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The purpose of this paper is to explore how family-supportive supervisor behaviour (FSSB) and organisational work–family policies (WFP) influence turnover intention (TI), satisfaction with work–family balance (SWFB) and prosocial motivation (PSM) in employees in organisations in the private sector in Colombia and Chile. It also explores whether a family -friendly organisational culture (FFOC) moderates this relationship.

A questionnaire (the International Family-Responsible Employed Index) was used to survey 486 employees (Chile: 255, Colombia: 231). The questionnaire consisted of three main sections: independent variables (WFP, FSSB, (FFOC and individual characteristics); dependent variables (organisational outcomes of TI, loyalty and commitment, and individual outcomes of health, WFE, SWFB, PSM and intrinsic); and demographic indicators. Structural equation modelling was used to test the possibility of comparing both countries and the model proposed.

Results show a negative relationship between FSSB and TI, and a positive relationship between FSSB and SWFB and PSM. There are no significant differences among countries, except when looking at PSM. FFOC moderates the relationships between FSSB and TI, between policies and FSSB and SWFB and between FSSB and PSM. It also has a direct effect on PSM.

This paper is one of the first to offer comparative data from organisations and managers in Latin American countries at the work–family interface. It also contributes to the literature, offering results partly consistent with studies in Anglo–Saxon countries.

Este estudio explora cómo los comportamientos solidarios de los supervisores y las políticas de apoyo para el balance entre trabajo-familia influyen en la intención de dejar la empresa, la satisfacción con el balance trabajo-familia y la motivación pro-social de los empleados en organizaciones en el sector privado en Colombia y Chile. Además, se centra en cómo una cultura amigable para las familias modera la relación.

El cuestionario IFREI (International Family-Responsible Employed Index) fue utilizado para recabar información de 486 empleados (Chile: 255, Colombia: 231). El cuestionario consta de tres partes principales: variables independientes (Políticas Trabajo-Familia (WFP), Comportamientos solidarios de supervisores (FSSB), Cultura organizacional amigable para la familia (FFOC), y características individuales); variables dependientes (resultados organizacionales de intenciónde dejar la empresa, lealtad y compromiso; y resultados individuales de salud, enriquecimiento trabajo-familia, satisfacción con el balance trabajo-familia (SWFB) y motivación: pro-social (PSM) e intrínseca; e indicadores demográficos. Se usa ecuaciones estructuradas para probar la posibilidad de comparar ambos países y el modelo propuesto.

Los resultados muestran una relación negativa entre comportamientos solidarios e intención de dejar la empresa y una relación positiva entre comportamientos solidarios de supervisores y satisfacción con el balance trabajo-familia y motivación pro-social. No hay diferencias significativas entre los países, excepto en lo que se refiere a motivación pro-social. La cultura organizacional amigable para la familia modera la relación entre comportamientos solidarios de los supervisores y la intención de dejar la empresa, entre políticas y FSSB y SWFB, y entre FSSB y PSM. La cultura organizacional amigable a la familia tiene un efecto directo en la motivación pro-social.

Este trabajo es uno de los primeros en ofrecer información comparativa entre organizaciones y directivos de países Latinoamericanos alrededor de la esfera trabajo-familia. También contribuye a la literatura ofreciendo resultados parcialmente consistentes con estudios de países anglosajones.

This study aims to elucidate the relationship between women's participation on the board of directors and the company's financial performance in a sample of 45 Colombian companies listed on the Colombia Stock Exchange (CSE) (Bolsa de Valores de Colombia).

Using 50,214 financial records of 45 companies listed on the CSE during 2008–2016, the authors performed panel data regressions to explore the relationship between the measures of gender diversity on boards and the impact on corporate financial performance.

The authors show that the participation and presence of at least one woman on the board of directors are positively associated with firm financial performance as measured by return on equity (ROE), but not as measured by Tobin’s Q. This second indicator is positively associated with firm financial performance when there are at least three female directors on boards of 10 or more individuals.

The findings also provide evidence supporting the development of managerial and organizational mechanisms that strengthen female presence at the highest level of governance.

The study demonstrates that female presence on boards has a positive impact on firms’ financial performance, but the degree of diversity impacts differently ROE and Tobin’s Q. These findings are based on a study of an emerging economy in Latin America, and data on similar economies are scarce.

Most developing countries are characterized by large informal sectors. A substantial proportion of firms in these countries began operations in the informal sector, eventually becoming formal. The purpose of this paper is to study whether, after formalization, firms that began operations in the informal sector are more or less likely to use intellectual capital in the form of disembodied technology licensing than firms that began operations in the formal sector. The moderating roles of being a downstream firm, age and the country’s per capita income are also analyzed.

The effect of initial informality on the probability of licensing is estimated using firm-level data from the World Bank’s Enterprise Survey, conducted in several Latin American countries in 2006–2017.

Formal firms that began informally are less likely to use licensed technology, suggesting the existence of long-run effects of informality. The effect of initial informality is more negative among downstream firms.

The analysis uses cross-sectional data. Unobservable firm fixed effects could be controlled for using longitudinal data.

Initial informality affecting the innovation strategies of firms should be considered when designing policies that incentivize formality.

If, in light of the results of this analysis, policies are designed which foster a better allocation of resources, there will be a tangible impact in the lives of many people in developing countries.

This is the first paper that analyzes the relationship between initial informality status and technology licensing, a relevant channel for the international diffusion of technology.

The purpose of this paper is to identify workforce skills that protect an occupation from elimination due to automation technology.

The authors apply a Gaussian process (GP) classifier, based on the level of non-automatable work activities in an occupation, to USA and Colombian occupational datasets.

The authors find that communication, interpersonal relationship management and decision-making skills are most important in occupations that are resistant to automation.

The results are based on work activities data from the Occupational Information Network (O*NET) database developed for the USA labor market. This dataset does not capture significant differences in work activities, where they exist, for the same occupation between the two countries. The findings are also limited to Colombia. Readers should be careful to extrapolate the findings outside of this geography.

The authors discover that automation is likely to be a global phenomenon that can only be slightly mitigated by cultural and political factors.

This paper takes a closer look at the way firms combine human resources from different departments by analyzing firm-level data obtained from a series of innovation surveys conducted in Colombia by Departamento Administrativo Nacional de Estadística (DANE). In particular, the authors inquire into whether there are differences in innovation performance between firms that combine human resources from different departments and firms that choose not to do so.

The authors apply a complementarity test between firms that combine human resources from different departments and firms that choose not to do so. As performance variables, the authors consider the propensity to innovate, the number of new innovative products that the firm introduces, the proportion of sales coming from products new to the firm and sales from new products as a percentage of current innovation expenditures.

The authors find that firms with an internal research and development (R&D) department have a better innovation performance, but the authors do not find evidence of the existence of complementarity between workers in R&D and workers in other departments, and the authors find some evidence that suggests substitutability in the case of product innovations.

This paper provides managers with insights about how to deploy employees to improve firm innovation performance of employees.

This paper combines innovation literature with human resources management literature and applies a robust methodology to data not previously tested for the same purposes.

Este artículo mira detenidamente la manera en que las empresas colombianas combinan recursos humanos de diferentes departamentos analizando datos de empresas obtenidos de una serie de encuestas sobre innovación realizada en Colombia por el DANE. En concreto, los autores se preguntan si existen diferencias en el desempeño de innovación entre las empresas que combinan recursos humanos de diferentes departamentos y aquellas que eligen no hacerlo.

Los autores aplican una prueba de complementariedad entre las empresas que combinan recursos humanos de diferentes departamentos y aquellas que eligen no hacerlo. Como variables de desempeño, los autore toman la disposición a innovar; número de nuevos productos innovadores que la empresa introduce, la proporción de venta que ingresa por productos nuevos de la empresa, y venta de nuevos productos como porcentaje de gastos actuales de innovación.

Los autores encuentran que las empresas con un departamento de I&D tienen mejor desempeño de innovación, pero no encuentran evidencia de complementariedad entre trabajadores de I&D y trabajadores de otros departamentos. Los autores encontran alguna evidencia que sugiere sustitución en el caso de innovación de producto.

Este artículo combina literatura proveniente del área de innovación con literatura del área de gestión de recursos humanos y aplica una metodología robusta a datos que no han sido analizados previamente con este propósito.

Este artículo ofrece a los gerentes y directivos una mirada distinta sobre cómo desplegar colaboradores en las distintas áreas para mejorar el desempeño de innovación de las firmas.

This paper aims to determine the level of awareness and implementation of family‐responsible parameters: policies, enablers, practices, and culture, in Spanish and Latin‐American companies, and how they impact work‐life balance.

The study uses data from different national IESE's Family‐Responsible Employer Index surveys in Spain (1,000 companies) and five Latin‐American countries (1,155 companies), Brazil, Chile, Colombia, El Salvador and Peru, done between 2006 and 2008. This is a structured questionnaire that assesses the stage of development the organization is in regarding four main family‐responsible parameters: policies, enablers, practices, and culture.

Latin‐American countries get a slightly higher number of companies that are fully supportive of work‐family balance environment than Spain, but with lesser formal policies implemented and a stronger presence of enablers and practices. Policies are important but might not be as effective if not accompanied by the example of managers and staff as well as by a deep understanding of the cultural value placed by them on work, family and personal life.

The survey‐based data used limits insight into causal relationships. Qualitative and longitudinal studies are needed in order to clarify motives for individual and organizational decisions regarding work‐life initiatives. Data collected are from one source only: employer's management. Multi‐source studies must follow and include the public sector.

This is the first comparison between Spanish companies and companies from five Latin‐American countries regarding work‐family policies, enablers, practices and culture with such an ample number of companies. Findings will aid HRD practitioners in developing work‐family initiatives and help researchers to address new questions in cross‐cultural comparisons.

The purpose of this paper is to address the subject of work attitude drivers within the current scenario considering two influencing factors, culture and generation. Both membership of a particular generation and membership of a particular culture can affect individuals' work attitudes. The study considers these two factors in order to analyse five dimensions that are sources of work attitudes: life project, professional ethics, and attitude towards authority, leadership and commitment to the company.

Drawing upon a sample of almost one thousand people from various Ibero‐American countries, the results show significant differences between generations and cultures, particularly when focusing on the life project.

Among its conclusions, the paper points out that Latin America cannot be viewed as a homogenous whole in terms of individual work attitude. On the contrary, it is characterised by a significant degree of national diversity and managers should take this into account when designing initiatives to improve employee motivation.

The contribution that this paper seeks to make is to include the cross‐cultural perspective in the study of attitudes towards work, which has received less attention in previous studies.

The aim of this paper is to review published conceptual and research papers within the field of international, comparative and cross‐cultural HRD.

The paper's approach is a targeted literature review focusing on papers within the mainstream HRD journals, as well as a small number of non HRD journals.

The literature review revealed that international, comparative and cross‐cultural HRD is an emerging subfield of study. In general the authors were able to categorise the literatures into the three trajectories specified. However, they noted contradictions and confusions within the literature.

The paper is solely theoretical in nature; however, it does identify gaps for further research. The authors highlight specific research questions within each trajectory as well as proposing a global HRD construct.

The paper is particularly valuable to scholars interested in theorising and researching international, comparative and cross‐cultural HRD. It sets the scene for the special issue on the three trajectories, and identifies possible avenues for future theorising and research.