International Journal of Management Science and Operations Research

Digital Transformation and Organizational Resilience: Post-Pandemic Management Lessons from Latin America

2026-04-22T12:45:25+00:00

The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the need for digital transformation in Latin American organizations as a strategy to ensure operational continuity and build resilience in uncertain environments. This article analyzes the impact of digital transformation on organizational resilience through a quasi-experimental study conducted with 60 organizations in Colombia, Mexico, and Peru. By comparing an experimental group that implemented a structured digital strategy with a control group that maintained traditional practices, changes in anticipation, adaptation, and organizational learning were evaluated. Results show significant improvements in the experimental group, with strong positive correlations between digital maturity and resilience. Based on these findings, the article proposes the Resilient Innovation Model for Latin America (MIRAL), which integrates four key dimensions: continuous digital training, transformative leadership, adaptive governance, and inclusive technological infrastructure. This model offers a strategic guide to strengthen resilient capacities in post-pandemic and emerging contexts.

AI-Driven Sustainability Strategies: A Business Model for Emerging Economies

2026-04-22T12:48:55+00:00

Business sustainability and artificial intelligence (AI) have emerged as strategic drivers of organizational transformation, especially in emerging economies. However, the effective adoption of AI in these contexts requires a systemic approach that integrates operational, organizational, and strategic dimensions. This article proposes an adaptive business sustainability model driven by AI, developed through a mixed-methods approach combining exploratory factor analysis, hierarchical clustering, multiple correspondence analysis, and qualitative coding from semi-structured interviews. The results revealed three core dimensions (sustainable productivity, ethical algorithmic governance, and smart environmental management), four technological adoption profiles, and seven key emerging variables. Based on these findings, the study presents a visual framework composed of three interconnected and feedback-driven levels, designed to guide the progressive implementation of AI in organizations seeking to align performance with ESG objectives and responsible digital transformation processes.

Knowledge Network Analysis in Universities: Open Innovation and Academic Governance

2026-04-22T12:51:01+00:00

This article examines how knowledge networks within Latin American universities can enhance open innovation and strengthen academic governance. Using a quantitative approach and social network analysis (SNA), the study explores the structure and dynamics of internal networks in three public universities located in Colombia, Peru, and Mexico. The findings reveal common patterns such as high centrality of certain nodes, overall low network density, and the presence of communities that do not align with formal institutional structures. A positive correlation was found between institutional openness and network cohesion, and it was observed that highly connected actors also tend to hold decision-making positions. Based on these results, the article proposes strategic implications for redesigning organizational structures, participatory governance models, and open innovation policies. The study concludes that actively managing internal knowledge networks enables universities to become more collaborative, adaptive, and strategically oriented ecosystems.

Technological Entrepreneurship and Territorial Development: Evidence from Urban Ecosystems in Latin America

2026-04-22T12:53:40+00:00

This article examines the impact of technological entrepreneurship on territorial development in urban ecosystems across Latin America, focusing on ten cities in Argentina, Chile, Peru, Uruguay, and Ecuador. Using a descriptive-correlational quantitative methodology, a structured survey was conducted with 450 ecosystem stakeholders, complemented by a document analysis of local policies and institutional strategies. The findings reveal significant heterogeneity across cities, highlighting technological infrastructure, interinstitutional coordination, and territorially adapted public policies as key enabling factors. Persistent gaps were observed in access to financing and policy continuity. The study concludes that technological entrepreneurship can serve as a vector of territorial transformation when integrated with comprehensive strategies, collaborative governance, and stable institutional frameworks.

Smart Value Chains: Integrating Big Data and Sustainability in Industry 4.0

2026-04-22T12:55:04+00:00

Industry 4.0 has transformed production processes through the integration of advanced digital technologies such as Big Data, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and the Internet of Things (IoT), improving operational efficiency and promoting sustainability in value chains. This study explores how the adoption of Big Data and other emerging technologies facilitates the shift towards more sustainable and circular business models. Using a quantitative approach, three key dimensions are examined: real-time data integration, operational efficiency and circularity, and algorithmic governance and transparency. The results show that the integration of Big Data significantly contributes to waste reduction, energy consumption optimization, and improved transparency in operational processes. Furthermore, data governance emerges as a critical factor to ensure ethical and equitable use of information. This paper offers recommendations to enhance the implementation of sustainable technologies and promote greater interdepartmental collaboration within organizations.

Algorithmic Governance and Digital Ethics: An Organizational Approach to Automated Decision-Making

2026-04-22T12:57:35+00:00

Automated decision-making through algorithms has redefined power and control structures in public and private organizations. This transformation poses critical ethical challenges regarding transparency, oversight, and fairness in the use of digital technologies. This article empirically analyzes the state of algorithmic governance and digital ethics in organizations from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Uruguay, using a quantitative study involving 120 institutions. Structured instruments, factorial analysis, and hierarchical clustering were applied to assess four dimensions: algorithmic transparency, oversight mechanisms, ethical governance structures, and bias perception. Findings reveal uneven progress across countries, low formal audit levels, weak institutional adoption of ethical frameworks, and a gap between bias awareness and mitigation. The study concludes that digital ethics has not yet been consolidated as a strategic function in most organizations and outlines action paths to embed ethical principles into organizational frameworks for automated decision-making.

Higher Education and Predictive Analytics: Assessing Student Performance with Artificial Intelligence

2026-04-22T12:59:33+00:00

This article analyzes the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to anticipate academic performance in higher education through the development of a predictive model based on machine learning. The study adopts a quantitative, explanatory approach grounded in data science techniques, using an anonymized dataset of 5,500 university students. A Random Forest model was built and validated, achieving an accuracy of 87% and an AUC-ROC of 0.91. Key predictors included GPA, assignment submission rates, LMS access frequency, and forum participation. SHAP analysis was applied to ensure model transparency, and the student population was segmented into three academic risk levels. Findings demonstrate that AI can be successfully integrated into educational management systems to enable early diagnosis, personalized interventions, and improvements in student retention. Ethical considerations, limitations, and future research directions are discussed.

Strategic Knowledge Management in SMEs: Critical Factors for Sustainable Innovation

2026-04-22T13:00:46+00:00

Strategic knowledge management (SKM) has become a critical enabler for driving sustainable innovation in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), particularly in emerging economies where limited resources coexist with high-value tacit and contextual knowledge. This article presents the results of a qualitative study conducted with SME leaders across Colombia’s five regions, using Grounded Theory as the methodological framework. Based on 50 semi-structured interviews, four key categories were identified: (1) recognition of knowledge as a strategic asset, (2) enabling leadership and learning culture, (3) coexistence of formal and informal knowledge management practices, and (4) territorial conditions influencing innovation capacity. From these, the central construct of strategic knowledge awareness emerged, which underpins a theoretical model explaining how SMEs build sustainable innovation capabilities. The resulting model, visualized through a Nvivo-style hierarchical structure, provides a relational framework for organizational decision-making and the design of place-based enterprise development strategies.

Circular Economy and Digital Platforms: New Models for Organizational Innovation

2026-04-22T16:50:32+00:00

The convergence between circular economy and digital platforms is reshaping organizational innovation models amid increasing environmental pressures and accelerated digital transformation. This article explores how digital platforms serve as enablers of circular practices by integrating operational efficiency, traceability, multi-stakeholder collaboration, and internal organizational capabilities. A mixed-methods approach was used, combining the analysis of digital performance metrics (circular participation, traceability, reuse rates, avoided emissions) with semi-structured interviews involving leaders from five active digital platforms in Latin America. The results show a significant relationship between digital performance and organizational maturity, validating a conceptual model that links technology, sustainability, and innovation. This study advances the field of digital circular economy by offering practical indicators and empirical evidence for the sustainable transformation of organizations.

Artificial Intelligence, Territorial Development, and Ethical Governance: Strategic Convergences for Emerging Futures

2026-04-23T00:44:38+00:00

This editorial article presents a critical and integrative reflection on five thematic axes central to current debates on organizational transformation, sustainability, and territorial innovation. From a human-centered and applied perspective, it analyzes recent contributions regarding the ethical use of artificial intelligence, algorithmic governance, circular sustainability models, strategic knowledge management in SMEs, and the role of territorial intelligence in public policy design. Rather than a thematic summary, it offers an articulated interpretation of emerging trends that suggest sustainable development depends on the convergence of human capabilities, meaningful technologies, and context-sensitive institutional decisions. The article advocates for a science of responsible transformation grounded in ethics, territory, and collective action.