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This paper aims to resolve the inhibitors of lean service using knowledge management (KM) concepts through the use of Toyota Kata. To achieve this, the authors updated the research on lean supportive practices and inhibitors of lean technical practices presented by Hadid and Afshin Mansouri (2014) through a systematic literature review (SLR). The SLR focused on empirical studies/cases from the past 15 years and confirmed the inhibitors of lean technical practices. As a result, Toyota Kata is proposed as a KM solution to the inhibitors of lean service implementation in service companies.

The authors carried out an SLR to identify inhibitors of lean service in real case applications and analyzed the resulting bibliographic portfolio using KM as a lens, along with three theories: universal theory, socio-technical systems theory and contingency theory, which assist in highlighting and clarifying the potential impact of using Toyota Kata as a solution to the inhibitors of lean technical practices.

When the authors analyzed the inhibitors of lean technical practices, they discovered that there is a strong relationship between the inhibitors and the individual (staff) personal characteristics regarding commitment, involvement, communication and preparation. These inhibitors and characteristics should work as a system, and Toyota Kata improves people’s skills and process performance by connecting people, processes and technology. Also, the authors noted that the Toyota Kata concept used can provide benefits in the implementation of lean service for companies, such as the internalization of continuous improvement, this becoming part of the company culture. Moreover, it has been demonstrated that Toyota Kata provides an effective way to achieve KM.

This study may not have enabled a complete coverage of all existing peer-reviewed articles in the field of practices and inhibitors presented by Hadid and Afshin Mansouri (2014). However, it seems reasonable to assume that in this review, a large proportion of the studies available was included.

This paper opens a new perspective on the use of Toyota Kata by managers as a solution to implement KM, spinning the spiral of knowledge.

This is the first study that seeks empirical evidence of inhibitors of lean technical practices and proposes Toyota Kata as a KM Solution for these issues. As a result, this study advances the facility to overcome these inhibitors, opening a new perspective for management to lead in achieving operational excellence.

We present a critical literature review debating Brazilian research on social and environmental accounting (SEA). The aim of this study is to understand the role of politics in the construction of hegemonies in SEA research in Brazil. In particular, we examine the role of hegemony in relation to the co-option of SEA literature and sustainability in the Brazilian context by the logic of development for economic growth in emerging economies. The methodological approach adopts a post-structural perspective that reflects Laclau and Mouffe’s discourse theory. The study employs a hermeneutical, rhetorical approach to understand and classify 352 Brazilian research articles on SEA. We employ Brown and Fraser’s (2006) categorizations of SEA literature to help in our analysis: the business case, the stakeholder–accountability approach, and the critical case. We argue that the business case is prominent in Brazilian studies. Second-stage analysis suggests that the major themes under discussion include measurement, consulting, and descriptive approach. We argue that these themes illustrate the degree of influence of the hegemonic politics relevant to emerging economics, as these themes predominantly concern economic growth and a capitalist context. This paper discusses trends and practices in the Brazilian literature on SEA and argues that the focus means that SEA avoids critical debates of the role of capitalist logics in an emerging economy concerning sustainability. We urge the Brazilian academy to understand the implications of its reifying agenda and engage, counter-hegemonically, in a social and political agenda beyond the hegemonic support of a particular set of capitalist interests.

Thistle flower (Cynara cardunculus) aqueous extracts, as rich source of milk-clotting peptidases, have been widely used for cheeses marketed under the Registry of the Protected Designation of Origin, as it is the case of Serra da Estrela cheese, manufactured from raw ewes’ milk and without addition of any commercial starter culture. This paper aims at studying the influence of six different ecotypes of thistle flowers in cheese properties during the ripening and of final products.

Cheeses were produced with different thistle flower extracts and then the clotting time, weight and colour of cheeses, as well as texture properties and sensorial characteristics, were evaluated.

The clotting time varied from 47 to 66 min, and the weight loss along ripening varied between 32 and 40 per cent. There was some influence of thistle flower ecotype on the colour during ripening and in the final product. The results of texture analysis revealed significant differences between the thistle ecotypes: crust firmness varying from 2.4 to 5.6 N; inner firmness from 0.82 to 1.82 N; stickiness from −0.5 to −1.60 N; adhesiveness from −3.0 to −11.3 N.s; and Ecotype C was particularly distinguishable. Sensorial evaluation revealed differences among the cheeses, with Ecotype C receiving the highest score for global appreciation.

The usage of different extracts of thistle flower to produce Serra da Estrela cheese with different properties is a novelty, and it allows the possibility of manipulating this parameter in the future so as to produce cheeses with specific characteristics, addressed to different consumer targets.

This paper presents an overview of Latin American (LA) publications on corporate social responsibility (CSR) and closely related themes that appear in ISI Thompson Reuters Social Science Citation Index journals, in the period 2000-2017. The purpose of this paper is twofold. The first is to understand the institutional context in which this research is being produced, and to reflect on how it can be improved. The second is to map out key research strands in this literature, to discuss its achievements and limitations, and identify opportunities for future research.

A quantitative-qualitative systematic review was performed using a standard bibliometric approach. A total of 148 articles from 36 journals, indexed in the ISI Thompson Reuters Social Science Citation Index, were selected and analyzed. A systematic analysis was performed, based on a review protocol, which comprised following eight steps: research objectives, article search, articles selection, article identification, root themes coding, data coding, data coding validation and content analysis.

Research about CSR Latin America features a very low citation record. It is also very fragmented. Both of these characteristics reflect little conversation amongst scholars publishing on this topic in indexed venues. More generally, participation in these venues reflects the location of scholars working on this topic as peripheral actors in scholarly conversations. The study identifies many opportunities for future research that attend to key issues that are relevant for Latin America and that will stimulate a more dynamic conversation among scholars interested in the region.

First, this study is limited to articles on CSR research on LA published in ISI journals. It does not show the whole trend of other academic and managerial publications in the region. Second, although the articles selected were retrieved based on 17 search terms derived from the theoretical framework, the complexity of CSR-related themes and its evolution could have caused some terms, and therefore publications, to be left out.

Results provide scholars interested in the region with updated information about the state of research on the topic and about opportunities for future research. They also provide business schools in the region with a valuable input for a comprehensive reflection on research policy.

In the 30th anniversary of Academia (Revista Latinoamericana de Administración), this study offers recommendations on how research on CRS in Latin America could be made more visible and relevant.

This is the first bibliometric analysis of scholarly publications on CSR and related issues in Latin America. It is also unique in addressing institutional factors that may be conditioning intellectual production on the topic.

Este artículo presenta una descripción general de las publicaciones sobre América Latina (AL) acerca de la Responsabilidad Social Empresarial (RSE) y temas estrechamente relacionados que aparecen en las revistas del Índice ISI Thompson Reuters de Ciencias Sociales, en el período 2000-2017. El propósito de este estudio es doble. El primero es comprender el contexto institucional en el que se está produciendo esta investigación, y reflexionar sobre cómo se puede mejorar dicho contexto. El segundo es trazar líneas de investigación clave en esta literatura, para discutir sus logros y limitaciones, e identificar oportunidades para futuras investigaciones.

Se realizó una revisión sistemática cualitativa-cuantitativa utilizando un enfoque bibliométrico estándar. Se seleccionaron y analizaron un total de 148 artículos de 36 revistas indexadas en el Índice de citas de Ciencias Sociales de ISI Thompson Reuters. Se realizó un análisis sistemático, basado en un protocolo de revisión que comprendía ocho pasos: objetivos de la investigación, búsqueda de artículos, selección de artículos, identificación de artículos, codificación de temas raíz, codificación de datos, validación de codificación de datos y análisis de contenido.

Las publicaciones sobre RSE en AL presentan un registro de citas muy bajo, además de muy fragmentado. Ambas características reflejan poca conversación entre los académicos que publican sobre este tema en revistas indexadas. En términos más generales, la participación en estas publicaciones refleja la ubicación de los académicos que trabajan en este tema como actores periféricos en las conversaciones académicas. El estudio identifica muchas oportunidades para futuras investigaciones que atienden temas clave que son relevantes para AL y que estimularán una conversación más dinámica entre los académicos interesados en la región.

En primer lugar, este estudio se limita a artículos sobre investigación de RSE en AL publicados en revistas ISI. No muestra la tendencia general de otro tipo de publicaciones académicas y gerenciales sobre la región. En segundo lugar, aunque la búsqueda en esta investigación se hizo con base en 17 términos derivados del marco teórico, la complejidad de los temas relacionados con la RSE y su evolución podrían haber ocasionado que algunos términos, y por lo tanto publicaciones, hayan quedado fuera del análisis.

Los resultados proporcionan a los estudiosos interesados en la región información actualizada sobre el estado de la investigación sobre el tema y sobre las oportunidades para investigaciones futuras. También le ofrecen a las escuelas de negocios de la región un aporte valioso para una reflexión integral sobre la política de investigación.

En el 30 aniversario de Academia (Revista Latinoamericana de Administración), este estudio ofrece recomendaciones sobre cómo la investigación sobre RSE en AL podría hacerse más visible y relevante.

Este es el primer análisis bibliométrico de publicaciones académicas sobre RSE y temas relacionados en AL. También es único al abordar los factores institucionales que pueden condicionar la producción intelectual sobre el tema.

This review provides an overview of recent advances in electrochemical sensors for analyte detection in saliva, highlighting their potential applications in diagnostics and health care. The purpose of this paper is to summarize the current state of the field, identify challenges and limitations and discuss future prospects for the development of saliva-based electrochemical sensors.

The paper reviews relevant literature and research articles to examine the latest developments in electrochemical sensing technologies for saliva analysis. It explores the use of various electrode materials, including carbon nanomaterial, metal nanoparticles and conducting polymers, as well as the integration of microfluidics, lab-on-a-chip (LOC) devices and wearable/implantable technologies. The design and fabrication methodologies used in these sensors are discussed, along with sample preparation techniques and biorecognition elements for enhancing sensor performance.

Electrochemical sensors for salivary analyte detection have demonstrated excellent potential for noninvasive, rapid and cost-effective diagnostics. Recent advancements have resulted in improved sensor selectivity, stability, sensitivity and compatibility with complex saliva samples. Integration with microfluidics and LOC technologies has shown promise in enhancing sensor efficiency and accuracy. In addition, wearable and implantable sensors enable continuous, real-time monitoring of salivary analytes, opening new avenues for personalized health care and disease management.

This review presents an up-to-date overview of electrochemical sensors for analyte detection in saliva, offering insights into their design, fabrication and performance. It highlights the originality and value of integrating electrochemical sensing with microfluidics, wearable/implantable technologies and point-of-care testing platforms. The review also identifies challenges and limitations, such as interference from other saliva components and the need for improved stability and reproducibility. Future prospects include the development of novel microfluidic devices, advanced materials and user-friendly diagnostic devices to unlock the full potential of saliva-based electrochemical sensing in clinical practice.