Issue #3 (Volume 22 2024)

The development of strategy and tactics for reforms in the energy industry involves the identification of benchmark countries whose experience can form the basis of a quantitative assessment of the main targets of the reforms. The basis for such decisions can be the results of the integrated assessment of energy reforms in the EU countries for 2010–2021. This study aims to cluster these countries according to the integral indicator and determine specific directions in which the respective country needs to make progress in moving to another cluster. Thus, based on a linear model, the Fishburn formula, and variance analysis, 10 energy development indicators were combined into a single indicator that characterizes the effectiveness of energy reforms (for example, in 2021, it was the highest in Austria (0.612), Germany (0.644), and France (0.620); the lowest – in Latvia (0.383) and Croatia (0.369)). Based on this indicator, countries were clustered using the k-means method. Four clusters were formed: representatives of the highest first (Austria, Germany, France, Spain, Sweden, and Luxembourg) are strategic benchmarks for all EU countries, and representatives of other clusters are tactical benchmarks for countries from lower clusters. The average values of all 10 indicators of energy development were calculated. Their low values are a sign that this direction should be a priority when carrying out reforms, and their quantitative estimates can be used as specific targets when setting strategic and tactical tasks (transition to a higher cluster or achieving average values in one’s cluster).

Acknowledgment
The research was funded by a Fellowship agreement for a research fellowship in the framework of the 11th funding round within the Philipp Schwartz Initiative of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation.

Internal migration caused by the war of russia against Ukraine (with the active phase starting in February 2022) has increased the socio-economic burden on the host communities welcoming internally displaced population from the frontline and occupied territories. On the other hand, it intensifies behavioral reflections of local residents on the integration of internally displaced persons (IDPs). The study aims to identify opportunities, challenges, and prospects for IDPs’ adaptation in host communities (a case study of Lviv oblast, Ukraine). The paper conducted a sociological survey among 2,500 respondents in November 2022–February 2023. The results show that the lack of housing, lack of permanent employment, language contradictions, and forced limited contact with relatives who remain in the combat zone are existential barriers to the integration of IDPs into host communities. The study identified such opportunities for the integration of IDPs into the host society: reducing the risk of depopulation of territories, reducing imbalances in the local labor market in certain sectors of the economy, strengthening social cohesion, developing small businesses, and improving social infrastructure. The respective challenges include increased social tension, competition for jobs and housing, shortage of places in preschool institutions, and disproportionate distribution of budget funds between the local population and IDPs. Conflicts between IDPs and local residents, as well as IDPs and local authorities, require a proactive position of local authorities to initiate psychological support programs and create communication platforms for the exchange of individual experiences and discussion of psychological and emotional issues.

This paper aims to examine the crucial role of employee engagement in the operational success and resilience of small and medium-sized enterprises in the European Union, with a specific focus on the impact of age diversity on engagement strategies. Tailored engagement strategies significantly improve job satisfaction, decrease turnover rates, and promote a cohesive organizational culture. The study is based on an extensive analysis of previous research and scientific publications, providing a comprehensive overview of the current state of employee engagement practices within small and medium-sized enterprises. It explores how various age groups within the workforce perceive and react to different engagement initiatives, emphasizing the necessity for customized approaches. The paper also delves into the specific engagement tactics that have proven effective across different age demographics, such as digital tools for younger employees and recognition programs for older employees. Moreover, the paper discusses the broader implications of these findings for human resources managers and business leaders, highlighting the strategic importance of implementing age-aware engagement practices. It calls for further research to explore the long-term effects of these strategies, particularly in the context of evolving workplace dynamics and technological advancements. By adopting such tailored strategies, small and medium-sized enterprises can not only enhance employee satisfaction and retention but also foster a more innovative and adaptable organizational culture. In conclusion, this study underscores the importance of a nuanced and flexible approach to employee engagement in small and medium-sized enterprises.

Creating the ideal atmosphere for employees is essential to an organization’s success. Therefore, identifying the appropriate behaviors that will enhance the optimal environment can be a huge asset for an organization. This study aims to investigate the impact of mindfulness, spirituality, and core self-evaluation on task performance. Four standardized questionnaires were used to randomly collect responses via the Internet from 394 gainfully employed Saudi Arabians across multiple sectors. The samples’ age, gender, and line of work were all varied. To examine the data, structural equation modeling was applied. The findings demonstrate significant positive relationships at the 0.01 level between all examined variables. The path analysis demonstrates a significant positive relationship between spirituality and core self-evaluation (T-statistics = 4.321**) and between spirituality and task performance (T-statistics =2.613**). Furthermore, a significant positive relationship was discovered between mindfulness and core self-evaluation (T-statistics = 4.683**) and between mindfulness and task performance (T-statistics = 6.966**). In addition, a significant positive relationship has been found between core self-evaluation and performance (T-statistics = 2.247**). This suggests that mindfulness and core self-evaluation boost task performance. Additionally, mindfulness and spirituality in the workplace improve both core self-evaluation and performance.

Acknowledgment
This study is supported by funding from Prince Satam bin Abdulaziz University, project number (PSAU/2024/R/1445).

In Jordan’s banking sector, organizations face the dual challenge of stability and innovation. Achieving this balance requires a deep grasp of leveraging capabilities for existing opportunities and exploring new ones. The key lies at the intersection of business intelligence and organizational ambidexterity. Therefore, this study has investigated the relationship between business intelligence and organizational ambidexterity within the Jordanian banking sector. It examined the impact of managerial, technical, and cultural competencies of business intelligence on organizational ambidexterity in Jordanian commercial banks listed on the Amman Stock Exchange. The quantitative study involved 449 bank employees. The data were gathered via a questionnaire, and the responses were analyzed using R language version 4.2.2. The results indicated that managerial competencies (z = 8.26, p = 0.000) and technical competencies (z = 4.09, p = 0.000) exhibit statistically significant positive direct effects on organizational ambidexterity. Additionally, cultural competencies were found to have a statistically significant direct effect on organizational ambidexterity (z = 2.083, p = 0.037). Managerial, technical, and cultural business intelligence competencies play crucial roles in the adoption of organizational ambidexterity among Jordanian commercial banks. Achieving organizational ambidexterity necessitates integrating these competencies with organizational capabilities.

An effective government agropolicy should be balanced: To reduce the state budget pressure, it is important to reduce public spending and encourage farmers to use agricultural loans. Reducing public spending should not lead to a shortage in the agricultural market. The paper aims to substantiate the directions of government agropolicy transformation based on the optimal ratio of public expenditures and loans in the agrosector and the dependence of agroproduction dynamics on state financing. The research base is data from 10 countries with different income levels (World Bank), presented in FAOSTAT for 2004–2021. For each country, the optimal (determined by the structural modeling method) and actual proportions between state financing and lending in the agrosector are compared, adjusted for the agroproduction index. The modeling showed that the share of public funds should increase in Germany, Israel, Italy, and the UK and decrease in Azerbaijan and Georgia; the current proportion is optimal in the USA, Russia, Turkey, and Ukraine. Based on a panel regression model with fixed effects, the influence of the actual level of state agrofinancing on the FAO Production Indices of the main types of agroproducts was determined. It is the largest for crops, meat, and milk (a decrease in state funding by USD 1 million threatens to reduce the respective indices by 4.5, 3.47, and 3.79 points), medium for cereals and sugar crops (according to points 2.69 and 2.11), and the smallest for livestock and non-food products (by 1.53 and 0.001 points, respectively).

Human resources are critical assets in the hotel industry, and retaining employees is crucial for the sustainable development of hotels. To reduce employee turnover, the study aims to explore the role of psychological contract and emotional labor on turnover intention. Data from an online survey of 743 employees of luxury hotels in China were analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM). The results show that employer relational psychological contracts (p < 0.001), employee relational psychological contracts (p < 0.001), and employer transactional psychological contracts (p < 0.01) have an impact on turnover intentions. The study also finds that employee transactional psychological contracts (p > 0.05) do not affect turnover intentions. Furthermore, employee-employer relational psychological contracts (p < 0.01) significantly influence emotional labor, whereas employer transactional psychological contracts (p > 0.05) do not. Emotional labor (p < 0.01) significantly affects turnover intentions. The connection between psychological contracts and turnover intentions is also mediated by emotional labor. These results imply that luxury hotels should prioritize employees’ emotional well-being, create a harmonious work environment, and enhance employee loyalty. This paper provides valuable insights that may reduce turnover and foster sustainable development within the hospitality sector.

The aim of this study is to identify the elements that motivate employees in small and medium-sized enterprises operating in Bangladesh. The data were obtained using a survey methodology targeting employees who work in small and medium-sized enterprises located in the northern geographic region of Bangladesh. The sample included 284 employees surveyed from May 2023 to June 2023. The paper utilized a five-point Likert scale to evaluate the responses. Regression techniques were used to test the hypotheses. Moreover, to evaluate the hypotheses, a significance level of 5% was utilized, and the data pertaining to the subject matter and purpose of this study were examined using the SPSS program. The results of the paper indicate that employee motivation at SMEs is significantly influenced by employee empowerment, job security, and job training opportunities. Employee empowerment (β = 0.583) has the highest effect on motivation compared to the other two factors. Additionally, a substantial correlation coefficient (r = 0.498) is found between employee motivation and employee empowerment. This study contributes to the literature by investigating the external determinants of employee motivation within small and medium-sized enterprises.

The model of excellencism and perfectionism (MEP) theorizes that the attitude toward goals as characterized in excellencism is desirable over perfectionism. Using the self-determination theory (SDT), this study aims to investigate the varying effects of perfectionism and excellencism on work engagement and performance. The study used a time-lagged multi-phase, multi-source, and cross-sectional online survey to collect responses from 360 corporate employees of Indian companies in the services industry. The results indicate that while both perfectionism and excellencism entail pursuing high standards, they relate differently with performance and work engagement. Interestingly, excellencism and work engagement were significantly associated with performance (p < .001); however, perfectionism was insignificant (p = .989). Perfectionism strengthens work engagement (β = 0.112; p = .013), while excellencism has an insignificant effect (β = 0.035; p = .537). Work engagement fully mediates the perfectionism-performance relationship. This demonstrates that striving for excellence alone is sufficient to achieve positive performance, challenging the traditional belief that one must focus on perfection. Furthermore, perfectionism is positively associated with performance only when employees are engaged and have positive motivation toward work.

A circular economy has become an innovative business model, though contentious, to replace a linear economy in achieving sustainable and efficient production. This study aims to investigate the level of awareness, adoption, and effect of factors driving the circular economy adoption on the financial performance of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in Saudi Arabia. The survey was conducted among 301 MSMEs, and the method of logistic regression was utilized for its analysis. The results revealed that the level of awareness is averagely high, with an average of seven out of 10 enterprises. However, the outcome further showed that only an average of three out of 10 had implemented a circular economy during the period of the survey. In addition, logistic regression revealed the significant influence of drivers of circular economy adoption on the financial performance of MSMEs. The following drivers of circular economy adoption have a great likelihood and significant effect on the enterprise’s financial performance: training of employees, availability of financial resources, top management commitment, digital technology, product/service upgrade, material generated/buy back cheaper to use, and pressure from people. This is based on the outcome of logistic regression of the survey conducted on the factors driving circular economy adoption in the previous literature. However, the results revealed that regulatory incentives toward the environment and pressure from government and companies are not significant. Hence, this study provides policy implications for stakeholders in the circular economic system.

Companies try to survive and gain competitive advantage by leveraging their innovation capabilities, which need to be more accurately measured through company annual reports to provide valuable insights for investors and stakeholders. The study aims to analyze how innovation capability can be understood using innovative textual analysis based on linguistic cues to assess the level of a company’s innovation capability using secondary data from companies’ annual reports and then validated by empirical tests. The study surveyed 30 companies listed on the Indonesian Stock Exchange from various sectors and industries and applied panel data regression with a five-year time series (2018–2022). Innovation capability was an independent variable, measured by textual analysis approach, and return on assets (ROA) and return on equity (ROE) were dependent variables. Descriptive statistics showed no significant differences in innovation capability, ROA, and ROE across sectors. Correlation analysis revealed no significant association between company age and these variables. Panel data regression confirmed that innovation capability positively influences ROA (p-value 0.078) and ROE (p-value 0.035). Notably, the impact of innovation capability on ROA increased during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting its growing importance in financial performance during challenging times.

The transition to an innovative economy requires greater attention to creating favorable conditions for the commercialization of scientists’ developments and the possibility of realizing the accumulated scientific potential. This study aimed to examine the commercialization process in the Republic of Kazakhstan and identify factors influencing the development of academic entrepreneurship in universities. It examines a gradual change in legislation on technology transfer and the dynamics of implemented commercialization projects during 2016–2022. Structured interviews were conducted with academics of the biggest 14 universities in Kazakhstan with a sample of 209 respondents to identify factors influencing the desire of scientists to engage in academic entrepreneurship. The findings revealed that the most attractive factors for academics are flexible working hours (4.67 of 5), the opportunity to implement their own innovative ideas (4.12), and an increase in income (3.63). In turn, negative factors include the lack of qualified personnel (4.56), difficulties in legislation (4.27), and bureaucratic barriers (3.78). The study revealed that gender and age moderately affected scholars’ desire to engage in academic entrepreneurship (Cramer’s V = 0.3025). The greatest desire to start their own business was demonstrated by men aged 26-35 years and by women aged 36-45 years. The findings also show that the scientific fields positively affect the number of ready-made ideas, patents, and technologies that academics offer to businesses.

Acknowledgment
This study is funded by the Science Committee of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan (Grant No. AP13268750).

Organizations must attain a sustainable competitive advantage via the workforce. Active employee engagement can foster motivation and provide intrinsic job satisfaction. This study aims to analyze the impact of prospective intrinsic factors on the turnover intention of academic staff in the educational service industry in Anhui, China. A quantitative study method was devised using the Daniel Pink’s theory with a survey questionnaire consisting of 51 items. The study used a 5-point Likert scale. Nonprobability sampling with the snowball method was exercised for 403 fully completed responses for data analysis using the SPSS program version 23. The Pearson correlation analysis revealed a significant and robust inverse relationship between employee turnover intention and all of the independent variables examined (r² = 55.06 for managerial behavior empowerment, r² = 54.76 for psychological empowerment, r² = 54.46 for career growth opportunity, r² = 63.84 for organizational commitment, and r² = 27.46 for compensation). The multiple regression analysis was subsequently implemented. The model evaluation yields an adjusted R² value of 0.685, signifying that the independent variables collectively account for approximately 69% of the variance in the dependent variable, except for compensation, which exhibits a significant positive correlation with turnover intention. However, it is impossible to disregard the impact of compensation as the silence factor. Appropriate delivery of this baseline reward is necessary to ensure that it satisfies the fundamental requirements of the employee and fosters intrinsic motivation.

Acknowledgment
This study received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

The “new normal” era has made remote work the new standard, making the use of artificial intelligence (AI) increasingly important. Therefore, this study aims to investigate employee perceptions of change leadership in the application of AI that affects employee engagement and productivity according to the resource-based view (RBV). Of the 467 respondents who worked in the banking industry in West Sumatra province, Indonesia, only 359 met the eligibility requirements. The partial least squares (PLS) analysis shows a direct relationship between AI and employee engagement (p < 0.05) and productivity (p < 0.05), as well as employee engagement and employee productivity (p < 0.05). The effect of AI on employee productivity is mediated by employee engagement (p < 0.05), but the moderating effect provided by change leadership is not significant (p > 0.05) in increasing employee productivity. These findings will help managers create a positive work environment through the application of AI, resulting in higher employee engagement and productivity. Specifically, these findings help organizations integrate AI more effectively and provide managers with a comprehensive understanding of the considerations needed to increase productivity through employee engagement for organizational competitiveness.

Acknowledgment
The authors thank Universitas Negeri Padang for helping finish this article. We also appreciate the cooperation and support of each member.

Businesses continue to navigate the challenges posed by the swift advancements in technology, especially in light of the rapidly speeding digital transformation and the ever-deeper integration of technology into governance practices. This shifting worldview could substantially change how strategic plans are actualized, compelling companies to retune for emerging tech models and management frameworks to stay competitive and fruitful. The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of e-governance on facilitating the execution of organizational strategy within information and communication technology companies based in Jordan. Data were gathered through electronic questionnaires from 204 employees of Jordanian information and communication technology companies and analyzed using the SPSS program to test the hypotheses. Overall, based on correlation coefficients and regression analyses, the paper finds a significant effect of e-governance on strategy execution. To be more precise, e-participation, e-transparency, and e-accountability account for 23.4% of the variance in strategy execution. However, variations in the concept of e-participation account for 40%, e-transparency – 22%, and e-accountability – 23%. The findings recommend that ICT companies enhance their strategic governance practices when executing organizational strategies. This study contributes to understanding how e-governance can facilitate effective organizational strategy execution in the ICT sector in Jordan.

Acknowledgment
The authors are grateful to Middle East University, Amman, Jordan, for the financial support to cover this article’s publishing fee.

Despite the continuous improvement of safety standards in the construction industry, this sphere remains one of the most hazardous sectors, and safety management is becoming a crucial determinant of effective operation at construction sites. The aim of this study is to identify the essential contextual, evolutionary-chronological, and geographical-industrial scientific landscape of the development of safety management in the construction industry through comprehensive bibliometric analysis. More than 15,000 articles indexed by Scopus from around the world from 2000 to 2023 were analyzed using the VOSviewer tool, filtered by keywords such as “construction,” “safety,” and “management.” The research revealed the intensification of publishing activity since 2012 (with peak growth in 2012, 2020, and 2022). The leading scientists are from China, the United States, and the United Kingdom (e.g., Chinese scientists make up 26.1% of all scholars). The majority of papers are in the field of engineering. Priority areas of research include safety climate, safety behavior, and building information modeling. The closest connections of construction safety management are with the study of professional risks, safety techniques, and quality control. The evolution of research focuses on “human health and safety-risks-digital security systems.” In general, the findings of this study provide a foundation for future research aimed at enhancing safety management in the construction field, potentially increasing worker protection and technical operational efficiency.

Farmer producer companies (FPCs), modern farmer collectives registered under India’s Companies Act, play a crucial role in providing core services like input supply, marketing, technical, and financial support, as well as auxiliary services such as social capital and consultancy, which are linked to higher economic performance and innovation. The study analyzes the levels of social capital among members and non-members of FPCs and their relationship to the economic performance of their members. The data on social capital were collected from 20 FPCs (292 members and 77 non-members) from Maharashtra state of India. Unpaired student T-tests and Mann-Whitney tests were performed to compare the levels of social capital among the members and non-members. OLS regression was performed to understand the difference in social capital and its effect on economic performance. The results reveal that all the indicators of social capital were significantly higher for the members (Mean = 4.27) than for non-members (Mean = 3.14). The social capital indicators related to membership and participation in groups (p-value < 0.10) and the sharing of production and other information (p-value < 0.01) positively affected economic performance. Higher levels of education (p-value < 0.05) and frequent contact with members (p-value < 0.01) positively affected, whereas higher landholding (p-value < 0.10) and years of membership (p-value < 0.01) negatively affected the economic performance of members. As the Indian government plans to add 10,000 FPCs in the next three years, the strategy to increase the social capital of FPCs may enhance the overall resilience and sustainability of rural economies.

Despite its growth, Indonesia’s startup industry struggles with high failure rates; this industry relies on employee productivity and promoting new work methods that reshape modern workplaces. The study aims to examine the impact of new ways of working on employee productivity and work engagement in Indonesian unicorn startups post-pandemic while also observing the current situation using importance-performance analysis. The data analysis uses structural equation modeling (SEM) with partial least squares (PLS) and Smart-PLS software. This study analyzes survey data from 56 leaders of Indonesian unicorn startups. It delves into the complex relationships between these variables based on the leaders’ perspectives. According to the findings, new ways of working impact employee productivity (β = 0.521; p-value < 0.05), new ways of working impact work engagement (β = 0.856; p-value < 0.05), work engagement impact employee productivity (β = 0.379; p-value < 0.05), and new ways of working impact employee productivity through work engagement (β = 0.325; p-value < 0.05). The findings indicate that new ways of working significantly affect work engagement and productivity. It also identifies work engagement as a key driver of employee productivity. Interestingly, the effect of new ways of working on employee performance is also mediated by work engagement, highlighting the relationship between these factors.

In the highly dynamic digital era of the information technology industry, agile talent planning and human resources (HR) management strategies are essential for maintaining a competitive edge. This study aims to determine the impact of HR policies and practices as a mediator between the effectiveness of talent planning and digitalization tools and techniques within the IT sector. The research population comprised IT companies in Delhi (and its national capital region), India. Using the convenience sampling technique, a sample of 106 respondents was selected out of 168 contacted, including human resource professionals and managers. The study employed regression analysis and structural equation modeling. The results reject that digitalization tools and techniques do not significantly increase the effectiveness of talent planning in IT organizations (beta coefficient = 0.455 at p-value < 0.001). Additionally, the paper shows that digitalization tools and technologies significantly affect HR policies and practices (beta coefficient = 0.826 at p-value < 0.001). The findings reject the suggestion that there is no significant positive relationship between HR practices and policies and the effectiveness of talent planning in the IT sector (beta coefficient = 0.425 at p-value < 0.001). Furthermore, the study rejects the perception that HR policies and practices do not mediate the relationship between digitalization tools and techniques and the effectiveness of talent planning (beta coefficient = 0.351 at p-value < 0.001). These insights will contribute to developing effective HR strategies that align with technological advancements and foster organizational growth.

The startup must be able to innovate in response to the uncertainty of the business environment, which is changing rapidly along with advances in technology. This study aims to analyze the relationship between learning culture, belief, boundary control, dynamic capabilities, and innovation performance. Quantitative methods with AMOS and structural equation modeling were used to test 260 samples. Questionnaires were distributed among startup companies in Banten Province, Indonesia. The research results show that dynamic capabilities and the development of management control systems are influenced by learning culture. The findings inform that a strong learning culture attitude produces company confidence and a management boundary control system that can adapt to uncertain environmental changes. Startup companies should motivate their personnel to improve competence through a learning culture. The role of innovation performance is also indirectly influenced by beliefs and boundary control systems. Recognition of personnel abilities and contributions in collaboration with external sources opens up opportunities to compete in business. This finding is a key factor explaining that startup companies must face a rapidly changing environment by optimizing management’s ability to innovate, implementing management control systems routinely, and building a trust system to inspire and motivate employees.

Countries around the world are taking further steps toward transparency and corporate sustainability. Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) reporting will be required for all firms listed on European exchanges as of 2026 according to the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive. Meanwhile, the companies’ rate in Vietnam reporting and disclosing ESG information is still limited. There is an empirical gap between the theory and practices of ESG reporting in Vietnam. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the determinants affecting the readiness for ESG reporting in Vietnamese enterprises. Survey questionnaires and quantitative analysis are employed based on the structural models using SmartPLS4 software to analyze the sample of 169 manufacturing, commercial, and service enterprises in Vietnam. The findings show that accountant qualifications, management processes, women on management boards, and information technology systems positively affect Vietnamese firms’ readiness to report ESG. The relationship between business executives’ ESG awareness, public media pressure, governmental guidelines, and the readiness for ESG reporting is not statistically supported. Based on the research results, Vietnamese enterprises should increase women’s participation on management boards, facilitate professional development and training for accountants, invest in information technology systems, and improve management processes to enhance the adoption of ESG reporting in Vietnam.

In today’s highly competitive business environment, organizations, particularly in the airline industry, are increasingly adopting electronic customer relationship management (E-CRM) to enhance customer engagement and achieve a competitive edge. This study aims to analyze the impact of E-CRM on the competitive advantage of EgyptAir, focusing on customer satisfaction as a mediating factor. Employing a descriptive and analytical methodology, the paper surveyed 355 EgyptAir customers, utilizing a structured questionnaire to gather data on E-CRM practices, customer satisfaction, and competitive advantage. The findings reveal a significant positive correlation between E-CRM and competitive advantage, with a correlation coefficient (R) of 0.56 and a determination coefficient (R²) of 0.315, indicating that E-CRM accounts for 31.5% of the variance in competitive advantage. Furthermore, the results demonstrate that customer satisfaction significantly mediates this relationship, with E-CRM explaining 43.9% of the variance in customer satisfaction (R² = 0.439) and a direct positive impact of customer satisfaction on competitive advantage (R = 0.38, R² = 0.247). Path analysis using AMOS v.24 confirmed these findings, showing both direct and indirect effects of E-CRM on competitive advantage through customer satisfaction. The model fit indices (CFI = 0.894, RMSEA = 0.000) suggest a robust model. The study underscores the crucial role of E-CRM in fostering customer satisfaction and enhancing competitive advantage in the airline industry, providing valuable insights for airlines aiming to leverage E-CRM for sustainable success.

Acknowledgments
The authors are thankful to the Deanship of Graduate Studies and Scientific Research at University of Bisha for supporting this work through the Fast-Track Research Support Program.

Wars not only disrupt economic stability but also displace numerous enterprises, altering the socioeconomic landscape of affected regions. This study aims to analyze the case of relocated businesses in Ukraine, particularly their needs and adaptation in the host regions. An expert survey method was applied for 58 relocated micro-, small, and medium enterprises. The survey and review of secondary sources allowed distinguishing that security is the main driver of relocation (65% of respondents). Although for more than half of the respondents, relocation led to an increase in business activity in the host region, their ability to cover their own needs at the expense of their own funds fell, which led to the demand for external sources of financing. The biggest challenges are the cultural and doing business differences, loss of suppliers, and energy costs. In addition to financing, the TOP-3 needs include access to new markets (60%), the need for new equipment (57%), and special local permits (47%). Host regional authorities, as well as foreign donors, played a crucial role in adaptation to their region. In turn, businesses also note their contribution to the development of the host regions through tax contributions and providing jobs for the population and higher-quality products. Businesses demonstrate their openness to cooperation with foreign donors more than with local sponsors. These results are helpful for policymaking regarding regional development and the post-war rebuilding of Ukraine.

The rise of local and global challenges (such as COVID-19, wars, natural disasters, etc.) requires advanced communication and information technologies to support economic development. The study aims to form a theoretical basis and practical tools for creating and functioning of wiki communities. Wiki communities are a new form of social association based on Internet communications of socio-economic subjects (individuals and organizations), in which each participant has equal rights to receive information, exchange opinions, and generate solutions. The theoretical basis involves substantiating the key principles on which wiki communities are formed, e.g., decentralization, openness, peering, sharing, and mass nature of activity. Wiki communities are represented by a set of specific types, such as professional, academic and research, custom, creative, public and non-commercial communities. The specific managing activities of wiki communities are described by several classification levels, such as operational activities, ensuring security, quality assurance, and motivation. The wiki community management toolkit includes a goal-setting algorithm, decision-making procedures, communications, rules of operation, typical tasks, areas of application, the operation and development cycle, and functional capabilities. It allows effective transfer of information, communication in real-time, and mutually enriching each other in forming knowledge and innovation.

Acknowledgment
The publication was prepared in the framework of the research project “Restructuring of the national economy in the direction of digital transformations for sustainable development” (№0122U001232) from National Research Foundation.

The objective of this paper is to examine asset misappropriation fraud during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study examines the impact of four elements of fraud risk factors and Islamic religiosity on the propensity for fraud among employees who manage assets in government organizations. Data collection involved a questionnaire distributed to 210 employees responsible for asset management within the government organization in Indonesia. Partial least squares-structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was utilized as a statistical method. The test results show that the theoretical model is supported by empirical data. The study revealed that pressure, opportunity, rationalization, and capability positively influence asset misappropriation with a coefficient of 0.250, 0.134, 0.211, and 0.288, respectively. These results indicate that the higher the four fraud risks, the higher the possibility of asset misappropriation in the organization. On the other hand, Islamic religiosity exhibits a negative association with asset misappropriation with a coefficient of –0.113. These results indicate that religiosity plays an important role as a preventive factor in reducing the occurrence of asset misappropriation by employees. This study contributes to limited literature exploring factors influencing occupational fraud, specifically asset misappropriation during the COVID-19 crisis. The study recommends managerial strategies to mitigate asset misappropriation within the framework of the fraud diamond model.

This study uses the new institutional economic theory and demonstrates how the quality of the institutional environment can be correlated with the development of e-commerce in different countries. The goal is to analyze the impact of international indices that assess the institutional environment on e-commerce penetration in countries with varying levels of economic development. The international indices used include the Networked Readiness Index, the E-Government Development Index, components of the Index of Economic Freedom, and indicators from The Worldwide Governance Indicators, such as control of corruption and rule of law. The level of e-commerce penetration was measured by its share in retail trade. The study analyzed developed countries with high e-commerce penetration, like the USA, the UK, Germany, South Korea, and Singapore, alongside developing countries, such as China, Turkey, Mexico, and Kazakhstan. The relationships between e-commerce penetration and international indices were identified using correlation analysis with the calculation of Spearman’s coefficient, followed by an assessment of the statistical significance of the obtained coefficients. The analysis revealed varying degrees of association between institutional quality and e-commerce penetration. Notably, the E-Government Development Index and the Networked Readiness Index showed positive correlations with e-commerce levels in all studied countries. However, the rule of law, control of corruption, and Investment Freedom indices showed varying correlations, indicating that these relationships are influenced by factors beyond economic development, such as political systems and regulatory approaches.

Acknowledgment
This study has been funded by the Science Committee of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan (grant IRN AP14871419 “Formation of institutional environment of electronic commerce market in Kazakhstan, its evaluation and development mechanism”).

Gender disparities affect employment, education, social interactions, and managerial roles. Therefore, this study aimed to conduct a complex analysis of differences based on representation in managerial positions, wage levels, educational opportunities, and soft skills. The analysis combines both qualitative and quantitative data. Quantitative data were collected from 2009 to 2022 from the Bureau of National Statistics of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the National Bank, and the World Bank. Qualitative data were obtained through surveys of 652 respondents filtered based on their correct understanding of the soft skills concept. Further, the Index for Stereotypes in Women’s Employment (ISWE) was developed by identifying key indicators and gathering relevant data, followed by assigning weight coefficients based on their significance and ultimately combining these weighted impacts to compute the total index. The most significant impact on gender disparities was shown by the assessment of soft skills, contributing 13.1115, highlighting the need for their recognition in the labor market. Educational opportunities had a significant impact, contributing 2.1945, emphasizing equal opportunities for women and men. Differences in wages contributed to 1.394, indicating the pay gap. The low representation of women in managerial positions in state financial institutions (including second-tier banks) contributed 0.685, while barriers for women in managerial positions in state holdings across various sectors contributed 1.485. The findings offer actionable insights for policymakers and stakeholders committed to promoting gender equity.

Acknowledgments
This study has been funded by the Science Committee of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan Grant No. BR18574240.

If any country is interested in high scientific results, it should have highly motivated and satisfied researchers. The purpose of this study is to establish the national characteristics and differences in motivation and job satisfaction of researchers in two developed European countries – France and Norway. The management schools of French and Norwegian universities were chosen for this study. A five-stage research methodology, including surveys, in-depth interviews, and statistical testing, was used to test four hypotheses. According to the vast majority (16 out of 20) of motivators considered, the average scores in Norway are higher than in France. Only four motivators are exceptions, namely challenging work, interesting work, job security, and social benefits, for which the French are somewhat better motivated. In general, French researchers have lower job satisfaction than their Norwegian colleagues. The only exception is the dissatisfaction of Norwegian senior researchers with their professional learning conditions. The considered case study proves that each European country, having its own system of incentives and working conditions, provides different levels of satisfaction for different researchers working there. The results will allow one to improve national incentive systems by benchmarking and adopting best practices within the continent.

Acknowledgments
The authors acknowledge: the COST Action CA19117 – Researcher Mental Health (ReMO) for short-term scientific mission grant and supporting this study; academic staff of observed universities for participating in the survey; and the Hauge School of Management of the NLA University College (Kristiansand, Norway) for supporting this publication.

The retail industry has complex and demanding work dynamics. In this context, a deep understanding of the factors that influence employee performance is highly relevant to managing retail companies. This study examines the interrelationships among work intensification, high-performance work systems (HPWS), emotional exhaustion, employee creativity, and employee performance within the retail industry. This study used a survey approach with a quantitative methodology; data were gathered through questionnaire distribution to 235 retail employees across Jakarta, Indonesia, utilizing non-probability convenience sampling. Analysis was conducted using partial least squares-structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) via the SmartPLS version 3.3.3 tool. Results revealed that work intensification significantly and positively influences HPWS and emotional exhaustion (p < 0.05). While HPWS exhibited no significant impact on employee creativity, emotional exhaustion had a significant and negative effect (p > 0.05). Furthermore, employee creativity demonstrated a significant positive effect on employee performance (p < 0.05). It was a significant mediator between emotional exhaustion and employee performance, though not between HPWS and employee performance (p < 0.05). The study underscores the intricate dynamics within the retail work environment, highlighting the intertwined roles of HPWS, emotional exhaustion, and employee creativity. Practical implications emphasize the necessity for effective management strategies to navigate work intensification and emotional exhaustion, ultimately enhancing employee performance. Notably, this paper offers a comprehensive analysis of factors shaping employee performance in the retail sector, emphasizing the pivotal significance of HPWS, emotional exhaustion, and employee creativity as interconnected components.

An engaged workforce is vital for higher education institutions to contribute positively to the developing world. The purpose of this study is to examine employee engagement and its significance for academic and administrative employees at the Durban University of Technology in the Province of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa. The study opted for a quantitative research design to explore the role and importance of employee engagement. The target population consisted of 1,861 university employees at the selected university in South Africa, and 320 employee from different university units and positions were selected using simple random sampling without replacement. The results revealed that 80% of respondents exert high levels of physical energy, concentration, and dedication toward achieving institutional objectives. Additionally, the results showed a significant difference in the support employees get, with administrative staff receiving more support than academic staff members. The study concluded that university employees exhibit high levels of physical energy at work. In addition, the study found a significant and positive relationship between employees exhibiting high levels of physical energy at work and employees who find their work meaningful and experience inspiration.

Leadership plays a crucial role in the performance of organizations and is a fundamental element in the construction of capital. This paper aims to measure the relationship between servant and collaborative leadership with organizational performance and the mediating role of social capital in small companies in the Peruvian tourism sector. The methodology used the quantitative approach at an explanatory level. Data were obtained from 623 representatives of tourism organizations using a 19-item questionnaire; the hypotheses were tested using the SEM model through AMOS and SPSS. The results indicate that servant leadership is largely related to organizational performance (β = 0.566, p < 0.001) and explains 20.5% of this variable. Collaborative leadership has a moderate relationship with organizational performance (β = 0.454, p < 0.001) and explains 21.3%. No evidence demonstrated the relationship between servant leadership and social capital. Collaborative leadership has a low relationship with social capital (β = 0.163, p < 0.001) and explains only 2%. Social capital has a low relationship with organizational performance (β = 0.293, p < 0.001) and explains 10.8%. Furthermore, social capital fully mediates the relationship between servant leadership and organizational performance and partially mediates the relationship between collaborative leadership and organizational performance.

Understanding the relationship among compensation management, career development opportunities, and employee continuance commitment is crucial for fostering a productive and engaged workforce. Organizations that excel in compensation management are more likely to invest in their employees’ career opportunities. This study aims to examine the influence of career development opportunities on the relationship between compensation management and continuance commitment among the employees of Nepalese commercial banks. To achieve this objective, data were collected from 404 respondents using a structured questionnaire administered through a convenience sampling technique. The respondents included employees at the manager, officer, and assistant levels working in different commercial banks. The collected data were analyzed using Process Macro 4 at a 95% confidence interval with 5,000 bootstrapping samples. The results indicate that career development opportunities have a partial mediating effect on the relationship between compensation management and employees’ continuance commitment. This study demonstrates that organizations that are proficient in compensation management practices not only prioritize investing in their employees’ career growth but also enhance employees’ commitment to achieving organizational goals. This study further highlights the role of career development opportunities in strengthening the relationship between compensation management and employees’ psychological bonds to stay with the organization.

Employee performance is one of the main drivers for company development. However, there is an emergence of quiet quitting behavior, which many Generation Z workers experience. This behavior is detrimental to the company because it affects employee performance. The objective of this study is to analyze the influence of perceptions of career development opportunities, job insecurity, and awareness of intelligent technology on quiet quitting and its correlation with work performance, especially in Generation Z in Jakarta, Indonesia. This paper adopts an explanatory research design to elucidate the causal relationships between these variables using quantitative methods. Stratified random sampling was used to ensure representative data. Questionnaires were distributed to 289 hotel employees in Jakarta, capturing diverse perspectives across various job roles and departments. The data were analyzed using SmartPLS. The results showed a significant negative relationship between perceived career development opportunities and quiet quitting behavior. A positive and significant relationship exists between job insecurity and quiet quitting behavior. The study identifies a positive correlation between awareness of smart technology and quiet quitting behavior. Additionally, the paper reveals a significant negative relationship between quiet quitting behavior and employee performance. Perceived career development opportunities significantly reduce quiet quitting behavior, while job insecurity and awareness of smart technology increase it. Quiet quitting behavior, in turn, significantly negatively impacts employee performance. Organizations can develop targeted strategies to reduce this behavior by understanding the factors influencing quiet quitting.

The russian aggression against Ukraine underscores the need to reassess regional strategies for digitalization and inclusivity. The study aims to identify strategies for enhancing these areas during wartime. Taxonomy and cluster and factor analysis methods have shown that regions with a higher level of digitalization have lower levels of poverty and unemployment. Specifically, regions in the top quartile of the digitalization index reported, on average, 12% lower unemployment rates compared to those in the bottom quartile. The analysis identifies distinct regional groupings: areas such as Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, Donetsk, and Luhansk are partially occupied and exhibiting low digitalization and inclusivity, in contrast with Mykolaiv and Kirovohrad that show moderate progress. Rural regions face a significant digital divide, with only 60% of rural households having stable internet access compared to 90% in urban areas. Factor analysis confirms that wartime conditions have accelerated digital transformation, evidenced by a 42% increase in Diia app usage from 2021 to 2023 and a rise in internet penetration from 62% in 2019 to 78% in 2023. Additionally, IT sector export revenues grew by 20% in 2022, and technology startups doubled between 2019 and 2023. The study proposes a strategic framework for regional adaptation: intensive digitalization and inclusivity for Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, Donetsk, and Luhansk regions; digitalization for Mykolaiv region; inclusivity for Kirovohrad and Zakarpattia regions; and balanced adaptation for Chernivtsi and Khmelnytskyi regions. Recommended measures include modernizing digital infrastructure, expanding educational opportunities, supporting startups, and aligning digital and social initiatives to foster regional resilience and development.

New technology-based firms (NTBFs) invent, develop, and commercialize original technologies whose research, development, and commercial success is highly uncertain and risky. Their growth is lengthy and often insufficient, but investors’ growth expectations are high. The study aims to determine factors and circumstances that affect the growth of new technology-based firms. The source of knowledge is a personal experience from a guided interview with the founder, which is recorded in the questionnaire. The research sample includes 67 NTBFs doing business in Slovakia. The respondents’ statements were analyzed using critical discourse analysis (CDA) with the support of artificial intelligence. The results are the factors that influence the business performance of the investigated companies. The performance of companies that show a long-term loss is affected by very limited access to financial resources, restrictive regulations, and a lack of qualified employees. The performance of companies that show a long-term profit is influenced by favorable access to external capital, effective management of human resources, optimization of internal processes, and improvement of marketing. The order of the identified factors expresses their importance in the thematic group. The secondary results are the accompanying circumstances of the growth of the investigated companies, namely the reasons for the establishment of NTBF and entry into business, commercialization of new technology, and cooperation with investors and banks. The combination of limited access to finance and a lack of qualified human resources creates a complex set of obstacles to the business performance of NTBFs.

Acknowledgment
This work was supported by the Scientific Grant Agency of the Ministry of Education of the Slovak Republic and Slovak Academy of Sciences (VEGA) under the grant “Accelerating the growth of innovative enterprises - scaling up scale-ups and new technology-based firms (NTBFs)”, number 1/0006/22.

Income inequality has been a major issue in South Africa. The 1994 transition from apartheid to democracy and global economic integration presented opportunities and challenges, fostering economic development while exacerbating existing inequalities. Therefore, this study aims to analyze how globalization affects income inequality in the South African economy. It utilizes the autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) approach on a set of chosen variables. These variables include the Gini index, the Konjunkturforschungsstelle (KOF) globalization index, Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita, unemployment rate, inflation rate, and government expenditure. The study covers the period from 1980 to 2022, allowing for a comprehensive examination of the relationship between globalization and income inequality over time. The results obtained from the ARDL bounds test indicate that globalization has a positive long-run equilibrium relationship with income inequality. This means that as globalization progresses, it tends to be associated with higher levels of income inequality. In the short run, globalization exhibits a positive and statistically significant relationship with income inequality. The results of the Granger causality test indicate a unidirectional relationship between globalization and income inequality. This suggests that changes in globalization directly influence income inequality. Consequently, it is crucial to implement short- and long-term policies that address the adverse effects of globalization on income distribution. Policies could include providing support and retraining for workers in vulnerable industries, implementing social safety nets to protect those adversely affected by rapid economic changes, and ensuring equitable access to opportunities created by globalization.

High-quality information support for modern high-tech enterprises in any country is of undeniable relevance. An open, accessible, and fair, transparent economy creates an atmosphere of trust in which people easily perceive transparency, fairness, and efficiency of economic management. The purpose of this study is to determine the impact of a transparent economy on the investment environment, innovation, competitive advantage, government regulation, and the formation of corporate social responsibility in the modern business environment on the example of high-tech enterprises in China. This study uses a multiple linear regression model to analyze the impact of a transparent economy on high-tech enterprises. The research sources included the CSMAR database, China’s stock market and accounting research, China’s economic and financial research database, CRSP, COMPUSTAT, and others, and financial statements of selected high-tech companies. Sustainable development, R&D and innovation, investor relations, social responsibility, and market competitiveness are identified as key aspects of the relationship between a transparent economy and high-tech enterprises. The study confirmed a positive correlation between a transparent economy and the efficiency of resource allocation of high-tech enterprises, the innovation capabilities of high-tech enterprises, the market competitiveness of high-tech enterprises, and the efficiency of state supervision of high-tech enterprises.

Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are crucial in economic growth and industrial diversification. Despite their importance, SMEs encounter challenges of intense competition, global market penetration, and rapid technological advancements. This study explores the factors affecting SME performance, focusing on entrepreneurial competence, leadership, and intention. A survey was conducted involving 400 SME respondents in East Java, Indonesia. The data were analyzed using a quantitative approach and the PLS-SEM method. The findings indicate that entrepreneurial competence and intention significantly influence entrepreneurial resilience and SME performance. Specifically, entrepreneurial competence has a path coefficient of 0.348 on entrepreneurial resilience and 0.567 on SME performance, both significant with p-value < 0.05. Entrepreneurial intention has a path coefficient of 0.649 on entrepreneurial resilience and –0.722 on SME performance, both significant with p-value < 0.05. These results highlight the necessity of enhancing entrepreneurial competencies and intentions to boost SMEs’ resilience and performance. Entrepreneurs and policymakers should focus on training and development programs to reinforce these competencies and intentions, thereby promoting an environment that supports innovation and prudent risk-taking.

Lean management is a way to satisfy the increasing customer demands while maintaining production efficiency. This paper aims to map and analyze the level of use of lean management methods in the manufacturing industry in the Czech Republic. It searched for links and dependencies between company size, production type, and lean management methods in operational processes. The data were obtained from a nationwide survey within the manufacturing industry companies and were presented using descriptive statistics. A structured questionnaire was sent to 469 manufacturing companies with a return rate of 18.8%. Nonparametric statistical analysis (Fisher’s exact test) was used to confirm or reject the hypotheses. The research results confirmed the dependence of lean management methods on company size and production type. Lean management methods are used mainly by large enterprises, while micro- and small enterprises rarely employ them. Considering production typology, lean management is applied in serial production, and Single Minute Exchange of Dies (SMED) prevails. The most used techniques in mass production include the method of order in the workplace (5S) and Kaizen. The findings suggest that the future of industrial output should focus on sustainability and rationalization of production resources, which is offered by the synergy of lean management and Industry 5.0.

Acknowledgment
This paper is co-financed by IGA/FLKR/2023/002 Rationalization and Sustainability of Resources in Production-Logistics Processes the Czech Republic and RVO/FLKŘ/2024/01 Logistic Systems Safety.

This study aims to investigate factors impacting work engagement and individual performance of teachers. The survey-based quantitative approach was used. The sample comprised 455 teachers working in lower and upper secondary education institutions in Lithuania. The findings show that work engagement is a full mediator of the relationship between managerial support (β = 0.319), organizational support (β = 0.432), control (β = 0.374), colleague support (β = 0.456), work pressure (β = –.587), and task performance as the effect of work engagement on task performance is significant (β = 0.229). Furthermore, the analysis demonstrates that remote work moderates the relationships between managerial support (β = 0.560***), organizational support (β = 0.332**), colleague support (β = 0.234*), work pressure (β = 0.456***), control (β = 0.443**), and work engagement. Finally, remote work moderates the relationships between managerial support (β = 0.453***), organizational support (β = 0.332*), colleague support (β = 0.441*), work pressure (β = 0.456***), control (β = 0.444**), and task performance. These insights are valuable to school principals, as they provide a deeper understanding of the factors that determine the task performance of teachers. Remote work requires more job resources to increase engagement and task performance. School principals should focus on increasing engagement through feedback and consultations, psychological safety and development opportunities, and contributing to the individual job performance of teachers. The study supplements the JD-R model with remote work perceived as a contextual factor and thus extends the scientific debate on the application of this model in the teaching occupation.

Due to the full-scale war of Russia against Ukraine in 2022, extreme danger and vulnerability have caused changes in the social and economic stability of a person both on the individual and at the family level, in various social groups, as well as in territorial communities. Thus, the study aims to investigate the sources of social and economic resilience of Ukraine’s population during the war in the context of developing a social solidarity economy in Ukrainian society to maintain fragile stability. The paper investigates the main reasons for the displacement of Ukrainians, explores the living conditions in communities where they moved, and identifies the main socioeconomic factors for ensuring the resistance of the individual and the community in wartime. The paper applies the sociological survey involving 1,200 respondents. The results show that Ukrainians recognize the authority’s right to make authoritarian decisions. The analysis gives empirical evidence on the sources of social and economic resistance and sustainability in Ukraine. This includes quantifying the role of social and financial payments, examining the intensification of social and solidarity ties, and evaluating the importance of a social solidarity economy for resilience. The study revealed the directions of supporting stability within the social solidarity economy in Ukraine under war conditions. They include incentive programs for returning qualified personnel, powerful tools of social support, encouraging socially-oriented small businesses, remote employment, state and local programs to support public organizations, and financing local initiatives.

Acknowledgments
The publication was prepared within the project Jean Monnet Module “Social Solidarity Economy: implementing EU experience for Sustainable Development” (SSExpEU-101047518-GAP-101047518) (2022–2025), funded by the European Union.

Task performance is essential for organizations, so it continues to attract the attention of researchers, practitioners, and academics. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to explore the effect of boundary-spanning leadership and psychological empowerment on the task performance of employees in Indonesian companies through the mediation mechanism of proactive work behavior. Research data were obtained from 455 employees of companies in the financial, trade, service, and investment sectors in Indonesia. The paper employed accidental sampling using a Likert-scale questionnaire and structural equation modeling. The results show that boundary-spanning leadership, psychological empowerment, and proactive work behavior significantly affect task performance. Boundary-spanning leadership and psychological empowerment significantly affect proactive work behavior. Proactive work behavior mediated the causal relationship between boundary-spanning leadership and psychological empowerment with task performance. These findings encourage a new empirical model regarding the critical role of proactive work behavior in transmitting boundary-spanning leadership and psychological empowerment to task performance. This model can be used by scholars, researchers, and practitioners to investigate worker task performance more thoroughly and deeply from the perspectives of boundary-spanning leadership, psychological empowerment, and proactive work behavior. It can serve as a credo for corporate management professionals seeking to maximize proactive work behavior, psychological empowerment, and boundary-spanning leadership in order to enhance employee task performance. In the interim, scholars and researchers can utilize it as a guide for next task performance investigations.

This study delves into the intricate correlation between emotional intelligence and employee performance within the dynamic setting of Saudi small and medium enterprises. Acknowledging the increasing importance of emotional intelligence in the workplace, this study examines how emotional intelligence influences employee performance, with particular attention to the mediating role of organizational citizenship behavior. Employing a comprehensive research framework, the study integrates quantitative methods to analyze data collected from 248 employees across various Saudi-based small and medium enterprises. The findings indicate that high emotional intelligence enhances employee performance, with organizational citizenship behavior serving as a crucial mediator, strengthening the positive impact of emotional intelligence on performance. The results demonstrated a robust positive correlation with organizational citizenship behavior (β = 0.719***) and a moderate positive correlation with employee performance (β = 0.314***). In addition, organizational citizenship behavior played a significant positive mediating role between employee intelligence and employee performance (β = 0.397***). This suggests a nuanced interplay among emotional intelligence, organizational citizenship behavior, and overall employee performance within the specific context of Saudi small and medium enterprises.

Acknowledgment
The authors extend their appreciation to the Deanship of Scientific Research at Northern Border University, Arar, KSA, for funding this research work through project number NBU-FFR- 1502-03.

The study aims to examine similarities and differences in the way business students from different cultural backgrounds perceive soft skills based on Geert Hofstede’s cultural model. Four business universities in Jordan and one in Hungary were included in the study. Both samples included 313 respondents. The main reason for selecting business students was that soft skills are essential for finding a job in the professional labor market. The quantitative analysis was carried out using a questionnaire, and statistical analysis was performed using SPSS software. The results confirmed a difference between Jordanian and Hungarian cultures in the perception of the importance of soft skills, which can be attributed to cultural differences. The Jordanian respondents gave the highest mean scores for their own skills in communication (M: 4.28), teamwork (M: 4.22), ethical skills (M: 4.17), and self-awareness (M: 4.17), while the Hungarian sample gave the highest mean score for teamwork (M: 4.29), ethical skills (M: 4.23), and empathy (M: 4.19). Furthermore, students also differed in terms of which skills they thought employers valued as necessary for a career starter. Jordanian young people gave the highest average score to responsibility (M: 4.12) and admitting when wrong (M: 4.41), while Hungarians gave the highest average score to communication (M: 4.13) and problem-solving (M: 4.10).

Particular hopes have always been placed on the potential of scientists because they can act as a driving force for effective government. Understanding the importance of scientists ensured progress and prosperity for leading civilizations. This study aims to identify an evolutionary-chronological, geographical, and contextual scientific landscape of the development and management of the potential of scientists through a comprehensive bibliometric analysis. Initially, 5619 publications in the Scopus database were selected from 1957 to 2023. The evolution of knowledge about the importance of public administration of scientific personnel began in 1957 and reached its peak in 2019. Authors from the USA, Great Britain, and Australia have published more about the significance of managing the potential of scientific personnel, and strong schools of knowledge about scientific personnel are concentrated in the USA, France, Canada, and Australia. The analysis of the research’s conceptual orientation shows that publications in environmental and social sciences dominate this sphere. In addition, the bibliometric analysis results show that public management of scientific personnel will bring benefits such as effective government policy decisions, increased innovation activity, commercialization, and improvement of the population’s social life. The results of this study lay the foundation for future research that should improve the management of scientific personnel’s potential.

Acknowledgments
This study is supported by the Science Committee of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan (AP19579256 “Mechanisms for empowering women in scientific activity in the interests of the development of the innovative economy of Kazakhstan”, 2023–2025).

Nowadays, fraud is rampant even in local government agencies. To overcome this, whistleblowers are needed, but many officials do not yet have the courage to become whistleblowers. The study aims to investigate the effect of organizational commitment, perceived seriousness, and law protection on whistleblowing intentions. The sample included 186 respondents. Questionnaires were distributed among internal auditors of local governments in South Sulawesi Province, Indonesia. The research data were analyzed using multiple linear regression analysis and moderated regression using SPSS version 23. The results showed that organizational commitment influenced the auditor’s whistleblowing intention (β = 0.459; p-value = 0.000 < 0.05). However, the perception of seriousness does not influence the intensity of auditors’ whistleblowing intention (β = 0.004; p-value = 0.950 < 0.05). In addition, the results showed that law protection moderated the influence of organizational commitment (β = 0.014; p-value = 0.000 < 0.05) but did not moderate the influence of perceived seriousness on the auditor’s whistleblowing intention (β = –0.001; p-value = 0.849 < 0.05).

Despite full recognition of strategic management in the success of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), little attention has been paid to the factors that contribute to the failure of its implementation in the Ecuadorian context. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to investigate the obstacles that hinder the successful implementation of strategic management in SMEs in Ecuador. A quantitative study approach was employed. The initial sample comprised 105 entrepreneurs, who were administered a checklist to evaluate the status of strategic planning implementation within their organizations. Based on their responses, nine entrepreneurs were selected for in-depth analysis, categorized as follows: three entrepreneurs with a high level of strategic management implementation, three with a moderate level of implementation, and three with minimal or no strategic management practices. This identified the primary obstacles to effective strategic management implementation. Finally, a comprehensive survey was applied to all participants to quantify these barriers, which allowed the construction of the final model used for the subsequent analysis. Through structural equation modeling, the study demonstrated that these obstacles negatively and significantly correlated with the level of strategic management implementation, revealing that businesses with minimal or no implementation experienced significantly different sales performance compared to those with higher levels of strategic management practices.

This study aims to determine the role of women with managerial positions in medical clinics and the ways in which they can enhance the performance of their partnerships to optimize business opportunities within the healthcare services sector of Indonesia. The study identified two key challenges: complex requirements from corporate partners and limited partnership capabilities of female employees. The study used entrepreneurial marketing theory as a framework to identify the key factors that can improve partnership performance by strengthening the capabilities of women in these roles. The study gathered data from 113 health clinics in Java, Indonesia, where female managers were responsible for marketing, partnerships, and director roles. The data were analyzed using structural equation modeling. The results reveal a positive impact of intrapreneurship and partnership capabilities on partnership performance. It is noteworthy that relationship quality exerts no influence on partnership performance. Furthermore, relationship quality does not function as a mediating variable for intrapreneurship capability or partnership capability on partnership performance. The healthcare services ecosystem attenuates the relationship between relationship quality and partnership performance. Additionally, the prevalence of medical clinics with female managers in the healthcare services ecosystem significantly affects partnership performance in the Java region, Indonesia.

This study explores the relevance of corporate governance mechanisms in determining audit quality, with a specific focus on the moderating role of firm performance in the Jordanian industrial sector. Audit quality is essential for ensuring transparency and accountability in financial reporting, making this analysis highly relevant for stakeholders aiming to strengthen corporate governance. The study sample included 64 manufacturing companies listed on the Amman Stock Exchange for the study period (2014–2022), with a total of 474 firm-year observations. The regression analysis is used to investigate the study hypotheses, including the key variables related to corporate governance, board performance, and audit quality. The findings show that company size has a significant positive effect on audit quality. There is no significant impact of CEO duality, independent directors, and ownership concentration on audit quality within the Jordanian industrial sector. The R² value of 0.067 indicates that approximately 6.7% of the variance in audit quality is explained by the study variables, while the F-value of 6.633, with a significance level of 0.00, suggests that the overall model is statistically significant, even though the explanatory power is relatively low. The study shows that company size is important to improve audit quality; other governance mechanisms may not have the same impact in the Jordanian industrial sector.

One of the leading indicators for improving fraud detection capability is the evaluation of the implementation of risk management and risk-based internal audit and information technology systems. This study aims to evaluate how risk management and risk-based internal audits influence fraud detection capabilities in local government when integrated with information technology systems. SPSS 26 was utilized for data analysis. The paper uses a quantitative approach, collecting primary data with questionnaires distributed among 200 auditors and 70 supervisors across four districts in West Java. A purposive sampling approach based on self-selection was used. The findings show that the ability to detect fraud is significantly and positively influenced by the implementation of a risk-based internal audit (sig 0.000 < 0.05) and risk management process (sig 0.000 < 0.05). On the other hand, the risk management framework (sig 0.107 > 0.05) has a negative and insignificant effect on improving fraud detection capability. In addition, the relationships between the risk management process (sig 0.006 < 0.05) and fraud detection capability were found to be moderated by information technology systems. However, information technology systems are unable to moderate the relationship between risk-based internal audit (sig 0.563 > 0.05) and risk management framework (sig 0.115 > 0.05) on fraud detection capability. Therefore, risk management and risk-based internal audits are able to detect fraud, and information technology systems can strengthen the risk management process with the ability to detect fraud.

Acknowledgment
The authors would like to thank the University of North Sumatra, especially the Research Institute, for its support and the Ministry of Education and Research through the Directorate of Research, Technology, and Community Service program for providing intellectual assistance and funding for this project in the PMDSU grant (number: 91/UN5.4.10.S/PPM/KP-DRTPM/2024).