The Centre for Research in Business, Markets & Society (iBMS) is dedicated to exploring and analysing in an interdisciplinary manner the various aspects that influence individual decision-making, organizational performance, market dynamics, and their implications for contemporary society. The interconnection between business, markets, and society plays a crucial role in shaping economic and social development. Understanding these complex interactions is essential for promoting sustainable growth, innovation, and individual and collective well-being.
The iBMS integrates a multifaceted perspective and multidisciplinary skills, focusing on management and applied economics, intersecting with other relevant areas for the problems under analysis.
The iBMS’s mission is to conduct rigorous and interdisciplinary research that advances understanding of the complex intersections between business, markets, and society. Through innovative scholarship and meaningful engagement, we seek to generate actionable insights and evidence-based solutions to address pressing challenges and promote sustainable development, prosperity, and individual and social well-being.
A cornerstone of iBMS entails fostering collaboration among scholars, practitioners, policymakers, and other relevant stakeholders. We aim to bridge the gap between theory and practice, driving positive change in the business world, markets and society. We are committed to integrity and excellence, as we strive to cultivate an all-encompassing vibrant intellectual community.
Our vision is to be internationally recognized as a hub of excellence in interdisciplinary research, innovation, and thought leadership at the intersection of business, markets, and society. We envision a future where our insights and solutions drive transformative change, shaping more sustainable, and prosperous economies and societies.
Through pioneering research, collaborative partnerships, and strategic engagement, we aim to be at the forefront of shaping discourse in areas such as, smart businesses, interaction between markets and society, behavioural sciences applied to management and markets, organization and governance of public and private institutions and implications for public policies. Our commitment to academic rigor, ethical leadership, and societal impact guides our efforts to address complex challenges and seize opportunities for positive change.
As a catalyst for knowledge creation and dissemination, we aspire to inspire and empower future generations of scholars, leaders, and changemakers to tackle the most pressing issues facing businesses, markets and society.
INNOVATION & EXCELLENCE
Fostering a culture of creativity and intellectual curiosity, pursuing high-quality research to explore new ideas, methodologies, and solutions to complex problems and contributing meaningfully to understanding the dynamics of business, markets, and their impacts on society.
INTEGRITY & TRANSPARENCY
Upholding honesty, transparency, and ethical standards in all research activities, interactions, and dissemination within the research community and broader society.
COLLABORATION & ENGAGEMENT
Engaging and promoting interdisciplinary collaboration among researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and other stakeholders to address multifaceted issues and drive positive change through dialogue, knowledge exchange, and informed decision-making.
SIGNIFICANCE & MEANINGFULNESS
Striving to produce research outcomes that have practical relevance and real-world impact on business practices, market dynamics, and societal well-being.
DIVERSITY & COMPREHENSIVENESS
Valuing diversity in perspectives, backgrounds, and expertise to enrich research endeavours and ensure comprehensiveness in all aspects of the centre’s activities.
RESPONSIBILITY & COMMITMENT
Acknowledging the responsibility inherent in conducting the best possible research and its assessment in business and markets, and committing to fostering sustainable practices and outcomes.
The iBMS focuses on promoting the development of innovative, interconnected, high-quality, and relevant research. The produced research contributes to scientific knowledge by proposing solutions applicable to organizations, decision-makers, consumers, citizens, among other stakeholders. Ultimately, we expect to put forward implications for public policies aiming at promoting economic, social, and environmental development.
In particular, the Research Centre focuses on scientific and practical advancement in areas such as below.
Lopes, J.P.V & Casais, B. (2024). Longitudinal Perceptions of Gamified Loyalty Programs (GLPs): A mix of slot machines and entertainment toys. Journal of Research in Interactive Marketing.
Mostafa, R.B., Lages, C.R., Shaalan, A. (2024). The dark side of virtual agents: Ohhh no!. International Journal of Information Management, 75, 102721.
Pereira, I.V., Casais, B. & Mendes, I. (2024). Digital mrketing in nonprofit organizations: Conceptual background and recommendations for practitioners, in Pires, P.B., Santos, J.D. & Pereira, I.V, (Eds.) Digital Marketing. Analyzing its Transversal Impact, Chapter 13, CRC Press, Boca Raton
Sarmento, M., Simões, C., & Lages, L. F. (2024). From organizational ambidexterity to organizational performance: The mediating role of value co-creation. Industrial Marketing Management
Casais, B. & Soares, A.M. (2024). Implementing the quadruple helix to achieve social innovation: the case of the Human Power Hub, Braga, in Thrassou, A., Vrontis, D., Efthymiou, L., Weber, Y., Shams, R., and Tsoukatos, E. (Eds.), Non-Profit Organisations: Strategic, Managerial and Marketing Advancements, Vol. 1, Palgrave Studies in Cross-Disciplinary Business Research, in Association with EuroMed Academy of Business, Palgrave Macmillan.
Kadić-Maglajlić, S., Lages, C. R., & Pantano, E. (2024). No time to lie: Examining the identity of pro-vaccination and anti-vaccination supporters through their user-generated content. Social Science & Medicine, 116721.
Pereira, D., Silva, J. & Casais, B. (2024). Consumer brand engagement fostered by cause-related marketing in emotional and functional brands. Journal of Nonprofit and Public Sector Marketing.
Ngoy, E., Sá, C., & Veiga, P. (2024). Exploring socioeconomic-related inequality in children’s cognitive achievement in Peru. The Journal of Economic Inequality, 1-24.
Costa, A.S. & Azevedo, A. (2024). Influence of ethically-minded consumer behavior, digital citizenship, and retailers’ green positioning on the effectiveness of store flyer sales promotions (paper vs. digital). Journal of Promotion Management
Cunha, Â. & Casais, B. (2024). Influence marketing on social media: The reputation change after a corporate or referral brand crisis. In: Matosas-López, L. (ed.) The Impact of Digitalization on Current Marketing Strategies, Marketing & Technology: New Horizons and Challenges, Volume I, Emerald Publishing, Leeds, pp. 195-209.
Kadić-Maglajlić, S., Lages, C.R. & Temerak, M.S. (2024). Dual perspective on the role of xenophobia in service sabotage. Tourism Management, 101, 104831
Pinto, L.C., Ramísio, P. & Lourenço-Gomes (2024). Resilience to climate change: Lessons learned from the Douro wine terroir. Environmental History.
Marques, M., Montenegro, T. M., & Bras, F. A. (2024). Tax avoidance and corporate social responsibility: A meta-analysis. Journal of the American Taxation Association, 46 (1), 1–20.
Imamovic, I., Sousa, B. B., & Azevedo, A. (2024). Multisensory dimensions as interdisciplinary study: Sensory destination branding and post-pandemic scenario. In M. Valeri & B. Sousa (Eds.), Human Relations Management in Tourism (pp. 188-207). IGI Global.
Imamovic, I., Sousa, B. B., & Azevedo, A. (2024). Multisensory dimensions as interdisciplinary study: Sensory destination branding and post-pandemic scenario. In M. Valeri & B. Sousa (Eds.), Human Relations Management in Tourism (pp. 188-207). IGI Global.
Marques, M., Montenegro, T. M., & Bras, F. A. (2024). Tax avoidance and corporate social responsibility: A meta-analysis. Journal of the American Taxation Association, 46 (1), 1–20.
iBMS research aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Through interdisciplinary approaches and collaborative partnerships with academia, industry, and policymakers, iBMS addresses key societal challenges and promotes sustainable business practices. You may find below examples of existing studies conducted by our researchers directly linked to different SDG’s.
Developing research with impact involves more than just producing scholarly outputs; it requires a deliberate and strategic approach to ensure that the research outcomes generate meaningful and tangible benefits for society, the economy, and the environment. We highlight six projects that iBMS members have been/are involved and/or coordinated.
iBMS members coordinated the ECO.Fire Project, that aimed at addressing one of the most severe problems in Portugal - forest fires. The objective was to use total economic value information (including the use and the non-use value or passive use) as a deterrence mechanism in preventing forest fires.
An iBMS member integrates the research team of the HfPT - Health from Portugal Project, that aims to promote the Portuguese health hub, as a world reference for the development of innovative and technologically advanced solutions for the health market.
An iBMS member acts as external principal researcher in an IN2PAST Project titled "Landscape, tourism and local development: the impacts of walkways, lookout points, and swings in inland territories in Portugal”. The project focused on the impacts of the recent implementation, in Portugal, of walkways, viewpoints and swings, aiming at the development of tourist attractiveness.
An iBMS member was involved in the project 'TradeExperettes - Women in Trade: Research Collaboraton and Policy Engagement'. This project was funded by the European Commission's Jean Monnet Actions. The main objective was to raise the visibility and engagement of women researchers in trade, tradeexperrettes", enhance diversity and inclusion.
An iBMS member was the Innovation Strategy Officer (ISO) of the StartupCity Braga, integrated into the Global StartupCities Initiative. This Initiative is a worldwide network to connect entrepreneurial ecosystems of non-capital cities that acts as a platform for startups, investors, and policymakers to collaborate, contributing to reducing the economic disadvantage of these cities.
iBMS members acted as the leader and the co-leader of the line of research 'P28 - Ecosystems for Connected 2-Wheelers', in the project 'Easy Ride - Experience is Everything' (2018-2021). This project was a collaboration between the University of Minho and Bosch Car Multimedia to develop innovative technology for smart mobility.