Serbian Journal of Management

Dialectics of complexity, emergence and management

Victor Efremov — 2023-11-02

The article is devoted to the dialectical analysis of such fundamental essences of modern organizations as complexity, emergence and management. It considers approaches to the quantitative assessment of complexity as a constructive feature of the system, while drawing attention to the fact that complexity is a direct result of the development of the system’s ability to adapt. The appearance of emergent properties in an organization is accompanied by an inevitable increase in its complexity. This growth should be controlled and regulated, and the level of emergence of the organization should correspond to the complexity of the environment. The more uncertainty needs to be eliminated, the more complex the organizational system becomes. From the authors’ point of view, the dialectic of entropy, complexity and emergence is as follows – strengthening the emergent properties of a set of elements requires minimizing entropy. In its turn minimizing entropy requires purposeful restriction of the freedom of system elements behaviour, which is provided by embedding into the system of managing elements and organizing the necessary set of connections, and that leads to an increase in the complexity of the organization.

Investment projects evaluation in a fuzzy environment using the simplified WISP method

Dragisa Stanujkic — 2023-11-01

This paper examines the importance of investment activity for companies and the challenges they face when evaluating investment projects in a fuzzy environment, that is when decisions have to be made based on some predictions and uncertain or imprecise data. The study focuses on the usage of a new extension of the Simplified WISP (Weighted Sum Product) method, which allows the use of triangular fuzzy numbers, as a tool for evaluating investment projects and minimizing the risk associated with such decisions. Investment projects were evaluated based on the following criteria: Net Present Value, Internal Rate of Return, Profitability Index, Payback Period, and Risk of project failure. The proposed extension of the Simplified WISP method can be used to solve other complex decision problems associated with predictions and uncertainties.The paper highlights the benefits of using this MCDM technique in investment project evaluation and the potential to improve decision-making processes. The study also discusses the challenges associated with applying MCDM techniques in a fuzzy environment and proposes solutions to overcome them. It also provides valuable insights for academics, practitioners, and policymakers interested in investment evaluation and decision-making processes.

Contribution to the assessment of the psychological risks in academia using Karasek and Siegrist models - case study: Constantine I university, Algeria

Razika Aouad — 2023-11-01

This study is devoted to psychosocial risks in the university environment. Exposure to psychosocial risks is detailed using existing job and professional nomenclatures. Prevention approaches are all the more effective if they are adapted to the field in which they are deployed. After reviewing each dimension, an analysis of overall exposure to PSRs is carried out. The objective of our study is to contribute to the evaluation of psychosocial risks of university administration personnel, by proposing solutions and recommendations. As a case study, we have taken the Faculty of Science and Technology of the University of Constantine1, Algeria. This study is based on the KARASEK model, composed of 26 questions, and then completed with 6 questions of the SIEGRIST model. As a result of the study, most of the employees suffer from work stress and psychological stress. Therefore, the management should implement preventive actions that meet the expectations of the employees to encourage, appreciate and support them at work.

Work life balance and transformational leadership as predictors of employee job satisfaction

Priya George — 2023-06-20

The main aim of the present study is to examine the relationship between work life balance, transformational leadership and job satisfaction of employees among information technology (IT) employees in South India. There are very limited number of studies that have focussed on the effects of work life balance and transformational leadership on job satisfaction among IT employees. The data for the study was collected using structured questionnaires from 250 employees working in the Indian IT sector. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) application was used to conduct reliability, descriptive, correlation and regression analyses on the collected data. The findings suggested that transformational leadership and work life balance have a positive and significant effect on an employee’s job satisfaction. The study recommends strategies for increasing employee satisfaction by formulating policies to ensure work-life balance and encourages IT organisations to provide transformational leadership training for managers to improve transformational leadership skills, such as maintaining good employee relationships by supporting employees in professional and personal matters. This article examines the concept of transformational leadership in its totality; however, additional research is necessary to determine the effects of various dimensions of transformational leadership on employee job satisfaction.

Factors affecting agricultural emissions in the Western Balkans: Panel data analysis

Tatjana Brankov — 2023-10-26

Reducing agricultural emissions is one of the most important issues in global policy, which is becoming increasingly challenging as time goes on. To address this, our study explores the major determinants of agricultural emissions in the Western Balkans while considering gross domestic product (GDP), agriculture value added, trade, energy use in agriculture, and foreign direct investments (FDI). The empirical results based on panel data analysis showed that GDP does not have a significant impact on emissions. Agriculture value added has had a significant and negative impact on nitrous oxide emissions and a significant and positive impact on methane emissions. Trade has significantly negatively affected nitrous oxide and methane emissions, while energy consumption has had a significant and positive impact on nitrous oxide and methane emissions. FDI has had a significant and positive impact on methane emissions, while its effect on nitrous oxide emissions was not statistically significant. This article can serve as a basis for further research on the topic.

The level of business ethics of small and medium-sized enterprises in the Visegrad group

Zdenko Metzker — 2023-10-26

The aim of the paper is to define and compare the significant attributes in the field of business ethics according to the size of the firm, gender and education of entrepreneurs in the SME segment in sum in the V4 countries. The empirical research, which was aimed at identifying the attitudes of small and medium-sized firms, was conducted in June 2022 in the Visegrad Four countries (Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland and Hungary). The data collection was carried out by the external firm. Statistical hypotheses were tested through descriptive statistics, chi-square and Z-score at α = 5% significance level. The attitudes of SMEs towards the following statements were examined: ST1: I consider ethics in business important; ST2: I consider the ethical implications of my decisions when managing my business; ST3: I feel good when I behave ethically in business; and ST4: Our company enforces rules of ethical conduct in business. We find that the level of agreement with these statements is high. We did not find statistically significant differences in responses based on defined demographic characteristics.

Leadership styles, organizational learning and organizational competitiveness: evidence from the Republic of North Macedonia

Kristina Krsteska — 2023-11-02

This study, in the Republic of North Macedonia (NM), identifies the differences between the Leadership Styles (LS) in the given context of Organizational Learning (OL), Situational Leadership (SL), and Organizational Competitiveness (OC). In addition, the study identifies specific factors which make up these constructs. The research was conducted across several industries, organizational hierarchical levels, and various work experiences. A pre-test survey was conducted on a small scale of respondents (n=79) for Organizational learning questionnaire, while the final questionnaire was administered on a larger scale (n=273), both using the convenient sampling. Results prove that there are no statistically significant differences between LS in OC, nor in the OL, while statistically significant differences existed in SL. This study also explored the existing multiple factors in LS, OL, and OC. These findings shed light on possible future research which can integrate these results and dive into further exploratory studies that can dwell into more comprehensive understanding which in effect can increase managerial implications for companies and researchers alike.

Reuse and recovery of products in the reverse logistics process in the omnichannel model on the example of a sports store chain

Dagmara Skurpel — 2023-11-01

The role of reverse logistics is to ensure that the return of goods is efficient and trouble-free. It is also responsible for determining whether the goods are fully valuable and can be sold again, or whether they should be subjected to additional processes for repair or disposal. The aim of the work is to present the processes of reverse logistics and after-sales customer service based on the Decathlon store chain. The article characterizes several activities that enable recovery of the economic value of used or broken products, such as: repair, renovation, cannibalization or recycling.
Depending on the technical condition and the reason for returning the goods to the seller, the returned products will undergo different processes. Goods of full value that have been returned due to the change in the consumer's mind can immediately be returned for resale and issued to another customer. In the event that the goods show signs of use or have been returned for a specific reason given by the customer, it is necessary to check whether the article is suitable for resale. For example the defect can be removed and such a product after service can be returned to warehouse stock. With such items in mind, the 2nd Life department has been created, which takes items with minor damage and reissues them for sale at a discounted price, that meet safety standards or their disposal. Actions that the company takes to reduce waste and ways that the consumer has the opportunity to solve the problem with a defect on their own have been presented.

Participative decision-making, autonomy, and creative performance: Evidence of match-up employee relations between engineers and managers

Jeniboy Kimpah — 2023-10-26

This study aimed to determine the associations between engineers’ perceptions of participative decision-making and autonomy, and their creative performance. The study utilised a paired match-up technique, with engineers and managers as respondents. Managers were responsible for assessing engineers’ creative performance. Due to the study match-up design, questionnaires measuring participative decision-making, autonomy, and creative performance were distributed to the electrical and electronic manufacturing firms. SmartPLS software was used to analyse the hypothesised relationships. The results indicated that engineers’ participative decision-making significantly predicted autonomy dimensions (work schedule, work criterion, and work method). Engineers’ autonomy regarding work schedule, work criterion, and work method had no positive relationship with creative performance. The results showed that engineers’ work schedule, work criterion, and work method negatively mediated the relationships between participative decision-making and creative performance. The findings indicated an insignificant direct effect and negative mediation of engineers’ work schedule, work criterion, and work method on creative performance, pointing to the structured nature of work. This situation leaves engineers with minimal opportunity to determine the work designs, time allocations, and multicriteria of job descriptions. The study recommends potential directions for studying the improvement of engineers’ creative performance in future studies.

Еxploring how demographic factors influence consumer attitudes and technology usage

Lydiah Kiburu — 2023-11-01

As technology continue to define lifestyle and interactions, firms are increasingly seeking empirical evidence on how consumers’ attitudes towards technology influence technology usage. There is inadequate research from the emerging markets on the extent to which demographic factors influence the relationship between consumer attitudes and technology usage. This study therefore addressed this gap by using data from mobile banking users in Kenya to test the moderating role of education levels, age, levels of income and gender. Kenya was preferred study context because of the high penetration and levels of mobile technology usage.
Results show that only education levels had statistically significant influence. Theoretical and consumer management implications as well as avenues for additional research are discussed. The study discusses the implications of the study from a theoretical, empirical, policy and industry practice perspective. Future research directions are also recommended.

What can HR management do with emotional intelligence?

Henrietta Nagy — 2023-10-26

Emotional intelligence has been a remarkably popular topic of HR-publications since the ‘90s. Organizational effectiveness and high emotional competences at a company definitely show high correlation, but despite the obvious importance of EQ-proficiency, it still remains a question how managers (and HR) can utilize the tools that emotional intelligence offers them to increase the efficiency of their organizations.
The primary research of this study is based on an extended questionnaire research aiming to get more detailed information about the real nature of human motivation (including autotelic types of motivation) by summarizing and analyzing the answers of more than one thousand respondents. The other primary research base of the study is an interview-based analysis (involving more than 70 respondents) wishing to know more about the possible interactions between significant emotional effects and the ability of human learning. The result of the study is the construction of a model frame that can help organizational managers and HR experts to review the main types of leadership methods based on psychological procedures built on emotional intelligence and the possible ways of using this knowledge to increase organizational effectiveness within the companies.

Symbiosis of intermodal terminals and free zones

Aleksandar Simonovic — 2023-11-01

Globalism is entering a new phase that creates space for regional investments. The trend of offshoring is beginning to weaken and trend of nearshoring investments are increasing. Jobs and new investments are returning to regions, neighboring countries and parent companies.
The new course of development requires the need for spaces where investors will receive customs and tax benefits with a greater need for efficient logistics. Free zones, which offer facilities for investment and business, will have to pay more attention to efficient logistics.
The benefits of infrastructure-equipped land, exemptions from paying customs duties and taxes with built-in capacities for intermodal transport, along with other state support measures, will additionally make certain locations attractive for investors.
The paper proposed a model of symbiosis of logistics centers and free zones, as well as analyzed instruments that should be used in order to create efficient centers that enable savings in business for future investors

SVPNN-ARAS strategy for MCGDM under pentapartitioned neutrosophic number environment

Surapati Pramanik — 2023-11-14

The aim of the paper is to extend the ARAS (Additive Ratio ASsessment) strategy to the single-valued pentapartitioned neutrosophic number environment which we call the SVPNN-ARAS strategy. The single-valued pentapartitioned neutrosophic number is the extension of fuzzy number and neutrosophic number. It comprehensively deals with uncertainty as it replaces indeterminacy with three independent entities, namely, contradiction, ignorance, and unknown. To develop a decision-making strategy, the arithmetic averaging operator for pentapartitioned numbers is defined and its basic properties are established. Single valued pentapartitioned number is a suitable mathematical tool to deal with uncertainty comprehensively. The SVPNN-ARAS strategy effectively evaluates and ranks feasible alternatives. In this paper, the ARAS strategy for multi-criteria group decision-making in a pentapartitioned neutrosophic number environment is developed. To demonstrate the applicability of the proposed strategy, a green supplier selection problem is solved and sensitivity analysis is performed to reflect the impacts of weighting of the decision makers and criteria on ranking the alternatives.