Currently, organizations are being called upon to adapt to numerous crises, which hinder their development and even their survival. Among these crises there are significant upheavals in the job market. In this context of uncertainty, companies are trying to find tools to better retain and build employee loyalty. One of these tools would be the understanding of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and its links with employees' perception of identification with the organization. Despite the existence of some studies on CSR and human resources management (HRM), several facets of the subject remain to be explored. Based on a cross-sectional qualitative research using a comparative case study of two organizations in Eastern Canada, we wanted to study potential links between the fields of CSR and HRM. The first objective was to create an integrative model based on a literature review of the founding texts of CSR and to test it with managers and employees. Next, we aimed to study employees' perceptions of their social identification and the links they perceived between CSR and their social identification. Finally, we made comparisons between the two organizations in relation to the subjects under study. Our research results demonstrated the relevance of the CSR management model we designed. We also observed a strong general connection between employees and their organization. Although further research will be necessary to validate this result, our research demonstrates the existence of a link between participants' perception of social identification and social responsibility management models. Thus, according to employees, sharing the same values as their organization could increase the identification link. However, it was the model as a whole that was appreciated by employees and not specific social responsibility measures. In short, one of the important and novel contributions of this study is the analysis of the connection between two different fields, namely the field of strategic management and that of organizational behavior while also achieving significant results.
Climate change represents one of the most pressing existential threats of our time, requiring coordinated, cross-domain responses that integrate technological, financial, and policy-oriented knowledge. This paper investigates the behavior of selected clean energy stock indices before, during, and after the COVID-19 crisis and applies advanced machine learning methodologies, specifically Recurrent Neural Networks (RNNs) and Gated Recurrent Units (GRUs), to predict clean energy stock prices. The results provide new insights into the nonlinear dynamics of financial markets linked to the clean energy sector and show that both LSTM and GRU models outperform VAR in stock price forecasting, delivering superior accuracy. This research highlights the effectiveness of integrating traditional statistical models with deep learning techniques to improve forecasting performance. It promotes a deeper understanding of the behavior of this crucial industry, providing a bridge between finance, technology, and sustainability topics, necessary to achieving a resilient and equitable low-carbon economy.
This paper examines the relationship between sectoral foreign direct investment, institutional quality, and environmental sustainability in Central and Eastern European countries. The analysis is based on a balanced panel dataset covering Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Croatia, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia over the period 2010-2023. Environmental sustainability is measured using two indicators: ecological footprint and CO2 emissions. The study considers both total FDI and sectoral FDI in mining and quarrying, manufacturing, electricity and gas, construction, and services. Institutional quality is captured through a composite index constructed from control of corruption, government effectiveness, political stability, regulatory quality, rule of law, and voice and accountability. Using fixed-effects panel models with country and year effects, the paper investigates whether institutional quality moderates the environmental impact of FDI. The results suggest that the relationship between FDI and environmental sustainability differs across environmental indicators and sectors. Total FDI is negatively associated with CO2 emissions in the baseline model, while its relationship with ecological footprint is not statistically significant. The moderation results indicate that institutional quality plays a sector-specific role, particularly in the CO2 models, where stronger institutions reduce the environmental impact of total FDI, manufacturing FDI, and services FDI. These findings highlight the importance of considering both the sectoral composition of FDI and institutional conditions when assessing the environmental implications of foreign investment in CEE economies.
Urban destinations increasingly deploy events as strategic instruments to amplify competitiveness, stimulate visitation and sustain demand beyond peak seasons. However, their effective contribution to destination management, particularly in the post-pandemic urban tourism landscape, remains insufficiently evidenced. This study examines Lisbon through a mixed-methods design that combines a structured intercept survey of 388 non-resident visitors with a focus group involving nine directors of four- and five-star hotels in the metropolitan area. Quantitatively, events emerge as a relevant but segmented pull factor: their importance is concentrated among short-stay visitors, younger and highly educated travellers, and full-time professionals, who also register the highest satisfaction with event experiences. Satisfaction with events is generally favourable and is closely associated with their experiential, symbolic and emotional value. Qualitatively, hotel directors describe large concerts, congresses and public programmes as decisive triggers of demand, generators of extended stays and catalysts of repeat visitation, while noting that these effects are systematically under-captured by hotel booking and reporting systems. The discussion further reveals structural coordination gaps, including limited communication between event organisers, municipalities and accommodation providers, the absence of an integrated events calendar, and the lack of shared data on event-motivated travel. The study argues that events in Lisbon operate not only as temporal attractors but as experiential enhancers of destination image, memorability and competitiveness. Yet, their strategic potential remains only partially realised due to governance and information constraints that limit integrated planning and evidence-based management.
As the transport sector faces increasing complexity driven by globalization, sustainability imperatives, and digital transformation, the demand for advanced economic and financial competences has intensified. This study examined the effects of a structured instructional intervention based on case-based learning and spreadsheet-supported business simulations on the development of financial analysis competences in transport education. A quasi-experimental pre–post design with repeated measures was implemented within a master’s-level course (n = 48). Data were collected using rubric-based performance assessments, pre- and post-intervention questionnaires, and structured qualitative reflections. Quantitative data were analysed using paired-sample t-tests and effect size estimation, while qualitative data were used for triangulation. The intervention integrated multinational transport company cases and dynamic financial simulations addressing investment appraisal, scenario analysis, and sustainability-related financial decision-making. The findings indicated statistically significant improvements in financial modelling accuracy, scenario interpretation, strategic reasoning, digital fluency, and collaborative decision-making. The results provide empirical support for the effectiveness of simulation-supported learning environments in developing applied financial competences in transport-sector education.
This paper examines the interplay between consumer preferences and entrepreneurial strategies in the Romanian beekeeping sector, highlighting sustainability, product authenticity, and market adaptability. The research employs a mixed-methods design, combining quantitative and qualitative approaches. The quantitative survey, conducted on 210 consumers, was analyzed using Chi-square tests, Spearman’s correlation coefficient, multiple linear regression, and logistic regression. The qualitative component consisted of interviews with seven beekeepers, analyzed through thematic analysis using NVivo software. The findings show that age, gender, trust in local producers, and the perceived importance of Romanian origin significantly influence the frequency of honey consumption. Although not all hypotheses were statistically supported, the observed behavioral patterns emphasize the relevance of product diversification, traceability, and direct producer-consumer relationships in shaping loyalty. The qualitative results highlight entrepreneurs’ motivations, ranging from tradition to financial opportunity, and their continuous adaptation to consumer demand through innovations in products, packaging and distribution. Overall, the results demonstrate that the competitiveness of Romanian beekeeping depends on integrating consumer-driven insights into entrepreneurial decision-making, with sustainability and authenticity as key drivers of long-term development.
Digital government transformation is reorganizing public-sector work at a pace that civil service institutions have struggled to keep pace with. This article examines whether digital upgrading in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan has produced a meaningful restructuring of the civil service workforce and why the translation of infrastructure investment into occupational change remains incomplete. The study draws on an asymmetric comparative design, combining shift-share occupational decomposition and vacancy-platform analysis for Kazakhstan with qualitative process tracing for Uzbekistan. In Kazakhstan, routine-intensive occupational shares declined over 2018-2024, yet persistent gaps in digital skill requirements and post-hire training suggest that formal restructuring has outpaced actual capability development. Uzbekistan shows a sharper version of the same pattern, where major digital and AI initiatives were launched before any consolidated reskilling architecture existed for the civil service core. These findings are captured through the concept of the reskilling paradox. Centralized personnel control, hierarchical information flows, and compliance-oriented organizational cultures act as friction coefficients that slow workforce adaptation regardless of how far digital platforms have advanced. Digital modernization, the evidence suggests, cannot be assessed solely through infrastructure.
Scientific collaboration networks as a research area have been the focus of the scientific community for years, across various disciplines and subjects, including health-medicine, economics, engineering, social sciences, environment, technology, and many more. In this systematic literature review, scientific collaboration networks have been examined using social networking analysis, focusing on data extracted from Scopus, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, and SpringerNatureLink, resulting in 348 articles, published from 1984 onwards. This review attempts to answer three research questions: 1) how research on scientific collaboration networks has evolved throughout the years, 2) what the focus of the literature on scientific collaboration networks is and, 3) how Social Network Analysis has been used in the context of scientific collaboration network studies. The study revealed a surge in publications, mainly from 2016 onwards, with most of the articles focusing on health-medicine, technology, and environmental issues. By examining authors, institutions, universities, countries, and citations, this review seeks to reveal new trends, collaboration, structural patterns, influential actors, and dynamics of the field. Social networking analysis is combined with many other methodologies and techniques, like network construction, descriptive analysis, statistics, longitudinal analysis, Machine Learning and AI, and community detection, revealing research gaps, like the need for interdisciplinarity and international scientific collaboration, gender-based and peripheral actors’ studies. Finally, this review underlines the potential for studying scientific collaboration networks in regions with less representation.
This study investigates how Emotional Intelligence (EI) influences the strategies individuals use to adapt to foreign environments. The research is grounded in the Ability Model of Emotional Intelligence (Mayer et al., 2016), which includes four components: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and social skills. A quantitative methodology was employed, using a survey distributed to 192 participants from 31 nationalities. Emotional intelligence was measured using the MSCEIT scale (Mayer et al., 2002), and adaptation strategies were assessed via self-reported frequency on a 7-point Likert-type scale. Statistical analyses revealed a significant positive association between EI and adaptive strategies. These findings underscore the role of interpersonal dimensions of EI in facilitating cultural adaptation.
Over the past few decades, trade in services, female immigration, and gender income inequality have emerged as significant components of the global economy, with important interrelated implications. While scientific literature includes a growing body of research examining the links among these three domains, a substantial research gap persists. In particular, limited attention has been paid to their joint analysis. This systematic literature review aims to cover this gap by synthesizing the existing scientific literature and focusing on the interrelationships among trade in services, female immigration, and gender income inequality. The review provides a structured synthesis of empirical evidence, methodological approaches, types of data, directions of the examined relationships, and country samples, while also identifying key research gaps. The findings reveal a notable lack of integrated empirical studies that simultaneously examine the relationships among trade in services, female immigration, and gender income inequality within a unified econometric framework. Moreover, the existing literature predominantly relies on single-country analyses and exhibits limited use of advanced econometric techniques. Finally, this study contributes to the literature by highlighting directions for future research, including the adoption of more advanced econometric methods and the use of diverse, multi-country samples to examine potential bidirectional relationships among trade in services, female immigration, and gender income inequality.
Sustainable fashion is gaining interest from consumers. However, when buying apparel, individuals look for benefits and try to circumvent or lower barriers. This study aims to document motives and barriers in online buying of sustainable apparel, exploring the tendency of buying from online second-hand vendors, as well as platform features, and information deemed necessary when considering buying such products. The research employed a qualitative methodology, combining in-depth interviews with focus groups. A sample comprising 20 Romanian consumers for the in-depth interviews and 16 for the focus groups was used. Thematic analysis was employed to analyse the collected data. The study indicates sought-after benefits and envisaged barriers when buying online sustainable apparel, displaying perspectives particular to online second-hand vendors, provides evidence about online platform features considered important by consumers when buying sustainable fashion, clarifies what information is important in the buying decision of sustainable clothes and indicates reasons for using second-hand platforms to purchase clothes. The study expands the literature by investigating consumer behaviour constructs in a broad manner, by employing a dual-qualitative methodology and by providing information about the Romanian market. Practical recommendations are made to vendors and online platforms.
This study explores students' perspectives on advancing Higher Education to equip them better not only for the evolving demands of the 21st-century labour market, but also for the societal challenges posed by the rapid development of Artificial Intelligence (AI). A total of fifty students from various European universities provided insights into the role of AI in education, articulating their views on AI potential, its ethical application within academic institutions and the necessity for caution due to a general lack of awareness regarding its potential risks. Employing a brainstorming technique to stimulate discussions and to expand responses, the study involved five groups of ten students each, with a facilitator guiding the discourse to foster a structured exchange of ideas on AI's educational applications. The findings align with contemporary research in the field: students emphasize the potential AI offers in education, the importance of familiarization with AI use, and the risks associated with the implementation of AI in Higher Education (HE) institutions. This study contributes to a better understanding of how the rapidly evolving technological landscape influences Higher Education, shaping the experiences and preparedness of future graduates.
The success of diplomatic relations is closely linked to the understanding of cultural differences and the proper application of diplomatic protocol. In the countries of the Central and Eastern European region, the diverse historical experiences, collective memories, and socio-cultural characteristics significantly shape both formal and informal diplomatic behavior. This paper examines how cultural differences influence the application of diplomatic protocols in the region, with a particular focus on the role of cultural sensitivity in diplomatic interactions. Adopting a qualitative, multiple case study approach, the research analyzes contemporary diplomatic incidents in which culturally embedded symbols, gestures, dress codes, and gift-giving practices led to protocol unconventionalities or failures. The findings demonstrate that a lack of cultural sensitivity may result in misunderstandings, public embarrassment or diplomatic tension, while culturally informed protocol practices can contribute to strengthening bilateral and multilateral relations. By integrating cultural sensitivity theory with the analysis of diplomatic protocol and providing empirical evidence from Central and Eastern Europe, the paper contributes to the literature by offering a region-specific and practice-oriented perspective on diplomacy. The paper highlights how seemingly minor protocol deviations can carry significant symbolic and political meanings in culturally sensitive contexts, thereby influencing the elusiveness of international relations.
Earth's ecosystems face increased pressure from human economic activities, which has led businesses to adopt various sustainability principles in their operational frameworks and disclosure systems. This research examines the degree to which major Western and Central-Eastern European banks include the planetary and social boundaries defined by Rockström et al. (2009) and Raworth (2012) within their sustainability disclosure reports. The content analysis of 134 official sustainability reports from leading banks in Germany, France, Netherlands, Spain, Italy, Austria, Poland, Hungary, Romania and the Czech Republic, between 2017 and 2024, reveals selective sustainability reporting practices. Banks throughout both regions maintained continuous focus on climate change since the European Union introduced its Green Deal in 2019. However, other planetary boundaries such as biodiversity loss, freshwater use and land-system change received minimal attention. Social boundaries, including education, employment, gender equality, income and healthcare received significant attention from banks because of the socio-economic disruptions, especially during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Western European banks demonstrated stronger environmental regulatory compliance, while Central-Eastern European banks focused on developing their socio-economic aspects. The study demonstrates that European banking sector sustainability reporting is primarily compliant rather than transformational, underscoring a need for enhanced regulatory frameworks and strategic sustainability integration to achieve systemic change.
This study investigates the knowledge, attitudes, and willingness to support renewable energy among over 6,000 Greek lower secondary students, providing a comprehensive, data-driven exploration of factors influencing youth support for renewable energy initiatives The study aims to analyse overall opinions on renewables based on perceived and objective knowledge, pro-environmental attitudes, and important socio-demographic variables. Regression analyses indicate that people who hold pro-environmental attitudes are the most consistent and strongest supporters of these systems. However, knowledge has complex effects, increasing general support but at times decreasing support for local trade-offs. The results confirm the crucial role of pro-environmental attitudes in fostering youth support for renewable energy, while highlighting important gaps in objective knowledge, especially around bioenergy and national energy specifics. These findings highlight the importance of special environmental education efforts that focus on addressing the knowledge-attitude gap and fostering informed and committed support for renewable energy policies by young people, vital not only for Greece but also all of Europe in its quest for green energy.
This study investigates the determinants of research productivity in Uzbekistan’s public universities using a balanced panel of 15 institutions over 2010–2023. The analysis integrates three complementary dimensions: human capital, institutional efficiency, and macroeconomic conditions to explain why research output varies markedly across universities during a period of rapid reforms. A fixed-effects instrumental-variable model is employed to control for unobserved institutional characteristics and potential endogeneity in spending efficiency and economic indicators. The results show that academic staff capacity is the strongest predictor of research productivity, while GDP growth also contributes positively by creating more stable conditions for long-term academic development. Education spending efficiency has a meaningful effect, suggesting that governance and internal management shape how resources translate into research outcomes. These findings underscore the need to strengthen faculty development, improve institutional accountability, and align higher education policy with national economic priorities.
As digital fitness platforms and wellness technologies become the norm in modern health routines, understanding what impacts the user's engagement is key to creating inclusive, ethical and sustainable solutions. Specifically, we explore participation in online fitness environment and related purchasing behavior through the lens of personal traits, digital trust, and motivational drivers. Utilizing 680 respondents' survey data, the analysis uses statistical testing and behavioral segmentation to reveal specific user patterns and preferences. Findings indicate that younger users who are physically active, especially females and those having higher trust in personal data privacy, were more likely to use online exercise programs and to share personal health data. Behavioural segmentation uncovers three distinct user clusters with varying degrees of digital engagement, which demonstrates a considerable diversity in how users engage health-related technologies. In addition, purchases of products in the fitness and nutrition category seem to be motivated not by price or by ethical issues but by financial incentives and gender differentiation. The study emphasizes that privacy and trust, existing workout habits and cost are the prime factors driving the use of digital fitness offerings. In contrast, poor digital readiness, concerns around data management, and the influence of ethical product attributes act as key hindrances in driving sustainable adoption. This study provides a new perspective by combining the behavioral, attitudinal and demographic predictions into one model of engagement with digital fitness products. These findings add to the broader discussions on sustainable consumption, identifying routes for improving health, equity, and digital wellbeing through inclusive and affordable technology uptake.
The article proposes an alternative approach to study migration flows based on gravity models. This approach does not reject gravity theory; on the contrary, it expands it to some extent. The relevant models are suggested to be described using diffusion-convection approaches. The intensity of human flows is proposed to identify on the basis of determinant gradients, and the very structure of the domain for studying these processes can be represented as a graph with nodes in the form of continuous areas of social space. The proposed approach is suitable for different dimensions of mobility studying, i.e. permanent migration decisions, touristic flows, academic mobility, transportation etc. The developed conceptual approach and mathematical formalization allow for understanding the patterns of migration applying fundamental principles of mathematic physics for economic processes.
A crisis context, as COVID-19 pandemic, is a situation in which maladaptive buying behaviors are irrationally born. In this context, vulnerability and resilience, as opposed states of being, are two variables that can influence the final behavioral outcome. In a pandemic case, panic buying, impulsive and compulsive behavior, hoarding, and stockpiling are the most common effects. The present paper is a systematic literature review aiming to underline the main theories and variables used in explaining abnormal buying behavior during the coronavirus pandemic, the place of vulnerability and resilience among them, and the managerial implications emphasized by the existing studies. The analyzed research papers (N=63) are selected from 2020-2022 time frame. The results show that Theory of planned behavior and the Stimulus-organism-response are the most frequently used models for understanding and explaining panic conduct. The variables affecting maladaptive consumer behavior are both external and internal, the range of factors being wide and complex. Vulnerability and resilience are believed to mediate the relationship between these factors and panic behavior. The managerial implications born from the analyzed studies include four stakeholders (i.e., retailers, policy makers, governments, and mass-media) that, during a crisis, are advised to improve their communication abilities and to better manage their resources.
The paper analyzes the behavior of business entities based in the Emirate of Dubai in the context of crisis communication responses by government institutions during the Dubai 2024 floods. The research aims to identify if there are key differentiating factors that influence the understanding of government crisis communications by businesses. Numerous literature sources indicate the importance of employee wellbeing policies for reducing crisis risks and hazards. A document analysis of public announcements of Dubai Government institutions, as well as responses, announcements, and policies of 69 companies operating in Dubai, has been performed to understand what and how the government communicated during the crisis, how companies behaved during the crisis, and what policies and procedures are in place in the companies. The crisis communication of the Dubai government and official authorities was proactive and in line with principles defined by the Situational Crisis Communication Theory. This resulted in the successful mitigation of the crisis risks and the timely restoration of the basic functioning of the city's critical infrastructure. At the same time, the crisis response of business entities was not univocal: some businesses decided to work remotely or temporarily cease their operations, while others decided to carry on with the “business as usual” approach, returning the employees to their workplaces quickly and putting them at risk. Findings of the research indicate that companies with a clear focus on employee wellbeing and developed health, safety, and environment policies were less involved in putting their employees at risk than companies that did not highlight employee wellbeing as one of their priorities. Further, the findings highlight the importance of employee wellbeing policies in crisis risk mitigation and contribute to the body of knowledge in terms of crisis communication, employee wellbeing, and emergency management.
