<abstract><title style='display:none'>Abstract</title>Human resource development is a relatively new area of professional practice and academic study. Over the past two decades, human resource development has become the fastest growing area of management development, due to the great interest of organizations in the face of intense competition and changes in the business environment. Despite this significance of HRD but, there is a lack of empirical researches or studies have specifically dealt with examining how HRD practices effect on organizational effectiveness practically, in universities and institute level. This study tries to address this gap. The main purpose of this study is to investigate the relationships between the practices of human resource development and organizational effectiveness in the Iraqi public universities context. This study adopted the survey method to collect primary data. The survey was created by the google-forms tool, which is commonly used by researchers for collecting data. The web-based questionnaires were distributed through E-mail designed to collect the relevant data from the public universities of Iraq including a number of deans, heads of departments, faculty members and principals of the execution units which seems to provide a corresponding sample for conducting data collecting and analyzing. An online questionnaire was distributed to around 342 employees, out of which 215 complete questionnaires were obtained. For analyzing the data, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), structural equation modeling (SEM) were used. This study finds that HRD practices such as talent development, training and development, organizational development and career development have a positive and significant impact on organizational effectiveness. This study has confirmed the significance of HRD practices and how they are positively related to organizational effectiveness. The results of this study have the potential to help the decision makers of universities to develop effective HRD practices which will enable them to improve employees’ competencies in enhancing organizational effectiveness. Also, this study recommends universities’ managers to use effective HRD practices which are aimed at building excellent employees’ competencies and increase the integration between human resource development and organizational effectiveness.</abstract>

The Impact of Human Resource Development on Organizational Effectiveness: An Empirical Study

<abstract><title style='display:none'>Abstract</title>Building a personal brand in this modern age, where technology and social platforms redefine the way individuals interact, has become a necessity, especially for the young generation Z which are increasingly involved in the online medium. A personal brand conveys an individual’s identity and distinctiveness and it has become an important tool for young individuals that enables them to achieve success regardless of their status: they can be young professionals in search for a job, public speakers, bloggers, managers or entrepreneurs. In this context, this paper focuses on Generation Z and the importance of building a personal brand in the age of social media. Taking into consideration the recent development of personal branding tools and social media platforms, such as Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn, the aim of this paper is to investigate the degree in which young individuals, belonging to Gen Z, understand the benefits of social media personal branding in order to create a strong online identity to help them at the start of their career. It is specifically interesting to discover how Gen Z individuals appreciate the efficiency of personal branding through social media outlets, considering that they belong to a generation known for being digital and tech-savvy, more so than their predecessors.</abstract>

alexandra.vitelar@facultateademanagement.ro

Like Me: Generation Z and the Use of Social Media for Personal Branding

<abstract><title style='display:none'>Abstract</title>Workplace absenteeism is a complex issue that can be caused by various factors which include job dissatisfaction, organizational environment, or personal problems. The study aims to create a brief profile of absenteeism in companies operating in Iasi in the context of the coronavirus pandemic. A quantitative study was conducted to shape the profile of absenteeism, using descriptive statistics and correlation analysis. Findings revealed that employees working in Iasi are prone to absent as a result of attitudinal factors, in particular, autonomy linked to decision making. Organizational factors did not have a significant contribution regarding absenteeism because managers offered support when employees faced difficulties. Working for a living was the personal factor that stood out; this thing being mainly influenced by the current pandemic period. The stress of being laid off or displaced led many employees to ignore professional development. COVID-19 influenced the employees’ decision to miss a workday, the fear of getting infected, or the stress related to the pandemic outlined a behavior known as presenteeism or digital absenteeism for those that worked from home. Implementing social distancing rules prevented physical absenteeism, employees perceived the workplace as a safe environment.</abstract>

Factors Contributing to Work-Related Absenteeism during the COVID-19 Pandemic

<abstract><title style='display:none'>Abstract</title>This study aims to analyze the relationship between perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use and trust in the attitudes and decisions of shopping for online fashion products. This study used purposive sampling in the survey method with a sample of 70 respondents from the city of Jakarta. The results of this study indicate that perceived ease of use has no effect on consumer purchasing decisions. While the factors of perceived usefulness and trust are factors that significantly influence consumers’ decisions to shop online. The results of this study are used as a reference for entrepreneurs who conduct online marketing to increase their attention to trust and usability factors because this is what concerns consumers in their purchasing decisions, especially fashion products.</abstract>

Consumer Decisions toward Fashion Product Shopping in Indonesia: The effects of Attitude, Perception of Ease of Use, Usefulness, and Trust

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<title style='display:none'>Abstract</title>
We live and work in a fast-paced multicultural world where change is becoming a new constant. In this context, in which racially and ethnically diverse companies are 35% more likely to perform better, inclusive leadership’s role becomes crucial. Knowing to handle and fructify diversity and inclusion (DI) is now crucial for any multicultural businesses’ expansion and development. On the other hand, cultural intelligence (CQ) refers to relating and working effectively and efficiently in culturally diverse situations. The purpose of this paper is to study and present a systematic bibliometric literature review focusing on cultural intelligence as a core enabler of inclusive leadership (IL). Our findings, rooted in the Web of Science Core Collection database and powered by VOSviewer bibliometric software, demonstrate that cultural intelligence is not only a main competence for both multinational leadership and global management but also a primary facilitator of inclusive leadership. Concretely, this research visually indicates a comprehensive direct link of the fields relating to CQ on one side and the ones related to multicultural and inclusive leadership on the other side. The bibliometric analysis is supposed to provide a solid reference for practitioners and researchers in multinational inclusive leadership’s new needed competencies
</abstract>

Cultural Intelligence as a Core Competence of Inclusive Leadership

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<title style='display:none'>Abstract</title>
Technology and its influence upon society have turned into a controversial topic in today’s fast-developing world, where advances in innovation are continuous, fast, and complex. The relationship between technology and society has become an increasing interest for many researchers, trying to explore and clarify this connection. This article focuses on the psychological impact of technology, expressed through activity tracking devices, upon user’s attitudes towards pursuing an active lifestyle. To conduct the analysis, users’ registered behavioral changes after engaging with technological devices are explored, by examining academic literature reports studies, supplemented by experimental material written by the users themselves on publicly available websites. The study proposes a deductive research design, by constructing its analysis on a relevant theoretical framework, that of Technological Determinism theory, which advocates that technology can influence society, however without being affected by humans. Nevertheless, the results of the research show that the relationship between technology and society is not that linear, as influences coming from the social environment usually interact and impact the way technology is used. This determines the consideration of an additional theoretical concept to the analysis, that of Social Shaping of Technology, and changes the dynamics of exploring the topic. Conclusions demonstrate that the relationship between user and technology can be characterized as a double-way approach, with complex and ambiguous attributes, where both forces interact and can lead to positive and constructive behavioral outcomes but also to critical and hard to control mental conditions.
</abstract>

Technological Determinism vs. Social Shaping of Technology. The Influence of Activity Trackers on User’s Attitudes

<abstract><title style='display:none'>Abstract</title>
Unemployment is a factor that heavily influences the output of each economy. It is, therefore, one of the main concerns of any government worldwide. This study identifies key determinants of unemployment. By constructing an econometric model for the registered unemployment rate in Slovakia, the period from 2013 to 2022 was under scrutiny, while the impact of the COVID crisis was considered in the model through a dummy variable. Potential determinants of unemployment were selected based on theoretical knowledge and other scientific works, that is, average interest rates, gross minimum wage, GDP, inflation, exports, imports, government spending, corruption index, COVID-19 crisis, and month of the year. The final relevant factors for unemployment were tested and validated: interest rates, GDP, inflation, government spending, and exports. These study results may be valuable for the government when designing targeted interventions to optimise the unemployment rate in Slovakia or similar economies by influencing other macroeconomic indicators.
</abstract>

The Anatomy of Unemployment: Determinants During and After the COVID-19 Crisis

<abstract><title style='display:none'>Abstract</title>
In today’s highly competitive business landscape, SMEs face the challenges of meeting customer demands and expectations. To remain competitive, attract and satisfy customers, manufacturing SMEs must adopt innovative practices within their supply chain. This research investigates the influence of supply chain innovative practices (SCIPs) on customer satisfaction within the context of manufacturing SMEs. A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was utilised to collect the data from 172 customers of manufacturing SMEs in Mwanza, Tanzania to gain comprehensive insights into the influence of SCIPs on customer satisfaction. Descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression (BLR) were used for data analysis. The research findings revealed that manufacturing SMEs adopt SCIPs, including digitalization and IoT integration, vendor-managed inventory, customisation, Just-In-Time, collaborative relationships, and lean manufacturing to a moderate extent. Moreover, the findings demonstrate a significant and positive correlation between SCIPs and customer satisfaction. We conclude that SMEs that successfully adopt SCIPs experience higher levels of customer satisfaction, which, in turn, positively influences customer loyalty and brand reputation. Therefore, manufacturing SMEs can capitalise on customer satisfaction, loyalty, and sustainable growth by strategizing SCIPs along their supply chain. The study contributes to the existing knowledge by providing valuable insights into the importance of SCIPs in improving customer satisfaction in manufacturing SMEs.
</abstract>

Supply Chain Innovative Practices and Customer Satisfaction: Insights from Manufacturing SMEs

<abstract><title style='display:none'>Abstract</title>
The shortage of skilled labour, demographic change and ever-increasing cost pressures are presenting healthcare organisations with key challenges in the areas of strategy, leadership and portfolio management. In the Federal Republic of Germany, there is an acute shortage of skilled workers in 352 of 801 occupational groups (44% of all occupational groups). Effective employer branding is the only way to sustainably increase employer attractiveness and generate competitive advantages on the labour market. Employer branding is the identity-based development and positioning of a company as an attractive employer. The aim of the article is to identify relevant characteristics of employer attractiveness, which can be located in particular in the perception of IT specialists. The identification of these characteristics should help organizations to optimize their personnel policy in the long term. The authors chose the mixed-methods research approach. The hypothesis system is conceptualized and operationalized within the framework of structural equation modelling (SEM). The practical relevance of the findings from the quantitative research is examined in expert interviews. The data analysis is based on qualitative content analysis according to Kuckartz. Due to the research background, data collection is limited to the EU member state Germany. The shift in the balance of power in the labour market towards employees is not a development that can be limited to Europe. In a globalized world, companies have access to a wider talent pool, but are also exposed to increased competition for the best talent. A strong employer brand enables companies to stand out and attract top talent. The empirical results show that a positively perceived employer attractiveness can achieve the employer branding goals of recruiting employees and retaining them in the long term. The clever combination of tangible and intangible benefits, embedded in a modern corporate and error culture (mindset), is decisive in determining whether qualitative growth of the organization is possible.
</abstract>

Employer Branding – Employer Attractiveness as a New Mindset in the Healthcare Sector

<abstract><title style='display:none'>Abstract</title>
The best way for a business to gather pertinent knowledge and apply it for the growth and sustainability of the firm is through communication with its customers. Companies must adapt to today’s data, information, and knowledge-based economy. A company’s ability to evolve depends on how strategically it uses its intangible resources to build its knowledge capital. Digital tools create new channels for client engagement and collaboration. The current study assesses how digital tools affect how businesses interact with their customers and how these tools help customers share knowledge with companies. This study updates knowledge management and customer knowledge management practices in a digital context and serves as an example of these practices. The study aims to address the absence of specific and valuable components in business practices that give them access to client knowledge. The study is conducted on a sample of 10 individuals, managers, and CEOs of Romanian enterprises, using the in-depth interview method. Data from the survey were analyzed and interpreted, and significant results were drawn by comparing them to prior research. The study emphasizes the value of digital tools for customer communication and the potential these platforms provide for gathering knowledge about, for, and from customers. The respondents stressed the significance of knowledge for both the growth of the company and the innovation process. Still, there needs to be more internal structures to manage this knowledge strategically and capitalize on it for the beginning of innovative business approaches. The study identifies the primary challenges to communicating via digital channels and suggests solutions to help companies acquire, share, and use customer data to its fullest potential.
</abstract>

The Impact of Digitalization on Customer Knowledge Management

<abstract><title style='display:none'>Abstract</title>
Consumer behavior in disposing of products has substantial consequences for the environment that affect all of us. Waste management is a major challenge faced by many developing countries, underlining the relevance of this literature review. Even when academia tries to shed light on this field, it often fails to consider that waste management must be approached differently in less developed countries, which differ dramatically from advanced countries, especially with regard to consumers’ behavioral characteristics. Further, limited effort has been made to systematize the existing literature by highlighting areas of interest in the scholarly discussion. This literature review contributes to the field by illuminating focal points in scholarly research on the background of solid waste management and the disposal behavior of people living at the base of the pyramid. It explores how scholarly research results can guide scholars and practitioners who are contributing to a positive shift in waste management practices. Its novelty arises from annotating scholarly theories and managerial approaches that promise to advance the understanding of sustainable waste management in developing countries. Additionally, the utilization of VOSviewer’s network visualization involving cluster building and keyword occurrences, contributes to the methodological originality of the study. Selective keyword research in the Web of Science database identified 124 pertinent articles for review. This underscores the importance of this literature review, especially in light of the significant increase in publications in this research domain, with approximately 70% (87 of 124 articles) published since 2019. The results show that knowledge, participation, and the active involvement of the local communities are key components in achieving sustainable waste management. Shaping individuals’ attitudes and awareness is vital for promoting pro-environmental behaviors in developing countries. The results also show a prominent focus on recycling behavior and an extensive use of the theory of planned behavior.
</abstract>

A Literature Review on Solid Waste Management and Disposal Behavior at the Base of the Pyramid

<abstract><title style='display:none'>Abstract</title>
Many business entities in Slovakia felt the pressure of government restrictions during the Covid-19 pandemic, especially entities from SK NACE I: accommodation and food services activities. The main objective of this article is to analyse the return on equity, assets and sales in selected sectors in Slovakia and find out if the Covid-19 pandemic has an effect on these profitability ratios. Firstly, we use ex-post financial analyses and then Friedman’s nonparametric test to find those groups of years between which there are differences. The study period 2016-2021 includes comparisons before the Covid-19 period, as well as dealing with the pandemic era. Our investigation concerns 321 business entities from SK NACE I, especially from Division 56: Food and beverage service activities. The findings showed the impact of the pandemic on profitability indicators such as total assets, equity, and sales. Therefore, it was feasible to establish that these are the indicators most affected by the pandemic, such as the economic outcome after taxes, assets, equity, and sales. Additionally, significant differences in indicators were confirmed in the pairs of years 2019–2020 and 2019–2021. Significant changes were confirmed between the years provided, which may most likely be attributed to the outbreak of the pandemic of the viral disease Covid-19. This study and its results may have added value for the management of business entities and the government of the Slovak Republic by stimulating the negative impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on firms in these sectors.
</abstract>

The Impact of the Covid-19 Pandemic on Profitability Indicators in the Hospitality Sector

<abstract><title style='display:none'>Abstract</title>The purpose of this paper is to explore the knowledge entropy processes within organizations and how they are reflected in the knowledge management and organizational intellectual capital. Entropy is a very powerful concept, which can be found today in almost any branch of science and technology. It was introduced by Rudolf Clausius in 1865 in Thermodynamics, then used in the communication theory by Claude Shannon, and expanded by Nicholas Georgescu-Roegen in economics. However, dues to its extensive use in so many different research domains, the concept of entropy became fuzzy and sometimes misleading in applications. Also, its statistical formulations based on the Boltzmann theory made the entropy understanding rather difficult and its interpretations on the edge of coherence. Knowledge entropy is an extension of information entropy and used within the framework of knowledge management. Our conceptual analysis aims to shed light on the appropriate use of knowledge entropy and its potential in knowledge management research and practice. Since knowledge entropy is associated to all transformational processes in knowledge creation, knowledge sharing, knowledge acquisition, and knowledge loss, we may say that knowledge management can be interpreted as the process of managing knowledge entropy within organizations.</abstract>

Exploring Knowledge Entropy in Organizations

<abstract><title style='display:none'>Abstract</title>Due to the accelerated pace with which developments in information and communications technology are taking place, digital society and the digital economy have become real and, in turn, are generating specific challenges. In this environment, digital skills and competencies are essential in order to achieve professional success and the personal development of any individual. Through this paper, we aim to bring to light the basic concepts in the field of digital technology and at the same time, the topical implications on the educational processes. The main objective of the paper is to reflect the impact of digitalization on the education sector both in the European context and in Romania. The importance of the topic under consideration can be justified with many arguments, but we will mainly appeal to the need to meet the objectives proposed by the 2020 Strategy in the field of education, research and development at European level and in Romania. Considering the previous premises, in the paper, we will present information about the concepts of digitalization and digitization and the implications in the field of education. The realization of this paper is based on the study of the specialized literature, of the official documents published by the European Commission offices and of the statistics issued by the specialized bodies.</abstract>

Impact of Digitalization on Education in the Knowledge Economy

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Management Dynamics in the Knowledge Economy

Aims and Scope  The aim of Management Dynamics in the Knowledge Economy (MDKE) is to address in an interdisciplinary framework the dynamics of the organization...

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Aims and Scope  The aim of Management Dynamics in the Knowledge Economy (MDKE) is to address in an interdisciplinary...