<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

Nutrition’s significance lies at the very core of human existence - from fostering good health and upholding individual well-being to indulging in the pleasures of food, its importance is undeniable. Reviewing the scientific literature, diverse definitions of functional food try to define its meaning precisely. The food is labeled “functional” when it fulfills basic nutritional needs and positively influences health, diminishing the risk of specific diseases and enhancing overall vitality. Considering that food expenses constitute a substantial portion of household budgets, a significant economic dimension exists when planning an individual’s diet. The assortment of functional foods is constantly evolving, prompting modern consumers to analyze their dietary choices more rigorously than ever before. This surge in interest has evoked the attention of researchers, manufacturers, and consumers. However, a comprehensive analysis of Croatia’s consumer behavior and functional foods must still be available. The present study builds upon the theory of planned behavior, a framework well-fitted for social research and exceptionally skilled at investigating the multiple factors pointing to consumer decisions. Drawing insights from empirical research conducted in Croatia, a robust correlation was established through linear regression between attitudes, subjective norms, concern for personal health, and the intent to purchase functional foods.
</abstract>

Perception of Functional Food Among Croatian Consumers

<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

Sustainability is a term that resonates throughout society in the broadest sense: from countries across continents, individual actors within communities or states – business entities, educational institutions and households, and public administrations. This is because the earth is highly likely to become unviable if we do not pursue sustainability. So many are aware of this and see sustainability as an important and no doubt long-term megatrend that affects us all. Businesses are not standing on the sidelines either, although it must be acknowledged that sustainability and economics do not always go hand in hand; however, projects with various practical sustainability benefits can be found. Unfortunately, sustainability is sometimes perceived as a topic that can be exploited in marketing in the form of “greenwashing.” This article addresses the challenges of green marketing communication, and examples from the Czech Republic are presented. Questionnaires were conducted to analyze and evaluate consumers’ attitudes and buying behavior toward sustainable products in the Czech Republic.
</abstract>

Sustainable Marketing and the Challenges of Green Marketing Communication: Survey of Consumer Attitudes and Buying Behaviour for Sustainable Products in the Czech Republic

<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

The objective of the study is to assess the extent to which the HRM practices of the Qatari Ministry of Culture have been effectively integrating sustainability principles to improve both organizational performance and employee well-being. A mixed-methods approach was employed, which involved interviews with stakeholders, staff members, and HR managers, analyzing documents, administering questionnaires, and conducting interviews.
The findings demonstrated that the Ministry of Culture recognized the significance of sustainability and implemented measures to foster work-life balance, enhance diversity and inclusion, provide opportunities for professional growth, and establish transparent governance and accountability procedures. These activities have positive impacts on the efficiency of the organization, as well as on employee engagement and satisfaction. The study emphasizes integrating sustainability principles into human resource management (HRM) practices and aligning HR strategy with sustainable development objectives.
Furthermore, the study provides details regarding strategies and programs to improve sustainability in HRM. The study’s distinctiveness lay in its focus on the Ministry of Culture, thereby augmenting the existing body of research on sustainability in HRM. The objective is to encourage the implementation of similar strategies in other companies by educating decision-makers, HR professionals, and organizational executives about the benefits of sustainability initiatives.
</abstract>

Sustainability and Sustainable HRM Case Study: Sustainable HRM in Light of Ministry of Culture, Qatar

<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

Companies need and want to become more inclusive entities. Inclusion encompasses a variety of dimensions, including gender equality and unbiased treatment because of sexual orientation. Cultural inclusion, however, is often overlooked.
Based on available research, this article analyses critical Polish management practices and appropriate attitudes of managers towards employees from other cultural backgrounds. It also advocates organizational initiatives to improve the situation, especially in the context of the wartime mass migration of Ukrainian citizens to Poland.
</abstract>

The impact of cultural inclusion on human resource management practices

<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
With an ever-increasing pace of change, dwindling resources, and an aging population, modern societies face harsh questions regarding effective governance systems. Moreover, with lingering problems brought on by COVID and ongoing inflationary pressures, the situation for growing numbers of aging women who have outlived their partners and are living on their own is increasingly grim. In Canada, when the elderly cannot manage independently, even the least expensive full-care retirement home options can have a formidable cost, which can be a heavy burden for many. Therefore, it is of utmost importance for society to support independent living as long as possible.
Independent living models are being developed with various constraints and often with profit in mind. However, we were interested in the most economically feasible and socially acceptable solution. One such development is <italic>La Maison des Babayagas</italic> in Paris, France. This innovative government-subsidized housing project has been developed for retired independent women who pay rent for small apartments according to their means. The residents live in independent units and support one another in an economic and social arrangement that promotes friendships, fights loneliness, and helps each maintain a healthy outlook.
This research aimed to gather data to create an inventory questionnaire to select independent retired women in Canada to live together harmoniously in a housing project based on the successful model developed in Paris. The questionnaire is based on analyzing the Babayagas House charter and resident journals and an extensive review of related inventories and questionnaires. The criteria retained will be explained, and examples of the questions will be presented.
</abstract>

Developing selection criteria for harmonious co-living: la Maison des Babayagas and beyond

<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

Currently, sustainable development of a country refers to targeted economic growth that does not harm the environment (or, better yet, is integrated into natural cycles or a circular economy) and also contributes to solving social problems. Thus, a balance is maintained between the territory’s economic, environmental, and social development, which has accelerated and continues to form its own set of tools for promoting sustainable development, most often integrated into global directions.
The purpose of the study is to identify and analyze the main problems of sustainable development of the economy of Portugal as one of the EU countries, including those related to natural factors, labor resources, sociocultural characteristics, the development of modern technologies, infrastructure, economics, political and legislative features. The study used comparative descriptive and analytical methods, as well as an analysis of modern statistics, literature, and Internet resources. The paper identifies, classifies, and analyzes the most critical barriers and challenges for the country’s economy in the present and the future, as well as the possible consequences of these challenges.
</abstract>

Challenges to the sustainable development of the Portuguese economy

<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

This study examines the impact of the political stability index, including inflation rate and gross capital formation growth, on Nepal’s economic growth. This study uses secondary data from the World Bank, covering 27 annual data points from 1996 to 2022. Descriptive and exploratory research designs are used. Some statistical and essential econometric tools like graphs, descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, Johnsen co-integration test, vector error correction model, and Wald test are used in the study. The independent and dependent variables exhibit long-term cointegration. The preceding year’s political stability has a favorable influence on current economic expansion. One percent improvement in the previous year’s political stability index led to a 0.1896 percent increase in economic growth. One percent increase in inflation results in a 0.1884 percent decrease in economic growth in Nepal. Similarly, 84.96 percent of the variation in economic growth is influenced by factors such as past economic growth, political stability, inflation, and the expansion rate in gross capital accumulation over an extended period. The short-term economic growth of Nepal is influenced by factors such as the previous year’s economic growth, political stability index, and growth in gross capital formation. Nevertheless, the inflation rate does not statistically explain short-term economic progress. To develop sustainable economic growth in Nepal, it is crucial to undertake critical policy initiatives such as enhancing the political stability index, encouraging capital formation, and efficiently managing inflation.
</abstract>

Tribhuvan University, Faculty of Humanities and Social Science

Tribhuvan University, Faculty of Management

Nexus Between Political Stability and Economic Growth: An Empirical Study From Nepal

Volume 58 (2024): Issue 1 (January 2024)

Volume 57 (2023): Issue 1 (January 2023)

Volume 56 (2022): Issue 1 (January 2022)

Volume 55 (2021): Issue 1 (January 2021)

Volume 54 (2020): Issue 1 (January 2020)

Volume 53 (2019): Issue 2 (January 2019)

Volume 53 (2019): Issue 1 (February 2019)

WSB Journal of Business and Finance

WSB Journal of Business and Finance is an international, scientific journal published by WSB Merito University Gdansk that has been conducted since 2008. The Journal promotes theoretical and applied research in the area of business, finance and management.  The journal is published in English and its primary version is online one. Papers are double-blind peer-reviewed by scientists from foreign and Polish academic institutions.  WSB JBF is published once a year in an Open Volume system.  WSB JBF is an Open Access Journal, and does not charge readers or their institutions for access. The open access supports the rights of users to read, download, copy, distribute, print, search, or link to the full texts of these articles.  REJECTION RATE   About 20%   WSB JBF considers three types of papers:   Research – that presents author’s output within primary research;  Case studies – that present the experience from the application of existing method or procedure and brings relevant findings which could be valuable for research area;  Review articles - that presents the systematic review or comparative study of already known knowledge.   Thematic scopes of WSB Journal of Business and Finance focus on the following areas: Management, Entrepreneurship, Enterprise Economics, Macroeconomics, Strategic Foresight, Logistics, Supply Chain Management, Transportation, Accounting and Finance, International Trade and Finance, Marketing, Quantitative Methods.  Fees and Sources of Financing The editorial board does not impose any publication fees on authors for their contributions to the WSBJBF. As an open-access journal, we ensure that all articles are freely accessible, allowing users and institutions to read, download, and share the content without a subscription or purchase. The journal does not publish any advertisement. The WSBJBF had the privilege of receiving funding from the Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education, per agreement number 741/P-DUN/2018. This grant, designated for the years 2018-2019, was aimed at supporting dissemination activities that contribute to the advancement of scientific knowledge and elevate the journal's scholarly and international stature. At present, the journal's operations are financially supported solely by subsidies from the University WSB Merito in Gdańsk. These funds are instrumental in maintaining the journal's commitment to fostering open scientific communication and excellence in publication.  Archiving  Sciendo archives the contents of this journal in Portico - digital long-term preservation service of scholarly books, journals and collections.  Plagiarism Policy  The editorial board is participating in a growing community of Similarity Check System's users in order to ensure that the content published is original and trustworthy. Similarity Check is a medium that allows for comprehensive manuscripts screening, aimed to eliminate plagiarism and provide a high standard and quality peer-review process.  Previous issues  WSB Journal of Business and Finance is a a successor od Prace Naukowe Wyższej Szkoly Bankowej w Gdańsku. The description of content back volumes of the journal under the former title can be found here: www.wsb.pl/gdansk/srodowisko-akademickie/dzialalnosc-naukowo-badawcza/prace-naukowe 