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Gender and Divergent Thinking - Implications for Management Executives

Author(s): Karolina Dyrla-Mularczyk,Arkadiusz Borowiec / Language(s): English Publication Year: 0

Purpose:The purpose of this paper is to analyze the reports from research on the relationship between divergent thinking and gender, as well as to present the results of own studies verifying the correlation between creativity and gender. Creativity is a highly desired personal competence on the modern labor market, especially due to its key role in the processes of creating innovative solutions. Simultaneously, it is believed that creativity as a trait constitutes basic economic capital. Methodology: The analysis of current reports from scientific research has been conducted on the basis of articles available in Ebsco and Google Scholar databases. The study has been based on the Test for Creative Thinking –Drawing Production -TCT-DP. 80 trainers of soft training participated in the study. The research was guided by the theory of creativity and divergent thinking. Findings:The own research has demonstrated that gender does not determine the level of creativity. However, reports from studies using neuroimaging techniques point to visible differences between levels of creativity in women and men. Practical implications: This article demonstrates that the issue of the relationship between divergent thinking and gender is a complex phenomenon and sensitive to many co-occurring variables. Depending on the research methods used, the results of exploration differ from each other. The results of the survey show that the management should carefully approach gender differences in level of creativity. Gender should not be an argument for the employment of a person for a creative role. Value:The article suggests that the problem of gender differences in terms of creativity is a multi-faceted problem. Gender should not, therefore, determine the scope or nature of tasks entrusted to employees by their supervisors or team leaders.

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An Essay on the Entrepreneurial War Machine

Author(s): Daniel Ericsson / Language(s): English Publication Year: 0

Purpose:The purpose is to present and explore Deleuze and Guattari’s (1988) concept of the “war machine” in relation to the academic discourse on entrepreneurship in order to contribute with a nuanced understanding of the discourse’s centrality in contemporary societies as well as its consequences. Design/methodology/approach: The paper is conceptual in character and written in the form of an essay in order to capitalize upon the essay’s tentative and reflective epistemology. Findings: The academic discourse on entrepreneurship conceptualized as a war machine is found to be set up against the State apparatus and resisting State appropriation by 1) deprecating bureaucracy, 2) criticizing normative societal institutions, and 3) self-consciously mobilizing actors into a scholarly movement. The consequences of these forms of resistance are on one hand a discursive colonialization of the natural, and on the other hand the formation of a seemingly strong alloy between the academic discourse on entrepreneurship and neoliberal ideology/political agendas. Research/practical implications:The academic discourse on entrepreneurship conceptualized as a war machine draws attention to the discourse’s taken-for-granted notions about entrepreneurship as well as their consequences. As such the conceptualisation opens up for critical research on otherwise neglected or silenced empirical topics within research on entrepreneurship such as the formation of the academic discourse on entrepreneurship, the enrolment, socialisation, subjection and subjectification of researchers on entrepreneurship, and the discursive tactics of entrepreneurship researchers’ visavi the State apparatus. Originality/value:In line with the essayistic epistemology, the essay hopefully gives the reader the opportunity to reflect upon on neglected or silenced issues within the academic discourse on entrepreneurship.

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Entrepreneurial Parents and Networks: Perfect Substitutes or Fickle Friends?

Author(s): Manuel Feldmann / Language(s): English Publication Year: 0

Purpose:Parental influence on self-employment rates among their offspring has been the subject of a multitude of studies. Despite many theories on how parental self-employment translates into youth self-employment, researchers rarely tested its interaction with other drivers of self-employment such as networks. The following study investigates these effects, suggests an interpretation of the interaction and tests how robust both are against macro influences. Approach:This study analyzes parental and network influences on self-employment with an original dataset for 11 European countries gathered in 2016 by the collaborative research project CUPESSE. In order to avoid confounding effects, this study builds on theory of planned behavior and supports the notion of entrepreneurial intention as the best proxy for future entrepreneurial engagement. Because of its cross-country structure, macro effects can be tested. According to the structure of the dependent variable, the study applies logistic regression techniques with Stata to identify relevant effects. In order to test cross-level interactions in a non-linear analysis, the model relies on multiplicative effects and country dummies accounting for all level-2 variance. Moreover, Eurostat macro figures were included. Findings:This study finds that (1), having access to entrepreneurial networks can boost entrepreneurial intention even more than parental self-employment (2) having access to entrepreneurial networks and peer groups can substitute the parental effects in equivalent direction and size, and (3) the impact of the national rate of youth unemployment decreases network effects while parent effects are more robust. Research/practical implications:The results suggest that entrepreneurial peer groups are an equivalent substitute for parental self-employment that policy makers could rely on when they want to foster entrepreneurship. However, current entrepreneurial networks are less stable and robust than family effects in countries with higher youth unemployment. Here, policy interventions might be a promising path to generate such stable networks with entrepreneurial role models also during economic crises. Originality/value:This study contributes to the theoretical analysis of entrepreneurship in two ways: It compares parental effects with network effects along an existing framework and adds for the first time an interaction of intergenerational transmission with youth unemployment.

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Open Innovation and Internationalization: Case of Brazilian Companies

Author(s): Paulo Feldmann / Language(s): English Publication Year: 0

Purpose:The aim of this paper is to demonstrate that evenin countries with little innovation generation such as Brazil, there are still a few highly innovative companies. Due to the concept of open innovation and their internationalization level, these companies find good partners abroad with which they developinnovation projects. We selected five cases of Brazilian companies that have been successful in terms of innovation because they have used Open Innovation and they are international companies Design/methodology/approach:This is a multiple case study. Inorder to identify the Brazilian companies which we investigated we used international organs or specialized media and considered the companies that had received recognition/prizes for being innovative. We carried out interviews with these companies in order to see how their innovations had been developed and we found that all of them used Open Innovation Concept. Findings: It is possible to find highly innovative companies even in countries having hostile business environments as Brazil. Being strong internationally and favorable to open innovation are key factors for companies to achieve success. Research/practical implications:This paper studies five Brazilian Companies and found that open innovation brings benefits to the companies operating internationally, and that emerging countries such as Brazil should increasingly stimulate those companies to have a wider global presence. Originality/value:This article shows that there is a practical way to increase the production of innovation even in emerging countries where that production is often low, as in Brazil. This procedure is more appropriate to companies already operating abroad and that adopt the concept of open innovation. This concept makes it easier for those companies to find partners and to provide the expertise they lack.

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Innovation Clustering and Firms’ Productivity in Italy

Author(s): Anna Maria Ferragina,Giulia Nunziante,Erol Taymaz / Language(s): English Publication Year: 0

Purpose:In this paper we explore how firms’ productivity is affected by agglomeration of firms, clustering of innovation and localisation of FDI in Italy. The analysis aims to provide a measure of spillovers on productivity from geographical and sectorial clustering of firms and from their innovation. Firm’s absorptive capacity is also taken into account by interacting the variables of agglomeration and innovation at region-sector level with size and technology. Design/methodology/approach:Spatial unit of analysis are provinces. Our sample is stratified by size, sectors and region and representative of the Italian firm population. Panel estimates for output by GMM system methodology are used to address simultaneity and endogeneity on inputs and reverse causality between agglomeration and productivity. We build specific indexes of agglomeration and innovation activity at territorial level. Wealso use indicators of innovation performed by domestic and by foreign multinationals at the spatial level of analysis adopted. Findings: The estimation results support significant productivity enhancing agglomeration effects stemming from firms operating in the same sector and region, from innovation clustering at local level, and from higher output of foreign firms located in the same region. However, spatial spillovers are specific to technologically more sophisticated firms. Research/practical implications:In policy terms there is evidence on the outcome that firms in the same industry benefit more from each other as they are more technologically similar,and the sector closeness matters as this may facilitate the flow and absorption of knowledge among firms. However, technology play a critical role and policies should pay specific effort to enhance the absorptive capacity of less technology sophisticated firms. Originality/value: The specific additional insights are given by the adoption of a multidimensional approach, both at spatial and firm level, in the effort to catch at the same time regional characteristics of the economic systems and firm heterogeneity.

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Predictive Factors in Student Evasion Control: An Analysis with Structural Equation

Author(s): Douglas Filenga,Fábio Machado-da-Silva,Bruno Luz / Language(s): English Publication Year: 0

Purpose:The aim of this study is to improve the performance of small schools through the strategic use of information. The proposal consists of a new management model that is innovative and makes it possible to properly manage the resources to diminish students' intention to evade. Design/methodology/approach:The data (N=214) were obtained through the application of a questionnaire sent electronically for 60 days in the second half of 2016. The instrument had four scales of five levelsof agreement concerning their respective latent variables: Difficulty of Disciplines, Preference for Institution, Financial Situation and Intention to Evade. The test of the model was by Structural Equation with Partial Least Square (PLS) and analyzed Reliability, Convergent Validity and Discriminant with bootstrapping of 500 replacements. Findings:The results indicate that the assumptions tested were supported. The Intention to Evade can be explained by the analyzed variables, and Difficulty of Disciplines is the variable that has the greatest predictive power. However, the variable Preference for the Institution presented Negative Correlation. Research/practical implications: The study indicates that the students who participated in the research are unsafe in facing the Difficulties of the Discipline. There are also indications that such students consider work to be more important if they have to choose between working or studying, but when they study at an institution of their own choice, this helps to diminish their intention to evade. These findings suggest that actions related to psychological support should be associated with academic actions, including developing partnerships with companies to help their employees to study. Future investigations could investigate which actions and partnerships are most appropriate. Originality/value:The value of this study is to provide a methodology to managers interested in using Structural Equation statistical models to generate information on how material, financial and symbolic resources should be used to reduce students' intention to evade and help the company achieve its goal.

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Digital Tourism Promotion and E-Mail Marketing

Author(s): Tamara Floričić / Language(s): English Publication Year: 0

Purpose:The paper represents the importance of the Internet market with a focus on email marketing promotional tools by means of which, through using databases, business entities, hotel companies and tour operators, with direct or indirect promotion, reach existing and new consumers. The determination of positions and trends, as well as the efficiency of the email promotion, so-called newsletter, is reflected as a goal of the research which explores the attitudes of the youth consumer segment as propulsive future consumers. Design/methodology/approach:The research includes a theoretical review combined with presentation of chosen international practices that support the theory of an innovative marketing approach. The research also includes quantitative as well as qualitative methods which explore the attitudes of tourist demand through 153 questionnaires conducted in December 2017 processed by statistical methodology including chi-squared test, average values, ranking technique combined with creative thinking techniques and other scientific methods (January 2018). The total number of questionnaires was 175, 22 forms were invalid which presents response rate of 87,4%. Youth consumers were randomly chosen,and the location of the research was the town of Pula, Croatia. Findings:Development of information technology and innovations has initiated new business processes in the tourism and hospitality business, as well as radical changes in business and communication with consumers, but also with other business entities. Special offers and promotions communicated through e-mail marketing boost demand and interest and result in customer purchases. The consumer group had to be analysed in respect of gender differences in order to conduct a successful e-mail promotion. Research/practical implications:E-Mail marketing gives hotels the opportunity to reach many potential customers and it is based on data collected from website viewers which is translated into personalised emails about information they were just viewing on the website. The paper provides a deeper insight and enables companies to improve the results of e-mail marketing campaigns. Further research in the field of gender focus areas should be conducted together with an analysis of sending frequency combined with efficiency, as this has been recognised as a challenging issue. Originality/value:This paper is a valuable contribution to existing research on how companies could reach new competitiveness by implementation of innovative E-marketing tools and strategies. The research also points to the importance of creative thinking focused on design of services in order to attract new demand and to communicate with different segments of potential consumers.

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Social Innovation in Small Catholic Liberal Arts Institutions: Fostering Social Innovation at Saint Anselm College

Author(s): Dina Frutos-Bencze / Language(s): English Publication Year: 0

Purpose:The purpose of the paper is to provide and describe programming trends regarding social entrepreneurship and social innovation in small Catholic liberal arts higher education institutions in the United States (US). These institutions are considered peer institutions for Saint Anselm College. In addition, the findings are contrasted with previously reported national trends. The Saint Anselm College case illustrates the process, advantages and challenges smaller institutions, that primarily serve undergraduate students, currently face. Design/methodology/approach:National trends regarding social innovation and social entrepreneurship programming are contrasted with observed trends in a sample of 76 peer institutions (4-year, private not-for-profit, Roman Catholic institutions as classified in the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System or IPEDS) for the 2015-16 academic year. Furthermore, only institutions with an undergraduate student enrollment between 1,500 and 3,000 were considered. Information from IPEDS , and web-based search of the selected institutions provided the basis of the analysis to ascertain the extent to which these institutions have developed social entrepreneurship and social innovation academic programs and centers (IPEDS, 2018). Findings:Small Catholic liberal arts institutions in the US are more vulnerable to changing demographics and tend to have more financial concerns than larger public and private institutions. However, gradually they are embracing entrepreneurship related programming. Nevertheless, social entrepreneurship and social innovation programming has not increased significantly. In addition, we find that there is no streamlined approach for creating and/or developing such programming at these institutions. In the case of Saint Anselm College, the institutional context, administrative leadership and faculty have played a crucial role in establishing social innovation programming. The alignment of the institutions’ mission can play a significant role in developing social innovation programming and initiatives. Research/practical implications:This study raises a series of questions, insights, and possiblehelpful directions for the creation and implementation of social innovation programming initiatives in other peer institutions or similar size institutions. In addition, the paper provides a lens and context for existing work. Originality/value:This study attempts to capture the emerging shift in embracing the concept of social innovation and social entrepreneurship primarily at small Catholic liberal arts institutions in the US. There is evidence that the slight shift is happening beyond these types of higher education institutions as it is increasingly becoming popular at larger research-orienteduniversities. The field of social innovation is still vulnerable and despite the proliferation of social innovation programming, it is difficult to discern whether this is a trend that will stay or whether it is a fad

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Innovation and Optimization of the Occupational Health and Safety Management System in a Selected Industrial Enterprise –A Case Study

Author(s): Anna Gembalska-Kwiecień,Bożena Skotnicka-Zasadzień / Language(s): English Publication Year: 0

Purpose:The presented article attempts to optimize and innovate the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) management system in the industrial enterprise in order to reduce the number of potentially accidental events, occupational diseases, accidents at work, and thus to improve work safety at each position. It also presents the developed activities, procedures and instructions thanks to which the OHS management system in the enterprise was introduced. Design/methodology/approach:The implementation process according to the standard consisted of several stages: beginning with the preparation and publication of Health and Safety Policy to the enterprise's employees by the enterprise's Management Board. Health and Safety Policy included the main objectives set by the highest management. The next step was to order the enterprise's Management to perform a preliminary review to assess and analyze the current status of health and safety at work. As a result of the analysis of the studied processes in the enterprise's occupational safety and health management system, those fragments of processes that could and should be improved have been identified. Findings:Documents of the internal OHS management system were created, professional risk management procedures were defined and methods for preventing and reacting to accidents and failures were developed. The enterprise developed methods formonitoring the occupational health and safety at work, investigating accidents at work and the method of conducting internal audits. The preventive correction procedures in the occupational health and safety management system were established. Research/practical implications:The development of specific procedures has made it possible to systematize the occupational health and safety system in force at the enterprise, which will consequently optimize the improvement of safety, and introduce a continuous monitoring and improvement process that should further improve the work safety of the enterprise. The most important elements of the implemented occupational health and safety system in industrial enterprise were the development and publication of a security policy by the enterprise's Management Board, in which the care for employees and their safety was clearly and unambiguously declared. Originality/value:The article uses an approach that focuses on innovation and optimization of OHS management in the industrial enterprise. Specific actions, procedures and instructions have been developed to allow a more creative and innovative approach to the difficult subject of occupational safety

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Change Management Towards Digitalization and Innovation

Author(s): Patricia Girrbach / Language(s): English Publication Year: 0

Purpose:The issue of this paper is the conceptualization of a digital transformation concept which supports both, digitalization and innovation. This is caused in the reason that organizations need appropriate circumstances in order to cope with challenges concerning digital transformation. Thus,this paper provides practical starting points in order to support firms in terms of their change towards digitalization. Design/methodology/approach: The paper is based on practical experiences, literature research and expert interviews concerning digitalization in companies. First of all benefits as well as resulting challenges arising out of digitalization will be presented in order to show the importance of digital issues for companies. Grounded on these insights a transformation model for the digital turnaround will be created based on theoretical issues such as change management or sensemaking. Findings:The concept provides practical implication and measurements for a structured change. Hereby companies should first of all focus on the corporate culture due to the fact that culture is the most important enabler or hinderer for any kind of change. This includes the modification of the corporate ́s vision, values as well as the behaviour of executives and proper working condition as well. Moreover,digitalization will be linked to information management in order to underline the importance of the so called horizontal integration due to the fact that networking is the basis for cooperative change processes (Spath, 2013). Research/practical implications: The paper includes implications for the change management towards digitalization and innovation. The provided digital transformation concept serves as a guideline for managing the challenges in terms of digitalization and innovation processes. Originality/value:This paper fulfils an identified need in order to cope with the current issue digitalization that will change our whole life rapidly and extremely. In order to be prepared organizations,need to know how to deal with the challenges concerning digitalization. Only if they are prepared, e.g. by using a digital transformation concept companies are able to see not only the challenges but also the chances evolve out of digital issues.

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Digitalization and its Contribution to Sustainability in Terms of the Social Dimension

Author(s): Patricia Girrbach / Language(s): English Publication Year: 0

Purpose:Sustainability and digitalization will determine economy in the future. But the crucialquestion is to what extent are both concepts related, are the CEOs of companies aware of this and where are obstacles concerning reaching sustainable social objectives by digitalization? In contrast to most approaches, digitalization will be rather understood as a social phenomenon than a technological issue in the first line. Thus,the study will investigate the social aspect of both topics. Design/methodology/approach:The paper is based on own qualitative depth interviews with managers of companies just as e.g. Lufthansa, Deloitte and Bosch. The empirical study deals with the specific question if top managers see digitalization as chance for sustainable aims and if so where they see problems for transformation on the operative level. Findings:This paper connects digitalization and sustainability on the social level. Interesting findings are that top managers are aware of the social dimension of digitalization. Moreover,they recognise the benefits arising out of digitalization especially for their employees and social objectives of sustainability. But they also mention that there is a gap between what they want and what stuff is willing to contribute due to several reasons. They assess that as the real big challenge concerning the digital organisational turn. Research/practical implications:By connecting sustainability and digitalization this paper provides important implications in order to understand digitalization as a social phenomenon as well as a chance for reaching social aims. Moreover,it decovers obstacles occurring in practice what is important for top managers. Only if they are aware of this they can implement measurements in order to minimize or to prevent those obstacles in their own company. Originality/value: The added value of this work is that in contrast to previous work, digitalization and sustainability are linked at the social level. Moreover obstacles concerning the digitalorganizational turn are approached

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Endogenous Determinants of the Absorption of Process Innovations in Financial Services Companies

Author(s): Waldemar Glabiszewski,Dorota Grego-Planer,Katarzyna Liczmańska-Kopcewicz,Maciej Zastempowski / Language(s): English Publication Year: 0

Purpose:The need for raising the level of innovativeness and competitiveness caused by the increasingly stronger competition forces companies to seek new sources of getting and new ways of introducing and exploiting innovations. In the case of services providing companies, due to the domain of their activity, process innovations are of particular importance. Their transfer from the environment is a complex and difficult undertaking, and its success is conditioned by the absorptive capacities possessed by the company. Therefore, the main research objective of this article was to identifykey absorptive capacities that are endogenousdeterminants of the effectiveness of the process of the absorption of process innovations in the activityof Poland’s financial companies. Design/methodology/approach: The empirical part of the article was written on the basis of research findings obtained in 2015-2016 by means of an online survey using a CSAQ-a. It was sent to the heads of 155 commercial financial sector companies registered in Poland, namely all banks, property and life insurance companies, investment funds and universal fund management companies. In total, 111 entities filled in the online survey questionnaire. In the conducted study an attempt was made to assess the direction and strength of dependence between the level of development of specific absorptive capacities of financial companies and the scale of the effects achieved as a result of the absorption of process innovations. Findings: Personal and organizational absorptive capacities of financial companies in Poland analysed using Pearson's correlation coefficient, remain in a positive and strong linear relationship with their effectiveness achieved in the scope of the absorption of process innovations. Research/practical implications:The endogenousdeterminants of the effectiveness of financial companies in the field of the absorption of process innovations diagnosed in the course of ongoing research and analysis should constitute for them the basis for determining the priority directions of investments undertaken to supplement and improve their absorptive capacities. They can also become a starting point for undertaking an empirical search for further determinants of effective absorption of process innovations or verification of their impact in other sectors. Originality/value:The presented outcome of the performed research identifies the key absorptive capacities that determine the effects obtained in the process of absorbing technological innovations, taking into account the specific conditions prevailing in the service sector.

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The Influence of the Knowledge Area on the Ranking of Determinants of Academic Entrepreneurship

Author(s): F. J. Miranda González,Francisco Isidoro Vega-Gómez,Antonio Chamorro Mera,Jesús Pérez Mayo / Language(s): English Publication Year: 0

Purpose: The study of academic entrepreneurship has become a prolific area of research in the last 20 years, coinciding with the interest shown by political and universityauthorities. This interest is the result of the contribution made by this entrepreneurship, particularly through spin-off creation, economic development, employment and the image and resources of the university. However, according to the literature, the founding of spin-offs varies with the subject area of the researcher, this being one of the main factors influencing the propensity to create companies. Design/methodology/approach: The main objective of this research is to identify the structure of preferences of academics and their ranking, to understand the influence of the determinant factors of the entrepreneurial intention of academics.To this end, a qualitative study has been carried out involving 42 academics from Spanish universities in order to identify the determinant factors of this segment, along with a quantitative study using the conjoint analysis method and involving 1,726 researchers, whose purpose was to identify the ranking of these determinant elements. Findings:The contributions of this study to the research area are important from both a theoretical and practical point of view. Firstly, the methodology used for the quantitative analysis has not been used before in this scientific field. Secondly, the results of the qualitative analysis show that the determining factors of entrepreneurial intention are the same regardless of the research area of the academic. Finally, this study concludes that these determining factors are valued and ranked very differently depending on the academic area, thus demonstrating the existence of differentiated segments within academic entrepreneurship. Research/practical implications:This study offers a series of important practical implications, particularly in the aspect referring to policies for the promotion of academic entrepreneurship. While the determinant factors of entrepreneurial intention are the same for all academics, a differentiation in valuations and rankings can be observed depending on the area in question. This aspect implies that several segments can be created, so those responsible for public and university policies must take into account these different valuations in order to promote entrepreneurship in those areas that they consider strategic or priority given their line of specialisation. Originality/value:Firstly, the conjoint analysis method, tested and widely used in other areas, has never been used for the study of academic entrepreneurship. This methodology is very useful given its ability to divide the decision into several important attributes and to classify the preferences, thus offering a new perspective for the analysis of the results in this area.Secondly,of all the factors cited by the literature as determinants of academic entrepreneurship, this study manages to identify six, therefore offering an interesting original contribution to the literature.

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The Impact of Entrepreneurial Management on the Participation of Small and Medium Enterprises in the International Market

Author(s): Mehrdad Goudarzvand Chegini / Language(s): English Publication Year: 0

Purpose:The purpose of this research is to investigate the impact of entrepreneurial management ontheculturalaspects of entrepreneurship, growth orientation, and philosophyof reward, management structure, strategic orientation,and the tendency of resources for the participation of small and medium enterprises in the international market. Methodology:The data of the research have beenelicited using a standard questionnaire. The population of the study includes the board of directors and the managers of the small and medium companies in Rasht Industrial Park in Iran.The analysis of the data has beencarried out by software. The hypotheses have been investigated through chi-squaretest. Originality/value:One of the most significant public policiesof many of thecountries in the world is to internationalize small and medium enterprises. A fundamental logic in support of internationalizing small and medium enterprisesis that internationalization is suitable for small companies. Findings:The research findings revealed that amongthe components, entrepreneurshipculture and resource orientationhave the highest rank and importance. It means that senior managers in these companies possess adequate ideas to produce new products and services and have a tendencytoward using external resources. Result:The resultsshowthat entrepreneurial management has a positive significant impact onthe participation of small and medium enterprises in the international market.

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Mining Firms and Sustainability Reporting in Ghana

Author(s): Robert Ebo Hinson,Anne Renner,John Paul Kosiba,Frederick Okyere Asiedu / Language(s): English Publication Year: 0

Purpose:Despite the significant contribution of mining to Ghana’s development, little is known about sustainability-reporting disposition of players in the Ghanaian mining industry. The objective of this study is to assess the sustainability-reporting performance of selected mining firms operating in Ghana. This study therefore offers one of the rare works, from the Ghanaian context that documents how mining firms seek to turn the tides on the negative publicity regarding sustainability issues through disclosures. Design/methodology/approach: We employed a multiple case study approach, where more than one unit of analysis (case) was studied as the research design. The study involved two sets of cases: foreign and local. The foreign case consists of six firms: AngloGold Ashanti, Goldfields, Newmont, Perseus Mining Limited, Azumah Resources and Pelangio Exploration Incorporated. The second case has four local mining companies: Bloomfield Mineral Resources, West Line Mining, Western Precious Metals and Ghana Manganese Company (GMC). Archival data were gathered via the websites of the mining firms studied. We analysed the data using pattern matching. Findings: The findings indicate that in Ghana, foreign-owned mining firms tend to report more on their sustainability initiatives than their local counterparts. Furthermore, we noted that foreign-owned mining firms operating in Ghana disclose more environmental sustainability information irrespective of the size of firm. Research/practical implications:Our findings suggest that sustainability reporting practices among local mining firms are still at the embryonic stage and they need to adopt standardised guidelines for reporting their sustainability initiatives. The study’s major limitation was the emphasis on only the online reports of the firms. Further studies could be conducted where a combination of media reportage such as printed reports, newspaper articles, and magazines are examined in addition to the company websites. Again, for reasons of generalisation, future studies can be conducted on the sustainability reporting idiosyncrasies of all the mining firms operating in Ghana. Originality/value: This study through multiple case research design has documented how well mining firms in Ghana are faring on the sustainability reporting ladder because most studies on sustainability in the Ghanaian literature have focussed on reporting in tertiary institutions (e.g. Hinson et al., 2015) andthe environmental costs of mining activities (Boachie, 2012).

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Non-Financial Indicators in the Valuation Process in Czech Republic

Author(s): Jaroslav Hradílek / Language(s): English Publication Year: 0

Purpose:This paper deals with the increased significance of non-financial indicators in company valuation process. It researched if these indicators or, more generally,non-financial data are used in business praxis in M&A transactions in Czech Republic. Design/methodology/approach:The research was conducted on a sample consisting of three Due Diligence reports used in M&A transactions (two for buyer, one for seller). In addition, one certified expert data set for valuation has been examined. A methodology was created to set the most important areas for non-financial indicators and to evaluate these reports according to these criteria. Findings: None of the researched document dealt with non-financial indicators intensively to improve the accuracy of the company valuation. Some of them dealt with certain non-financial information but none has defined a standardized system to use non-financial indicators to decrease the risk of improper value setting and possible financial losses on either side of anM&A transaction. Research/practical implications: The buyer in M&A transaction focuses primarily on financial analysis. They should take in account also the non-financial indicators, as they have significant predictive power. This can improve the accuracy of M&A transactions and lead to higher success rate of M&A transactions. The increased usage on non-financial indicators by company controlling systems is also highly recommended. The results can reduce sunken costs of M&A transactions and improve performance of small and medium enterprises. As there is a gap in a literature,bettertheoretical background for the praxis shall be provided. Originality/value:Few researches havedealt with the non-financial indicators problematics. No research has been conducted on the real data from business transactions. Further research on larger data sample recommended.

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Corporate Sustainability With Focus on HR, Reporting and Financial Performance

Author(s): Štěpánka Hronová,Jitka Srpová / Language(s): English Publication Year: 0

Purpose:Reason for the paper is to build a theoretical background and to compile literature review on Sustainable Corporate Responsibility (SCR). Design/methodology/approach:The objectives are achieved through thorough exploration of the most current scientific research and academic papers. The literature review was conducted with the use of mixed research techniques where the authors were collecting and analysing both qualitative and quantitative data. The subject scope and the research problem are represented by corporate sustainability (focused on HR) and its nonfinancial disclosure. Firstly, the authors reviewed CSR/ sustainability and reporting research. Secondly, the review sought to find answer to the research question of whether responsible behaviour (towards HR) of reporting organizations is in correlation with their higher financial performance and appreciation. Findings:Positive correlation has been found between corporate (social) sustainability (oriented on HR) and increased financial performance as well as appreciation of shares of the sustainable reporting entities. Research/practical implications:Implications for practitioners and companies: sustainable behaviour, social liability (towards HR) and their reportingare recommended as the discussed studies bring proof of their positive impact on financial performance. For researchers: the evidence brought can inspire further research in order to collect more support for the findings. Originality/value:The original contribution of the paper is its focus on sustainability within human resources (HR) and their management. The main added value is the up-to-date sustainability literature overview.

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Cause Related Marketing from the Slovak Consumers’ Perspective

Author(s): Zuzana Huliaková,Zdenka Musová / Language(s): English Publication Year: 0

Purpose:The success of the cause related marketing is highly depending on the customers and their willingness to participate in the cause related marketing projects. The aim of the paper is to present the results of the analysis the willingness of the Slovak consumers to participate in the cause related marketing projects and also to examine the difference between their approaches based on their gender, age, education and disposable income. Design/methodology/approach:The data were obtained through the questionnaire research which was realized on research sample of 415 respondents from Slovakia. Respondents expressed their approach towards three statements through 7-point Likert scale. The data were processed with Mann Whitney Utest, Anova test and Spearman Correlation Coefficient. Findings:The results of the research indicate that Slovak consumers are willing to participate in the cause related marketing, but their willingness may decrease with the need to change the preferred brand of the product orpay higher price for the product. From the socio-demographic characteristics, only gender of the consumer has influence on cause related marketing perception while the women have more favourable attitude. Research/practical implications: When applying the cause related marketing the companies should take into consideration the sensitivity of the consumers towards price increase of the products related to the good thing. Products which are mostly purchased by women have higher probability to be successfully implemented in cause related marketing projects. Originality/value:The paper develops the current awareness about the perception of cause related marketing by Slovak consumers. The paper presents how socio-demographic characteristics determine the willingness of the Slovak consumers to participate in the cause related marketing.

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Entrepreneurial Thinking: Towards Drivers of Innovation Processes in Public Sector

Author(s): Iuliia Iliashenko,Patrizia Gazzola / Language(s): English Publication Year: 0

Purpose:The paper aims to provide contribution to the literature devoted to the public-sectorinnovations research providing new insights considering approach which discover entrepreneurial thinking as one of the intra-organizational antecedents in the innovations within public organizations. Moreover, the study seeks to provide new theoretical perspective on to the entrepreneurship in public context from the standpoint of the concept of knowledge-based entrepreneurship with regard to the innovation process. Design/methodology/approach:In order to provide systematic approach this study performs literature review via three-stage procedure of paper selection from Google Scholar and One Gale databases for the period of 1985 -2017. Being in consistency with the purpose of the paper, the main criteria of eligibility is consideration of the entrepreneurial orientation and behaviour within public sector from the standpoint of innovation and efficiency. In addition to develop empirically-based conceptual framework of mapping the entrepreneurial thinking withinthe processes of theformation of innovation enabling conditions we select only studies applied empirical methods. Findings:The findings suggest that the entrepreneurial thinking in public context perform function of drivers of the innovation process at both: individual and organisational level. Align with considering potential impact on two levels, it provides theoretical framework of cumulative effect, based on one of the core principals of knowledge–based entrepreneurship -optimal use of knowledge and human capital. Research/practical implications:The paper embraces implications for the innovation strategy development for public sector organisations, concerning how to foster innovation more effectively by supporting the motivation of entrepreneurial thinking among publicemployees. It opens new areas for future empirical research, for instance to identify the determinants of entrepreneurial thinking in public context. Originality/value:This paper fulfils the revealed gap at the conceptualisation of the entrepreneurial thinking and acting within public organisations with respect to the concept of innovations within organizations

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Key Competencies in Sustainability: Assessment of Innovative Factors Influencing the Development of Human Resources in Health Care System

Author(s): Irina Kostadinova,Diana Antonova / Language(s): English Publication Year: 0

Purpose:This study presents the review of the innovative solutions for sustainability in human resource management. It demonstrates a discussion issue -how the development ofemotional and social intelligence (E&SI) as a key competence for sustainability can reveal new opportunities for improving the achievements of human resources in health care. Answers are sought through the creation and implementation of a methodology for studying the impact of E&S intelligence as a factor for enhancing the professional competence of physicians. Design/methodology/approach:The paper research design is qualitative and quantitative analysys and characterization of medical work as well as theinfluence of E&SI on revealing the possibilities for individual and organizational change. The assesment is viewed as part of the sustainable development of human resources. A methodological tool (questionnaire) has been developed to identify and evaluatethe possibilities for enhancing the results of medical work through the development of a key competence -the emotional and social intelligence of the physicians in order to improve their individual economic, medical and social results, and hence the organization, in which they work. Findings: After conducting a social experiment in two treatment clinics in Bulgaria and carrying out 360-degreeinterviews with the managers (100% of the management staff of the two clinics), doctors (80% of doctors in both clinics) and patients (8% of the lying patients) presented evidence of the importance of key competences -E&SI, as an innovative factor for improving the human resources performance in the medical organizations. In order to prove the sustainability of thekey factor, indicators for comparative analysis of the results from applying a methodology assessing the impact of E&SI on improving the medical doctors’ integrated competence have been systematized and classified. Research/practical implications:The applicability of the proposed methodological approach and methodology was confirmed by the interviews with the target groups (in the last trimester of 2016) and the social experiment (October 2016 -September 2017). The place of the research is the Pnevmotipsi Clinic in Ruse and Pleven -Bulgaria. The results are summarized and the possibilities for increasing the individual professional competencies of the medics have been demonstrated by increasing the E&SC as a key factor for the sustainability of the investigated health institutions. The paper provides evidence that the proposed key competences could be used for further research on sustainability issues of the organizations. Originality/value: Firstly, empirical evidence is applied to measure E&SI impact on the integrated competence of doctors by a "360° questionnaire evaluation" through an own questionnaire based on Goleman's competency model in real hospital care organizations. A complex adapted model for E&SI as an innovative factor in the sustainability management has been appraised by comparing the results by elements of the integrated competence model and the indicators of their activity for establishing organizational change in the hospitals observed

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