rss_2.0Sciendo RSS Feed for Studies in Business and Economicshttps://sciendo.com/journal/SBEhttps://www.sciendo.comhttps://sciendo-parsed.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/647370344e662f30ba53e507/cover-image.jpghttps://sciendo.com/journal/SBE140216https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/sbe-2024-0026<abstract> <title style='display:none'>Abstract</title> <p>SMEs are significantly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. This study examines how these variables interact to help SMEs recover and develop sustainably. The quantitative method is adopted in this paper. The research data was acquired from 450 SMEs in several industries in Vietnam. Research results show that learning capability improves intellectual capital and SMEs’ performance. Next, technological innovation moderated the link between learning capability, intellectual capital, and SMEs performance, suggesting that integration can improve SMEs’ recovery and resilience. Driven by research findings, SMEs should develop a learning culture and technological innovation to leverage performance during the turbulent circumstances of COVID-19. Furthermore, managers should invest in intellectual capital to support innovation during recovery and growth. Policymakers may help SMEs by encouraging learning organization, information sharing, and technology adoption. These measures can help SMEs thrive post-pandemic and revitalize local and global economies.</p> </abstract>ARTICLEtruehttps://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/sbe-2024-00262024-09-10T00:00:00.000+00:00https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/sbe-2024-0034<abstract> <title style='display:none'>Abstract</title> <p>The concept of Circular Food Products, focusing on sustainability and waste minimization throughout the production and consumption cycle, has garnered significant attention recently. This research aims to provide empirical insights into factors influencing consumer behaviour regarding sustainability in the food industry. Using quantitative analysis techniques such as the questionnaire to measure attitudes, preferences and behaviours among consumers, and employing structural modeling for the collected data, the study yields important findings that advance knowledge in sustainable food consumption. These findings promote environmentally friendly and socially responsible practices within the food industry and among consumers. One key finding is the low level of consumer awareness about circular food products and their benefits. Perceptions varied, with some viewing these products as innovative and eco-friendly, while others considered them inferior to conventional products. This suggests the need for effective marketing campaigns to shape consumer awareness and perception of circular food products. Additionally, the research highlighted varying levels of awareness regarding the environmental impact of food production and consumption, with some consumers demonstrating strong concern for sustainability.These insights underscore the importance of targeted marketing and education to enhance consumer understanding and acceptance of circular food products, ultimately supporting the shift towards more sustainable consumption patterns.</p> </abstract>ARTICLEtruehttps://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/sbe-2024-00342024-09-10T00:00:00.000+00:00https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/sbe-2024-0030<abstract> <title style='display:none'>Abstract</title> <p>Raising importance of personality traits within the financial decision-making literature inspired us to conduct a research with locus of control in the main role for achieving financial benefits in personal finance. PLS-SEM analysis was adopted using the data set of 130 Croatian citizens who took part in a questionnaire survey. We confirmed that external locus of control is detrimental to self-control, which afterwards reflects in personal finance management. To be more precise, people with less developed self-control are more prone towards compulsive buying, materialism and indebtedness. Personality traits such as locus of control are usually stable among adults. Thus, mainly self-control can be exercised and improved. That is the key message of this article for external people and various providers of financial literacy programs – change is possible and manageable principally via practicing self-control. Nevertheless, the subsequent studies could offer a more detailed insight into the interplays between locus of control, financial literacy, self-control and financial outcomes.</p> </abstract>ARTICLEtruehttps://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/sbe-2024-00302024-09-10T00:00:00.000+00:00https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/sbe-2024-0024<abstract> <title style='display:none'>Abstract</title> <p>This paper analyzes the relationship between GDP and the stock market over the long term, intending to understand the implications for Index Fund investments. A quantitative research method, using US (United States) GDP as an independent variable, and the S&amp;P 500 index as a dependent variable, is employed. A population of 29 years, from 1990 to 2019, of data on US GDP and the S&amp;P 500 from official US sources was used. Linear regression analysis with SPSS calculating techniques is performed to determine whether there is a relationship between GDP growth and the stock market (S&amp;P 500). The results show a significant positive relationship between GDP growth and S&amp;P 500 performance. β coefficient of the regression analysis of 0.911 shows a strong correlation between the GDP and the S&amp;P 500. Our findings are also scientifically validated by the sig (P value) coefficient of 0.0000000000012. In addition, an R Square of 0.830 shows that our model explains all the variability of the response data around the mean at a level of 83%. The positive results of GDP and the stock market relationship, indicate considerable implications for Index Funds investments. Therefore, adding academic value to the practical financial implication aspects.</p> </abstract>ARTICLEtruehttps://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/sbe-2024-00242024-09-10T00:00:00.000+00:00https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/sbe-2024-0040<abstract> <title style='display:none'>Abstract</title> <p>The aim of the study is to get a comprehensive understanding of the research landscape at the nexus between business model innovation, sustainability and/or digitalization, in order to determine key research patterns and trends. Accordingly, the following objectives have guided the development of the paper: (a) to examine the dynamics and structure of the research output (articles and citations) on the topic; (b) to explore the network of the most impactful articles; (c) to trace the origins of the research on the topic; (d) to decipher current developments in the research on the topic; and (e) to search for emerging trends in the research on the topic. An advanced search of the SCOPUS database was conducted to identify the relevant literature available; 1195 articles (published between 2014 and 2023) were selected and exported in VOSviewer for bibliometric analysis. The results suggest the emergence of a niche research area in the broad strategic management field, bringing together four related (sub)topics: (1) circular economy and sustainable business models; (2) tools, frameworks and processes for sustainable business model innovation; (3) digitalization and business model transformation; (4) business models for societal and sustainability transitions. For this research area to crystallize, the identified emerging research trends – on digital innovation and technology; strategic management and analytical methods; supply chain and manufacturing; policy, governance and sustainability – need to be further explored, both individually (in search of refinement and clarity) and collectively (in search of consistency and synergy).</p> </abstract>ARTICLEtruehttps://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/sbe-2024-00402024-09-10T00:00:00.000+00:00https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/sbe-2024-0038<abstract> <title style='display:none'>Abstract</title> <p>The growing emphasis on sustainability has led to a rise of ESG rating providers, but this expansion has brought challenges. ESG ratings are complex and can vary significantly between agencies, due to different scoring methods and non-standardized disclosures, making accurate assessments difficult. Moreover, investors and companies express limited confidence in the accuracy of these ratings. Regulatory developments aim to improve ESG disclosure and comparability, however, discrepancies in assessment criteria and rating methodologies persist. These aspects have led to the increasing concern of researchers from the academic field and professionals from the financial markets to identify how divergent are the ESG rates provided by various suppliers, what are the causes of this divergence, how do these influence the performance of companies and above all, how the negative effects of divergent ESG rates mitigated. Most researchers focused their attention on the aforementioned aspects on the developed financial markets from the USA or Europe, on the top companies or on the companies listed on the BRIC emerging markets. This article analyzes the divergence of ESG rates provided by three well-known rate-providers, for companies listed on emerging markets in Europe, contributing to increasing knowledge in this field.</p> </abstract>ARTICLEtruehttps://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/sbe-2024-00382024-09-10T00:00:00.000+00:00https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/sbe-2024-0037<abstract> <title style='display:none'>Abstract</title> <p>The purpose of this paper is to establish the possible influence of personal and reactive anxiety on personality characteristics, cognitive abilities and performance of basketball actions of basketball players. An empirical study is conducted with basketball players (which are also students at University of Economics – Varna - UEV) in 2016, playing basketball at the Sports Club at the UEV. To establish the level of effectiveness of the students’ game actions, their performances in 9 meetings (10 units of observation) are recorded. ANOVA is used to determine differences in basketball performance measures for individuals with relatively high levels of anxiety and for individuals with relatively low levels of anxiety. One of the indicators is “personal anxiety” (Q6). Another indicator is available. It is “reactive anxiety” (Q7). PSPP is used to analyze the dataset. The ANOVA test shows that there is a statistically significant difference (p&lt;0.05) in Q21 “Countering a shelter with successful” for the examined two groups of basketball players. The practical significance of the results refers to the effectiveness of the educational and sports process of university students. The novelty of the paper refers to the analysis of personal characteristics of basketball players (such as anxiety) on their performance in action.</p> </abstract>ARTICLEtruehttps://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/sbe-2024-00372024-09-10T00:00:00.000+00:00https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/sbe-2024-0025<abstract> <title style='display:none'>Abstract</title> <p>This study investigates the role of innovation in attaining economic growth and development in the 27 EU Member States (EU-27). Our analytical approach employs advanced panel data econometric methods, including an autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) model and data mapping analysis. Additionally, an interactive approach to regulatory quality was introduced to evaluate its influence on economic development. The results suggest that innovation significantly impacts economic development in both the long and short term. Empirical evidence indicates that the quality of regulatory frameworks is a main factor in shaping economic development in both the long and short terms. The main findings imply the need for countries to align their strategies with the effective integration of digital technologies and sustained innovation and further substantially invest resources in R&amp;D capabilities to ensure robust economic progress. Among the countries examined, Sweden, the Netherlands, Finland, and Denmark exhibited the highest levels of innovation. Some nations, with significant economic potential, such as Romania and Bulgaria, tend to underinvest in R&amp;D.</p> </abstract>ARTICLEtruehttps://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/sbe-2024-00252024-09-10T00:00:00.000+00:00https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/sbe-2024-0027<abstract> <title style='display:none'>Abstract</title> <p>The use of communication techniques in marketing has become a fundamental component of effective marketing policy, representing an element of differentiation from the competition, which leads to obtaining, on the one hand, a competitive advantage, and on the other hand, to the consolidation of a long-term relationship with the consumer, ultimately determining their loyalty, with a notable effect on the financial outcomes of the organization. The selection of appropriate communication tools and channels, tailored to the interests of the targeted consumer segment requires a considerable effort on the part of marketers in the direction of deciphering consumer behaviour, understanding the influencing factors that shape it in the current economic and social climate, in which the use of digital technologies represents the most suitable means of initiating and conveying messages to consumers, as well as from consumers to the organization. The present study aims to emphasize the importance of using digital communication tools on the orientation of the purchase decision towards the products/services of an organization, without excluding, however, the need for an adequate use of traditional marketing communication tools. In the present article, the impact on consumer behaviour is analysed based on research from secondary data sources.</p> </abstract>ARTICLEtruehttps://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/sbe-2024-00272024-09-10T00:00:00.000+00:00https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/sbe-2024-0036<abstract> <title style='display:none'>Abstract</title> <p>Regardless of the prevalence of change, getting employees on board is hard to achieve. While the investigation of leadership and change readiness has been done continuously, the examination of staff involvement in change and working culture, particularly of the non-western world, has been less appreciated. This article addresses this gap by analysing the connection between employee buy-in, trust, relationship, and task-oriented culture. The main data was gathered from 214 respondents. They are employees at a higher education institution in Cambodia and have experienced a technology-driven change recently. The structural equation model reveals significant relationships between trust and working relationship as well as task-oriented culture, highlighting the pivotal role of these cultural attributes in fostering trust and facilitating buy-in for change. The findings contribute to Social Exchange Theory by showcasing the reciprocal exchange between the employee relationship and support in organizational changes and portray a missing trust among Cambodian employees. Recommendations were drawn from the findings for the betterment of change practices by the managers and practitioners.</p> </abstract>ARTICLEtruehttps://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/sbe-2024-00362024-09-10T00:00:00.000+00:00https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/sbe-2024-0039<abstract> <title style='display:none'>Abstract</title> <p>Transferring to economy 5.0 makes a great emphasis on Artificial Intelligence technologies implementation in civil and military areas. The aim of the article is to model relation between the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense budget programs and strategic goals and tasks. The classical budget analysis methodology is extended with NLP technics. The analysis is performed for defense budget program 2101020 - Ensuring the activities of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, training of personnel and troops, medical support of personnel, military service veterans and their family members, and war veterans. Either TF-IDF or more advanced NLP methods are used along with Python libraries and packages. It is found that some goals intersect with each other by semantic similarity. Despite the lack of data, we build proof of concept machine learning model and proved its effectiveness.</p> </abstract>ARTICLEtruehttps://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/sbe-2024-00392024-09-10T00:00:00.000+00:00https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/sbe-2024-0021<abstract> <title style='display:none'>Abstract</title> <p>In the dynamic context of modern business, the role of religion in business management is increasingly attracting the attention of researchers and practitioners. Religion, seen as a set of spiritual beliefs and practices, deeply shapes people’s values, behaviors, and decisions, thus impacting the way organizations are managed. Using bibliometric analysis allowed us to identify research trends, the links between the keywords underlying the selected studies, and the impact of the publications on the business environment. The study revealed that religious values can shape ethical behavior, leadership styles, and corporate social responsibility in business. Most studies focus on the influences of Islamic, Catholic, and Protestant religions, leaving a significant gap in understanding how orthodox values and practices influence organizational behavior and business ethics, even though this is the dominant religion in many Eastern and South-Eastern European countries. For a more comprehensive perspective, future research should include case studies and surveys in these geographical and cultural regions, combining qualitative and quantitative methods of data analysis. This study provides a robust basis for future research, stimulating reflection on how religious values can shape the business landscape in the 21st century.</p> </abstract>ARTICLEtruehttps://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/sbe-2024-00212024-09-10T00:00:00.000+00:00https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/sbe-2024-0023<abstract> <title style='display:none'>Abstract</title> <p>In recent years, in order to stimulate economic growth, the importance of innovation and entrepreneurship has been increasingly recognized by practitioners and teaching staff. Universities must contribute to this growth, as a center of knowledge creation and a center of research. However, transforming academic research into marketable products and services faces significant challenges. Addressing these challenges has necessitated the emergence of academic incubators as an essential mechanism for providing resources, support, and an environment suitable for the development of startups. Thus, academic incubators are becoming an essential component of a university in order to recruit and retain students, instructors, and researchers with an entrepreneurial mindset, as well as to stay exposed to students who are becoming more and more interested in starting enterprises or social projects. In these conditions, the present paper aims to provide an overview of the role of academic incubators in stimulating innovation and entrepreneurship in universities, emphasizing their role, functions and impact in the socio-economic environment.</p> </abstract>ARTICLEtruehttps://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/sbe-2024-00232024-09-10T00:00:00.000+00:00https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/sbe-2024-0031<abstract> <title style='display:none'>Abstract</title> <p>Corporate fraud has become increasingly common and sophisticated in today’s complex economic world, and a variety of strategies for perpetrating fraud have arisen. Financial fraud has various negative implications in the corporate sector since it reduces efficiency and undermines confidence and loyalty among all stakeholders. In this context, the aim of this article is to identify the various types of corporate fraud by describing and categorizing them based on the motivation and purpose for which they are committed; additionally, different types of corporate financial crimes were examined in a case study for Romania. Data for this study were gathered from past research on the subject as well as other national databases on financial crime. Tax evasion, financial statement manipulation, and bankruptcy fraud to deceive financial data users are among the various types of fraud examined. Financial fraud in organizations is a continually changing topic. The findings suggest that corporate fraud must be prevented at multiple levels, including corporate governance, internal control and external regulation. This study contributes to the existing body of knowledge on corporate fraud and can be utilized as a resource by managers and regulators looking to better understand fraud and strengthen governance and internal control systems.</p> </abstract>ARTICLEtruehttps://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/sbe-2024-00312024-09-10T00:00:00.000+00:00https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/sbe-2024-0028<abstract> <title style='display:none'>Abstract</title> <p>This study provides a contribution by filling the gap in existing research through an analysis of the relationship between ESG performance and corporate financial performance, as well as the moderating role of board characteristics in between. Using panel data from Chinese A-share listed companies from 2018 to 2022 and employing a fixed-effects model, the study draws the following key conclusions. First, it discovered that ESG scores have a positive and significant impact on the financial performance of Chinese A-share listed companies. Second, the role of board independence as a moderating variable in the relationship between ESG and corporate financial performance was not statistically significant. Third, ownership concentration in Chinese companies was found to play a moderating role in the relationship between ESG performance and corporate financial performance. The results suggest that, in the case of Chinese companies, ownership concentration by management appears to promote ESG activities and consequently enhance financial performance more than maintaining an independent board.</p> </abstract>ARTICLEtruehttps://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/sbe-2024-00282024-09-10T00:00:00.000+00:00https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/sbe-2024-0033<abstract> <title style='display:none'>Abstract</title> <p>The scope of the paper is to describe and interpret the steps and activities that led to the development and implementation of a community-based participatory research program that involved an university, local businesses and community organizations, local autorithies and an external funder. Specifically, the paper addresses the following two questions: first, how was this program designed and implemented, and second, what lessons can be learned from this experience that might be extended to the field of community-based research generally? The instrumental case study methodology was applied and the CBPR Program considered is UniverCity Romania.</p> </abstract>ARTICLEtruehttps://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/sbe-2024-00332024-09-10T00:00:00.000+00:00https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/sbe-2024-0032<abstract> <title style='display:none'>Abstract</title> <p>This study analyzes the problem factors affecting Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) performance with social capital variables. The problems are related to developing MSMEs’ financial and non-financial performance and are considered inseparable from various internal and external influences. This research is a quantitative-qualitative research with primary data. The utilization of questionnaires and interviews as methods for data collection. The data analysis technique used was a statistical analysis based on partial least squares (PLS). The study’s results found that internal and external factors had a significant positive effect on the financial performance of MSMEs. The E-commerce factors and social capital significantly positively affected the financial performance of MSMEs. However, the colonial capital did not strengthen the relationship between internal variables, external, and E-commerce on the financial performance of MSMEs.</p> </abstract>ARTICLEtruehttps://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/sbe-2024-00322024-09-10T00:00:00.000+00:00https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/sbe-2024-0029<abstract> <title style='display:none'>Abstract</title> <p>Although testing the Bowersox and Daugherty (B&amp;D) (1987) typology in international markets have provided valuable insights into the model’s relevance in logistics, literature has not re-examined the B&amp;D model’s effectiveness during the post-pandemic business environments. The current research examines the robustness of the B&amp;D logistics strategy framework during the post-COVID-19 Indian market environment. Using a structured questionnaire, the data for this study (n=372) was collected from the executives whose main job responsibility was related to distribution/logistics decisions in micro and small-sized (MSEs) manufacturers in India. Based on the conceptual relationships identified in the B&amp;D typology, we used structural equation modeling to test the study hypotheses. Results show that overall logistics strategy comprised of three strategic priorities positively influences firms’ competitive responsiveness through the logistics coordination effectiveness and customer service commitment route, supporting the robustness of the model in the post COVID-19 environment. Effective logistics strategy does not occur in isolation. Emphasis in coordination and customer service must occur for a well thought out logistics strategy (process, market, and information orientation) to improve organizational competitive responsiveness in the context of Indian MSEs. This study contributes to the literature by providing empirical support for the validity and the robustness of the B&amp;D logistics strategy model during the post COVID-19 environment in an emerging market.</p> </abstract>ARTICLEtruehttps://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/sbe-2024-00292024-09-10T00:00:00.000+00:00https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/sbe-2024-0035<abstract> <title style='display:none'>Abstract</title> <p>The purpose of this article is to identify the impact of demonstrative formal rules on the dynamics of the effectiveness of institutional frameworks. The importance of forming an effective institutional framework for any country is undeniable. The presence of an effective institutional framework is a prerequisite for ensuring the successful socio-economic development of the country, on the other hand, an ineffective institutional framework can have a wide range of negative consequences, including disparities in regional development. However, the achievement of today’s effectiveness of institutional frameworks cannot guarantee the proper socio-economic development of the country in the long term, because the institutional framework of any country is not unchanged, but is in a state of constant transformation due to the need to adapt the current formal rules to the new challenges facing society. Accordingly, the identification of the factors that determine the dynamics of the effectiveness of formal rules is no less important than the identification of the factors of ineffectiveness of formal rules. It is shown that one of these factors is demonstrative formal rules, that is, rules whose target effectiveness was not taken into account from the very beginning, and the only purpose of their implementation was to increase the political ratings of the initiators of their implementation. It has been proven that an effective measure to prevent the spread of demonstrative formal rules can be an increase in the general education of the population. The main advantages of the proposed measure are the low level of transaction costs and the absence of danger of manipulating public sentiment.</p> </abstract>ARTICLEtruehttps://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/sbe-2024-00352024-09-10T00:00:00.000+00:00https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/sbe-2024-0022<abstract> <title style='display:none'>Abstract</title> <p>This research study aims to comprehensively examine and compare the growth of Electronic filing of returns associated with Income Tax in the 28 states of India. It examines the correlation between the states of India and the adoption of e-filing for income tax, aiming to understand variations in e-filing growth among large, medium, and small states.Using data from the department of Income Tax, this study analyzed E-filing trends spanning from 2011-12 to 2022-23. The states were categorized according to their population sizes. Data processing was performed in Microsoft Excel, and the statistical analysis involved descriptive analysis and various tests conducted in Jamovi software.The findings of this study reveal a consistent upward trend in E-filing of tax returns across large, medium, and small states in India. Maharashtra distinguishes itself as the leading state in terms of performance among the large states, Punjab leads in the medium state category, and Goa excels among small states regarding adoption and use of E-filing of retuns.This research contributes value by offering a comprehensive analysis of E-filing trends within different state categories in India, providing a deeper understanding of the variations and significant differences among states in their adoption of electronic income tax filing methods.</p> </abstract>ARTICLEtruehttps://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/sbe-2024-00222024-09-10T00:00:00.000+00:00en-us-1