European Conference on Management Leadership and Governance

Kata Coaching and Organizational Factors for Engagement and Performance: A Literature Review

2025-09-25T18:53:33+00:00

Organizational environments undergoing cultural transformation require not only the support of managers and leaders, but also the active involvement of various stakeholders, such as employees, customers, and suppliers. In this context, kata coaching emerges as an effective approach for developing an organizational culture focused on learning and continuous improvement, reinforcing the role of leadership as a facilitator of transformation and strategic decisions. However, there is a gap in research on how specific kata coaching approaches interact with organizational factors to promote greater team engagement and performance. This study seeks to answer the research question: Which kata coaching leadership competencies influence the environmental factors that promote employee engagement and performance? To fill this gap, a systematic literature review was conducted, following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) methodology. The review was conducted by screening five large academic databases. From an initial total of six hundred and eight articles, thirty-five were selected based on the defined inclusion criteria and four additional studies were incorporated to enrich the analysis. The results indicate that performance and engagement are influenced by both leadership competencies and environmental factors. Leadership competencies from kata coaching are often associated with improved engagement, and performance supervision includes analytical ability, coaching, active listening, interpersonal relationship, communication, appreciation of employees' physical and mental well-being. Key organizational factors include transparent information sharing, psychological safety, recognition, and encouraging open communication. This study contributes to the literature by specifically addressing how leadership competencies from kata coaching and specific workplace dynamics jointly shape employee outcomes. Furthermore, it highlights the reciprocal nature of the influence of leadership and environmental context on team success. The results of this study can inform leadership development programs and strategic initiatives aimed at creating adaptive and high-performance organizational cultures—especially in the context of the accelerated transformation brought about by Industry 4.0.

Lean Leadership: A Study on Lean Leadership Attributes

2025-06-11T22:04:20+00:00

This study aims to investigate the key attributes of Lean leadership that can mitigate barriers faced during the implementation of continuous improvement in the healthcare sector, with a focus on hospitals and clinics. The research is guided by the following question: How can Lean leadership attributes contribute to overcoming barriers in Lean implementation for problem-solving? To address this question, a systematic literature review was conducted following the PRISMA methodology, covering 54 articles published between 2016 and 2023 in the Science Direct, Emerald, and Scopus databases. The analysis identified 16 Lean leadership attributes: persuasion, communication, analytical vision, adaptability, strategic/objective vision, continuous improvement culture, coaching (training), organizational climate management, resource management, accountability and commitment, self-confidence/self-awareness-based leadership model, resilience, customer focus, empathy-based leadership, ethics/credibility, and delegation and empowerment. Concurrently, 10 major barriers were mapped: resistance to change, organizational culture, limited resources, ineffective communication, process complexity, impatience with delayed results, lack of employee/stakeholder involvement, lack of knowledge and training, lack of planning/conflicting priorities, and lack of top management support/commitment. The attributes were organized into three categories: communication skills, behavioral skills, and decision-making skills. The barriers were also grouped into three types: behavioral, structural, and competency-related. The relationship between these groups resulted in three key premises: (i) Behavioral barriers can be mitigated by communication and decision-making skills; (ii) Structural barriers can be addressed by behavioral and decision-making skills; and (iii) Competency-related barriers can be overcome by communication and behavioral skills. The findings highlight that developing specific Lean leadership competencies is essential to creating an organizational environment conducive to cultural change, team engagement, and the sustainability of Lean practices. Thus, this study provides theoretical and practical insights for training managers capable of leading transformations in complex and dynamic contexts such as healthcare.

Being Bypassed: Uncovering Skip-Level Meetings from U.S. Frontline Technology Leaders’ Perspectives

2025-09-13T13:30:30+00:00

This exploratory qualitative study examined the practice of skip-level meetings, in which employees meet with a manager above their direct supervisor. Scholar research on this leadership practice is scarce, while it is widely yet inconsistently implemented in industry and frequently discussed in business publications outside academia. The study focused on investigating the experiences and perspectives of the potentially “skipped” managers, who may have the most unpredictable views on the practice. A diverse group of 25 first-level engineering managers from U.S. technology organizations, differing in individual and organizational contexts, participated. Findings revealed surprisingly broad support and implementation, with perceptions linked to culture, generation, meeting format, and other aspects. Synthesized with existing literature and intersecting theories, various insights and practical implementation guidelines emerged, along with recommendations for future research directions.

When AI Changes its Tone, Does Acceptance Follow?

2025-08-28T10:22:42+00:00

The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into decision-making processes raises numerous questions about acceptance, particularly in hospital environments marked by strong professional identities. This working paper presents an ongoing experimental study that explores how the conversational tone of an AI agent might influence the acceptance of its recommendations, depending on the psychological profile of the healthcare professional. Building on a 2x2x2 model structured around three dimensions of ego (personal value, perceived competence and social role), the study aims to demonstrate that adapting the tone can significantly improve acceptance to algorithmic recommendations. The experimental protocol involves profession-specific scenarios in which participants assess a series of AI-generated messages, each introduced during the option evaluation stage of the decision-making process. By proposing a novel identity-based approach to AI design, this study seeks to contribute to both theory and practice. It is expected to open perspectives for the development of conversational agents capable of dynamically adjusting their tone to enhance acceptability and support professional autonomy in hospital settings.

Workplace Learning Potential as a Mediator Between Psychological Safety and Strategy Implementation

2025-10-06T14:23:04+00:00

Organisations are required to strategically renew to survive the competition and sudden shifts in the modern world. In addition to making the right choices, a successful strategic change entails implementation. However, strategy implementation often fails due to problems in communication and inadequate information sharing. This study conceptualizes strategy implementation as the concrete actions and interactions that employees participate during their everyday work. Consequently, implementing a new strategy demands that employees adapt to new actions and thinking – in other words, learning. Thus, the success of the implementation process depends on learning. A growing body of literature recognizes the importance of psychological safety in learning processes. Psychological safety fosters an environment of trust in which employees can voice their true opinions regarding the strategy and are not afraid to learn through trial and error. Yet, the current understanding of the relationships between strategy implementation (SI), learning potential of the workplace (LPW) and psychological safety (PS) is fragmented. Previous studies have recognized the significance of learning in organisational change and strategy process, but they suffer from vague definitions of learning. Furthermore, research on the relationship between strategy implementation and psychological safety is lacking. The aim of this multidisciplinary empirical study is to fill mentioned research gap and create an understanding of how these phenomena are connected by examining their relationships with quantitative methods, utilizing scientifically valid measures. The sample consists of Finnish working-age adults (n = 1023). A mediation model confirmed significant associations between 1) PS and SI, 2) LPW and SI, 3) PS and LPW, and 4) an indirect effect of PS on SI via LPW. Besides confirming prior findings and opening new insights, the results of this study can be applied in organisations to improve and build sustainable practices for strategy implementation, change management, learning, and to cultivate open communication and collaboration in teams.

Healthcare Lean Readiness Assessment in a Territorial Outpatient System

2025-09-29T11:08:38+00:00

Healthcare organisations are increasingly compelled to adopt innovative managerial approaches to meet the high standards of care quality demanded by demographic changes, particularly the ageing population and the rising diffusion of chronic diseases. In this context, strengthening territorial care is essential to guarantee universal healthcare coverage. Providing care in outpatient and primary care settings enables more effective responses to population health needs, supports the prevention of chronic disease progression, and helps to reduce costly hospital admissions and clinical risks. However, implementing managerial innovation in territorial settings presents significant challenges due to the involvement of multiple care providers who must effectively coordinate and communicate to ensure continuity and integration of care. In this context, Healthcare Lean Management (HLM) emerges as a managerial approach that can reduce wastes while enhancing process performance and care quality. Nonetheless, many HLM initiatives fail due to insufficient organisational readiness to implement such a complex approach. To overcome this challenge, HLM readiness assessments are essential for identifying all those managerial, organisational, and cultural factors that must be strengthened before launching an HLM initiative. To this purpose, the current study aims to conduct an HLM readiness assessment within an outpatient territorial healthcare system in Italy, to identify critical areas for improvement and support the organisation in preparing for future HLM implementation. The evaluation was conducted using a previously developed model. A questionnaire was administered to employees and managers within the targeted setting, enabling the mapping of the readiness level and the identification of the weakest factors to be improved. Preliminary findings indicate key weaknesses in the diffusion of a culture that promote change acceptance and continuous improvement. In fact, despite strong support from top and middle management, there is a limited presence of HLM experts and leaders responsible for guiding and facilitating HLM and quality improvement projects. Results will be shared with participants to identify root causes and discuss possible countermeasures. This study represents an initial example of HLM readiness assessment in a non-hospital setting, providing valuable insights for initiating sustainable and effective improvement processes in this underexplored context. It advances knowledge in this field by proposing a model applicable in a territorial healthcare setting, without requiring prior expertise in HLM, and by integrating data analysis results with health staff insights. The contribution, both academic and managerial, also supports social sustainability and promotes patient well-being.

Educating Sustainable Leadership through Academia–Industry Collaboration for Shared Value and Resilience

2025-10-20T15:06:05+00:00

Sustainability and resilience are no longer optional; they are at the heart of how organizations and leaders must
act today. Research shows that collaborations between academia and industry can significantly enhance organizational
innovation, student employability, and entrepreneurial skills. For example, a recent study in Sustainability found that
academia–industry linkages improve students’ ability to engage in real-world challenges, increase employability, and boost
entrepreneurial capabilities (Shanavas et al., 2023). This paper shares lessons learned from a model that combines
education, real-world collaboration, and a shared commitment to positive impact. At Tecnológico de Monterrey, students
take courses on conscious capitalism, shared value, conscious leadership, and triple impact, where theory is quickly put
into practice. Each semester, every student works directly with three different companies (spanning small start-ups, large
corporations, and non-profit organizations) that share a real problem or need to be solved. This approach exposes students
to diverse industries and business models, while companies benefit from fresh insights and practical proposals. Students
address these challenges by utilizing updated course content, leadership tools, artificial intelligence (AI) applications,
business simulators, global sustainability reports, and creativity from fresh perspectives unencumbered by routine or
“workshop blindness.” The results have been highly encouraging. Many of the student-led ventures that emerged from this
methodology now carry a strong social and environmental focus, embedding sustainability into their DNA. At the same
time, the organizations involved implemented several of the students’ recommendations—adapting practices, exploring
circular economy solutions, and integrating sustainability into strategies—proposals inspired by classroom theory but
translated into actionable innovations. What makes this model distinctive is its dual impact: it fosters leaders ready to face
global challenges while helping organizations of all sizes view sustainability not as a cost but as an opportunity for
innovation, resilience, and shared value. This paper highlights experiences and reflections from these projects,
demonstrating how academia–industry collaboration can play a crucial role in shaping sustainable leadership and building
resilient organizations that create value for business, society, and the planet.

Soft Skills to Enhance Team Performance: A Systematic Review of Diverse Teamwork

2025-08-24T15:11:00+00:00

In today’s world, when reviewing business trends and key themes alongside the latest academic studies in the field of team dynamics, two significant trends overshadow all others. On the one hand, soft skills are increasingly recognised as essential drivers of both employees’ personal growth and organisations’ success by both business leaders and academic scholars. On the other hand, due to globalisation, team structures have shifted from being more homogeneous to more diverse, leading to the formation of multicultural teams. However, reviewing the existing literature reveals there is a lack of studies on the role of soft skills in culturally diverse work environments. Indeed, most research in the context of soft skills mainly examined the role of these skills in academic settings among students or within homogenous workplace settings. This paper addresses the research question: “How do soft skills influence team performance and help address challenges within multicultural teams?” using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Initially, we extracted approximately 1100 papers which have been published since 2014 from valid databases such as Web of Science and Scopus. After applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 19 papers were found relevant and selected for this review. Then, a thematic analysis approach was used to synthesise findings from the selected papers. This enabled us to identify key soft skill categories, their definitions, and reported impacts on multicultural team dynamics. Through this study, a broad range of soft skills explicitly or implicitly discussed in the literature were identified, with particular emphasis on four core soft skills, communication, emotional intelligence, cultural intelligence, and adaptability, as essential for enhancing effectiveness in multicultural teams. The identified soft skills were found to improve team interaction, collaboration and trust as well as reduce conflicts within culturally diverse work environments.

IT: Business Strategic Alignment for Sustainable Performance in Saudi Government Institutions Systematic Literature Review

2025-10-30T18:19:51+00:00

Aligning information technology (IT) with organisational strategy is crucial for achieving a competitive advantage
and enhancing performance. However, evidence on how IT-business strategic alignment operates within Saudi government
institutions remains limited. Methods: This study conducted a systematic literature review of research published in English
between 2013 and 2023. Searches in Scopus, Web of Science, and EBSCO identified 555 scholarly articles. Network-based
keyword analysis was used to map the literature and track the evolution of key themes over time. Results: Findings reveal a
layered conceptual structure. Central themes such as IT strategy, strategic alignment, organisational performance, IT
governance, and digital transformation form the core of the field. Additional influential areas include communication, IT
infrastructure flexibility, sustainability, and cybersecurity. Keywords like innovation, change management, and knowledge
management connect otherwise distinct topic clusters, reflecting the interdisciplinary nature of the field. Persistent
challenges include communication gaps, weak IT governance, and rigid IT architecture, whereas successful alignment
enhances efficiency, trust in IT, and organisational performance. Contribution: The study proposes a framework specific to
IT-business strategic alignment in Saudi public institutions, integrating insights from literature and network analysis to model
sustainable organisational performance. The framework supports Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 digital transformation goals and
offers practical guidance for policymakers and IT leaders.

Sectoral Impact of Corporate Governance: Short-Term Profitability vs. Long-Term Value Creation

2025-10-26T08:07:30+00:00

This paper investigates how financial performance influences corporate governance in several sectors, exposing
significant results that vary depending on industry. These findings demonstrate the strategic importance of governance:
effective governance encourages investment and enhances firm value in capital-intensive sectors (e.g., manufacturing,
energy), while also boosting short-term profitability in heavily regulated sectors (e.g., healthcare, finance). A quantitative
cross-industry analysis was conducted using financial performance and governance data. The findings underline the need for
critical industry-specific regulations inside the more general Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) framework. Strong
governance structures and efficiency are significantly correlated (r = 0.354) between governance and EBIT in the banking
industry. Greater profitability follows from this. Similarly, a strong correlation between governance and EBITDA in the
healthcare sector (r = 0.495) highlights the critical role of robust governance for operational resilience and financial stability,
especially in a highly financially constrained and highly regulated environment such as healthcare. By contrast, the consumer
sector shows a weaker correlation (r = 0.223), implying that various factors play a greater role in its profitability than
enhancements in the operational efficiency of governance. In the energy industry, governance is more strongly correlated
with long-term enterprise value (r = 0.468) than short-term profitability, indicating that strong governance drives long-term
company value, even if costly in the short term. In the industrial sector, a significant correlation between governance and
enterprise value (r = 0.447), consistent with past studies, underlines that effective governance is crucial for maximizing
investment strategies and guaranteeing long-term firm value in capital-intensive sectors. These results illustrate that
governance strategies must be tailored to these sectors’ budgetary and regulatory contexts. While strong governance
improves profitability in regulated sectors, it fosters long-term wealth development in capital-intensive businesses.
Therefore, investors and company executives should modify their governance policies to the needs of their industry rather
than rigorously following an ESG model.

Analysing Management Capabilities Interface on Governance and Performance in Pharmaceutical Alliances Context

2025-10-22T15:52:37+00:00

Strategic alliances have become a vital tool for organizations seeking competitive advantage, innovation, and market expansion—particularly in dynamic sectors such as pharmaceuticals. Despite their growing prevalence, many alliances fail to deliver expected outcomes, often due to insufficient alliance management capabilities (AMC) and ineffective alliance governance (AG). While AMC and AG have been examined individually in prior research, their combined impact on alliance performance remains underexplored. This study addresses this gap by investigating the interrelationships among AMC, AG, and Strategic Alliance Performance (SAP) in the pharmaceutical industry. Grounded in dynamic capabilities and governance theories, a conceptual model was developed and empirically tested using survey data from 193 alliance professionals in pharmaceutical firms. Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) was used to evaluate the model and test the proposed hypotheses. The results indicate that AMC significantly influences both AG and SAP, while AG also positively affects SAP. Specifically, AMC accounts for 32.1% of the variance in SAP and 30.4% of the variance in AG, whereas AG explains 52.2% of the variation in SAP. These findings underscore the central role of AMC in shaping governance structures that enhance alliance performance. This research contributes to the literature by integrating AMC and AG into a unified framework, offering theoretical clarity on how capabilities translate into performance through governance mechanisms. The study also responds to recent calls for empirical tools to measure AMC and evaluate its strategic value. From a practical perspective, the results suggest that pharmaceutical firms can improve alliance outcomes by strengthening internal capabilities that support governance design and implementation. Overall, the study highlights the dynamic interplay between managerial capabilities and governance structures in determining the success of strategic alliances. It provides both academic and managerial insights into how firms can better manage interorganizational partnerships in complex and uncertain VUCA (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, and Ambiguous) environments.

Implementation of Lean Healthcare Approaches in a Hospital's Surgical Block

2025-08-23T16:15:17+00:00

Over the last decades, there has been a growing demand for healthcare services, driven by increased life expectancy, population ageing and the prevalence of chronic diseases. In this context, there is an increasing need to make hospital systems more robust and efficient. To achieve this, hospital managers have increasingly adopted Lean methodologies, focusing primarily on identifying and eliminating waste, making operations and processes more efficient. The application of these methodologies in the healthcare sector is known as Lean Healthcare. Research in this area has gained growing interest since the late 20th century, resulting in a clear enhancement of hospital system sustainability and service quality. However, a significant gap has been identified regarding the observation of processes and the implementation of concrete tools in hospital units, which could directly contribute to the improvement of the healthcare network. This research aimed to diagnose and analyse the current state of the processes and activities associated with the operating room of a hospital unit. It also explored the application of Lean Healthcare tools. The project followed the Action Research methodology, applying a practical and collaborative approach to analyse, identify, suggest and implement process improvements, promoting interdisciplinarity between engineering and hospital operations management. This proximity to a real-world context strengthens scientific knowledge in the field of process standardisation, highlighting Action Research as a valid scientific methodology capable of adding value both to institutions and, simultaneously, to the scientific community. Through the data analysis and in loco observation of more than 60 surgeries, it was possible to model preoperative, intraoperative and postoperative processes. This enabled the diagnosis of improvement opportunities. The results revealed that surgeries were frequently delayed due to issues related to medical resource availability. Additionally, operating rooms exhibited low occupancy rates. In response, the research team proposed revised scheduling strategies, implemented 5S audits, process standardization, control checklists and Single-Minute Exchange of Die (SMED) practices. These interventions led to a reduction in non-conformities and errors, including a decrease of over 40 percentage points in non-conformities related to the availability of medical devices. Although there is still a long way to go in Lean Healthcare research, this investigation contributes to a more efficient and robust healthcare network, implementing Lean Healthcare in the surgery department to deliver safer and higher-quality services with the patient at the centre of continuous improvement efforts.

The Effect of Carbon Emissions on Company Profitability

2025-10-05T16:28:34+00:00

Sustainability factors and in particular environmental factors have become increasingly important in recent years for companies, governments and public agencies, but also for many other stakeholders, gaining ground at the expense of financial factors. Non-financial reporting is an area of major interest for companies and researchers, but financial aspects and the quality of financial reporting remain relevant, influencing corporate decisions, including the adoption of short, medium, and long-term sustainability strategies. The two elements, financial and non-financial, mutually influence each other: the adoption of sustainable strategies entails additional costs, leading to lower profits in the short term; while the adoption of sustainability strategies can be beneficial for the profitability of companies in the long term. Thus, this paper aims to study the influence that the dissemination of information on carbon emissions has on the profitability of companies and to confirm or deny the synergy between environmental regulations and the economic development of companies. Moreover, another dimension in which we will approach the research involves analyzing the position in which the carbon disclosures rank in comparison with the ESG score. The study is carried out by using quantitative research methods on a sample of companies in the European Union, and the data used in the research are extracted from the LSEG Data & Analytics (Refinitiv) database and are explained in the paper. The contribution of our study is represented by the simultaneous analysis of the influence that carbon emissions and sustainability performance (ESG score) have on companies' profitability and by bringing together emerging and developed economies in the same study. In order to achieve the research objective, we consider similar research in the literature. We believe that the topic addressed in this paper is topical and may be relevant for future academic research on the case of carbon emissions in relation to corporate profitability.

Leadership Role Models Across Contexts: Identifying Common Similarities and Differences

2025-09-02T14:47:12+00:00

Although role models are widely acknowledged as important in leadership development, little is known about the defining traits of leader role models. This study aims to address this gap by developing a cross-organizational framework of characteristics that define role models in the field of observational leadership development. Drawing on a multiple case study design, three distinct types of organizational career trajectories were selected as cases for analysis: (1) careers rooted in management consultancies, (2) careers situated within corporate firms, and (3) careers involving a crossover from consulting to corporate settings. The primary focus is placed on management consultancies, as their unique setting creates an environment conductive to the observation of the salient attributes of leader role models. The findings are based on semi-structured interviews and thematic analysis. The paper concludes with a discussion of the results and future research directions. The study contributes to the extant literature on leadership development and role models, offering valuable practical and theoretical implications.

DEI Policies and Practices’ Effect on Sustainability Performance: An Ethical Leadership Perspective

2025-09-05T07:13:22+00:00

Multicultural and heterogenous society has prompted policymakers and regulators to prioritize creation of a diverse, equitable, and inclusive economic environment. In addition, noticeable increase in companies’ focus for ethical actions is driven to improve corporate performance and to build stakeholders’ confidence and trustworthiness. Hence, the aim of this paper is to investigate the effect of ethical leadership related to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies and practices on sustainability performance. Considering the interdisciplinary nature of this relationship, the research integrates a holistic theoretical framework. Governance theories explain the equilibrium between managers’ behavior and stakeholders’ expectations, economic theories describe the understanding of resource allocation for strategic decisions, while social theories provide evidence regarding human behavior and culture in sustainable companies. The present study utilizes the Diversity and Inclusion Score (DIS), provided by the LSEG methodology, to present the integrated DEI policies and practices. Muchmore, specific mechanisms of corporate governance related to board cultural diversity, board gender diversity, and executive gender diversity extend the measurement of DEI policies and practices. Sustainability performance is assessed through environmental, social and governance (ESG) score. The data are collected from Thomson Reuters Eikon database for non-financial international companies, during the 2020-2024 period. A final sample of 4,163 company-year observations is used to respond to three research hypotheses. Fixed effects robust regressions are employed to emphasize the impact of integrated and specific diversity-oriented policies and practices on ESG performance. Results indicate significant positive influence of DEI policies and practices on sustainability performance. Muchmore, the moderating effects included in analysis show that irrespective of the specific corporate governance mechanisms of diversity, the presence of integrated DEI policies and practices reduces the positive and significant impact on companies’ sustainability performance. The robustness test emphasizes the positive influence that various pillars of DIS have on ESG performance. With a multi-layered approach, this study contributes to academic and practical understanding by promoting diverse and inclusive leadership as a key corporate governance mechanism that enhances sustainability performance.

The Ambidextrous HR System: A Consilience-Driven Framework for Paradoxical Organizations

2025-11-03T16:28:49+00:00

This conceptual paper critically examines a fundamental limitation in the Strategic Human Resource Management
(SHRM) literature: the prevailing models of HR systems are designed for specific, isolated objectives and are consequently
ill-equipped for the paradoxical and multifaceted nature of contemporary organizations. We argue that in complex and
dynamic environments, systems focused solely on control, commitment, or performance are inherently insufficient to
address the multitude of simultaneous strategic challenges organizations face. Drawing on theory from organizational
studies (Morgan's metaphors), complexity science, and strategic management (ambidexterity), we propose a novel
framework: The Consilience-Driven Hybrid Ambidextrous HR System. This model is conceived to overcome the limitations of
existing systems by unifying disparate HR policies and practices through the principle of consilience, enabling organizations
to simultaneously pursue exploitation (efficiency, incremental innovation) and exploration (adaptability, radical innovation).
The paper delineates the architecture of this system and discusses its theoretical underpinnings. We conclude by outlining
significant implications for HR theory and practice, providing a clear agenda for future empirical research to operationalize
and validate this proposed framework.

The Conflict Management Types and Strategies of Sport Club Board Rooms: Case Evidence from Jordan

2025-09-07T18:19:17+00:00

Organisational conflict is an inevitable aspect of any workplace and understanding the different types of conflict while implementing effective strategies is crucial for promoting a healthy and productive work environment. This study aims to identify the types and strategies of organisational conflict management in Jordanian sports organisations, specifically in Amman, the capital. It will examine the perceptions of both board members and club presidents and analyse any significant variations in their views. The study employs a descriptive survey method, using a structured questionnaire to collect primary data. The research population comprises presidents and board members from 114 sports clubs registered with the Ministry of Youth, totalling 1 1,090 individuals. A random sampling technique is utilised to select a sample of 46 sports clubs, representing approximately 400 individuals. Out of the 400 questionnaires distributed, 290 responses were received, consisting of 46 club presidents and 244 board members. Data analysis was conducted using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software. The study finds agreement among sports club board members and presidents that intergroup conflict is the predominant type of conflict occurring in Jordanian sports clubs. Additionally, the results showed agreement between members and club presidents on choosing the cooperative strategy as the best possible approach to resolve organisational conflicts. However, the results indicate the existence of statistically significant differences in conflict management types and strategies between board members and club presidents. The observed differences can be attributed to their distinct roles and responsibilities within the club, as well as variations in their levels of experience. It is recommended that Jordanian sports clubs effectively manage conflicts by combining open communication, strengthening governance, inclusive decision-making processes, and a willingness to collaborate and compromise.

What Makes an Academic Leader Top of the Class?

2025-08-29T07:49:58+00:00

The increasingly data-driven research on leadership continues to explore the question of what constitutes effective leadership in the eyes of subordinates. One major challenge in this field lies in the limited availability of systematic and publicly accessible data on upward feedback. While prior research has extensively examined leadership effectiveness in private sector contexts – especially concerning CEOs – there remains a notable gap regarding top-level academic leadership, particularly university presidents. This study addresses that gap by analysing a unique and novel data source: publicly available ratings of German university presidents (rectors) submitted by their subordinate faculty members between 2009 and 2025 (N = 785). These ratings provide a rare, large-scale form of upward feedback and allow for an empirical investigation into the factors that shape perceptions of leadership effectiveness within higher education institutions. The analysis of possible determinants of the rectors' performance ratings operates on both the individual and organizational levels. On the individual level, we include detailed measures of the rectors’ specific human capital, such as the years of working experience, internal organizational experience, external promotions and prior higher education management experience. On the organizational level, we draw on a set of performance indicators, including third-party funding volumes, student data and university rankings. The empirical strategy relies on panel data models with ordered logit fixed effects estimations. Our preliminary findings strongly indicate that institutional research performance is among the most significant predictors of positive performance evaluations. These findings highlight the importance of aligning academic leadership with institutional performance goals and suggest that perceptions of effective leadership of academic staff are closely tied to quantifiable organizational success. By leveraging publicly available evaluation data and combining it with institutional performance metrics, this study contributes to a better understanding of leadership effectiveness in the academic sector and opens new avenues for empirical leadership research.

Stress Management Among University Students in Security and Defence Fields

2025-10-28T15:47:41+00:00

The aim of the paper is to explore the sources of stress among university students and to examine their coping strategies for managing stress. Particular attention is given to identifying which coping mechanisms are most frequently employed and how they relate to students’ educational and professional contexts. A quantitative research design was adopted, employing the standardized Brief COPE inventory. The research instrument consisted of 28 closed-ended items measured on a Likert scale and two open-ended qualitative questions. Data collection took place in 2024. The sample included 221 students enrolled at the Faculty of Military Leadership and Faculty of Military Technology, University of Defence in the Czech Republic. Specifically, it comprised 178 military students from the Management and Employment of the Armed Forces program, 26 civilian students from the Security and Defence program, and 17 civilian students from the Technology for Defence and Security program. Findings suggest that students perceive academic demands (e.g., school workload and exams), family-related issues, romantic relationships and breakups, public speaking, unexpected events, time pressure, health concerns, social situations, financial problems, and major life changes as their most significant sources of stress. Analysis of the Brief COPE responses revealed that the most commonly used coping strategies include active coping, humor, planning, acceptance, and positive reframing. In contrast, the least frequently used strategies were religious coping, substance use, behavioral disengagement, denial, and venting. Qualitative responses to open-ended questions highlighted the role of physical activity and sports, social interaction, engagement in hobbies and leisure activities, a rational and problem-solving approach, as well as rest and relaxation as additional strategies for stress management. Overall, problem-focused coping strategies emerged as the most dominant among all categories (problem-focused, emotion-focused, and avoidant strategies). Differences in coping preferences between military and civilian students are discussed in detail, reflecting on the influence of military training and context. Finally, the paper proposes steps to integrate stress management education into university curricula, particularly for students preparing for careers as military commanders or crisis managers, where resilience and effective stress coping are essential competencies.

Collaborative Innovation Ecosystems as Platforms for Sustainable Entrepreneurship: A Regional Case from Lappeenranta, Finland

2025-08-22T08:13:11+00:00

Regional innovation governance plays a critical role in aligning economic development with sustainability
objectives. According to Systems of Innovation theory, regional actors, including municipalities, research institutions, and
businesses, form interconnected systems that shape the generation, diffusion, and commercialization of knowledge.
Effective governance within these systems is essential for enabling regions to respond to societal transitions, including the
shift toward green and circular economies. This paper explores how regional innovation ecosystems can serve as enablers
of sustainable entrepreneurship and corporate development. Focusing on a pilot project led by the City of Lappeenranta, in
partnership with Ikigaia and Servitium, and supported by Sitra, the study examines how cross-sectoral collaboration can be
structured to address shared sustainability challenges and stimulate innovation in green growth sectors. Drawing on
Innovation Ecosystem Theory and the Triple Helix Model, the research investigates how public, private, and academic
actors co-develop governance models, pilot initiatives, and communication platforms that support entrepreneurship in
emerging fields such as biomaterials, hydrogen (Power2X), and small modular reactors. The project’s methodology includes
stakeholder interviews, participatory workshops, and comparative benchmarking with other Finnish "InnoCities" to cocreate
new collaboration models. Through the lens of Stakeholder Theory, Collaborative Governance, and Dynamic
Capabilities, the paper reveals how shared leadership and adaptive processes foster a culture of sustainable innovation. It
also identifies persistent challenges such as fragmented funding, misaligned organizational timescales, and knowledge
accessibility, offering actionable strategies to overcome them. The findings contribute to ongoing discourse on sustainable
innovation governance by presenting a replicable and flexible model for ecosystem-based co-creation. It offers insights for
local governments, innovation intermediaries, and corporate leaders seeking to align entrepreneurial activity with longterm
environmental and societal objectives.

Does Corporate Governance Drive the Narrative Tone of Sustainability Reporting?

2025-10-02T20:13:32+00:00

Extensive research on corporate governance has led to a greater focus on disclosure (financial and narrative) in sustainability reporting, with the company’s primary goal of winning over and maintaining the support of stakeholders to gain competitive advantage. Managers could choose to present information using a qualitative approach rather than a quantitative one, manipulate the rhetoric, and influence investors’ perceptions. This study investigates whether corporate governance influences the tendency of companies to use particular textual narratives, as part of impression management techniques, to expose a favourable projection of overall activity. Three specific characteristics measure the propensity to employ impression management in sustainability reporting, while corporate governance is quantified considering board gender diversity. Additionally, company-level control variables are included. Research hypotheses are asserted in line with previous literature and tested based on a sample of non-financial companies from Eastern European countries, for the time frame between 2022 and 2023. Data on narrative tone is collected using textual analysis of sustainability reports, while corporate governance characteristics and control variables are extracted from the Tomson Reuters Eikon database. Descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and multilevel regression estimation are employed to analyse the panel data. Mixed findings are highlighted, depending on the proxy used to measure impression management. They show that textual characteristics of sustainability reports are impacted by corporate governance. Empirical evidence emphasises that in boards with greater representation of women, the tendency of impression management strategies in the narrative tone of sustainability disclosure decreases. Women directors are associated with more balanced, precise, and clear, but not extensive reports. Results may represent an original and valuable resource for academic and business environments. First, this study adds to the existing literature and contributes to the debate on corporate governance mechanisms from the perspective of impression management, as a basis for present and future research horizons. Second, due to a thorough understanding of the tone of narrative disclosure, business representatives, regulators, and policymakers will be fully aware of potential opportunistic behaviours, as well as corporate governance mechanisms that exert significant influence and could lead to high-quality reporting. Third, impression management measurements as well as sample specifics and methodological insights support the originality of the investigation.

Leadership Traits Maintaining Work Engagement During Change Negotiations

2025-09-02T12:11:47+00:00

Work engagement, defined as a positive, motivational state of dedication and absorption in one's work, is important for both occupational well-being and for organizational performance. Individuals experiencing work engagement are motivated to develop and voluntarily act in a way that benefits the workplace. From an organizational perspective, work engagement enhances the financial success of an organization and the commitment of its employees. However, during times of organizational change, particularly in restructuring scenarios involving layoffs or redundancies, work engagement is often diminished, which can lead to less well-being and decreased organizational commitment and poor overall performance. This study looks at how leadership can actively maintain employee work engagement during and after change negotiations. It is conducted via an online survey of members of the Finnish Academic Engineers and Architects Association. This study explores how leadership traits can help sustain employee engagement during and after change negotiations. The research utilizes survey data from members of the Finnish Academic Engineers and Architects Association to identify leadership behaviors that support engagement amid uncertainty. Work engagement is found to be closely linked to well-being, which is enhanced by a positive work environment and opportunities for meaningful contribution. Leadership traits fostering clarity, empathy, and recognition play a critical role in maintaining engagement during change negotiations. The study adds to the understanding of employee-centered strategies in order to sustain motivation and commitment. It also offers insights into how leadership can promote organizational resilience during change negotiations and offers practical insights to organizations undergoing change negotiations and wanting to maintain the motivation of the employees throughout. The importance of leadership in maintaining employee engagement is also highlighted by this study.

Sustainability Indicators in Practice: Insights from Expert Companies in Finland

2025-08-26T10:05:46+00:00

This multiple case study examines how knowledge intensive expert organizations measure sustainability in Finland. Through interviews eleven leaders of expert companies, the research identifies the need for tailored measurement tools. The findings reveal a variety of available metrics and the necessity for specific indicators for expert companies. Defining sustainability presents two significant challenges, firstly the lack of a unified definition and secondly the diversity of synonyms used in the literature. Furthermore, sustainable development is a continuous and guided societal change that occurs at global, regional, and local levels. Its goal is to ensure good living conditions for current and future generations. This study found that current metrics are perceived as fragmented and are also not used purposefully. New metrics could help companies assess sustainability more comprehensively. This research also highlights a need for metrics that are easy to use and reliable. The results of this study also show a need for new, unified sustainability metrics, as current metrics are fragmented and often lack purposeful use. By developing clear and reliable metrics, companies can assess sustainability comprehensively and consistently. Sustainable leadership can be defined as an ethical practice aimed at helping groups of people achieve significant environmental or societal goals. Sustainable leadership combines strategic and operational as well as financial information and integrates it with non-financial information, to make sustainable decisions. Successful sustainable leadership is more than just financial profit; it encompasses mental, physical, and social dimensions. Organizations actively address societal challenges, invest in their communities, and consider employees in all decision-making. The leaders interviewed in this study recommend involving the entire staff in promoting sustainability and ensuring management commitment.

Breaking the Silence: How Advertising CEO Vacancies can Transform Gender Equality in Executive Recruitment

2025-10-07T18:08:25+00:00

Despite Iceland's global reputation for gender equality, women remain significantly underrepresented among chief executive officers (CEOs), revealing a persistent gap in corporate leadership. This study examines how the (non-)advertising of CEO vacancies serves as a structural mechanism that influences transparency, inclusion, and gender dynamics in executive recruitment. While prior research has focused on networks and board-level bias, little attention has been paid to the procedural decision of whether or not to advertise leadership roles, a choice that fundamentally determines who sees, applies for, and ultimately attains power. Drawing on 52 qualitative interviews with board members and executive search consultants in Iceland, this study explores how advertising is perceived and enacted in the context of CEO recruitment. Using thematic analysis and guided by Upper Echelons Theory and Executive Labor Market Theory, four key dynamics are identified: (1) advertising as a lever for transparency and inclusion, (2) risk aversion favouring confidential processes, (3) cultural norms that subtly deter women from applying, and (4) emerging hybrid models combining public calls with targeted outreach. The findings reveal that advertising is neither neutral nor incidental; it reflects strategic tensions between control and openness, as well as between perceived stability and inclusive access. Among the dynamics identified, hybrid approaches emerge as the most actionable and adaptable for boards seeking to expand candidate pools while maintaining discretion. By reframing advertising as a structural lever rather than a procedural formality, the study offers new insights into how executive recruitment can reinforce or disrupt gendered hierarchies. It calls for normalizing inclusive, hybrid recruitment strategies as a practical priority for organizations seeking to align leadership appointments with commitments to gender equality.

Translating Organisational Realities into the Lecture Theatre: The Power of Junior-Senior Knowledge Sharing

2025-10-30T17:34:12+00:00

The systematic transfer of expertise from senior to junior professionals is a critical challenge for organizations facing demographic shifts and rapid technological change. Organisations rely on universities to foster a mindset in future professionals that empowers them to both absorb and perpetuate this transfer. This paper explores how findings from 36 semi-structured interviews with different organisational perspectives resonated with the students from Bachelor and Master programmes. The research team combines industry knowledge and experience with award winning academic research experience. The difficulty of creating trust between colleagues – especially between older and younger ones – is a topic of growing interest in an aging continent and developed world. Solutions are proposed. Bettina Falckenthal (former CEO and PhD candidate at the University of Aveiro – Doctorate in Business and Innovation (DBI) program) has delivered a series of lectures to youths on senior-to-junior knowledge sharing in organizations. This we have seen has sparked a new thinking process and approach to future work by young scholars. The importance of human capital could not be more important, including and especially in the age of AI. How not to lose out on important knowledge when seniors retire? How to best capitalize on juniors in the enterprise - and to motivate them to succeed quickly and knowledgeably – in collaboration with senior experts, perhaps nearing retirement? These issues have been discussed on a par with the importance of tacit knowledge in organizational settings. How important is trust in this type of collaboration? Serious games, a concept that appeals to generations with a digital upbringing, as well as Senior-Junior tandems (JuSeTs), linked to which we are in the process of generating intellectual property, are central to the debate. A literature review has already been performed, and artificial intelligence (AI) discussed in conjunction with the need to share – does AI promote or inhibit trust and knowledge-sharing community building? The students in attendance have stated how interesting the lectures on the topic have been and wish to learn more. Our in-depth research results are to be shared with them as we see motivation as being highly impactful on the success of both seniors and juniors in the workplace. Should older people be discarded or treasured? Given the growing shortage of human capital, expertise and tacit knowledge in an aging Europe, the topic could not be more crucial to the competitiveness of organizations in an increasingly complex and uncertain world.

Understanding and Preventing VAT Fraud: Lessons from One of the EU’s Highest Gap Economies

2025-10-06T18:10:46+00:00

VAT fraud represents one of the most pervasive and damaging forms of economic crime within the European Union, leading to substantial losses in public revenue and undermining the efficiency of tax systems. As member states face increasing pressure to enhance fiscal sustainability, understanding the underlying mechanisms of VAT evasion becomes essential. This study focuses on Romania, a country with one of the highest VAT gaps in the EU, to explore the relationship between tax fraud and broader economic and institutional dynamics. By employing a quantitative approach, the present paper aims to analyze the impact of VAT fraud on public revenues, to assess the effectiveness of existing anti-fraud measures and to identify innovative practices that could be adapted across the EU to prevent this phenomenon. The Romanian case is analyzed not only for its specific vulnerabilities but also for its potential to generate transferable insights for other countries facing similar, though less acute, challenges. The findings are expected to contribute to the development of practical, data-driven recommendations for improving VAT compliance, reducing tax gaps, and strengthening fiscal governance at both national and European levels.

Navigating into the Military Leadership Landscape

2025-10-08T11:17:18+00:00

Military leaders significantly influence national and global history. Through a standardized, hierarchically defined management structure, the military cultivates values and rules reinforced by education, discipline, and experience. Armed Forces operate under strict discipline, structured power, and a collective demand for commitment and efficiency, while adapting to ever-changing challenges. Military leadership involves managing human resources under pressure, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity, and relies on personal traits such as credibility, determination, and role-modeling. This study investigates the military leadership landscape through four leadership theories—charismatic, transactional, transformational, and servant leadership—across five dimensions: personality, vision, influence, personnel management and care, and responsibility in decision-making and risk-taking. A quantitative survey was distributed across three branches of the Armed Forces. Findings indicate that transformational and servant leadership elements predominate. Understanding modern military leadership benefits researchers and military leaders, encouraging further investigation.

Leadership Data-Driven and CBHRM: Interplay of Skills in Public Administration

2025-10-24T09:48:43+00:00

The increasing complexity of public sector challenges needs a shift from intuition-based decision-making to evidence-based approaches, particularly in human resource management (Cho et al., 2023). This paradigm shift requires leaders able to leverage data analytics to manage strategically human resources within public administration (Magakwe, 2025) (Cho et al., 2023). The digital transformation in public sector needs to move beyond traditional practices to embrace new strategies for performance optimization (“Digital Transformation in Public Sector Human Resource Management,” 2024). This paper explores the interplay between data-driven and soft skills, examining how these elements facilitate efficient transformation programs and enhance public service delivery (Adie et al., 2024) (Bastidas et al., 2023). Specifically, it investigates how leaders in public administration need to integrate sophisticated data analytics and soft competency frameworks to support an adaptive and high-performing workforce (García, 2025) (Zervas & Stiakakis, 2024). The objective is to delineate the weight of the skills and competencies required for public
sector leaders to navigate the complexities of data-driven decision-making (Adie et al., 2024). This integration is crucial to raise a workforce capable of navigating and ensuring public sector development (Adie et al., 2024; Zervas & Stiakakis, 2024). This research will delve into the competencies required by Human Resource Directors within these highly adaptive and scalable organizations, particularly examining how a human-centric approach to digital leadership can foster an environment leading to innovation and efficiency in public service.

Public-Private Defence for Satellite Cybersecurity: Addressing Challenges Through Collaboration

2025-10-17T05:48:43+00:00

Commercial satellites play a pivotal role in maintaining civil communications and military operations. However, these privately operated space systems remain vulnerable, particularly when deployed in high-stakes public emergency scenarios where secure and continuous communication is critical. This paper examines the cyber risks associated with commercial satellite communication (SATCOM) networks, such as those operated by SpaceX and Amazon, when deployed during civil conflicts and national emergencies. We argue that the convergence of military reliance, profit-driven motives, and emerging AI-enabled cyber threats has created a critical need for a public–private cybersecurity paradigm. We analyse three core challenges: misaligned stakeholder interests, the rise of generative AI-enabled attacks, and transparency gaps in satellite protocol governance. Building on the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Cybersecurity Framework (CSF) and the 2024 NIST AI Risk Management Framework (AI RMF), we propose an integrated approach for securing commercial SATCOMs. Our framework adapts NIST core functions to satellite systems and aligns sector-specific guidance from NIST Internal Reports (IR)s to facilitate coordination among government, military, and commercial actors. We further evaluate existing U.S. practices, including the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency’s Space System Working Group and the Space Force’s Infrastructure Asset Pre-Assessment Program, to assess how cross-sectoral collaboration can be standardized and institutionalized. We argue for pre-emptive regulation on AI model deployment, cryptographic protocol disclosure, and open standards for hybrid satellite networks. By synthesizing technical frameworks with policy case studies, this study makes three contributions: first, it articulates a novel application of the NIST CSF to commercial satellite cybersecurity; second, it provides a conceptual bridge between AI risk management and satellite network governance; third, it offers practical strategies for harmonizing public benefit with private infrastructure in space-based communication. This research supports the development of a resilient satellite cybersecurity ecosystem that safeguards public trust and international stability.

Increasing Organisational Effectiveness with Managerial Interpersonal Skills – The Role of Organisation Design

2025-09-29T13:40:26+00:00

The impact of managerial interpersonal skills on various organisational phenomena, including organisational effectiveness, is still somewhat unclear and requires additional, more in-depth insights. The interpersonal dynamics through which managerial interpersonal skills can contribute to performance enhancement at all organisational levels take place within a predefined organisational context, highlighting the importance of organisation design for achieving organisational goals and high organisational performance. However, the role of organisational context, defined by organisation design choices, in the effective demonstration and use of managerial interpersonal skills on a daily basis and in the subsequent positive impact of these skills on the organisation is still poorly understood. The main objective of this paper is to examine the role of organisation design characteristics in the relationship between managerial interpersonal skills and organisational effectiveness. To this end, an empirical study was conducted using a specially designed questionnaires on a sample of 89 medium-sized and large companies (over 100 employees) from Croatia. The collected data was processed using SPSS statistical software, with the main statistical analyses being correlation and linear regression. The results indicate that the interpersonal skills of managers overall and at different management levels (top, middle and lower levels) are moderately strongly related to organisational effectiveness and that the organisation design context in which these skills are expressed plays an important role in the aforementioned relationship. Design characteristics such as the number of hierarchical levels, span of control, communication system or the number of geographical locations in which the company operates significantly alter the impact of managerial interpersonal skills on organisational effectiveness. These and other interesting findings of the study represent a valuable contribution to the relevant literature by providing a deeper understanding of the role of organisation design in promoting the positive impact of managerial competent interpersonal behaviour on enhancing organisational effectiveness.

The Role of Leadership Style in Fostering Innovation Culture in Dubai Government Organisations

2025-10-05T19:43:46+00:00

Leadership and innovation have been two key areas of research over the last decade. Innovation is crucial in organisational survival and growth, and it is a force of change in today’s competitive market. To be competitive in the global market, especially in the public sector, organisations must adopt innovative approaches to service delivery, governance and operational efficiency. Innovation is identified as a critical element for the success of an organisation. Effective leadership is essential in driving innovation within organisations, still the role of leadership style to foster innovation and encourage experimentation are still not fully understood. While considerable research has been conducted globally, studies examining the association between leadership style and innovation in the United Arab Emirates, particularly Dubai government organisations, is still rare. Accordingly, this study seeks to address the following research question: How do leadership styles foster a culture of innovation within Dubai government organisations? As a conceptual paper, this study adopts a synthesis approach, drawing on existing regional and global literature to develop a theoretical foundation, identify research gaps, and propose directions for future empirical study. The research aims to shed light on the vital role of leadership style in fostering a culture of innovation in Dubai government organisations, with specific focus on how leadership styles foster a culture that support experimentation, innovation, and continuous improvement. The research highlights innovation initiatives implemented by Dubai government organisations, examining how leadership has driven initiatives, for example the Mohammed Bin Rashid Centre for Government Innovation, and the Dubai Future Accelerators to promote digital transformation, agile governance, and promote a culture of experimentation. The research addresses the persistent barriers to innovation commonly faced by Dubai government organisations, including bureaucratic inertia, rigid hierarchies, and resistance to change. In addition, the study offers practical recommendations to the public sector to help overcome the challenges through strategic leadership practises, capability building, and supportive policy frameworks. Finally, the underlying mechanisms and determinants of effective leadership style and its impact on innovation are critical to understand, as the existing literature tends to focus on leadership style practices, rather than its drivers. This research offers practical guidance for leaders to create a culture of innovation within the Dubai government organisations.

Agile Culture, Agile and Non-Agile Minded Employees' Interrelations in the Context of Agile-Minded Leader Paradox

2025-08-14T23:37:52+00:00

This study follows previous research indicating that leaders with an agile mindset are essential for establishing an agile organization. They directly influence the creation of such an organization, support agile-minded employees, and motivate non-agile staff to change their attitudes and behaviors. This study examines the relationships between agile and non-agile employees in environments characterized by agile culture and those without it, while excluding the impact of agile-minded leaders from the analysis. The results indicate that a firm or robust agile culture within an organization leads to a negative perception of non-agile-minded employees, while the opposite relationship is not significant. Thus, addressing the research question to which this study is dedicated—whether agile culture mitigates tensions between agile and non-agile staff—the answer is no; it does not. Consequently, the Agile-Minded Paradox remains one of the biggest challenges agile-minded leaders face when building or managing agile organizations. So, this constant tension caused the Agile Minded Leader Paradox to remain unsolved, but with awareness of it, agile-minded leaders can manage these tensions more effectively. Furthermore, this study provides insights into this complex situation. Specifically, in an agile culture where high standards are established, agile-minded staff (the minority) are not victims of non-agile-minded employees (the majority). Thus, even as a minority, agile-minded staff are very efficient and influential when working in a company dominated by agile culture.

Artificial Intelligence, Strategic Foresight, and Competitive Intelligence: Towards Convergence for Morocco’s Augmented Competitiveness

2025-09-01T18:10:20+00:00

This paper explores how Artificial Intelligence, Strategic Foresight and Competitive Intelligence convergence can significantly contribute to enhancing Morocco’s national competitiveness, transformational growth, and consequently, placing the new development model within a new AI-driven paradigm by converging different intelligences to serve competitiveness, performance, sovereignty, resilience, and Morocco's strategic and digital transformation.To this end, we adopted a mixed approach, combining a literature review, semi-structured interviews with experts and professionals in these fields, a benchmark of best practices for converging this triptych of AI, strategic foresight and competitive intelligence, and conceptual and systemic modelling that operationalizes this convergence across the entire Moroccan foresight and intelligence ecosystem. Thus, we proposed the LOUMAR Framework as part of a holistic, inclusive and convergent-oriented approach designed to harness the largely untapped synergistic potential between artificial intelligence, strategic foresight and competitive intelligence. This strategic and integrative model is based on six key levers, primarily focusing on Leadership and strategic vision, Organizing the National augmented foresight and intelligence ecosystem, Utilizing AI-enhanced competitive intelligence, Modelling AI-driven strategic foresight, Advancing AI-powered and intelligence-driven transformation, Resilience, realignment and continuous evaluation. Furthermore, we have outlined Morocco's main achievements and strengths with regards to this tripartite convergence, the constraints and points for improvement, the opportunities to be seized and the perspectives and development paths to follow, through the implementation of a strategic and digital transformation model that drives transformational growth and boosts Morocco’s augmented competitiveness.

The Impact of Covid-19 on the Type of Auditor’s Opinion: Evidence from the Largest Non-Listed Portuguese Companies

2025-09-22T09:28:30+00:00

In 2020, the world was surprised by a pandemic caused by Covid-19, which emerged and devastated the entire world economy, forcing several companies to adapt to a new health reality that affected the lives of people and the companies themselves, forcing the population to readapt. In this follow-up, the present research arises with the aim of analysing the impact of Covid-19 on the Audit Report of the largest Portuguese unlisted companies, namely regarding the type of opinion. This research included the analysis of 114 audit reports, referring to the years 2018 (pre-pandemic), 2020 (during pandemic) and 2022 (post-pandemic) of the largest and best Portuguese non-listed companies, according to Exame Magazine for the year 2022. The data were collected through a content analysis of the Audit Reports of these companies, and then statistically treated through a bivariate analysis using association tests between the variables (dependent and independent). The results obtained proved that Covid-19 did not significantly influence the type of opinions issued. However, we were able to verify that there is a lower probability of the Big four firms issuing modified opinions. This study, in a way, contributed to the literature on this topic, clarifying some impacts of the pandemic on audit work, as well as the impacts of other variables on the Audit Reports.

Barriers and Benefits to the Practice of Volunteering by People With Disabilities: A Study of the Perceptions of Organisations Working With Disabilities

2025-09-27T07:09:24+00:00

The practice of volunteering has been associated with several benefits for the population as a whole, as well as for specific population groups. In the case of people with disabilities (PwD), there is an unsolved paradox. On the one hand, volunteering is a powerful tool for capabilities development and social integration. On the other hand, few PwD are volunteers. Based on this paradox, the paper has three main objectives. Firstly to analyse the position of organisations that work directly with PwD towards inclusive volunteering. Secondly, to assess the benefits that organisations on the filed ascribe to the practice of volunteering by PwD and thirdly to examine the factors perceived by organisations as obstacles to the practice of volunteering by PwD, and secondly to. Primary data was collected through a questionnaire sent to organisations that work directly with people with disabilities in Portugal as part of their mission. The data was collected between 28 June and 6 October 2024. A total of 104 valid responses were received and analysed. The results show that organisations recognise that volunteering is under-utilised and that there are still several barriers. The main ones are the lack of opportunities for inclusive volunteering, the lack of support staff and the lack of encouragement from family members. Nevertheless, the organisations recognise the high benefits associated with volunteering by people with disabilities, with particular emphasis on access to new experiences for people with disabilities, the fact that it allows people with disabilities to feel more fulfilled and useful, and the potential in terms of exercising citizenship. Other benefits include the ability of volunteering to reduce stigma towards people with disabilities, promote socialisation, develop skills and contribute to building inclusive communities.

Ignorant Certainty: Leadership in a Dogmatic Haystack

2025-09-17T18:46:19+00:00

Background: There is no absolute certainty of truth in the social sciences, but some try. On one hand, several researchers argue that we still search for a robust leadership theory – a heuristic Bayesian probabilistic explanation of reality. This view is based on the numerous leadership definitions which suggest the absence of an integrative framework thus producing confusion. On the other hand, many researchers seemingly imply leadership theory is finalised and based on a contemporary broadly agreed upon but limited definition emphasising relationships. Our stance is continuously updating possibilities with new and, in this paper, old but unfashionable research evidence that may clarify. Purpose, design/method/approach: Because concepts make a crucial contribution to theory, we assessed the concept leadership by conducting concept analysis. Findings: The purported consensus leadership definition states relationships or ‘cooperation’ as the fundamental quality of leadership. Research demonstrates that relationships/cooperation are necessary, but an insufficient condition to encapsulate the complete concept of leadership. Many researchers agree that leadership is a solution to the problem of collective effort (cooperation), bringing people together (coordination), and combining their efforts (integration) to promote organisational success – the crux of competitive advantage. This description signifies leadership solves the organising problem, namely, division of labour and integration of effort. Hence, leadership entails more than relationships/cooperation. Coordination galvanises cooperation. Nonetheless, coordination is missing in the purported consensus leadership definition and is often evident in observed poor organisational results. Contribution: We propose an alternative leadership definition from the earliest (‘old’) management literature. Our definition clarifies and remedies the shortcomings of the ignorant certainty asserted in the consensus definition. We believe that we provide an alternative way of thinking about, understanding, explaining, practising, and developing leadership. Consequently, laying the foundation for a unified leadership framework, if not theory, that can guide further refinement and expansion. Limitations: We carefully followed one recognised approach to concept analysis. This approach is useful in advancing debate and stimulating insights in the spirit of ongoing efforts to refine leadership theory. We recommend further calibration studies.

Expanded Value Stream Mapping in Healthcare: From Efficiency to Sustainability

2025-10-13T09:05:24+00:00

Value Stream Mapping (VSM) is a widely used lean tool that improves efficiency by identifying and eliminating wastes across various processes, including those in healthcare. In recent years, stakeholders have increasingly pressured organisations to integrate sustainability into their operations, underscoring the need to expand lean management practices by incorporating environmental and social considerations, such as the implementation of sustainable VSM. Unlike traditional VSM, which primarily focuses on customer (i.e., patient) value, sustainable VSM addresses the needs of a broader range of stakeholders, including patients, employees (healthcare staff), labour/professional unions, insurers, local communities, and regulatory bodies. This study aims to systematically identify the metrics used in VSM within the healthcare sector and propose an expanded metrics-based VSM that integrates economic, environmental, and social dimensions. A systematic literature review on sustainable VSM was conducted following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. The review indicates that current VSM practices in healthcare focus on metrics related to time, efficiency, capacity, cost, patient safety, and patient satisfaction. However, the healthcare sector also has significant implications for sustainability, including environmental aspects (e.g., resource consumption and healthcare waste management) and social aspects (e.g., occupational health and safety, and stakeholder satisfaction). To address these broader considerations, this study expands the existing application of VSM in healthcare by adapting multidimensional metrics commonly used in sustainable VSM in the manufacturing sector. This approach aims to achieve comprehensive outcomes by enhancing the quality of patient-centred care, while minimising resource consumption (materials, energy, and water), ensuring effective healthcare waste management, promoting health and safety, and improving the satisfaction of patients and other stakeholders. This study establishes a theoretical foundation for future research on integrating lean practices and sustainability. Additionally, it offers actionable insights for healthcare organisations seeking to implement a comprehensive approach to VSM that improves efficiency, care quality, and sustainability.

Corporate Governance and Risk Management: Cash Flow Indicators in Credit Risk Prediction

2025-10-08T19:51:42+00:00

Credit risk management and its prediction are critical to the success of any organisation, as bad debts-a major source of credit risk-can lead to significant financial difficulties. While the issue of credit risk is prevalent in banks and the financial sector, it is also relevant for companies in non-financial sectors. Nevertheless, the prediction of credit risk in non-financial companies remains an under-researched area in the literature. The mandatory application of the international accounting standard IFRS 9 in 2018, which requires the estimation of expected credit losses in non-financial companies as well, highlights the need for reliable predictive indicators for both financial reporting and internal risk management, which is a key principle of effective corporate governance. This study examines the role of cash flow-based indicators in complementing traditional accrual-based measures in assessing and predicting credit risk from the perspective of companies managing their receivables. Using a sample of large non-financial companies over a five-year period, statistical analysis was performed with logistic regression in SAS Enterprise Miner. The results indicate that several cash flow indicators have explanatory value for fluctuations in credit risk, but are insufficient on their own for predictive modelling. The findings suggest that cash flow indicators should be integrated with other financial and non-financial measures to enhance credit risk assessment models, supporting better decision-making and overall corporate governance practices.

Transforming Health Service Competencies in Remote Regions: Lessons from Lithuania’s Public Health Reform

2025-09-11T09:44:39+00:00

In Lithuania, the year 2024 has been identified as a pivotal moment for healthcare reform, which encompasses two primary objectives: implementing a proactive public health policy and enhancing the accessibility, quality, and efficiency of healthcare through the restructuring of the service delivery network. This reform is essential for remote regions, where demographic shifts have modified service requirements. Certain services, such as midwifery, have diminished, while others, including elderly nursing care, require reestablishment. Adapting to these reforms has disrupted competencies, underscoring their importance as a critical area for regional development, particularly in enhancing new resources. By analysing the public health reform in Lithuania through the lens of remote regions, it becomes possible to identify specific strategies and practices that can be applied both nationally and internationally. The study aims to highlight shifts in the emerging needs of healthcare personnel's competencies in remote regional areas, particularly during the national healthcare system's structural transformations, and their capacity to achieve the reform goal of delivering top-quality health services based on transformative competencies. The study uses qualitative interviews to identify the competencies health professionals lack following the establishment of new Primary Health Care Centres. The study revealed that while clinical and professional competencies related to legal and clinical responsibilities are easier to adopt from a technical standpoint, competencies like leadership, collaboration, and patient involvement pose greater challenges, leading to community stress. The acquisition of these competencies requires long-term investment in staff development, emotional support, and clear change management. Moreover, the new structure of health centers and newly introduced work processes may increase employees’ emotional exhaustion, stress, or even the risk of burnout if adequate support or training is not provided.

An Information System for a Small Agricultural Company Built on the Google Maps Platform

2025-08-29T11:29:29+00:00

Planning crop production is a key factor in small agricultural companies or cooperatives. The company’s arable land usually consists of a number of partial plots. It is essential that agronomists keep track of what is being grown in each plot and of the state of the plot. In addition, agronomists also need to be aware of the ongoing work activities of agricultural employees. Keeping a record of what has been and is being grown in plots and across the company’s land is a complex problem. Existing software solutions are not suitable for small companies and the cost of the software and associated fees is also an important factor. Information systems have received considerable attention in recent years, and Google Maps Platform appears to be a suitable tool to solve the problem of crop production planning. Google Maps Platform is often discussed in scientific articles and has already been used in many areas to solve problems related to soil, land, maps, routing, to name a few. Although there are other solutions such as geographic information systems or cadastral maps, for example, Google Maps Platform can provide crucial information and it can be used also in mobile applications. We analysed the market for information systems designed for agricultural enterprises and contacted selected agricultural enterprises. The problem domain was identified by evaluating responses in a survey. In this article, Google Maps Platform and its current use is first introduced. The article draws on a set of scientific publications referring to Google Maps Platform. Considering the results of our survey in small agricultural companies, we solve the problem using Google Maps Platform and present a proposal for an information system. The design is illustrated by several diagrams. Finally, we discuss and show how Google Maps Platform can help solve the identified problem of crop production planning in small agricultural companies. Our information system provides managerial reports and it can be easily extended with a mobile application.

A Study on Assessing Circular Economic Practices in the Construction Sector

2025-10-28T16:59:37+00:00

Circular economic practices are encouraged in several sectors, including the construction sector. These practices and related performances are assessed by using indicators. In general, indicators play a significant role in measuring performance / effect of actions and operations, which can then lead to devise plans to improve the performance in the future. This paper looks at small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the construction sector. In this context, indicators can play a role in supporting a systematic understanding of how circular economy practices are perceived and adopted among SMEs in the construction sector. In this study a set of indicators from an established framework is applied with modifications and evaluated. Since this study is connected to a project, the indicators are categorized to fit the project's context, and their relevance is evaluated based on input from representatives from the SMEs who participated in this study. By ranking a set of indicators, we gain insight into which aspects of circular economy (which indicators) are currently perceived as most important or applicable. This insight can help to prioritize areas for further investigation and practical application within the project. This paper is based on a part of a technology acceptance study for circular economy (CE). It focuses on the development and categorization of indicators to evaluate circularity mechanisms (CM), recycling techniques (RT) and technology knowledge (TK) within the SMEs in the construction sector. Quantitative method was applied in this study. In this regard, a questionnaire was used to obtain data from potential respondents. The findings reveal, among other things, that indicators related to organizational and strategic drivers, particularly handling human resource, social circularity, and policy & regulation adoption, are perceived as the most relevant and/or consistently understood. These results suggest that SMEs demonstrate relatively high maturity or a strong degree of prioritization regarding general / overall organizational awareness, strategic alignment, and stakeholder engagement with CE principles.

Talent Management Approaches in the Kenyan Banking Sector: The Role of Organizational Characteristics

2025-09-27T14:05:09+00:00

Kenya’s banking sector is navigating a turbulent era where competition is fierce and the way banks manage talent may determine their survival. Both established giants and agile newcomers face the same question: which talent management (TM) approaches best sustain competitive advantage amid de-globalization, re-shoring, digital disruption, and shifting demographics? While most prior studies—largely from developed economies—highlight organizational size, little is known about how the combined influence of size and age shapes TM adoption in emerging markets. This study addresses that gap by examining Kenyan banks across three tiers. A cross-sectional survey of 456 employees yielded 399 valid responses, analyzed through structural equation modeling (SmartPLS 4.0). Findings reveal that larger and older banks tend to adopt hybrid TM approaches that blend inclusive and exclusive practices, whereas smaller and younger banks favor inclusive approaches. This study enriches TM scholarship by providing evidence from a resource-constrained, developing economy and offers practical guidance for aligning TM strategies with organizational size and maturity in an era of shifting global dynamics.

Financial Literacy, Risk, and Role Models: Investment Behavior Among Members of the Association of Women Business Leaders in Iceland

2025-10-07T17:18:33+00:00

This study investigates the factors influencing the investment behavior of women in senior business leadership in Iceland, focusing on the barriers that limit their participation in financial markets. Survey data from 316 members of the Association of Women Business Leaders (AWBL) provide a unique perspective on women who, in principle, possess the education, income, and networks to engage actively in investing. Drawing on an interdisciplinary framework that integrates financial literacy, risk attitudes, socialization, and institutional trust, the study tests four hypotheses. The findings show that AWBL members primarily invest in tangible and lower-risk assets, supporting H1 on gendered investment participation. Consistent with H2, women who received financial education in childhood report significantly higher confidence and are less likely to cite lack of knowledge or role models as barriers. Results also support H3, as lower-income women are more likely to identify lack of capital, risk aversion, and limited knowledge as constraints. In contrast, H4 is only partially supported: while some older participants expressed distrust in financial institutions, this factor played a less prominent role than expected. Overall, the study demonstrates that structural, psychological, and social barriers persist even among women in leadership, reinforcing the importance of early financial education, tailored investment products, and visible female role models. Theoretically, it advances gender and finance research by applying a holistic framework to an underexplored group. Practically, it highlights the need for policies that address both knowledge gaps and structural inequalities to close the gender investment gap. Unlike previous studies focusing on the general population, this paper examines women who, despite having financial capacity and access, still face structural and psychological barriers to investing.

Leadership in Higher Education: Women´s Mentorship and Leadership Styles

2025-10-16T21:42:25+00:00

Women´s leadership across industries worldwide continues to be promoted by governments, companies, and organizations alike. This paper presents preliminary results from a broader qualitative research on women in leadership positions in higher education institutions (HEI), government positions, and companies related to higher education (HE) worldwide. This paper presents the views of women in leadership roles in HEI (including department, institution, board of directors, among others) and related organizations (such as consultancies, embassies) on 1) the mentorship they have received (if any) from their role models, and 2) which leadership styles they perceive to practice in their daily activities in their current role. Through semi-structured interviews, we gathered information about participants' views, practices, and leadership styles. The participants included women from diverse nationalities, ages, socioeconomic, cultural, and academic backgrounds, all of whom currently hold leadership roles in or related to higher education. The interviews were recorded, videotaped, subsequently transcribed, and then coded using MAXQDA, a qualitative analysis software. Results indicated that most participants had received mentorship from previous leaders such as thesis advisors, university deans, faculty heads, or colleagues in similar positions. Participants in the study also cited parents and spouses as role models and mentors influencing their personal and professional decisions. They reported learning qualities such as innovation, creativity, resilience, and soft skills from their mentors. Regarding their leadership styles, most women did not identify with a specific style but rather described some dynamics and approaches they employ in their current leadership roles. Mentorship in the higher education field can support women in the early stages of their careers, help develop their leadership styles, and encourage them to strive for such positions. The study concludes that targeted mentorship programs for women should be established and promoted to incorporate broader perspectives at the highest levels of decision-making in higher education institutions.

Aligning Regional Innovation Ecosystems: The MEAM-3LAM Model and CAM Actor Mapping

2025-10-15T10:28:08+00:00

This paper presents an integrated framework for analyzing and developing regional innovation ecosystems through the combination of three complementary models: the METRIC Ecosystem Actor Model (MEAM v2), the Three-Layer Alignment Model (3LAM), and the Conceptual Actor Mapping (CAM) methodology. MEAM v2 provides a comprehensive taxonomy of innovation ecosystem actors organized by function (Innovation Development, Innovation Support, and Structural Support) and categorized into ten distinct actor types. The 3LAM model adds vertical dimension by distinguishing between Public Innovation Ecosystems (PIE), Business Innovation Ecosystems (BIE), and Innovation Management Systems (IMS). CAM operationalizes these frameworks through a four-step diagnostic process. The integration of these three models offers practitioners and policymakers a robust toolkit for ecosystem assessment, gap identification, and strategic intervention design. Based on extensive literature review and empirical testing with 1,682 firms across Swedish regions, this framework provides actionable insights for enhancing innovation ecosystem performance through improved actor alignment and orchestration.

Strategic Injustice in AI-Assisted Goal Setting: The Marginalization of Social Objectives

2025-09-02T17:26:35+00:00

The study investigates how artificial intelligence driven decision making influences the prioritization of traditional financial objectives versus sustainability related goals. Using a modified “cake sharing” model in the NetLogo simulation environment, it was examined three objectives: improving ROI, increasing revenue, reducing costs, and ensuring sustainability of sales activities. Ther were run 500 iterations in the simulation phase. The simulation paired the sustainability oriented goal (SDG) with each financial objective. There was observed potential systematic discrimination against non-financial targets. Input data were derived from CD Projekt’s 2024 financial and non-financial reports, analyzed with ChatGPT to recommend strategic priorities before integration into the NetLogo framework. Findings reveal that AI generated recommendations favor financial objectives, particularly ROI, leading to marginalization of sustainability goals. It confirmed the hypotheses that AI supported goal setting can reinforce a bias. While the model is simplified and limited to four objectives under controlled conditions, the results underscore the risk of relying on generative AI in strategic planning. The study highlights the need for managers to critically assess algorithmic assumptions in AI-supported decision making.

Combining Representation, Participation, and Expertise for Effective Nonprofit Governance

2025-10-07T07:28:03+00:00

Interest in the effective governance of nonprofit organisations stems from the nature of their mission: to fulfil societal needs and serve the public good. Due to the specificities of the sector, effective governance of nonprofits encompasses community representation on boards and the adoption of participatory mechanisms in strategy planning and activity design. However, the growing pressure to conform to managerialist norms over the past few decades has increased the importance of professional requirements aimed at ensuring that decisions, processes and actions are performed with the highest level of excellence. Adopting a democratic perspective, this paper explores how nonprofit organisations implement representational and participatory mechanisms to achieve effective governance. It highlights critical issues in the fair selection of representative board members and stakeholder engagement processes. Additionally, adopting a “rationality agenda” perspective, it considers whether effective governance also requires board members with the relevant knowledge and experience to address the organisation’s key challenges. To this aim, this study conducts a multiple case analysis of three large Italian foundations of banking origin (FBOs). According to the law, these organisations manage their endowments for the purpose of grant-making in the exclusive interest of their local communities. Community representation on the board is required by law in FBOs, and self-regulation defines mechanisms for stakeholder engagement and professional requirements of board members. To increase the reliability of the findings, data was collected through document analysis and semi-structured interviews with key informants familiar with the organisations’ governance practices. The findings show that FBOs use several representational and participatory mechanisms to develop an in-depth understanding of the communities they serve, the problems they face, and the solutions that can be implemented. Furthermore, great emphasis is placed on the professional knowledge and experience of board members in the foundation’s areas of intervention, ensuring they possess the necessary skills to identify community needs and maximise the organisation’s societal impact.

Analysing the Use of Online Communication Software in Companies in the Czech Republic

2025-11-03T17:42:14+00:00

The use of online communication software has become essential for modern companies, a trend significantly
accelerated by the covid-19 pandemic which required many employees to work remotely. This paper maps the current use
of these tools in Czech companies, analysing how they facilitate team interaction and improve organizational performance.
Based on a 2024 survey of approximately 400 companies, the study examines the key features influencing software
selection, such as accessibility, security, integration, and cost. The results highlight the dominance of certain platforms,
particularly in large organizations, and reveal distinct usage patterns based on company size. The findings provide practical
insights for managers and underscore the need to include training on these tools in university curricula for management
and ICT.

Unveiling Corporate Social Responsibility in Global Fashion: Insights from Supply Chain Management

2025-09-10T13:10:55+00:00

The global fashion industry is one of the largest contributors to environmental degradation and ethical concerns, yet consumer awareness regarding fast fashion and sweatshop labor remains relatively low. This limited awareness is reflected in the scarcity of research focused on Corporate social responsibility (CSR) implementation within fashion supply chains. Addressing this gap, the present study examines the attributes, tools, and challenges of CSR implementation in the supply chains of the world’s ten most valuable fashion brands in 2022. This research identifies key drivers influencing fashion companies to adopt CSR practices across their supply chains, distinguishing between external pressures—such as regulatory requirements, media scrutiny, and consumer expectations—and internal motivations, including brand differentiation, competitive advantage, and risk mitigation. The study further explores the divergent CSR approaches taken by luxury brands, which emphasize exclusivity and craftsmanship, versus fast fashion firms, which prioritize cost efficiency and public image enhancement. Our findings indicate that while CSR initiatives yield significant benefits, including enhanced brand reputation, increased customer loyalty, and supply chain resilience, companies face substantial barriers in their implementation. These include fragmented regulatory landscapes, inconsistencies in supplier compliance, and risks of greenwashing, where firms engage in misleading sustainability claims without substantive environmental or social impact. Additionally, the complexity of global supply chains poses challenges in enforcing uniform CSR standards across diverse regions with varying economic and legal conditions. The insights presented in this study provide valuable guidance for fashion industry leaders, top management, and policymakers striving to enhance CSR strategies. By fostering a more transparent and accountable approach to sustainability, fashion brands can align corporate objectives with broader environmental and social responsibilities. The study underscores the necessity of genuine, long-term CSR commitments rather than superficial measures aimed at reputation management. Our conclusions offer practical recommendations for strengthening CSR governance and improving sustainable supply chain practices in the fashion sector.

The Governance of Good Quality Intellectual Capital Formation and its Efficiency Indicators in Various Branches of Science

2025-11-03T17:48:40+00:00

The governance of good quality intellectual capital formation at scientific institutions is highly topical. The object
of the research is the governance of good quality intellectual capital formation at scientific institutions in various branches
of science while the subject of the research is the comparative analysis of the efficiency indicators of good quality intellectual
capital formation at scientific institutions in various branches of science in Latvia. The objective of the research is the
governance of good quality intellectual capital formation at scientific institutions along with comparative analysis of the
efficiency indicators of good quality intellectual capital formation at scientific institutions in various branches of science in
Latvia in the period from 2013 to 2018. The following tasks were set to reach the objective: (1) to study the governance of
good quality intellectual capital formation at scientific institutions in various branches of science; (2) to calculate the main
indicators thereof; and, (3) to carry out the comparative analysis of indicators characterising the efficiency of good quality
intellectual capital formation at scientific institutions in various branches of science in Latvia. Research methods used in the
paper are as follow: content analysis, economic analysis, and economic experiment.

Towards a Changing Role of Governance for a Sustainable World

2025-10-13T07:22:52+00:00

It is widely recognised that recent societal changes are notably disruptive. Living in a physically limited world forces
us to consider environmental, climate, and sustainability concerns as we prepare for uncertain futures. Given current shifts
in demographics, politics, and technology, along with the increasing focus on truth and misinformation, we face an urgent
need to motivate individuals to contribute to a society where future generations can flourish. In our article, we explore the
lighthouse metaphor, highlighting the concepts of value (the lighthouse) and motivation (the ship and the crew) within a
constantly changing environment (the sea). Achieving excellence in this setting requires management and leadership to
develop strategies for influencing governance. This is grounded in scientific research examining the three main forms of
governance: control, cooperation, and autonomy. Focusing on environmental, climate, and sustainability issues, we observe
a movement where, on one hand, rising demands are being placed on individuals (the Me) and organisations (the We) to
help create a more sustainable world (the All), as outlined in the Me-We-All approach for circular resilience. Conversely,
considering modern technological advances where technology is replacing tasks traditionally performed by people, we need
to craft a new vision that enables employees to enter a flow state aligned with their skills and the challenges they face,
thereby contributing to a more valuable future. To implement this principle, we advocate introducing an alternative vision
of management and leadership. The article shows that adopting the concept of stewardship can help achieve this goal, which
we differentiate from management and leadership as follows: Management focuses primarily on addressing current
challenges with conventional methods, where the focus is on rationality. Leadership focuses on developing new strategies
to address existing challenges, demanding creativity. Stewardship cares about the needs of ‘Me-We-All’ and develops skills
to prepare for unexpected challenges, requiring resilience. The article aims to inspire discussion. We do not focus solely on
scientific proof but seek to initiate a debate on the balance we must achieve among the management and leadership issues
in contemporary society.

Integrating ESG-Driven Risk Intelligence: A Strategic Framework for Sustainable Financial Performance and CSR Alignment in Emerging Economies

2025-10-31T12:59:03+00:00

By engaging in Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) measures, companies that want to become
sustainable in terms of profitability in the face of the rapidly changing global agenda will have to include the said measures
into their risk intelligence infrastructure. This article presents a comprehensive framework of linking ESG induced risk
measurement to Corporate Social responsibilities (CSR) congruency, as well as in the developing world (Brazil, South Africa
and India). SmartPLS is a quantitative study technique which is based on Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) and records
information on a diversified group of professionals in various fields. This study provides a good source of information on the
effectiveness of ESG-based risk information in capital deployment, strengthening stakeholder confidence, and organizational
resiliency. The findings are an indication that having integrated policies on ESG risks made the companies more effective in
dealing with operational and systemic risks and/or propelling corporate financial sustainability and reputational integrity.
The deliberate merger of CSR into the ESG ecosystem system can foster ethical governance and foster a better creation of
fair value. This article plays an important role in the sustainability finance discussion by providing meaningful implications
on the future profitability of their business models to finance executives, corporate strategists, and legislature by increasing
the future of the products and institutions in the volatile and high-return industries. It describes that goal is applied as a
roadmap in order to find the way towards profitability. Besides this, the agenda highlights the critical importance of
stakeholder involvement and inter-sector partnership in enhancing corporation-level ESG-based strategies. The ability of the
companies to match the internal policies with external requirements enhances their capacity to predict the changes in
regulations, investor preferences, and societal needs. Such alignment is especially necessary in new markets with
institutional gaps, political risk, and socio-economic differences that increase risks. The inclusion of ESG risk intelligence
assists not just in compliance but competitive advantage is also focused as this promotes transparency, innovation and longterm
value creation. Sustainable business excellence is becoming a consideration of the capacity to balance between
profitability and responsibility as organizations engage in a more interconnected economic environment. Therefore, this
study seek to make a valuable contribution in terms of incorporating ESG-informed intelligence.

Fragmented Voices, Unified Principles: Diversity and Just Engagement in Earning Community Acceptance for Large Projects

2025-09-27T00:00:35+00:00

Projects producing environmental or social change within a community have the potential to cause contestation. The Social Licence to Operate (SLO) and how it might be earned are examined in this paper. A new approach, the IUE Model (Identify, Understand, and Engage), is suggested to better facilitate conflict reduction and thus enhance project acceptance and long-term sustainability. While the literature often portrays communities as homogeneous, the research revealed that individuals or groups constituting the ‘community’ were remarkably diverse, even at the local level. Apart from those directly affected by the project, there were numerous “influencers” attempting to sway opinion. Identifying the various community elements is the first vital step in earning acceptance. Effective engagement necessitates understanding the diverse motivations of communities supporting or opposing the project. Support was motivated by potential benefits, either for the individual or the community. Reasons for opposition were far more nuanced, ranging from perceived personal impact to environmental and ecological objections. Engagement requires Procedural Justice (are the rules and procedures fair?), Interactional Justice (are all parties treated fairly?), Environmental/Ecological Justice (going beyond legal compliance to ensure no harm) and Distributive Justice (beyond CSR to fair benefit distribution in line with needs and capabilities). These elements are essential for sustainable interaction. Engagement is not unidirectional; it requires all parties to treat each other with respect and dignity, in line with Ubuntu’s underlying principles of cohesion and reciprocal value. The Ubuntu lens provides a decolonised basis for considering justice, offering the insight that while communities have the right to award or withdraw their acceptance, their actions may impact their rights. The paper concludes with an explication of the IUE (Identify, Understand, and Engage) Model, providing a new understanding of how acceptance is earned and offering pragmatic guidance that can be understood and adopted in practice.

Reimagining Business Educators: Leveraging Generative AI for Enhanced Teaching

2025-08-22T13:12:00+00:00

Generative AI (GAI) is rapidly transforming the work processes of academic staff of higher education institutions (HEIs). Previous study focused on students’ use of GAI but the impact of GAI on faculty remains underexplored, especially in business schools in which there is a strategic importance in fostering innovation and developing future leaders. The integration of Generative AI tools, such as ChatGPT, is revolutionizing how business educators carry out their work in business schools. This paper presents a scoping review of a structured literature search identifying a core canon of recent articles addressing how GAI is changing the work conducted in business schools of Higher Educational Institutions. Literature searches were conducted in Web of Science (WoS) and Education Resources Information Centre (ERIC) databases from 2019 to 2024, using tailored search terms encompassing GAI, academic staff, business education and HEIs. A total of 502 articles were identified, with 211 from WoS and 291 from ERIC. After several stages of manual screenings, 15 final articles were obtained for this scoping review. The findings of the analysis reveal that GAI tools have integrated in the four major teaching work processes in business education: Curriculum Design, Pedagogical Methods, Student Engagement and Interaction and Assessments. In addition, the study surprisingly figured out that much less emphasis was given to the research side of the duties of academic staff. Our findings suggest that, under the human-GAI collaboration in teaching work processes in business schools, the role of educators have changed to be: Quality Controller, Scenario Facilitator, Strategic Mentor and Ethical Gatekeeper for the four major teaching work. Future research should focus on discipline-specific study, empirical evaluations of teaching work processes at tool-specific level, and in different cultural context. More research should also be conducted on researching work processes and institutional administration. This study contributes to the discourse of digital transformation and the potential of human-GAI collaboration in higher education.

Framing Data Governance Amid AI Advancements in a Public University in South Africa

2025-09-29T10:41:05+00:00

Data governance (DG) has emerged as a critical domain within information technology, especially in light of growing data volumes, regulatory pressures, and institutional performance demands. In higher education institutions (HEIs), the shift toward data-driven decision-making is intensifying amid increasing accountability, financial constraints, and the rapid digital transformation of administrative and academic functions. DG encompasses the policies, processes, roles, and technologies that inter-alia ensures data quality, consistency, compliance, oversight and security across the institutional landscape. However, many universities continue to face challenges with fragmented data systems, inconsistent data definitions, data silos, and underutilised data assets—issues that inhibit institutional effectiveness and strategic planning. This study proposes a structured Data Governance Framework (DGF) tailored to the unique context of South African universities. Drawing on a mixed-methods approach anchored in design science research methodology, data was collected through a DG maturity assessment survey and qualitative focus group sessions with key university stakeholders. The findings informed the design of a framework for the governance of data which is sensitive to the specific context while addressing governance gaps, roles and responsibilities, quality management, continuous improvement, change management, standardisation and regulatory alignment.Crucially, this study situates data governance within the emergent challenges and opportunities presented by Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Large Language Models (LLMs). As HEIs begin to adopt AI-powered tools for administration, research, and teaching, the need for robust DG becomes more urgent. The proposed framework incorporates AI-readiness and ethical oversight mechanisms to ensure trustworthy data handling, algorithmic transparency, data privacy, and responsible innovation in an AI-augmented environment.The resulting DGF provides a structured approach for universities to manage and safeguard their data assets, reduce institutional risk, foster data trust, and optimise data value—while aligning governance practices with the ethical imperatives introduced by AI and LLM technologies.

Building Dynamic Resilience through Strategic Coherence and Ambidextrous Leadership

2025-10-05T21:13:22+00:00

Organizations face the paradox of simultaneously exploiting current product strengths while exploring new opportunities for innovation. Achieving this balance is critical for sustained competitiveness, yet many firms struggle to manage both effectively – a challenge noted by Danneels in 2011. Ambidextrous leadership offers a potential solution by enabling leaders to alternate between opening behaviors that foster exploration and closing that drive exploitation. However, realizing the full potential of this dual-focused approach also demands strategic coherence across multiple organizational levels, ensuring that individual, team, and corporate goals reinforce one another and move in the same overall direction. Practical guidance on implementing such dual-focused leadership remains limited – especially in product strategy contexts where firms must concurrently improve existing products and innovate new ones. This study develops a conceptual model linking ambidextrous leadership to dynamic resilience – a firm’s capacity to adapt and thrive amid disruptions – within the framework of product strategy. To test the model, we applied a quantitative survey of 87 managers from eight product-oriented companies in Eastern Europe and conducted statistical analyses, including factor analysis and regression modeling. Drawing on ambidexterity theory and leadership research, we formulate hypotheses and design a diagnostic survey instrument to evaluate ambidextrous leadership practices in product-oriented companies in Eastern Europe. The model illustrates how ambidextrous leaders balance short-term exploitation and long-term exploration to reinforce resilience while maintaining strategic coherence of resources, objectives, and processes. The anticipated contribution is twofold: (1) a theoretical advancement by integrating ambidextrous leadership and dynamic resilience, expanding understanding of how balancing efficiency and innovation enhances long-term organizational resilience; and (2) managerial guidance via a practical tool for assessing organizational ambidexterity and clear recommendations for fostering leadership behaviors that simultaneously drive performance and innovation. By fostering strong strategic coherence throughout the organization, this research will help managers harmonize product development practices with adaptive strategic objectives, thereby improving organizational adaptability and competitiveness.

Youth participation in NGOs: Implications for Leadership Development and Social Responsibility

2025-10-25T16:46:08+00:00

This concept paper proposes the Exposure–Engagement–Empowerment (EEE) model to explain how youth participation in non-governmental organizations (NGOs) fosters leadership development and social responsibility. Through a thematic synthesis of existing literature, the paper finds that NGOs provide experiential platforms for youth to acquire essential leadership skills such as communication, teamwork, and problem-solving. NGO involvement also supports ethical awareness, civic identity, and a justice-oriented mindset capacities often underdeveloped in formal education systems. Furthermore, the paper highlights structural barriers such as unequal access, tokenistic involvement, and lack of institutional recognition that limit the impact of NGO engagement. It concludes that integrating NGO participation into youth development frameworks can strengthen leadership pathways and foster a generation of socially conscious, ethically grounded leaders.

Digital Transformation in Human Resource Development in Malaysia: Emerging Trends and Strategic Implications

2025-10-25T16:35:39+00:00

The rapid advancement of digital technologies has significantly reshaped the landscape of human resource development (HRD) in Malaysia. Despite increased digital adoption across sectors, many organizations continue to face challenges in aligning workforce competencies with digital transformation initiatives. This concept paper addresses the gap by exploring current trends, challenges, and strategic approaches in digitalizing HRD practices within the Malaysian context. The primary objective is to examine how digital tools and platforms are conceptually integrated into core HRD functions, such as training, performance management, and talent development, and to evaluate their theoretical effectiveness in enhancing organizational capabilities. Adopting a concept paper methodology, this study relies on an extensive review and synthesis of existing literature, policy documents, and recent industry reports related to HRD and digital transformation. Through theoretical analysis, the article outlines a strategic framework for digital HRD implementation, identifies critical success factors, and discusses conceptual barriers such as digital skill gaps, resistance to change, and disparities in digital infrastructure across organizations. The article contributes to the field by proposing a holistic framework for digital HRD strategy formulation and implementation. It provides actionable insights and policy considerations for HR leaders, educators, and government agencies to strengthen Malaysia’s readiness for a digitally driven economy.

Leadership and Empathy: A Bibliometric Review of Two Decades of Research

2025-08-22T09:05:06+00:00

Empathy in leadership is a reflection of humanity. The more artificial intelligence is used in business and work environments, the greater the need to humanize leadership with empathy as a key emotional intelligence competency. Due to the multifaceted and multilevel effects of empathy in leadership, further research on this topic could contribute to both leadership theory and practice. Bibliometric reviews can advance a research field by providing objective and reproducible overviews of published research. This paper aimed to provide a bibliometric review of the research field of leadership and empathy and offer insights into its past, present, and future. Science mapping was conducted using three bibliometric techniques: co-citation analysis, bibliographic coupling, and co-word analysis. A systematic bibliometric review of two decades of research on leadership and empathy is provided based on articles from the Web of Science Core Collection database published from 2004 to 2024 in areas relevant to management and organizational behavior in a business context. The study includes co-word analyses conducted separately for the periods before and after the declaration of the pandemic, when there was a significant increase in the number and thematic scope of research on leadership and empathy. The findings indicate that the past of the research field was mostly concerned with the construct of emotional intelligence and the multifaceted effects of empathy in leadership. The present is focused on employee-level outcomes, crisis management and communication, and ethical, servant, transformational, responsible, and women’s leadership. The future of the research field could be directed toward advancing knowledge on the effects of leader empathy on organizational-level outcomes, the impact of enhancing empathy through leadership development programs, and the role of empathy in inclusive and adaptive leadership. The findings of this study could also raise awareness among leadership practitioners that empathy is not only inherent to what is labeled as empathetic or compassionate leadership, but can also contribute to humanizing various leadership approaches.

Operationalizing of DCV Microfoundations: A Behavioral Model for a Transforming System Integrator Firm

2025-10-05T21:17:09+00:00

The company in question, as one of the market leaders, aims to maintain competitiveness and increase the share of its own high-margin IT products and complex IT projects to 80% of revenue within three years, doubling the gross margin. Based on Teece's sensing–seizing–reconfiguring model, this study analyzes which individual and team factors activate the company's dynamic capabilities at different stages and support its strategic flexibility. A mixed method was used: (1) a Likert scale survey (n=86; 35 statements) covered seven constructs: systems, creative and visionary thinking; strategic consensus at the team level; attitudes toward change, technology and mistakes; and orientation toward "execution as learning"; (2) Nine semi-structured interviews with team leaders and HR business partners supplemented the quantitative data. The Mann–Whitney U test revealed statistically significant differences in the level of dynamic capabilities between the innovation-oriented units (Transformation Office, Corporate University, Creative Class) and the routine-oriented IT systems support team (p < 0.05). Qualitative analysis showed that the key, but unevenly developed drivers of change are psychological safety and the maturity of knowledge sharing processes within and between teams. The central contribution of the study was the empirical confirmation of the two-factor model of team microfoundations, reflecting the behavioral drivers of dynamic capabilities: (1) Team Strategy Foresight (TSF) - cognitive alignment, collective strategic vision, and scenario thinking; (2) Learn Failure (LF) - a culture of meaningful attitude to errors and reflective learning. Both factors demonstrated high internal consistency, moderate interrelationships, and distinct roles across phases of the DCV cycle. Together, they explain key differences in team adaptability and provide an operationalization of the theoretical model. The paper also provides practical recommendations tailored to each team’s profile. In summary, the study demonstrates how the development of TSF and LF transforms the abstract concept of dynamic capabilities into a practical model that ensures strategic adaptability in the face of macroeconomic turbulence and increasing competition in the IT sector.

Synthesising Challenges and Opportunities in Human Resource Development for Productivity Enhancement: Toward a Framework for Malaysia’s High-Income Transition

2025-10-29T00:11:49+00:00

This paper provides an in-depth synthesis of Malaysia’s human resource development (HRD) strategies, highlighting their role in promoting productivity enhancement and supporting the nation’s transition toward a high-income economy. Malaysia has placed HRD at the centre of its economic planning through the 12th Malaysia Plan, the MyDIGITAL blueprint, and other policy initiatives. However, challenges remain in addressing the persistent issues of skill mismatch, limited TVET participation, talent mobility, and inclusivity in workforce development. Drawing from literature published between 2018 and 2023, supplemented by foundational studies that capture Malaysia’s HRD evolution, this review analyses the alignment between HRD policies, institutional mechanisms, and productivity performance. It proposes a conceptual framework that links HRD challenges, policy enablers, and productivity outcomes. The framework demonstrates how human capital development contributes to innovation, competitiveness, and sustainable economic upgrading. The paper concludes with policy recommendations and a research agenda focusing on HRD–productivity linkages, coordination mechanisms, and longitudinal policy evaluation.