Revista de Administração da UFSM

Algorithmic influence and consumer decision-making: empirical evidence on the limitations of predictive AI in marketing communication management

Pabllo Barcellos Soares Ferreira, Marcelo Henrique Neves Pereira — Tue, 24 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0300

Purpose: This study investigates the convergence and divergence between visual attention predictions generated by predictive Artificial Intelligence (AI) models and empirical patterns of visual attention of Brazilian consumers, and discusses the limitations of AI-generated models in supporting managerial decision-making in marketing and communication.

Design/methodology/approach: We adopt a comparative empirical design that integrates three studies based on eye tracking with Brazilian consumers—two from the literature and one original experiment with menu-type stimuli. The empirical data were compared with results generated by a predictive AI system predominantly trained with Euro-American databases.

Results: The results show consistent divergences between human attentional patterns and algorithmic predictions. While AI tended to overestimate visually salient elements, Brazilian consumers showed greater sensitivity to contextual, textual, and semantically relevant information for decision-making.

Limitations/implications of the study: The study focuses on a single cultural context and a specific predictive AI system, which limits the generalizability of the results to other markets and algorithmic models.

Practical implications: The findings alert managers to the risks of uncritical use of predictive AI in marketing communication management, indicating the need for local empirical validation and complementary use of algorithmic tools and consumer research.

Social implications: The study contributes to the debate on decision-making autonomy and consumer well-being by showing that inaccurate algorithmic predictions can increase cognitive overload and compromise consumer experiences.

Originality/value: The study offers unprecedented empirical evidence in an emerging market, expanding the literature on algorithmic influence by integrating cognitive, cultural, and managerial dimensions in the evaluation of AI use in marketing.

Influence of leadership style on the management control system in the undersecretariat of the Ministry of Health

Leandro Mendes, Viviane Theiss — Tue, 24 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0300

The study analyzes, based on the perception of civil servants led by the Undersecretariat for Administrative Affairs of the Ministry of Health, the influence of transactional and transformational leadership styles on the use of management control systems (MCS). To this end, a survey was conducted with civil servants from administrative units of the Ministry of Health, using research instruments adapted from Souza and Junior (2018) and Damke et al. (2011). These instruments, in turn, are derived from the theoretical models of Bass and Avolio (1995) and Simons (1995), allowing for the collection of respondents’ perceptions of both their managers’ leadership style and the use of MCS. The sample consists of 72 subordinates, whose responses to the questionnaire were provided via Google Forms. Descriptive statistics were used in the data analysis, and Structural Equation Modeling was applied for hypothesis testing. The results showed that transformational leadership is not a precursor to the use of MCS and that, in the public sector, considering the administrative units surveyed, transactional leadership style plays an important role in explaining the choices of diagnostic and interactive systems, but not the belief system or the limits system. The study also provides insights into the preponderance of followers inclined toward the premises of homo economicus.

Sustainable universities: the role of accounting, management and ESG

Tue, 24 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0300

Purpose: This study aims to examine how accounting, management, and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) practices influence the sustainability strategies of universities listed in the Green Metrics ranking.

Methodology: A quantitative approach was conducted with 106 Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) included in the ranking. The data collection instrument was developed through methodological triangulation, combining a Systematic Literature Review (SLR), analysis of institutional reports, and a structured questionnaire validated by experts. This design enabled the identification of impact studies and key sustainable practices already implemented in HEIs.

Findings: The analysis revealed the main variables adopted by ranked institutions, the critical factors that foster sustainability and stakeholder engagement, and the correlations that highlight the role of planning in advancing sustainable development.

Public Administration and Agenda Setting: A Systematic Review Across Three Platforms

Tue, 24 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0300

Purpose: Public administration is profoundly influenced by the sociopolitical context, which shapes its institutional identity, strategies, and agenda. Agenda-setting theory plays a central role in the theoretical debate on Public Policy and Management. This study investigates the contemporary debate on agenda-setting in administrative and organizational studies in Brazil.

Design/Methodology/Approach: To conduct the study, a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) was conducted on national and international platforms, including Scielo Brasil, Spell, and Web of Science.

Findings: The results show a growth in scientific production in recent years, with greater use of the punctuated equilibrium model in national research and an increase in international collaborations. Emerging themes include climate change, sustainability, and the role of multilateral development banks, especially in Asia.

Originality/Value: This research emulates and updates previous works, expanding the search to identify new articles on the topic, thus advancing knowledge about agenda-setting in scientific research on public policy.

Keywords: Public Administration; Agenda-Setting; Systematic Literature Review

Navigating the boardroom jungle: observations on bi-directional applications of animal archetypes as a metaphor for understanding current management perceptions – a systematic literature review

Israel Kofi Nyarko — Tue, 07 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0300

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to explore animal archetypes comparative metaphors involving the impact of contemporary managements and their managerial roles, and to advance the use of them for business communication, understanding, and leadership development.

Motivation: Although many theories are available in the literature of management, there exists no clear understanding of the complex management functions in the organizational hierarchy. Figurative designations for these functions offer a sense of how the public can easily understand and relate to them.

Design/methodology/approach: Using a combination of theoretical elements from Gareth Morgan and lie theory, the paper reports on a review of the literature, which brings together both Gareth Morgan and literature about organizational culture. Four out of the five executive traits (visioning, discernment, diligence, teamwork, and creativity) were associated respectively with several animal archetypes via qualitative animal characteristics and symbolic attributes.

Results: The study found a 5-class category model: lion “authority and strategic vision,” owl “cunning,” ant and bee “workmanship,” sheepdog “work in a group, and dolphin “innovation and flexibility.” They all intertwine to create a coherent system of management.

Practical implications: The model can serve as a helpful instrument in leadership and management development, contributing to our understanding of cross-cultural organizations. It also results in increased role clarity, team efficiency, and succession planning.

Originality/Value: By juxtaposing metaphorical symbolism with management theory, the study provides a fresh look at managerial dynamism and attempts to fill the void between theory and practice. The typology-based approach further contributes to theoretical discussions and offers clear indications of how successful leadership can be applied in organisations.

Are thematic bond issuers keeping their promises? A contribution to the greenwashing analysis

Camila Yamahaki, Frederic de Mariz, Annelise Vendramini — Tue, 07 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0300

We analyse the transparency of Brazilian companies issuing green, social and sustainability (GSS) bonds by conducting a content analysis of the pre- and post-issuance reports and indentures of GSS bonds issued in 2021, which was the year with the highest issuance volume. Brazil was selected as it is the largest Latin American market in terms of both market capitalisation and GSS bond issuance, and because of the role these bonds could play in financing activities that protect Brazil’s natural capital and help it to achieve its social goals. We found low disclosure rates, with 26% of issuers publishing a bond framework, 21% of transactions having an allocation report, and 27% having an impact report. We also found that penalty mechanisms of bond indentures for non-reporting are not being implemented: although 87% of transactions stipulate sanctions, most issuers still do not publish post-issuance reports. The findings suggest that the cost of compliance discourages issuer disclosure and that issuers see little value in improving transparency, while investors are not demanding further reporting, raising questions about the materiality of this information. This paper contributes to the literature on labelled bonds and greenwashing by analysing how companies engage in greenwashing behaviour through omitting material information to assess bond performance (i.e. a gap in ‘disclosure’ promises) when the cost-benefit of disclosure is unfavourable. For practitioners, the findings underscore the need to establish standardised documentation for GSS bond issuances, with data accessible via a public database.

Assessing the unemployment-related literature and its driving themes: a bibliometric analysis on the Scopus and Web of Science databases

Jardel Augusto Gomes Rodrigues Alves — Tue, 07 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0300

Purpose – Considering both the thematic relevance and the enduring discussions in unemployment-related studies, the primary purpose of this study is to identify the driving topics and themes in the field of unemployment-related research.

Design/methodology/approach – A bibliometric analysis was conducted on a final sample of 913 documents retrieved from the Scopus and Web of Science databases. The data was analyzed using both a merged sample approach and individual analyses by repository when necessary. The analyses were performed using R-Studio software along with its specific bibliometric packages and functions.

Findings – In examining the enduring themes that have persisted over the years, as well as those gaining recent attention, several key topics were identified: unemployment rates, entrepreneurship, innovation, gender, and the impact of COVID-19 among them. These themes are significant driving forces within the field. Conclusion is that while these topics are shaping discussions in the literature, most of the research primarily focuses on advanced and stable economies, leaving a scarcity of studies that address other contexts and realities.

Originality/value – It provides an overview of literature related to unemployment, specifically within the fields of business and management. The aim is to offer guidance for future research that can more effectively examine and evaluate the key topics identified in this review. This research does not intend to introduce original propositions; rather, it aggregates and enhances existing literature in this extensive and rich field.

McDonaldization and technology: the control and rationalization of contemporary lifestyles

Tue, 07 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0300

Purpose: This study investigates the relationship between McDonaldization and technology, analyzing how the extreme rationalization of social processes, driven by Information Technologies, shapes contemporary lifestyles, organizations, and social interactions. The central objective is to understand whether digital McDonaldization structurally transforms human interactions and institutional functioning by reinforcing efficiency, predictability, control, and calculability.

Design/methodology/approach: This qualitative, exploratory, and descriptive research is based on discourse analysis from five interviewees working in different economic sectors. Semi-structured interviews were conducted, and their narratives were analyzed according to the principles of McDonaldization proposed by Ritzer (2021). Discourse analysis followed Foucault’s (2014) approach, exploring internal and external discursive procedures that legitimize or challenge digital rationalization.

Findings: Digital McDonaldization structures work and consumption, promoting efficiency and convenience but also reducing individual autonomy and imposing invisible control mechanisms mediated by algorithms and predictive systems.

Research limitations/implications: The study includes a limited number of interviewees, restricting the generalization of results. Future research may adopt mixed methods to expand the analysis.

Practical implications: The findings highlight the need to balance efficiency and flexibility in organizational models to prevent the dehumanization of labor and consumption relations.

Social implications: The study reveals how digital rationalization affects subjectivity and reinforces algorithmic control over individual choices.

Originality/value: This study contributes to the debate on McDonaldization and technology by expanding the understanding of digital rationalization and its effects on contemporary society.