Abstract
This research investigates the implementation of lean practices in services in order to identify those that have a greater influence on company performance. Regression analysis with data from a systematic literature review was the basis to study the relationship between lean and performance. For this purpose, a total of 104 case studies were considered. A main finding was that some lean practices, such as “voice of the customer” and “cross-functional teams” have a significant positive influence on performance. Also, the results suggest that the more engaged managers are and the more they invest in training, the better company performance will be. Finally, one may also conclude that knowledge about the determinants of lean management will allow managers to be aware of what is decisive to improve company performance. © 2023, World Scientific and Engineering Academy and Society. All rights reserved.

Abstract
This study examined the relationship between Environmental Performance (EP) and Financial Performance (FP) in the European food industry. The food industry is essential for population sustenance, but the rising population and the consequent increase in food production demand have implications for climate change. The aim of this study was to determine if businesses that consume water more efficiently and have lower CO2 emission intensities might experience improved financial performance. Financial and environmental data were sourced from external databases and company reports, and both quantile regression and correlation analyses were conducted. The results reveal that various sectors within the food industry exhibit different linkages between Environmental Performance and Financial Performance. Furthermore, our findings indicate that water use efficiency can significantly influence financial performance, either positively or negatively, while CO2 emission intensity did not exhibit a definitive impact on Financial Performance.

Abstract
Digital transformation creates a number of barriers that need to be surpassed by companies from the technological and organizational points of view. Concurrently, the complexity and nature of current market environments often demand new products, services, processes and business models, oftentimes supported by digital technologies. The objective of this paper is to contribute to a better understanding on the impact of a severe global crisis on the digital technologies' adoption process (and their associate drivers and barriers), with a special look on the strategies adopted by companies in terms of supply chain resilience. Specificities of the Portuguese industry are discussed through the analysis of five case studies.

Abstract
This article comparedidentified models in the literature that incorporates sustainability in project management, with an integrated model used as reference, mapping their points of similarity. For this purpose, bibliographic research of 90 articles from the Web of Science and Scopus databases was carried out, which address the themes of sustainability and project management. The reference model was compared with 16 models identified during the literature search, through comparative analysis and grounded theory. As a result, the study presents the identified similarity between model & PRIME;s constructs. It is concluded that there is no pattern or convergence between the different models identified, that thereference model plays a role in stimulating the integration of sustainability with project management in a more comprehensive way.

Abstract

Abstract
This article proposes the use of social representation theory to validate the structural model of structural equation modeling, thereby enhancing the understanding of the research object. To achieve this, it was employed action research to construct, implement, and confirm the practical feasibility of the metho-dological procedures described herein. This was accomplished through their practical application in a case analysis. It was possible to validate the structural model used in structural equation modeling by applying the proposed methodological procedures to a case involving the governance system construct. This validation opens the possibility for future research to use these procedures in conjunction to validate theoretical models and the causal relationships between their constructs. Therefore, the primary theoretical contribution of this paper is the proposition of a research methodology that combines social representation theory with structural equation modeling to validate the structural model. This approach reduces the risk of using the statistical method to confirm or refute a theoretical model whose causal relationships may not represent a reality supported by practice.