Abstract: Most socioeconomic studies on illicit economies have been approached through the lens of war economics, hence, a wide variety of them are rooted in the greed and grievance literature. On contrast, recent studies (Eventon & Gutierrez, 2020, p. 10) (Gutierrez, 2020) (International Journal of Drug Policy, 2021) have found that illicit economies, particularly on illicit crops, arise as a source of livelihoods for impoverished farmers that provides opportunities to enhance agricultural practices and local development such as infrastructure, land access, access to credit, and supplies for cropping coca, also for other licit products and services. In addition, its origin is not only the result of poverty or "lack of development", but of a modernisation process in which coca has emerged as an "autonomous form of development." (Gootenberg, 2021). The aim of this study which dialogues with these new analytical frames, is measuring the influence that subnational inequality measures have in explaining the variation of coca area –among municipalities identified as coca leaf producers— and contrasting them with municipal poverty measures. I will argue that coca crops expansion adapts to different land regimes, but particularly in uneven distribution of land, where coca interacts with other conditions of economic precarity (Rigg, et al., 2016). Based on a longitudinal analysis of 217 Colombian municipalities, I contrast the effect of Gini of land owning and the Dependency on National Transfers on coca area from 2014 and 2018. The results feeds into and contributes to an Agrarian Change perspective to explain the influence of structures and mechanisms that shape rural change (Cramer & Richards, 2011); and a subnational analysis to make visible “within-country heterogeneity” of the association coca and land inequality. Resumen: La mayoría de los estudios socioeconómicos sobre las economías ilícitas se han abordado a través de los lentes de la economía de la guerra, por lo que una gran variedad de ellos están arraigados en la literatura de la codicia y el agravio. Por el contrario, estudios recientes (Eventon & Gutierrez, 2020, p. 10) (Gutierrez, 2020) (International Journal of Drug Policy, 2021) han encontrado que las economías ilícitas, en particular sobre los cultivos ilícitos, surgen como una fuente de sustento para los agricultores empobrecidos que proporciona oportunidades para mejorar sus prácticas agrícolas y el desarrollo local, tales como la infraestructura, el acceso a la tierra, el acceso al crédito y los suministros para el cultivo de coca, también para otros productos y servicios lícitos. Además, su origen no es sólo el resultado de la pobreza o la "falta de desarrollo", sino de un proceso de modernización en el que la coca ha surgido como una "forma autónoma de desarrollo". (Gootenberg, 2021). El objetivo de este estudio, que dialoga con estos nuevos marcos analíticos, es medir la influencia que tienen las medidas de desigualdad subnacional en la explicación de la variación de la superficie de coca -entre los municipios identificados como productores de hoja de coca- y contrastarlas con las medidas de pobreza municipal. Argumentaré que la expansión de los cultivos de coca se adapta a diferentes regímenes de tierra, pero particularmente en la distribución desigual de la tierra, donde la coca interactúa con otras condiciones de precariedad económica (Rigg, et al., 2016 ). A partir de un análisis longitudinal de 217 municipios colombianos, contrasto el efecto del Gini de la propiedad de la tierra y la Dependencia de las Transferencias Nacionales sobre la superficie de coca de 2014 y 2018. Los resultados alimentan y contribuyen a una perspectiva de Cambio Agrario para explicar la influencia de las estructuras y mecanismos que moldean el cambio rural (Cramer & Richards, 2011); y un análisis subnacional para hacer visible la "heterogeneidad dentro del país" de la asociación coca y desigualdad de la tierra.

Abstract: Using the theoretical-methodological perspective based on experience frameworks, this paper aims at analyzing and understanding the way in which organizations communicate aspects that are related to occupational safety and health. In this sense, we carry out an analysis of the narratives related to this topic and propose a diagnosis mechanism to subjectively measure the burden of the regulatory, strategic, and moral frameworks of these narratives. A panel of Latin American experts applied a three-round Delphi analysis on five case studies in Colombia to illustrate how this mechanism works. In addition to the use of a robust research paradigm, this work contributes by proposing a scheme capable of presenting the motivations and interests of occupational safety and health professionals in perspective, finding imbalances in the way relevant information is transmitted through official messages and channels. Therefore, its use is susceptible to study in this and other areas of knowledge of the organizational discipline, and its adoption could be worthwhile in order to generate more and better knowledge in this regard. Resumen: Haciendo uso de la perspectiva teórico-metodológica basada en los marcos de la experiencia, el presente trabajo tiene como propósito analizar y entender la forma en la que, usualmente, se comunican los aspectos relacionados con la seguridad y la salud en el trabajo en el contexto organizacional. En este sentido, se despliega un análisis sobre las narrativas propias de esta temática y se propone un mecanismo de diagnóstico para medir subjetivamente la carga de los marcos reglamentario, estratégico y moral de dichas narrativas. Un análisis Delphi de tres rondas aplicado por un panel de expertos latinoamericanos sobre cinco casos de estudio en Colombia ilustra la manera en la que el mecanismo en mención puede funcionar. Adicional al uso de un paradigma investigativo robusto, el trabajo contribuye, toda vez que propone un esquema capaz de exponer en perspectiva, las motivaciones y los intereses de los profesionales de la seguridad y salud en el trabajo, encontrando desequilibrios en cuanto a la forma de transmitir información relevante por medio de mensajes y canales oficiales. Por tanto, su uso es susceptible de estudio en esta y otras áreas del conocimiento de la disciplina organizacional, y su adopción podría valer la pena en aras de generar más y mejor conocimiento al respecto.

Resumen: Durante años, expertos en Estrategia han resaltado la importancia de definir claramente el marco estratégico de una empresa debido a que éste le permite crear su identidad, propósito y dirección. Asimismo, porque a la vez dicho marco sirve como instrumento para apropiarse de una mayor porción de valor creado a partir de, por ejemplo, la implementación de más y mejores prácticas de innovación empresarial. Sin embargo, ¿es realmente determinante la construcción acuciosa de un marco estratégico para efectos de generar resultados adecuados en términos de innovación y competitividad? El presente trabajo tiene como propósito abordar dicho cuestionamiento. Para ello se pretende desplegar un planteamiento teórico y conceptual sobre el impacto de la calidad del marco estratégico (i.e., misión y visión organizacional) sobre la creación de ventaja competitiva y posterior consecución de una cultura de innovación en las organizaciones. Para ello, en principio se desarrollará una revisión sistemática sobre el impacto de estos dos componentes sobre los resultados organizacionales, y se propondrá el vínculo teórico que puede existir entre las variables involucradas. Los resultados obtenidos serán proposiciones teóricas susceptibles de ser comprobadas empíricamente en un estudio posterior.

Abstract: The adequate provision of service delivery is essential for social welfare; however, providers performance varies, tending to underperform in developing countries. Therefore, whether providers responsiveness is sensitive to citizen oversight remains a relevant question for public governance. To this extent, Understanding the dynamics of accountability as a strategy to foster access, quality, and affordability of services delivery is vital to ensure development. This thesis establishes a quantitative assessment of the relationship between accountability and development. First, I systematically reviewed the empirical literature evaluating how accountability interventions affect service delivery in developing countries between 1990-2020, finding twenty-one papers from nine developing countries. Then, I conducted a meta-analysis based on an RVE model with over 90 outcomes to quantitatively synthesise the effectiveness of accountability in triggering citizen oversight of service delivery and providers responsiveness. The findings suggest that although accountability increases citizen knowledge of civic and political means to demand service delivery reforms, factors such as context, accountability structure and interventions length influence its effectiveness. While the results provide evidence to inform policy-making about aspects that effectively ignite citizen participation, they also suggest future research avenues to further conceptualise this relationship in an era of widely accessible information and new approaches to democracy.

Abstract: Using the theoretical-methodological perspective based on experience frameworks, this paper aims at analyzing and understanding the way in which organizations communicate aspects that are related to occupational safety and health. In this sense, we carry out an analysis of the narratives related to this topic and propose a diagnosis mechanism to subjectively measure the burden of the regulatory, strategic, and moral frameworks of these narratives. A panel of Latin American experts applied a three-round Delphi analysis on five case studies in Colombia to illustrate how this mechanism works. In addition to the use of a robust research paradigm, this work contributes by proposing a scheme capable of presenting the motivations and interests of occupational safety and health professionals in perspective, finding imbalances in the way relevant information is transmitted through official messages and channels. Therefore, its use is susceptible to study in this and other areas of knowledge of the organizational discipline, and its adoption could be worthwhile in order to generate more and better knowledge in this regard. Resumen: Haciendo uso de la perspectiva teórico-metodológica basada en los marcos de la experiencia, el presente trabajo tiene como propósito analizar y entender la forma en la que, usualmente, se comunican los aspectos relacionados con la seguridad y la salud en el trabajo en el contexto organizacional. En este sentido, se despliega un análisis sobre las narrativas propias de esta temática y se propone un mecanismo de diagnóstico para medir subjetivamente la carga de los marcos reglamentario, estratégico y moral de dichas narrativas. Un análisis Delphi de tres rondas aplicado por un panel de expertos latinoamericanos sobre cinco casos de estudio en Colombia ilustra la manera en la que el mecanismo en mención puede funcionar. Adicional al uso de un paradigma investigativo robusto, el trabajo contribuye, toda vez que propone un esquema capaz de exponer en perspectiva, las motivaciones y los intereses de los profesionales de la seguridad y salud en el trabajo, encontrando desequilibrios en cuanto a la forma de transmitir información relevante por medio de mensajes y canales oficiales. Por tanto, su uso es susceptible de estudio en esta y otras áreas del conocimiento de la disciplina organizacional, y su adopción podría valer la pena en aras de generar más y mejor conocimiento al respecto.

Abstract: The present work studies the engagement of prosocial behavior as an antecedent of affective commitment within for-profit organizations. In order to accomplish this, the work focuses on the role of positive feelings. It tests a partial least square-structural equation model using a cross-sectional survey of 144 professional employees from several Colombian industries. Results obtained show that prosocial behavior is associated with affective commitment, but only with the intervention of meaningfulness at work. These associations provide insight into professional employees’ attitudes towards the search for intrinsic motivation and engagement in for-profit organizational environments. Further implications revolve around the justification for working on practices that not only found and foster prosocial behavior in the workplace but also promote skill variety, task identity, and task meaningfulness to obtain adequate levels of engagement and commitment. Finally, since most studies have been conducted in developed countries, this study also contributes to a better understanding of the topic in previously unexplored contexts. In this case, a Latin American emerging economy, like Colombia. Resumen: El presente trabajo estudia el comportamiento prosocial como un antecedente, tanto del trabajo significativo como del compromiso afectivo en el contexto de las organizaciones con fines de lucro. Para ello, el trabajo se enfoca en el papel de los sentimientos positivos y prueba un modelo de ecuaciones estructurales basado en mínimos cuadrados parciales, a partir de la aplicación transversal de un instrumento a 144 empleados profesionales de varias industrias en Colombia. Los resultados obtenidos muestran que el comportamiento prosocial está asociado con el compromiso afectivo, pero solo gracias la intervención de la experiencia de tener un trabajo significativo. Estas asociaciones proporcionan conocimiento sobre las actitudes de los empleados profesionales hacia la búsqueda de la motivación intrínseca y la participación en entornos organizacionales con fines de lucro. Las implicaciones giran en torno a la justificación para trabajar en prácticas gerenciales que no solo encuentran y fomentan el comportamiento prosocial en el lugar de trabajo, sino que también promuevan la variedad de habilidades, la identidad de la tarea y la significancia de la tarea para obtener niveles adecuados de responsabilidad y compromiso. Finalmente, dado que la mayoría de los estudios se han realizado en países desarrollados, este estudio también contribuye a una mejor comprensión del tema en contextos previamente inexplorados; en este caso, una economía en vías de desarrollo, como la colombiana.

Abstract: Law 160 of 1994 in Colombia marks a point of transit between the sterile attempts for agrarian reform in the 20th century and a series of market-based land policies. However, this law also marks the end of a cycle of peasant mobilization, especially in border areas, and with it a partial recognition of the peasant settlers is achieved, through what the law named Peasant Reserve Zones (PRZ). These zones allow basically three main things to the inhabitants of frontier zones: the titling of the land that the settlers have transformed and that they informally possess, the closure of the agricultural frontier through a control of the amount of land that can be owned inside the zone, and the peasant governance of the zone. The peasant governance is manifested through processes of territorial ordering, in which the peasant associations that impulse each zone regulates the social and economic activities of it. The majority of the academic literature that has analyzed the PRZ in the last 25 years has focused its attention in particular zones treating them as case studies. Through these cases, this literature has presented the PRZ as a reaction of the peasant communities to the processes of capital accumulation and capital penetration in the Colombian countryside. Nevertheless, this literature has done this analysis without considering in depth the variation in the strategies the PRZ have used in developing a repertoire of contention against the implementation of land policies before the law 160 was issued and after it, and focusing mainly in the critical geography discussion of the dynamics of territorialization. Through a sociological and historical analysis, this paper offers an initial exploration of the dynamic process of formation of a repertoire of contention of the Colombian PRZ. This paper analyzes in a parallel way the formation of the Colombian state and the formation of a peasant social movement. It concludes arguing that the PRZ have developed two repertoires of contention through which they have at the same time resist and create the Colombian state, and 5 strategies that have enabled them a margin of maneuver between the two repertoires.

Abstract: Entrepreneurial Companies play a fundamental role in economic growth, the creation of employment, local and regional development, and social cohesion. Start-ups will not necessarily become the largest source for employment, but they are considered economic drivers that commercialize innovation, expand internationally and create economic value. With the recent increase in prominence of new entrepreneurial ventures all over the world, much attention has been devoted to the creation of new firms. Belgium consists of three main regions: Brussels, Flanders, and Wallonia. The breakdown of start-ups according to these regions is the following: Brussels: 31.5%, Flanders: 53.4%, and Wallonia: 15.1%. Note that Brussels, despite hosting only 11% of all active companies in Belgium, is doing exceptionally well regarding its share of start-ups and scaleups; almost 50% of all Belgian start-ups are concentrated in and around the cities of Brussels, Ghent, and Antwerp. It is no surprise that, being the largest cities of Belgium, students make up for a significant portion of the population. More than half of the companies are active in the following categories: eCommerce, Software as a Service (SaaS), consumer mobile/web applications, industrial technology/production, and education. Half of the companies are at the start-up stage (i.e. completion of MVP or initial customers/revenue). 22% is in the seed stage and 24% in growth stage - 85% of the companies are mainly in B2B. While the majority (55%) of entrepreneurs believe that their product or service is a novelty in the world, only 4% realizes that their product or service is not a market innovation. In addition to that, 23% of startups do not have employees (Mohout, 2016). The supplying side of the market for informal capital consists of high net-worth individuals with considerable business experience, commonly known as Business Angels (BAs). Business Angels invest a portion of their wealth in high-risk, high-return start-ups (Coveney & Moore, Business Angels: Securing Start-up Finance, 1998). While it is difficult to precisely quantify the size of the angel market (due to its informal nature), some studies estimate its size to be twice the size of the institutional venture capital market (Freear, Sohl, & Wetzel, 1995). This suggests that Business Angels provide the largest amount of capital among early-stage ventures and fund a greater number of firms than venture capitalists (VCs) do. After receiving a first investment from a Business Angel, start-ups face a new critical question: whether to raise new funding under the form of debt or equity and, in the case of equity, involving new Business Angels or migrating to Venture Capital. Literature suggests that these young enterprises more often than not receive funds from equity in the early stages. However, in the case of demand for more resources and having a BA as back up, the entrepreneur may appeal to traditional financing sources in order to maintain the ownership. Resumen: Las microempresas juegan un rol fundamental en el crecimiento económico de un país, la creación de nuevos empleos y el desarrollo local y regional. Start-ups no se convierten necesariamente en la mayor fuente de empleo pero si son considerados impulsadores económicos que comercializan innovación, se expanden internacionalmente y crean valor económico. Después de recibir una primera inversión de un Ángel Inversionista, Start-Ups tienen que enfrentar una nueva y critica pregunta: ¿es mejor conseguir nuevos fondos adquiriendo una deuda o nuevo capital proveniente de inversionistas y en caso de recurrir a inversionistas, conseguir un nuevo ángel inversionista o migrar a un fondo de inversión? La literatura sugiere que estas nuevas empresas a menudo reciben fondos de capital en las primeras etapas de inversión. Sin embargo, teniendo un Ángel inversionista como respaldo, el empresario puede optar por métodos de financiación más tradicionales con la intensión de mantener propia la empresa.

Abstract: The adequate provision of service delivery is essential for social welfare; however, providers performance varies, tending to underperform in developing countries. Therefore, whether providers responsiveness is sensitive to citizen oversight remains a relevant question for public governance. To this extent, Understanding the dynamics of accountability as a strategy to foster access, quality, and affordability of services delivery is vital to ensure development. This thesis establishes a quantitative assessment of the relationship between accountability and development. First, I systematically reviewed the empirical literature evaluating how accountability interventions affect service delivery in developing countries between 1990-2020, finding twenty-one papers from nine developing countries. Then, I conducted a meta-analysis based on an RVE model with over 90 outcomes to quantitatively synthesise the effectiveness of accountability in triggering citizen oversight of service delivery and providers responsiveness. The findings suggest that although accountability increases citizen knowledge of civic and political means to demand service delivery reforms, factors such as context, accountability structure and interventions length influence its effectiveness. While the results provide evidence to inform policy-making about aspects that effectively ignite citizen participation, they also suggest future research avenues to further conceptualise this relationship in an era of widely accessible information and new approaches to democracy.

Abstract: By analysing the Global Engineering Network Model in a particular case study of a company, in the Colombian shipbuilding industry, the aim in this dissertation is to compare the evolution of the company from the last five years, in regards to its value creation mechanisms, its capabilities and its organizational features. At the same time this will increasingly underline the importance of engineering management in relation to engineering value chain. The study of this shipbuilding company contributes as a comparative study in the field of operations management in an emerging economy. This study also seeks to clarify the effects of using a global network from the perspective of operations management, a study that is considered important not only as a contribution to academic knowledge but also to that of managers in the company, thereby contributing both to the overall research in this field and to current practice seeking for continuous improvement to effectively create and deliver value for customers and thus increase the overall competitiveness of the firm while emphasizing the development of the capabilities suggested within the Global Engineering Network framework. Resumen: Mediante el análisis del Modelo de Red Global de Ingeniería en un caso particular de estudio de una empresa, en la industria naval colombiana, el objetivo en esta disertación es comparar la evolución de la empresa de los últimos cinco años, en cuanto a sus mecanismos de creación de valor, sus capacidades y sus características organizacionales. Al mismo tiempo, se resaltará cada vez más la importancia de la gestión de la ingeniería en relación con la cadena de valor. El estudio de esta empresa de construcción naval contribuye como estudio comparativo en el ámbito de la gestión de operaciones en una economía emergente. Este estudio también pretende aclarar los efectos de la utilización de una red global desde la perspectiva de la gestión de operaciones, un estudio que se considera importante no sólo como contribución al conocimiento académico sino también al de los directivos de empresa, contribuyendo así tanto a la investigación global en este campo como a la práctica actual que busca la mejora continua para crear y ofrecer valor a los clientes de forma eficaz y aumentar así la competitividad global de la empresa, al tiempo que se hace hincapié en el desarrollo de las capacidades sugeridas en el marco de la red global de ingeniería.