The Impact of Gamification on Self-Efficacy in Managers

The Impact of Gamification on Self-Efficacy in Managers

Author(s): Agnieszka HOFFMANN / Language(s): English / Issue: 79/2023

Keywords: gamification; self-efficacy; Superbetter method;

The main purpose of the article is to study the impact of gamification on the phenomenon of perceived self-efficacy in managers in their work on the set goals related to the management of their team. The paper was prepared using an intervention based on the Superbetter method. The Generalized Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES) was used to measure the level of self-efficacy before and after the intervention in the study group and twice in the control group (as a pretest and a posttest). The authors of the scale of generalized self-efficacy are as follows: Ralf Schwarzer, Michael Jerusalem, Zygfryd Juczyński. As a result of the study, it was confirmed that the use of the Superbetter intervention increased the self-efficacy among managers subjected to it as part of the intervention in the research group, and thus increased their chances of introducing changes undertaken by them as a goal.

The relationship between teachers' sense of efficacy and organizational commitment at Colleges in Pakistan

The relationship between teachers' sense of efficacy and organizational commitment at Colleges in Pakistan

Author(s): Muhammad Shafiq / Language(s): English / Issue: 2/2023

Keywords: self-efficacy; teachers’ sense of efficacy; affective commitment; continuance commitment; normative commitment; organizational commitment

This study explores the relationship between teachers’ sense of efficacy and their organizational commitment at colleges in Pakistan. It was conducted on a sample comprising 494 public-sector Pakistani college teachers. Tschannen-Moran and Hoy (2001) developed the teachers’ sense of efficacy scale, and John P. Meyer and Natalie J. Allen's developed organizational commitment scale (1991) was applied to collect the data. Hypotheses were tested using the Pearson Product Moment formula. The effects of the factors of the teachers’ sense of efficacy on organizational commitment were determined using the Regression Analysis. It was determined that a higher degree of teachers’ sense of efficacy enhances organizational commitment, as highlighted by a significant positive correlation between the teachers’ sense of efficacy and organizational commitment. There was a significant positive correlation between three factors of the teachers’ sense of efficacy scale and three components of organizational commitment of college teachers. It was also established that the teachers’ sense of efficacy can predict organizational commitment. The study shows that teachers’ sense of efficacy must be considered when selecting and training prospective teachers. To become efficient and effective, teaching organizations must pay considerable attention to monitoring and boosting the positive Sense of self-efficacy among their teaching staff.

DETERMINANTS OF WORKING CAPITAL MANAGEMENT IN SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES: EVIDENCE FROM CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE

DETERMINANTS OF WORKING CAPITAL MANAGEMENT IN SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES: EVIDENCE FROM CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE

Author(s): Leszek Czerwonka,Jacek Jaworski / Language(s): English / Issue: 2/2023

Keywords: working capital management; liquidity; cash conversion cycle; small and medium enterprises; Central and Eastern Europe;

The main purpose of the paper is to identify the determinants of working capital management in the SME sector at the company, industry and country levels. The research is based on the statistical analysis of the financial data of 8,516 SMEs from Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, and Slovakia in the years 2012-2020. The influence of firm-specific factors on variables describing working capital management has been identified: company size exerts a positive impact, while company growth, tangibility, leverage, and cash flow have a negative effect. In terms of the influence of industry-specific factors, the average values characterising working capital management in a given industry have a positive impact. Finally, regarding country-specific factors, the positive effects of the GDP growth and unemployment level have also been confirmed. The study contributes to the literature by providing strong evidence of (i) firms in an industry using similar working capital management policies and (ii) industry-specific factors being more influential than country-specific (mainly macroeconomic) determinants of working capital management. In this regard, the study highlights new industry- and country-specific factors and also confirms the influence of previously known determinants at the firm level.

HUNGARIAN BUSINESS STUDENTS' KNOWLEDGE OF THE CURRENT HUNGARIAN GAS MARKET AND GAS CONSUMPTION PRACTICES DURING THE ENERGY CRISIS

HUNGARIAN BUSINESS STUDENTS' KNOWLEDGE OF THE CURRENT HUNGARIAN GAS MARKET AND GAS CONSUMPTION PRACTICES DURING THE ENERGY CRISIS

Author(s): Tímea Juhász,Tímea Kozma,Gabriella Horvath-Csikos / Language(s): English / Issue: 2/2023

Keywords: war; energy crisis; energy carriers; environmental awareness; gas consumption; electricity consumption;

The pandemic and the war have had a negative economic impact on the world economy. The current structure of the energy market poses a major challenge to national governments, businesses, and households alike, and new strategies need to be developed to focus on energy efficiency. Hungary has also been strongly affected by this situation, which has had an impact on all areas of residential consumption. The present study, based on a primary questionnaire survey carried out in October-November 2022 with 273 evaluable responses, aims to explore the opinions and perceptions of students at a business university in Hungary regarding the energy crisis. The goal is to establish their knowledge about the gas situation and how it is reflected in their consumption practices and savings. The results of a survey of students at the Budapest University of Economics and Business show that young people studying economics are not really aware of the gas market situation in Hungary, but their gas saving habits are characterized by awareness and not primarily motivated by their financial situation.

CONTRIBUTION OF ESIFS TO THE DIGITAL SOCIETY DEVELOPMENT IN THE EU

CONTRIBUTION OF ESIFS TO THE DIGITAL SOCIETY DEVELOPMENT IN THE EU

Author(s): Ines Kersan-Škabić,Martina Vukašina / Language(s): English / Issue: 2/2023

Keywords: European structural and investment funds (ESIFs); digital society; DESI; EU;

COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the transition of EU economies toward a higher level of digital society development. The European Commission set digitalization as one of its most important priorities for 2019-2024. As both the Cohesion Policy and the Next Generation EU aim to support the realization of EC priorities, in this paper we focus on examining and evaluating the allocations from European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIFs) to the digital society performance. The research results subverted expectations, revealing that ESIFs spending on ICT does not contribute to the digital society development. This highlights the need for more investment into the ICT to reduce the gap in performances of the EU member states.

MILITARY SPENDING AND CO2 EMISSIONS: EMPIRICAL FINDINGS FROM COUNTRIES WITH HIGHEST PER CAPITA MILITARY SPENDING

MILITARY SPENDING AND CO2 EMISSIONS: EMPIRICAL FINDINGS FROM COUNTRIES WITH HIGHEST PER CAPITA MILITARY SPENDING

Author(s): Waldemar Tarczyński,Łukasz Roman,Krzysztof Rejman,Raufhon Salahodjaev,Sardor Azam / Language(s): English / Issue: 2/2023

Keywords: CO2 emissions; renewable energy; military spending;

This study aims to contribute to existing research on CO2 emissions by focusing on military spending. We use data from 47 countries with the highest levels of per capita military spending over the period from 2000 to 2015. The results from the two-stage GMM estimator suggest a positive relationship between defence spending and CO2 emissions: 1% increase in per capita military spending leads to a 0.05% increase in CO2 emissions per capita. GDP per capita has an inverted U-shaped relationship with CO2 emissions, which confirms the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) hypothesis. Renewable energy is also found to mitigate CO2 emissions. Some policy implications of this study are discussed.

CORPORATE GOVERNANCE PRINCIPLES ADOPTION IN THE WAKE OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC: THE CASE OF SLOVAKIA

CORPORATE GOVERNANCE PRINCIPLES ADOPTION IN THE WAKE OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC: THE CASE OF SLOVAKIA

Author(s): Zdenka Musová,Hussam Musa,Frederik Rech,Chen Yan / Language(s): English / Issue: 2/2023

Keywords: corporate governance index; gender diversity; Slovak capital market;

During periods of uncertainty, such as the Covid-19 pandemic, the significance of Corporate Governance (CG) practices is highlighted. The study aims to evaluate the adoption of CG practices in companies listed on the Slovak capital market, with a specific focus on the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. The data were collected manually from the annual reports of these companies, and covered the period from 2016 to 2021. The Corporate Governance Index, which is developed through Saaty's method, is used to evaluate the overall level of CG implementation. Individual components of the CG Index are also examined. Between 2016 and 2021, the majority of the examined CG criteria and the overall CG Index showed improvement as compared to 2011 - 2015. However, currently, nearly 50% of companies do not disclose information on corporate governance, remuneration, and risk management, and many companies have not succeeded in establishing nomination and remuneration committees or making any progress in terms of board gender diversity. The Covid-19 pandemic has had a moderate impact on some criteria. On the one hand, the information on board member remuneration and risk management has moderately deteriorated. On the other hand, the audit committee has shown improvement. Nevertheless, the pandemic has not significantly affected the overall adoption of CG practices in Slovak companies.

Evolution of second-generation electromobility in public transport in Polish cities

Evolution of second-generation electromobility in public transport in Polish cities

Author(s): Arkadiusz Kołoś,Łukasz Fiedeń,Jakub Taczanowski,Adam R. Parol,Krzysztof Gwosdz,Robert Guzik,Jakub Łodziński / Language(s): English / Issue: 1/2023

Keywords: electromobility; zero and low-emission buses; urban public transport; cities; Poland;

Transport activities are a significant factor in environmental pollution, especially in cities. Therefore, measures aimed at electrification of public transport are particularly important. The aim of the paper is to present the origins, status and development dynamics of electromobility in Polish cities, especially the second generation of electromobility, i.e. vehicles that do not require continuous connection to the energy source. In practice the second-generation electric vehicles can be identified with battery-powered vehicles, hydrogen and hybrid vehicles. The study was prepared on the basis of an analysis of literature, industry documents or development strategies. In addition, a database of information on zero- and low-emission vehicles in public transport (i.e. electric and hybrid buses) was compiled to analyse the phenomenon. The study shows that the implementation of electromobility in Poland has already emerged from the initial phase. The possibilities for developing battery technology vary in cities of different sizes. In 2021 in Poland, the share of low-emission buses in the public transport fleet was several times higher than that of electric vehicles among passenger vehicles. It is most likely that the Polish road to electromobility leads primarily through public transport. The following factors influencing the development of electromobility were identified: these were primarily EU and Polish legislation and regulations, the presence of manufacturers of rolling stock and electrotechnical equipment, and – at the local scale – organisational, economic and social issues.

On the Road to A Fare-Free Public Transport Policy: A Case Study of The Wroclaw Anarchist Federation

On the Road to A Fare-Free Public Transport Policy: A Case Study of The Wroclaw Anarchist Federation

Author(s): Daniel Štraub / Language(s): English / Issue: 1/2023

Keywords: fare-free public transport policy; FFPT; urban social movement; transport development; Wroclaw;

“Climate Alarm”, a position of Wroclaw public authorities, is an official recognition of issues linked to global climate changes highlighting the position of urban transport development on the sustainable development agenda. Wroclaw Anarchists Federation (WAF) has entered the debate over the further trajectory of the city by proposing the fare-free public transport policy (FFPT) as an instrument supporting the new path presented with the “Climate Alarm.” As the FFPT is being implemented for various reasons, this study uses the content and discourse analyses to explore not only the framing of the FFPT campaign but also how the call for FFPT adoption is set in motion. The WAF sees the FFPT as sustainable transport innovation, and their campaign is suitable for explaining the ecological and social rationale of the FFPT. However, it is not enough to shift the public discourse and mobilize public authorities to consider the FFPT as an option.

Effects of the Covid-19 travel restrictions on metropolises mobility: empirical evidence from the Tricity metropolis (Poland)

Effects of the Covid-19 travel restrictions on metropolises mobility: empirical evidence from the Tricity metropolis (Poland)

Author(s): Krzysztof Grzelec,Katarzyna Hebel,Romanika Okraszewska,Olgierd Wyszomirski / Language(s): English / Issue: 1/2023

Keywords: COVID-10; lockdown; travel restrictions; mobility; transport; modal shift;

This paper aims to assess changes in mobility and modal shift caused by COVID-19 travel restrictions among the residents of Gdańsk Bay Metropolis (Poland). Measurement’s moments were assumed in periods differing in the level of restrictions. The computer-assisted telephone interview (CATI) was carried out in November and December 2020. The results did not confirm the expected modal shift. However, significant changes in the number of trips between periods were observed. Restrictions in the first period of the pandemic resulted in a greater decrease in mobility than the restrictions at the end of the year. Moreover, significant associations were found between transport behaviour and place of residence. Nevertheless, possible negative changes in the modal split after the pandemic ends should be counteracted by improving the quality of public transport services. As the most important attributes of public transport attracting passengers after the pandemic respondents recognized: high frequency of vehicles, low cost of travel, not overcrowded vehicles. However, some residents declared they will not use public transport regardless of service improvements. Consequently, to meet the objectives of sustainable mobility policy, it can be necessary to increase the share in the modal split of other sustainable modes of travel.

Hotel or rented flat: A profile of purchasers of accommodation services in Warsaw

Hotel or rented flat: A profile of purchasers of accommodation services in Warsaw

Author(s): Ewa Dziedzic / Language(s): English / Issue: 1/2023

Keywords: short-term rental; segmentation; hotel users; short-term rental users; Warsaw tourism market; CHAID decision tree; COVID-19 effects on tourism

The spreading of short-term flat rentals has brought about changes in the accommodation market, often seen as a threat to traditional accommodation providers. This is particularly true in large cities which have a considerable accommodation capacity and also a large stock of flats. The aim is to indicate to what extent short-term rentals are influencing the tourist accommodation market in Warsaw. The idea behind the study is the assumption that the differences revealed between those using hotels or such flats will provide an answer to the question of the influence of the latter on Warsaw»s tourist market. Such information should be useful in the marketing activities of interested parties and in the policies of the city authorities. Analysis of the data from a survey carried out in 2021 using the CHAID decision tree indicates that the choice of accommodation type was mainly determined by situational variables. The only statistically significant demographic predictor relates to a greater interest in flats among those aged up to 34 years old. Planned expenditure per person per overnight stay proved to be a statistically significant predictor only for non-residents of Poland, with the cut-off amount set higher than the median interval for this segment. Flats were more often chosen by people travelling in a larger party or alone and those planning to stay longer than four nights, thus looking for a different offer than that of traditional city hotels.

The effect of overall service quality on customer satisfaction: The moderating role of travel experience

The effect of overall service quality on customer satisfaction: The moderating role of travel experience

Author(s): Shengyu Gu / Language(s): English / Issue: 1/2023

Keywords: service quality; eco-tourism; customer satisfaction; travel experience

The purpose of this study is to explore the relationship between overall service quality and customer satisfaction, further, this relationship is examined in terms of travel experience as a moderator. The study mainly focuses on eco-tourism and collected data from tourists travelling to China. Convenience sampling was used for data collection and a questionnaire used from previous studies. AMOS software analyzed the data collected from 341 respondents. The results highlighted that there is a significant and positive relationship between overall service quality and customer satisfaction. Moreover, the presence of travel experience as a moderator strengthens this relationship. This research is limited to eco-tourism and future studies could be done from the perspective of any other country with a large sample size.

Content analysis of hotel reviews as a quality management tool: Preliminary verification of the SERVQUAL scale

Content analysis of hotel reviews as a quality management tool: Preliminary verification of the SERVQUAL scale

Author(s): Elżbieta Wąsowicz-Zaborek / Language(s): English / Issue: 1/2023

Keywords: service quality; SERVQUAL method verification; OTA; analysis of opinions published online

The purpose of this paper is to identify the main factors for the quality of hotel services and to verify the SERVQUAL measurement scale commonly used in the services sector. In order to achieve this goal, an innovative approach of quantitative and qualitative content analysis of reviews published by users of the reservation portals Hotels.com and Booking.com was used. The study was based on more than 167,000 opinions on 3,4,5-star hotels located in Warsaw. They were ‘scraped’ with an indexing robot. The research outlines a list of the most important topics raised in those comments which correspond to the factors of perceived service quality of hotels. Among these are location, room attributes, cleanliness, breakfast and staff. In addition, the most important criteria used by customers to describe each of the listed elements are also reported. The results made it possible to identify differences between the operationalization of the constructs indicated in the SERVQUAL scale and the descriptions of each factor in the spontaneous comments of internet users. Thus, the need for adjustment to the current operationalizations of the SERVQUAL model to better reflect the sentiments of consumers in the hotel industry, or even developing a completely new tool for measuring service quality, was demonstrated.

Examining urban tourists’ attitudes: The case study of Belgrade (Serbia)

Examining urban tourists’ attitudes: The case study of Belgrade (Serbia)

Author(s): Milena Podovac,Slobodan Ivanović,Vedran Milojica / Language(s): English / Issue: 1/2023

Keywords: Belgrade; Serbia; personal characteristics; tourist offer; tourists’ attitudes

Personal characteristics have an important role in shaping tourists’ attitudes. The purpose of this study is to examine tourists’ attitudes to elements of the tourist offer of the city of Belgrade, the main urban destination in the Republic of Serbia. The primary research aim is to examine the influence of these personal characteristics on such attitudes. A survey was conducted on a sample of 319 tourists, who visited the city. The collected data were processed in the statistical program SPSS25 while the formed hypotheses were tested using appropriate statistical tests. The research results indicated that tourists highly rated the diversity of the gastronomic offer and the quality of nightlife, while organized tours for visiting tourist attractions and the quality of traffic infrastructure were ranked as elements in which there are opportunities for improvement. Further, the research results showed that origin and education influenced differences in tourists’ attitudes. The theoretical and practical implications as well as research limitations are defined, and recommendations made for the future research based on the theoretical background and research results.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the pilgrimages of Konya Province inhabitants

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the pilgrimages of Konya Province inhabitants

Author(s): Katarzyna Küçükkurma,Ewa Skowronek / Language(s): English / Issue: 1/2023

Keywords: religious tourism; Islam; Umrah; Hajj; COVID-19; Türkiye

The article concerns the characteristics and assessment of the Mecca pilgrimage trends among the inhabitants of Konya Province (Türkiye) in 2017–2021, i.e. before and after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Particular attention is paid to the impact of the pandemic on: (a) the tourism of the provincial inhabitants to Mecca, (b) the activities of local religious tourism operators, and (c) the sense of psychological discomfort in those who could not participate in a pilgrimage. The study concerned the inhabitants of Konya Province due to the deeply rooted conservatism and high religiosity distinguishing this society.The study was conducted through the methods of investigating sources, expert interview and diagnostic survey. The interviews were conducted at selected Konya travel agencies that organise pilgrimages and at the Konya Valiligi Mudurlugu il Muftulugu. In addition, using an online survey questionnaire, inhabitants of the province were asked if and how their level of psychological comfort was affected by not being able to make the pilgrimage to Mecca during the pandemic.The results showed that the pandemic significantly weakened the previously growing trend of pilgrimages to Islamic holy sites in the analysed community. It also elicited changes in the offers of local tour operators who were forced to open other destinations. To a lesser extent, it affected the feeling of discomfort of provincial inhabitants resulting from the lack of opportunity to make such trips.

Revisiting perceived determinants of tourism destination competitiveness among tourists: The case of national parks in Sarawak, Malaysia

Revisiting perceived determinants of tourism destination competitiveness among tourists: The case of national parks in Sarawak, Malaysia

Author(s): Jun-Zhou Thong,May Chiun Lo,Thurasamy Ramayah,Abang Azlan Mohamad / Language(s): English / Issue: 1/2023

Keywords: endowed resources; created resources; supporting resources; destination competitiveness; structural equation modeling

The present study aims to widen the existing literature by discovering potential determining factors at selected ecotourism destinations, primarily involving Bako, Niah, Kubah, Gunung Gading and Gunung Mulu National Parks. A closed questionnaire was answered by 188 respondents. Preliminary analyses were performed and partial least square structural equation modeling was employed as the analytical measure, thus discovering the significant role of destination resource constructs in the enhancement of ecotourism competitiveness in Sarawak, Malaysia. The statistical findings of the current work revealed that endowed resources (natural resources and cultural heritage attractions), created resources (range of activities) as well as supporting resources (destination accessibility and quality of tourism services) lead to enhanced tourism destination competitiveness. The research adds to the growing body of knowledge examining the perspectives of tourists towards the determining factors of destination competitiveness, while providing meaningful insights for industry actors, thus enabling effective planning of management and development. The present work offers empirical evidence that gives information for industry stakeholders, including business operators, policy makers and tourism planners in order for natural tourism destinations to prosper.

Revisiting perceived determinants of tourism destination competitiveness among tourists: The case of national parks in Sarawak, Malaysia

Revisiting perceived determinants of tourism destination competitiveness among tourists: The case of national parks in Sarawak, Malaysia

Author(s): Canan Tanrisever,Ş. Buse Karaset,Dilara Eylül KOÇ / Language(s): English / Issue: 1/2023

Keywords: women travellers; travel constraints; five-factor personality traits; Türkiye

The aim of this study is to examine differences in women’s perceptions of travel constraints by personality trait, according to age, educational level, personal income, travelled destination, the purpose of travelling, the time spent travelling, the region travelled to and the factors that affect the choice of destination. The survey data collected from a sample of 304 women travellers were analyzed by performing one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). The results showed that there are significant differences between women’s perceptions of travel constraints and personal income, the region they travelled to and the purpose of travelling. Significant differences between women’s personality traits and age, education level, duration of travel, destination and destination choice were also found.

Anomalies in the ‘dark side’ of tourism: Resistance to popular sites in Samarinda, Indonesia

Anomalies in the ‘dark side’ of tourism: Resistance to popular sites in Samarinda, Indonesia

Author(s): Erwin Kurniawan A.,Irwansyah Irwansyah,Yundi Permadi Hakim,Dio Caisar Darma / Language(s): English / Issue: 1/2023

Keywords: tourism industry; tourist volume; material effect; non-material effect; Samarinda

The term ‘destination security’ is found in the customs and norms applied to prevent conflicts between tourism actors, local communities and the surrounding environment. The emergence of resistance to a destination because of its ‘dark side’, both those interested or actually visiting, cannot be separated from the fact that tourists are victims of violations of the law. The purpose of this study is to explore the effect of criminal acts on the numbers of tourists in Samarinda. Operationally, the core variables are divided into material effects, non-material effects and tourist volume. The data sample focuses on local, domestic and international tourists visiting popular sites in Samarinda during 2011–2021. The results of the investigation found that both material and non-material effects contributed to reducing the volume of tourists in the short term. In the long term, the presence of extortion, theft, sexual harassment and racism seems likely to reduce the volume of tourists.

Crisis-led transformation or no transformation at all? A multifaceted inquiry towards destination recovery

Crisis-led transformation or no transformation at all? A multifaceted inquiry towards destination recovery

Author(s): Ramjit Singh,Jeet Dogra,Mudasir Ahmad Mir,Venkata Rohan Sharma Karri / Language(s): English / Issue: 1/2023

Keywords: destination recovery; COVID-19; crisis; transformation; stakeholders

Though there has been an upward rise in the number of publications on COVID-19, tourism and hospitality, researchers have turned a blind eye towards conducting a multifaceted stakeholder assessment of its impact on a given destination and the possible effects of recent developments on the destination’s recovery. To address the latent gap, this study first attempts to assess the impact of COVID-19 on various aspects of a destination’s businesses, workforce and the local community. Taking into consideration the recent pharmaceutical developments and ease in travel restrictions, it then explores the effects of such an intervention on the destinations’ recovery process. 142 valid questionnaires were collected from employees of travel agents, tour operators, transport operators and hotels in the northern part of India. Subsequently, PLS-SEM (partial least squares structural equation modeling) was applied using SmartPLS to test the proposed hypotheses. Through two individual studies in September 2020 and November 2021 i.e. at different stages of the pandemic, this study not only offers insights into the current status of destination recovery but also tests the validity and applicability of recent publications, their proposed recommendations and future practices. Recovery at a destination was found to be a result of the recovery of its businesses, workforce and community. These factors also had positive and negative impacts on each other. The article further suggests the low transformational ability of the pandemic in the context of tourism and hospitality. It is amongst the first few studies to have carried out a temporal assessment of stakeholders for an investigation into the pandemic’s impact on destinations in addition to their recovery.

СПОЉНА ПОЛИТИКА СРБИЈЕ”: ОЧЕКИВАЊА И СТВАРНОСТ

SERBIA’S FOREIGN POLICY: EXPECTATIONS AND REALITY

Author(s): Author Non Specified / Language(s): English / Issue: 168/2023