Volume 9 (2018): Issue 1 (March 2018)

Background: Many studies have considered knowledge as the most important strategic resource for ensuring firm’s competitiveness. Accordingly, learning is an important concept for firms whether it is individual or organizational learning.

Objectives: To provide empirical support to the impact of individual organizational learning dimensions on a firm’s knowledge management.

Methods/Approach: The questionnaire survey approach is used for data collection and structural equation modeling for hypotheses testing. Besides, PROCESS procedure is employed to estimate confidence intervals of indirect effects in the model.

Results: Organizational learning dimensions are antecedents of knowledge management capability. Shared values and openness influence directly and positively knowledge management capability. However, the same was not found to be the case for managerial commitment and dialogue. On the other hand, the results suggest that managerial commitment and dialog influence knowledge management capability indirectly over shared vision.

Conclusions: While there has been an underlying assumption about the role of organizational learning for knowledge management, this study provides evidence on how organizational learning dimensions such as management commitment, shared vision, openness and experimentation, and dialog may be adjusted to facilitate and enhance knowledge management processes.

Background: Apart from a straight-forward and intuitive operability an appealing design determines the success of a website equally well. For this reason, the selection of images and navigation bars plays a determining role. The eye tracking method proved to be appropriate in order to verify the usability of websites.

Objectives: The aim of the study was to improve the usability of the website of an educational institute for trainees as target group.

Methods/Approach: For this purpose, the use of an eye-tracking technology was combined with a survey. The eye-tracking study was implemented task-oriented. Test persons were asked to search for particular courses within this institute.

Results: This approach in combination with a subsequent questionnaire resulted in tangible indications of search patterns of the test group. Furthermore, their perception and their appraisal of the usability as well as the web design was analysed. Even though most tasks were accomplished effectively and efficiently with a positive user feedback, a potential for improvement was detected, in particular with regard to the images and the location of the search field.

Conclusions: The selected choice of methods enables researchers and web designers to derive recommendations for the orientation, structure, optimisation and comprehensibility of a website.

Background: Learning Management Systems (LMS) represent one of the main technology to support learning in HE institutions. However, every educational institution differs in its experience with the usage of these systems. South East European University’s LMS experience is longer than a decade. From last year SEE – University is adopting Google Classroom (GC) as an LMS solution.

Objectives: Identifying factors which encourage LMS activities, with special emphasis on SEEU, might be of crucial importance for Higher Education academic leaders as well as software developers who design tools related to fostering LMS.

Methods/Approach: This paper introduces new approach of investigating the usage of LMS, i.e. identifying the determinants of increasing usage of LMS activities, by conducting empirical analysis for the case of SEEU. We apply appropriate estimation technique such as OLS methodology.

Results: Using SEEU Usage Google Classroom Report & Analysis Data for spring semester (2016–2017) and winter semester (2017–2018) - SUGCR dataset 2017, we argue that (i) LMS activities are affected by demographic characteristics and (ii) the students’ LMS usage is affected by level and resources of instructors’ LMS usage.

Conclusions: The empirical results show positive relationship between student and instructors’ LMS usage.

Background: The intensity of innovation could often be crucial for further economic development of the regions. Science and technology are often seen as the key factor supporting innovation in the regions. Furthermore, we can assume that higher intensity of research activities could lead to better economic performance.

Objectives: Research aims to examine the link between the economic performance of the region and the intensity of science and technology activities, proxied by the share of employees in science and technology.

Methods/Approach: The analysis is based on panel data for NUTS2 regions of the European Union (EU) member states. We conducted correlation analysis, panel Granger causality tests and regression analysis.

Results: Our results suggest the existence of a significant positive correlation between GDP per capita and the share of employees in science and technology. Moreover, the regions with a higher intensity of science and technology activities are mostly characterized by relatively low unemployment rates.

Conclusions: Research activities are positive correlated with regional GDP and negatively correlated with unemployment. However, increasing the share of employment in science and technology beyond a certain turning point would not lead to any further positive effects on regional economic performance.

Background: Labour market policy aims to fight against unemployment and to raise employment. With this study we attempt to contribute to the evidence of the effectiveness of active labour market policy.

Objectives: In the empirical part of the paper we aim to research the relations between the labour market policies and macroeconomic variables.

Methods/Approach: In order to distinguish the effects of expenditures for labour market policies on unemployment rate, we separately analysed the effects of expenditures for active labour market policies and the effects of expenditures for passive labour market policies on unemployment rate using panel regression analysis.

Results: The expenditures for active labour market policies have negative and statistically significant effect on unemployment rate, whereas the expenditures for passive labour market policies have positive and statistically significant effect on unemployment rate.

Conclusions: Not only the activation strategies with benefit conditioning, but also encouraging and enabling unemployed person to actively approach in searching for a job should be implemented. The implementation of activation strategies which create favourable conditions for unemployed people to develop their skills, fulfil their potential, continuously maintain contacts with the employers and actively participate in the society should be supported.

Background: One of the goals of Russia economy is to increase SMEs specific weight in GDP per 100% by 2030.

Objectives: The purpose of this work is the assessment of the investments into fixed capital of SMEs and influence of factors such as size categories, types of economic activity and territorial placement, needed for the fulfillment of this goal.

Methods/Approach: The comparative analysis of SMEs investments is based on relative indicators, which are calculated per enterprise and per worker. The research was conducted with the usage of the official statistical information obtained in the course of total observation of activity of the enterprises in 2015. Modelling of empirical data was based on functions of normal distribution.

Results: We defined the values investments in SMEs which are located in 82 regions and related to three categories and six types of activity. We revealed regularities of distribution of investments calculated per enterprise and per worker, and identified the regions with the lowest investments in SMEs.

Conclusions: New knowledge of the investment in the fixed capital in the Russian SMEs was achieved. Proposed information and tools are applicable for justification of the investments needed for the SMEs development. The methodical approach can be used in the future studies, as well in entrepreneurship and public management education.

Background: Having efficient quality management system (QMS) is vital for improving organization’s business. In that context, good knowledge of QMS characteristics and their interrelations with organizational business results is very important.

Objectives: Purpose of the study is to explore characteristics of elements of QMS consistency in Slovene organizations that have implemented and maintained QMS, and how the QMS characteristics influence business results.

Methods/Approach: Data was collected through web survey of quality managers in organizations that have certified QMS according to ISO 9001:2008. For respondent organizations, data on their business results was retrieved from official sources. Special programme for comparisons and results presentation based on contingency analysis was developed, and correlation between QMS consistency elements and financial results of organizations were statistically processed.

Results: The results show that for Slovenian organizations with certified QMS, correlations between QMS consistency elements and organizational business results are confirmed. For the majority of consistency elements correlations are significant, and the elements where correlations are insignificant are also exposed.

Conclusions: As quality management will gradually become integral part of holistic organizational management, QMS will influence not only organizational management system and processes’ management but also directly on business results.

Background: Measurement of financial performance of enterprises is an important part of balanced scorecard system. Previous research has indicated a relationship between leadership and financial performance of enterprises.

Objectives: Purpose of the paper is to investigate the impact of leadership styles in Croatian enterprises to their financial performance.

Methods/Approach: Survey research has been conducted on the sample of Croatian companies, measuring their financial performance and presence of leadership styles.

Results: Overall, democratic style is the most often present in Croatian enterprises, followed by the authoritarian and laissez-faire styles.

Conclusions: Small enterprises are more successful financially in the presence of the democratic style. Enterprises in the stagnation phase are more successful if all leadership styles are mixed together in practice, indicating the need to push the employees with all possible styles. Enterprises oriented towards international markets are more successful financially in the presence of the democratic style and the laissez-faire style.

Background: In Montenegro, there is a growing awareness of the necessity to further develop sustainable forms of tourism and foster economic development of mostly agrarian northern rural areas. However, this is of the utmost importance not only for sustaining local economy, but also for creating more balanced framework for territorial development.

Objectives: Paper aims to set a framework for studying the role of innovations and entrepreneurship in developing sustainable agro-tourism in Montenegro through identifying main resources, obstacles, challenges and potentials of the process.

Methods/Approach: The analysis is based on both review of the secondary sources and the fieldwork conducted between June and October 2015 in rural areas of Kuci and Durmitor, as well as the number of interviews with farmers and tourism professionals from the country.

Results: The results highlighted the low levels of both entrepreneurial culture and hospitality awareness amongst local population, lack of investments, infrastructural backwardness and insufficient government support as the main obstacles to developing successful and sustainable agro-tourism ventures.

Conclusions: Public bodies should create a comprehensive strategy for sustainable tourism development, which should focus on providing incentives, training and support to the farmers eager to diversify their agro-activities through entrepreneurial actions.

Background: To enhance the innovation activities at the firm level, government subsidies plays an important role.

Objectives: The objective of the study is to explore whether firms in service sector that receive government subsidies engage more in marketing and organizational innovation activities than their counterparts. Second, focusing on the subsidized firms in the service sector, the impact of innovations (marketing as well as organizational) on firm performance—measured as the probability of submitted copyright applications by firms, has been analyzed.

Methods/Approach: The propensity score matching approach and probit model have been used to analyze the innovation activities of subsidized and non-subsidized firms. The empirical analysis is based on the micro level data from Mannheim Innovation Panel, covering the Community Innovation Survey of 2011.

Results: Empirical results show that public subsidy has a significant positive effect on marketing and organizational innovation. In addition, within the firms that have received government subsidy, the impact of only marketing innovation is found to be significant on firm performance.

Conclusions: These findings employ that subsidized firms are more likely to perform better than their counterparts. Furthermore, public subsidy programs increase the probability of applying for a copyright in small and medium firms.

Background: The identity and utility research carries significant role in the modern economics. There are financial outputs, if we can moderate appropriate the student’s and worker’s identities.

Objectives: The paper examines the possible use of the utility model and theoretical principles of Akerlof and Kranton (2000, 2002) in higher education. The examined aspects are utility, identity and role.

Methods/Approach: The paper aims at employing the model of Akerlof in higher education and how the terms identity and utility can be interpreted in this environment.

Results: To sum up, we can say that while case studies and certain experiments seem to justify the model of Akerlof and Kranton, there are few scientific results in higher education to rely on that prove the relationship between identity and utility.

Conclusions: It can be deduced that the identity of students has some economic impacts. Institutional policy can increase not only the success of its students but also their income through identity changes.

Background: General concept of motivation, which include the motivational techniques and human resources management as a prerequisite for the most important intangible asset is related to the company performance.

Objectives: we build on the conceptual model examining the respondents’ attitudes about the influence of various parameters on better business performance and work atmosphere. In addition, we also examine the attitudes towards the impact of motivation, company management, and communication on employee satisfaction.

Methods/Approach: Difference in the perception of essential parameters such as motivation, communication, leadership model, and personnel management within a company, over groups of respondents differentiated by gender and age is tested using Kolmogorov-Smirnov test.

Results: The results obtained by this research conducted from an employee point of view, detect the difference in the perception of the parameters of motivation, communication, leadership and personnel management, and their impact on employee satisfaction.

Conclusions: Our empirical research results clearly pinpoint the link between successful application of motivational techniques, quality of the leadership and employee satisfaction.

Notice of redundant publication and erratum on the paper published in Business Systems Research, Vol. 7 No. 1, 2016, pp. 104-118.