Revista de Administração da UFSM

Guidelines and frameworks of governance for the adoption of generative artificial intelligence in higher education institutions: a scoping review

Maria Gabrielle Soares Gomes — 2025-12-02

Purpose: This study examines academic production on guidelines and frameworks for the governance of generative artificial intelligence in higher education institutions.

Design/methodology: A scoping review was conducted utilizing the Web of Science database, analyzing publications from 2023 and 2024.

Findings: The results were organized into four thematic clusters: guidelines and frameworks, challenges in the adoption of generative artificial intelligence governance in higher education, stakeholder perceptions, and research gaps.

Research implications: The study provides insights and could serve as a reference for adopting generative artificial intelligence in other institutions.

Originality/value: This research contributes to the body of studies focused on the integration and governance of generative artificial intelligence in higher education institutions.

Leadership and job performance: relationships with autonomy, intrinsic motivation and engagement

Aldeci Rufino de Queiroz — 2025-12-02

Purpose: This study examines the relationship between engaging leadership and job performance through a mediation and moderation model, incorporating engagement as a mediator and intrinsic motivation and autonomy as moderators.

Design/Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 425 workers from various economic sectors, predominantly consisting of women (53.6%), individuals with a college degree (64%), and private-sector employees (61.6%), with a mean age of 36.7 years (SD = 10.7) The participants completed the Engaging Leadership, Engagement, Autonomy, Intrinsic Motivation, and Job Performance Scales.

Findings: Engagement mediates the relationship between engaging leadership and performance, while autonomy moderates the relationship between engagement and job performance.

Originality: Our findings suggest that engagement precedes improvements in job performance, and that workers with high autonomy levels rely less on engagement to achieve high performance. Practically, this study highlights the importance of leaders fostering a healthy organizational environment through practices encouraging communication, mutual support, and continuous encouragement between leaders and employees. This approach signifies a contemporary and innovative leadership style, emphasizing the satisfaction of workers’ basic psychological needs as central to achieving organizational goals effectively and sustainably.

Exploring the integration of sustainability and digital transformation as an organizational strategy: a systematic literature review and guidance for future research

Isabela Marques Kumer — 2025-12-03

Purpose – Digital Transformation (DT) and sustainability have attracted significant interest from researchers and professionals, sparking debates about their interaction. However, the literature still lacks a comprehensive analysis of this connection. This study examines the relationship between DT and sustainability, aiming to fill this gap and provide a holistic view of these interactions.

Design/methodology/approach – A Systematic Literature Review (SLR) was conducted based on the protocol of Tranfield, Denyer, and Smart (2003), analyzing academic studies that discuss the interaction between DT and sustainability.

Findings – The results highlight that DT is crucial in advancing corporate sustainability goals by streamlining administrative processes, enhancing efficiency, boosting competitiveness, and driving innovation.

Originality/value – This study offers a comprehensive analysis of the interaction between DT and sustainability, proposes a future research agenda, and provides valuable insights for companies and researchers interested in exploring these synergies.

Critical Success Factors in ESG: Asymmetries between Corporate Communication and Investor Perceptions

Matheus Ghitti Baione — 2025-12-05

Purpose: This study explores which ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) attributes are most valued by investors and whether they align with the priorities disclosed by Brazilian companies recognized for sustainable performance.

Methodology: A mixed-method approach was adopted. First, a qualitative content analysis was conducted on the reference forms of 15 companies listed on the B3 Corporate Sustainability Index (ISE). Then, a survey with 145 investors assessed the relevance they assign to ESG themes. ESG items were categorized using the Critical Success Factors (CSF) framework.

Findings: Results reveal a substantial misalignment: companies emphasize environmental and social disclosures, while investors prioritize governance aspects, particularly integrity, compliance, and cybersecurity. Gender differences emerged, with women attributing higher importance to social and environmental pillars. The findings suggest ESG communication often fails to meet investor expectations, limiting its usefulness for decision-making.

Originality: The study offers a novel integration of corporate ESG disclosures and investor perceptions, structured through the CSF lens. It contributes to understanding the gaps between institutional narratives and stakeholder priorities, emphasizing the risk of symbolic ESG adoption (greenwashing).

Research limitations/ implications: The study focused on companies already engaged in ESG (ISE B3), which may limit generalizability to the broader market. The investor survey was distributed through professional networks and may reflect the perspectives of individuals with a declared interest in sustainable finance. Future research could expand to different sectors, investor profiles, and data sources. Despite these limitations, the study offers relevant insights to improve ESG alignment, transparency, and stakeholder trust.