Journal of Business Economics and Management

Transport risks in the supply chains – Post COVID-19 challenges

Mon, 25 Mar 2024 00:00:00 +0200

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused major disruptions in global supply chains with unforeseen and unpredictable consequences. However, the pandemic was not the only reason why supply chain risk management has become more crucial than ever before. In the last decade, the occurrence of previously merely theoretical risks has emphasised the importance of risk management in supply chains. This has increased interest in risk assessment and management, COVID-19 and other disaster impact studies and proposals for more stable and resilient supply chains. This article addresses the problem of transport risk in supply chains in the context of COVID-19. Particular attention is paid to quantitative approaches. Identifying and quantifying risks and modelling their interdependencies contribute to the stability of the supply chains. The analysis presents the current state of knowledge and can serve as a guide for further research. It highlights transport risk management in supply chain management as an important area of investigation. In light of the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, the article proposes an approach to transportation risk assessment based on quantitative assessment and interconnection of risk factors.

Model of sustainability of SMEs in V4 countries

Katarina Zvarikova, Jan Dvorsky, Jaroslav Jr. Belas, Zdenko Metzker — Tue, 26 Mar 2024 00:00:00 +0200

The research’s objective was to develop a thorough model of the viability of SMEs in the V4 countries based on predetermined variables. The following factors were defined: human resources management, business ethics, corporate social responsibility, company digitalisation, environmental considerations, financial management, and sustainability of SMEs. The model was developed on the solid empirical research carried out in the Visegrad Four countries in June 2022 by the renowned external agency MNFORCE using a sample of 1,398 respondents and the “Computer Assisted Web Interviewing” technique. According to the research, the developed complex model of SMEs’ sustainability depending on the listed criteria is statistically significant. Each investigated factor has a favourable impact on SMEs’ sustainability. The study’s findings supported the notion that the environmental aspects of the business have the strongest positive impact on the long-term sustainability of SMEs. The study’s findings indicate that the management of human resources, finances, and the degree of digitalisation of SMEs significantly influence the viability of businesses. The findings provide an important platform for managers responsible for the sustainability of the SME segment at the worldwide level (International council for small business), national level (particularly for V4 nations), as well as institutions supporting SMEs and SME owners.

Towards a digital native era in nutrition: introducing the m-format labeling

Tue, 02 Apr 2024 00:00:00 +0300

The advent of m-commerce has reinvented and simplified the shopping experience for the digital native generation. The following questions were the starting points for this research: is nutrition labeling important in purchase decisions? Could a new format for food nutrition labeling in m-commerce be the optimal way to inform the younger generation and enrich their shopping experience? This study continues the authors’ research on the food preferences of the younger generation by conducting a quantitative study on a sample of 364 students. The aim of the paper is to identify the factors that influence online food orders and the ways in which nutrition labeling can enhance consumers’ purchasing experiences and eating habits. The results show that nutrition facts play an important role in online purchases of new or unfamiliar foods. Control over one’s own diet and a higher income also make digital natives more interested in ordering food online. The use of a mobile format for nutrition labeling would be the necessary update for the food industry to turn nutrition data into added value, help consumers get a balanced diet and personalize nutritional needs, and for policymakers to adjust nutrition standards and policies toward healthier and more responsible consumption patterns.

Government Artificial Intelligence readiness and brain drain: influencing factors and spatial effects in the European Union member states

Iulia Cristina Iuga, Adela Socol — Thu, 04 Apr 2024 00:00:00 +0300

In the swiftly advancing field of Artificial Intelligence (AI), a field where every country aims to keep pace, significant disparities are observed in how different nations adopt AI. This study explores the deep, yet insufficiently studied, effects of AI on societal, economic, and environmental aspects. It particularly examines how brain drain influences governmental AI implementation capabilities, addressing a gap in existing literature. The study investigates the interplay between government AI implementation and brain drain, factoring in macroeconomic conditions, governance quality, educational levels, and R&D efforts. Utilizing 2022 data from European Union countries, the research employs instrumental-variables regressions (2SLS and LIML) to counteract endogeneity and uses clustering methods for categorizing countries based on their government AI levels, alongside spatial analysis to detect cross-national spillovers and interactions. The findings reveal brain drain’s detrimental effect on governmental AI preparedness, highlight clustering tendencies, and identify spatial interdependencies. This paper underscores the need for strategic policy-making and institutional reforms to bolster government AI capabilities. It advocates for a paradigm shift in government frameworks post-New Public Management era, tailored to the new challenges posed by AI. The research, however, is limited to a single year and region, with constraints on data availability and indicator breadth.

The impact of digital transformation on entrepreneurial activity. Empirical evidence from the European Union

Sorin Gabriel Anton — Wed, 10 Apr 2024 00:00:00 +0300

The paper explores the impact of digital transformation (DT) on new business creation in the case of European Union member states over the period 2015–2020 by employing several econometric techniques such as Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) and quantile regression (QR). The results of OLS regression indicate a positive and significant link between DT and entrepreneurial activity. However, the quantile regression results highlight a parameter heterogeneity in the effect of DT on entrepreneurial activity. Furthermore, the magnitude of the impact is greater at the higher size quantiles of the new business density distribution. Overall, the empirical findings highlight the key role of DT in developing public policies aimed to spur entrepreneurial activity. Thus, this paper brings significant contributions to the extant literature on the macro determinants of firm creation.