e-Business

Juan Mejía-Trejo — Fri, 30 Jun 2017 00:00:00 +0000

Knowledge Management, Open Innovation and e-Marketing & e-business as Key Factors of Development of Information and Communication Technology Sector, is aimed to compile a selection of papers published during the period of 2015-2016 & 2017 by profes- sors of the Phd Management Sciences, of the University of Guadalajara, to show how is proposed the design of their interaction and what were the first meaningful findings for the information and com- munication technologies sector located in Jalisco, Mexico.

For instance, the first article where the information and communication technologies is the principal source of producing new and innovative forms of teaching-learning process, the research is aimed to unveil an empirical model for mobile learning and their determi- nants factors. This research applied a documentary study to select the variables with specialists in m-Learning using Analytic Hierarchy Process (ahp) determining the final Factors: Technology (T); Con- tents & Teaching-Learning Management (c&tlm); Teacher Student Rol (tsr); and 60 Variables. The study was applied on: 20 teachers and 800 students both participating in social sciences courses, from 7 Universities located at Metropolitan Zone of Guadalajara, México (umzg) during the period 2013-2014.The data of the questionnaires, were analyzed by structural equations modeling (sem), using eqs 6.1 software. The final results suggest reinforce 9 variables to improve the interaction with mL model at umzg.

The second study tell us how the Innovation is a key factor to in- crease the competitive advantage for business. When the Innovation is improved by the Knowledge Management, it does in the Firms ba- sed on the sense of information: for, from and about the customers and is called: Customer Knowledge Management. So, the aim of this study is to solve: which are the latent factors between Innovation and Customer Knowledge Management relationship? To achieve it, a questionnaire was designed and applied to the 500 Chief Execu- tive Officers from the Small & Media Enterprises Software Sector in Guadalajara, Mexico, that are part of the value chain, involving: designers, manufacturers and suppliers. The study applied the Struc- tural Equations Model as a quantitative method to discover the un- derlying relationships amongst the most relevant variables between Innovation on Customer Knowledge Management, as: Driver of In- novation; Support; other Sources of Knowledge, Satisfaction, Expe- rience and Performance with a total of 15 indicators.

The third project, shows how the Knowledge Management (km) in Innovation process (innov), is a powerful engine that drives the company towards competitiveness (insead, 2014; wef, 2014); howe- ver, many small and media enterprises (smes) in México, ignore it. So, the aim of the present study is to discover the key factors of km that are involved in the innov, prevailing in the field of software sector smes in Guadalajara (ssg), Mexico. This research is based on a documental study about km and how is related as driver on the innov; to achieve this, it was designed a questionnaire divided in two parts: the first one, corresponding to km that involved (5) factors: km Leadership (kmld); km Capture and Acquisition (kmca); km Training and Mentoring (kmtm); km Policies and Strategies (kmps); km Communications and Rewards (kmcr) with 23 total indicators as variables. The second one, innov that involved (6) factors: In- novation Value Added (ivadd); Innovation Input Items (iiit); In- novation Process (inproc); Innovation Output Items (ioit); Inno- vation Performance (iperf) and Innovation Feedback (ifeed) with 39 total indicators as variables. It was designed a questionnaire (62 variables), as a measurement instrument based on Likert Scale (1to 5 interval) in order to determine the degree of agreement with well Cronbach’s Alpha confidence (0.8432). It proceeded to do a survey to the total 200 ceos belonging to the smes from ssg. The results were analyzed using Structural Equations Modeling (sem) to find validity and reliability of the structure to discover by the system equations, the underlying variables and their interrelationships. Finally, it was found most representative km variables to drive the innov, were: kmca (0.9095); kmcr (0.8845); kmtm (0.8815); kmld (0.8780); kmps (0.8235). Finally were solved the (5) hypotheses fin- ding the relationship between the km factors and innov have signi- ficant positive effects. The originality and value of this research lied

in the design of a construct that identify the underlying km factors and variables sized according an exploratory and multi-correlational study to drive the innov. All the factors and variables were collec- ted from the principal theories about both subjects and jointed in a solid set by sem to find their respective correlations. The practical implications shall serve to the ssg to identify what variables and fac- tors from km, are able to drive the innov and get a better place for competitiveness.

The fourth work describes how at the beginning of the xxi cen- tury, several authors affirm that open business models (obm) enable an organization to be more effective in creating as well as capturing value and are a prerequisite for successful co-development partner- ships. As a result of both trends, the rising development costs and shorter product/service lifecycles, companies are finding it increa- singly difficult to justify investments in innovation. The obm solve both trends, underscoring the terms: “industry ecosystem” and/or “collaborative business model”. Not only it changes the innovation process but it also modifies organizations themselves by reconfigu- ring value chains and networks. For the firms, it creates a heuristic logic, based on the current business model and technology to extend them with strategy, to the development of innovation to create value and increasing revenues and profits. It emphasizes the external com- munities with governance as valuable resources with several roles that promote corporate competitiveness. So, for a specialized sector with high technology such as the information technologies sector of metropolitan zone of Guadalajara (itsmzg), it was posed the next research question: Which are the determinant factors of the obm as an empirical model to be applied at the itsmzg? This was a do- cumentary study to select the main variables among specialists in itsmzg practicing the obm process using analytic hierarchy process (ahp) and Delphi’s Panel to contrast the academic terms with the specialist experience. It’s a descriptive, exploratory, correlational, cross-sectional, qualitative-quantitative study to obtain a final ques- tionnaire in Likert scale, with reliability tested through a pilot survey (Cronbach’s Alpha>0.75), applied during Jan. 2015-May 2016 to the total population asked: 600 specialists of itsmzg (150 it teachers and 150 representatives of consulting firms as “consultant part”; 290

it sme ceo and 10 it le ceo as the “decision-making part”, since 1 year in the market, 80% with bachelor degree, 20% with postgrad, 20% women and 80% men). It was designed a first-order structural equation modeling (sem) as a confirmatory factor analysis (cfa) te- chnique, using the eqs 6.1 software to analyze the obm underlying variables, to determine a final empirical model. The result is an em- pirical obm based on 5 main factors: business management bmg (10 variables/76 indicators), strategy (str, 3 variables/14 indicators), technology (tec, 3 variables/24 indicators), new entrepreneurships (nwe, 3 variables /7indicators) and open innovation orientation (oio, 3 variables/18 indicators), empirically proved for the itsmzg. Although the final empirical obm has a significant positive effect among its variables, also showed different levels of factor loadings, meaning opportunities to improve the model for the itsmzg.

The fifth article is aimed to disclose an empirical model of Open Innovation (oin) in the Information Technologies Sector of Metro- politan Zone of Guadalajara, Mexico (itsmzg) to achieve a useful model to be used. The variables for the theoretical framework were determined using Delphi’s focus group panel and Analytic Hierarchy Process (ahp) obtaining academic and expert visions. The was a des- criptive, exploratory and a cross-sectional study, with a final Likert scale questionnaire, tested for reliability and validity with survey applied to 400 itsmzg specialists (Jan-2017-Jun-2017). The results of oin model were analyzed using exploratory factor analysis (efa) by spss 20 ibm, obtaining 3 underlying variables: knowledge mana- gement (kmg), open business models (obm), innovation ecosystem (iec), with 26 dimensions/64 indicators.

The sixth project is aimed to disclose how Digital Broadband (dbd) is affecting the practice of Open Innovation (oin) in the In- formation Technologies Sector of Metropolitan Zone of Guadala- jara, Mexico (itszmg) to achieve a model, for the improvement of relationships. It is a descriptive, exploratory, correlational, cross- sectional, qualitative-quantitative research. As a qualitative study, it is based on a deep literature review after which, it was used Delphi Panel with Analytic Hierarchy Process (ahp), determining the main factors: dbd (1 factor/ 6 variables/43 indicators) and oin (3 factors/23 variables/161 indicators) in a questionnaire Likert scale, involving

600 itszmg specialists at 200 smes. The survey was on the period of September-December 2016. As a quantitative study, it applied Con- firmatory Factor Analysis using eqs 6.2 software. The value of this study, is to propose a generalized model involving the relationship between dbd-oin for itszmg, and identify the underlying variables and their relationships to make suggestions about how to be more innovative, among the firms in the sector. The final results: 5/6 dbd variables have significant positive effect on 18/23 oin variables. This implies opportunities to develop the model. It was obtained an em- pirical model capable of identifying its own dbd-oin relationships in order to be, a more innovative firm in the itszmg.

The seventh article shows how the Innovation (innov) process is considered as a driver to increase the competitiveness in the Digital Marketing (dm) sector; however, many firms ignore how their own dm resources and capabilities affect the innov process. So, through a dm-innov proposed conceptual model, the aim of this study is to determine which are the main factors of innov are affected from dm, in Guadalajara, México. The design is based on innov process model, construct published previously by Mejía-Trejo et al. (2014) and complemented with the dm model construct proposed here, with variables which are tested for validity and reliability through a pilot survey in order to get the final model. The study subjects were the most important customers of Monster Online (a mexican com- pany, specialized in dm) and analyzed by inferential statistics determi- ning the Cronbach’s Alpha reliability in a pilot test and multiple linear regression (mlr) based on Stepwise Method using spss 20 program. The methodology is proposed as a descriptive, exploratory, correlatio- nal and a transversal study, based on documentary research to obtain a final questionnaire using the Likert scale applied to the total popula- tion: 900 Monster’s Online relevant ceo clients. So, it proposed:

For dm: Web integration (wbi); Web Experience (wbe); Web Strategy (wbs) and Technological Resources (trs)
For innov process by Mejía-Trejo’s et al. (2014) conceptual model with: Innovation Value Added (ivadd); Innovation Income Items (iiit); Innovation Process (inproc); Innovation Performance (iperf); Innovation Feedback Items (ifeed); Innovation Outcome Items or Results of Innovation (ioit).

The approach is based on the importance to relate the dm on innov process to determine their main factors that are affected and generate more innovation in the dm sector. This article is aimed to determine the main factors that drive the dm on innov process to get more, about this, by mean of original theoretical models as a product of the principal related theories about dm and innov process. The Value of the study, is to obtain a first settlement for a generalized model able to be applied in other sectors in Mexico. The results obtained, will allow measuring the level of correlation amongst the variables in study, and discover how the main factors of innov pro- cess are influenced for dm components.

The eight article tell us how to build a construct relating the na- tional competitiveness model (ncm) with the proposition of digital marketing innovation model (dmim), for a digital campaign design. The methodology is based on a literature review using Delphi Panel with Analytic Hierarchy Process (ahp) among 200 (100 professors and 100 ceo) digital marketing specialists located at Guadalajara, Mexico. The results pointed out to a final questionnaire supporting a construct with 8 main variables of the ncm and 10 main variables involved into the dmim for a Digital Campaign Design.

The ninth work, is aimed to propose a construct relating the na- tional competitiveness model (ncm) with our proposition of digital marketing innovation model (dmim) for a digital campaign design. The design is a final questionnaire in Likert scale, applied during Jan. Apr. 2017 to the total population: 200 specialists (100 professors/100 ceos) of digital marketing campaign designers in Guadalajara, México (called specialists). The methodology is based on a documentary research to determine the variables related into ncm-dmim. As a qualitative study, the variables obtained were analyzed by 10 specialists using Delphi Panel and Analytic Hierarchy Process (ahp). The results were two visions, among academics (professors) and the ex-perts (ceos) vision (called conceptual evidence) with different rates of importance and order of appearance of each determined variables of the ncm-dmim construct. As a quantitative study (the empirical evidence), we practiced correlation and multiple linear regression techniques to determine the most important variables and their rela- tionships in such construct. As a finding, it is the first settlement for

a generalized model able to explain the variables involved in the relationship between ncm-dmim construct. The research limitations: there are no previous models relating the main ncm-dmim variables. The social and practical implications are aimed to the marketing sec- tor recommending improvements of ncm-dmim relationships as a measuring tool. The originality is based on the empirical disclosing of the main ncm-dmim variables using an original theoretical model adapted to the context.

Finally, the tenth project is aimed to determine a construct of electronic business (e-business) innovation (ebim). This study is based on a documentary research to determine the main variables of the ebim as academic vision and based on a focused group of e- Business experts using the Delphi Panel method and the Analytic Hierarchy Process we obtained the expert vision of the ebim, as a general conceptual model. Based on both visions it was obtained the 19 variables and 3 factors to be included in the final ebim proposal, which: 9/19 variables are according to the both visions, 6/19 are su- ggested by expert vision and 4/19 are suggested by academic vision. The conceptual ebim obtained has the potential to be used. Further studies regarding the ebim, are: an exploratory factor analysis to verify the grouping of such variables; a confirmatory factor analysis to disclose the underlying variables and factors relationships and a multiple linear regression to determine how is the correlation amongst these variables.

Management Sciences and Multivariate Analysis

Juan Mejía-Trejo — Fri, 30 Jun 2017 00:00:00 +0000

With greater computing capabilities and resource availability nowadays, multivariate analysis is increasingly featured in various software applications, thereby expanding its potential use across disciplines such as Administrative Sciences. The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) by IBM, Analytics, Business Intelligence and Data Management (SAS) by SAS Institute and/or World Programming, Statistica by STATISTICA, and the R language (open-source software) are among the most widely used models in academic and professional fields worldwide. Consequently, it's no surprise that Administrative Sciences support academic development, appearing in various postgraduate programs and in the professional world corresponding to Social Sciences. This trend is leading to a growing presentation of reports, articles, book chapters, or entire books discussing various theoretical-empirical aspects and their interpretation based on such software applications. In our case, we've adopted IBM's SPSS 20 for developing the topics in this book.

Based on the aforementioned, we present the work: "Administrative Sciences and Multivariate Analysis under the Approach of Dependent Techniques. Research Projects, Analysis, and Discussion of Results, Volume I," with a triple purpose:

To provide a document that serves both those familiar and unfamiliar with the topic, who need to understand the concepts discussed in this volume and manipulate the various commands offered by IBM's SPSS 20 regarding the problem cases presented as examples.
For a better understanding of case treatment, we present the sequence proposed by Hair et al. (1999) of the six steps: objectives, design, assumptions, execution, interpretation, and validation, as the axis for presenting and resolving these cases.
As the Coordinator of the Doctorate in Administrative Sciences at the Centro Universitario de Ciencias Económico Administrativas (CUCEA) of the University of Guadalajara (UdG), to present the base book for the course Quantitative Methods I and II.

It is the author's desire to contribute to the reader's acquisition of knowledge applicable in the practical world and aiding in its theoretical interpretation. If not, it is hoped that at least it serves as another useful step towards achieving their academic and/or professional formation.

Diagnosis of the Agricultural and Fisheries Sector in the State of Sonora

Carlos Gabriel Borbón-Morales — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 00:00:00 +0000

The realization of this research was made possible thanks to the support of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Rural Development, Fisheries, and Food (SAGARPA) and the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Hydraulic Resources, Fisheries, and Aquaculture of the Government of the State of Sonora (SAGARHPA), which, through the State Technical Evaluation Committee (CTEE), an auxiliary instance of the Agricultural and Livestock Development Fund of the State of Sonora (FOFAES), financed the research. It is noteworthy that SAGARPA provided fundamental intervention through the operational structure of its Rural Development Districts throughout the state of Sonora.

We thank Dr. Ramón Pacheco, General Director of CIAD, A.C., for the facilities provided to participate in the bidding for this research. Likewise, to the Coordinator of the Linkage area, Dr. Juan Pedro Camou, for his unconditional support.

We also acknowledge the support provided by Dr. Sergio Sandoval Godoy, Coordinator of the Regional Development area and president of the Internal Scientific Editorial Committee of Publications of CIAD, A.C.

It is worth mentioning that the study was made possible thanks to the active participation, in participatory workshops, of producers from the agricultural and fisheries sectors, as well as officials from SAGARPA from the coastal, high sierra, low sierra, and valleys regions. We appreciate the participation of researchers and academics, officials, representatives of productive chains, technicians, and producers for their participation in the forum on productive potentials of the state of Sonora.

We thank the participation of Engineer Fernando Miranda Blanco, State Delegate of SAGARPA, Engineer Héctor Antonio Navarro Corella, Deputy Delegate of Planning and Rural Development of SAGARPA, Engineer Sergio Córdova Murrieta, Coordinator of the State Technical Evaluation Committee, for their comments and contributions to the document.

It is of utmost importance to mention the contribution and recommendations of Engineer Héctor H. Ortiz Ciscomani, Secretary of Agriculture, Livestock, Hydraulic Resources, Fisheries, and Aquaculture, Lic. Rito Edel Castellanos, Liaison Advisor of SAGARHPA, Lic. Germán Bleizeffer Vega, Undersecretary of Agriculture of SAGARHPA, and other officials of the state administration who kindly participated in the progress meetings of the research.

We highlight the enthusiastic participation of colleagues Lic. Aida Espinoza and M.C. Marisol Arvizu Armenta for their contribution to the design and editing of this book.

Finally, we dedicate our effort to the producers of the agricultural, livestock, and fisheries sectors of the state of Sonora.