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Pressing themes

1. Globalization and neo-protectionist trends: what is the future of enterprise internationalization?

This axis addresses the research conducted in issues related to business internationalization. Since the end of the rounds of negotiations known as the "Uruguay Round" of the agreements GATT- General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade and the subsequent establishment of WTO- World Trade Organization, the world has known, under the impulse of the United States of America and other Western powers, a broad movement to dismantle trade barriers and free movement of goods and capital. However, and since the beginning of this decade, the imbalances induced by migratory movements and the apparent asymmetries in foreign trade favored the emergency of nationalism and neo-protectionist policies. The BREXIT, the tariff and non-tariff measures of the US administration, the return of centralizing schemes is the visible face of the trends that start gaining weight in the balance of forces and in international economic relations. It is, therefore, urgent to question the future of international trade, direct investment abroad, international business cooperation and strategic responses of small, medium and multinational.

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2. New settings for the operating systems of organizations

This priority covers research on trends in the operations of systems. The emergence of new realities in business requests a new way of thinking operations management in terms of dynamics, complexity, uncertainty. We invite submissions that fall within the broad scope of operations, including the following topics: planning and programming operations, operations "lean", quality management, logistics management and transportation, supply chain management, distribution management, planning and inventory control, design and facility management, project management, sustainable management operations and supply chain, technology management, modeling and simulation operations.

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3. New challenges for the Information Systems and

Decision Support (SIAD)

This axis addresses the research produced on Business Models which use digital services as a means to support the formulation of hypotheses for the generation of diagnostic support to the decision process. This axis invites investigations that address topics related to Health Informatics, Business Intelligence and Data Analytics, and Situational Awareness & Decision Support System (DSS & SA).

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- Health Informatics: Challenges associated with information sharing, collaborative work management and interoperability with existing information systems (e.g., Health Level 7 - HL7) analysis solutions studying issues related to the modeling of data structures and flows information on the electronic health record (i.e., Health Records - EHR), ethical considerations and ethical against the RGPD;

Study of transformation models of health care paradigm with a central role in the treatment of disease, obtaining health gains or analysis paradigms focused on prevention of disease guidance for the management to improve the quality of life (especially chronic patients); approaches with a central customer face to different lifestyles presents itself also as an element of great interest.

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- Business Intelligence and Data Analytics: This topic addresses aspects related to the presentation of frameworks and models associated with information management and analysis services whose ability to create value is primarily based on knowledge management (Knowledge Management) and data analysis historical complemented possibly with learning mechanisms predictive models (predictive Modeling). In this respect, the presentation of contributions related to the study of innovative business models (Disruptive Business Models) and respective determinants has increased interest. The presentation of contributions related to Business Management and Analytics process also presents great relevance and timeliness;

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- Situational Awareness & Decision Support System (DSS & SA): This topic discusses mainly contributions which research challenges seek to streamline procedures and information flows in order to keep the decision-maker informed about events that require their intervention. Addresses so multichannel notification services, as well as the study of indicators and risk analysis models (at different levels: operational, tactical and strategic) using data analysis techniques (data mining) to identify and study patterns behavior, conducting forecasts and value creation, possibly supplemented with a gain of analysis mechanisms associated with the proposed business model / studied;

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4. Marketing: what are the new opportunities and responsibilities for the future?

This axis focuses on investigations related to the scientific trends on the role of marketing as a change agent in the context of Management. The challenges of the contemporary world directly affect market relations, between brands, stakeholders, and consumers, and thus the Marketing Management. Advances in the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI), the broad access to consumer information (Big Data), and ethical issues such as sustainability, gender, and social inclusion bring new perspectives and responsibilities to marketing. Marketing has evolved in the last years of a logic of promoting consumer satisfaction, considering the social impacts of its actions, to the digital age, alternating the power of marketing transformation in business. Thus, the future will require a new reflection about Marketing: how to create value to promote products and services considering the contextual changes and technological advances?

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5. Research on Future Impacts, Development and Innovation

The axis "Research, Development, and Innovation" aims to address research on topics as shown below:

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- Research: Management research; Research in education; Research Methods for business; Research Ethics; Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities; Qualitative research; Educational Research; Organizational behavior research; Research and Innovation in Information Systems; Research methodology; Research Libraries; Research teams; Operations research.

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-Development: Technological Development; Sustainable development, integrating leadership development, moral development in business; Economic Development; Rural Development; Institutional Development Dynamics;

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- Innovation: Open Innovation; Green Innovation; Innovation in internationalization; New frontiers in open innovation; Responsible innovation; Innovation in business; Sustainable innovation; Innovation Management; Technological innovations & economics;

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6. The future of finance

This axis focuses on research on the future of ​​finance in the management of organizations. In the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis and with new challenges ahead (such as climate, sustainability, infrastructure, digitization, AI) there is growing interest in the “future of Finance”. The 2008 financial crisis changed some of the paradigms of Corporate Finance and Financial markets. Also, the need to reduce carbon emissions and the transition from non-renewable energy sources to clean energy is posing challenges regarding financing the massive investment needed in research and infrastructures. Banking and insurance traditional business models are being challenged by new players and technologies, from blockchain to Fintech and InsurTech.

Also, Digitization, automation and AI are bringing radical changes to the finance business and Behavioral finance, along with the potential of using big data. All this poses significant challenges to regulation and the role of Central Banks.

Papers may address a variety of topics, but we encourage contributions that deal with the issues outlined below.

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- The impact of the financial crisis in Finance.

- Unsustainable Finance: how to finance a green, renewable, smart and low carbon energy world?

- Finance for infrastructures and smart cities.

- The future of banking and insurance: shadow banking, blockchain, Fintechs, and InsurTech.

- Digitization, automation and Artificial Intelligence: the future of financial technology.

- Finance and big data.

- The future of regulation in Finance and Banking.

- The future of Central Banks and monetary policy.

- Behavioral finance.

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7. Human Resource Development and Knowledge Stream

Knowledge is already the future and also a determining factor for the survival of organizations, as well as the professional career of individuals. To instigate the development of intellectual capital in organizations involves technology, structure, innovation, networking, synergies but above all talent.

In this stream we seek to attract contributions that address the potential evolution of the HR and Knowledge areas in the next few years. These are areas that have been in turmoil recently due to the digitization and the robotization in one hand and to due to artificial intelligence in the other hand.

The challenge is to imagine what will happen to HR and knowledge in organizations: Which competences will be needed? Who will be the leaders and what will be their power? What will be the role of the manager? What will happen to the identity of workers? Will this trend affect the discrimination problems or will it mitigate it? What about creativity?

Humans have a set of aspects that cannot be imitated by machines or systems, with details and particularities that stand out and add value to us, while opening the horizon to infinite possibilities.

Social and organizational evolution require new forms of cooperation, more flexibility, nonstandard functions, emphasis on skills and interpersonal relationships. The emergence of organic organizations; the search for talent; the elevation of values such as social and environmental awareness, pose new challenges for organizations.

HR and Knowledge science will be considerably changed in such a world and studies are needed to deal with such a bold hypothesis.

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