Zeszyty Naukowe UPH seria Administracja i Zarządzanie

OPINIONS OF EUROPEAN MANAGERS ON THE CHALLENGES OF TEAM MANAGEMENT IN MULTICULTURAL WORK ENVIRONMENTS

2023-08-29T09:54:23+00:00

In contemporary companies, the knowledge and experience of both employees and managers significantly influence decision-making, operational effectiveness, and strategy implementation, especially in conditions of the continuously increasing role played by international cooperation. Multiculturalism is not only a common feature of companies which operate in the global market but also increasingly a key factor when it comes to people management. Although cultural diversity can bring many positive effects, it can also be a source of a range of problems. Thus it is so important for managers of culturally diverse teams to understand the essence of multiculturalism, to be able to manage cultural diversity skilfully, and to endorse values and adhere to principles which are highly relevant in multicultural work environments. The study presented in the article (individual in-depth interviews) was conducted among managers from six European countries. The main aim of the study was to identify challenges posed by multicultural work environments based on the opinions of managers who work with multicultural teams. The theoretical part of the article explains the concept of multiculturalism and presents multiculturalism in the context of management in contemporary work environments. The empirical part discusses the results of the interviews and the resulting conclusions. Undoubtedly, multiculturalism poses numerous challenges to managers in the area of people management, and the results of the study have confirmed that managers face considerable challenges in multicultural work environments (especially in the areas regarding managers’ factual knowledge on and preparation for the management of teams, the level of their cultural intelligence, communication, and employee motivation).

MAXIMIZING BENEFITS FROM NETWORK COLLABORATION: HOW ORGANIZATIONS EXPLOIT NETWORK RELATIONS IN HIGHLY UNPREDICTABLE ENVIRONMENTS

2023-08-28T15:19:53+00:00

The main scientific purpose of this article is to identify how organizations maximize benefits from network relations in highly unpredictable environments, including both operational and strategic perspectives of network collaboration. The study is designed to deepen our knowledge about the nature of inter-organizational networks, and our understanding of the dynamics of relations between actors and the possibilities of exploiting networks in order to maximize benefit (network and relational rent). The research was carried out using the interpretative method of a multiple case study, following methodological rigor. It was divided into two stages: case-study analysis and cross-case analysis. The research shows that in highly unpredictable environments, when organizations have to face sudden and considerable unfavourable changes in operating conditions, they intensify relations’ features and at the same time modify expected benefits (including both operational and strategic perspective). The results allow for the identifying a pattern which shows how organizations modify the intensity of network-relation features in order to gain established benefits. The template serves as a tool for practitioners who can use it in planning and developing interactions with other members of networks (knots).

A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF INFORMATION SECURITY INCIDENTS IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION IN SELECTED EUROPEAN UNION COUNTRIES

2023-08-31T14:03:53+00:00

The article presents the issue of information security incident management in public administration. The goal of security incident management is to minimize the negative impact of incidents and ensure the continuity of the organization's operations. It is critical to know what the threats are, including the number and types of incidents reported. The article outlines key incident management and legal issues related to the topic of security incidents and the work of computer incident response teams. Examples of incidents that took place recently in public administration units in Poland were also presented. This was followed by an analysis of statistical data on reported incidents in Poland in the years 2020-2022, and the results were compared with the number of incidents reported in selected European Union countries. The results of the study show that the dominant type of incidents is fraud (mainly phishing), and public administration is one of the main targets of cybercriminals' attacks. Difficulties in conducting such comparative analysis have also been demonstrated.

CHANGES IN THE INNOVATIVE ACTIVITY OF POLISH ENTERPRISES IN THE YEARS 2019-2021

2023-10-15T19:02:00+00:00

The underlying objective of this paper is to identify the condition of and specify the changes in the innovative activity of Polish enterprises in the years 2019–2021. The first part of the article constitutes an overview of the definitions and types of innovation presented in the subject literature. The empirical part involves an analysis of the results of GUS (Statistics Poland) studies conducted for three periods of innovative activity of enterprises (2017-2019, 2018-2020, 2019-2021). The results of the carried-out analyses indicate an increase in the share of innovative enterprises in the total number of enterprises in Poland. In each size class of industrial and service enterprises, the implementation of process innovations dominated. In the analysed period, an increasing expenditure on innovative activities was observed, and the expenditure dynamics indicators were significantly higher in the entities conducting service activities. In the structure of financing innovative activities own funds played the most important role, regardless of the size of the enterprise and the type of the activity.

NAVIGATING ORGANIZATIONAL CRISES AND UNCERTAINTIES THROUGH WEB AUGMENTED REALITY (WebAR)

2023-11-07T18:51:56+00:00

Web Augmented Reality (WebAR) has emerged as a pivotal component within the paradigm of Industry 4.0 technologies. Its proliferation across diverse sectors underscores its potential as a transformative tool, particularly in the context of organizational micro-environments. Unlike traditional Augmented Reality (AR) platforms, which often necessitate substantial financial and technical investments, WebAR offers a more cost-effective and accessible alternative. Despite its apparent advantages, the adoption rate of WebAR remains relatively subdued. This article aims to undertake a rigorous theoretical examination of WebAR’s capacity to address and mitigate crises and uncer-tainties inherent within organizational micro-environments. To this end, the paper will review WebAR, engage in a comparative analysis between WebAR and its traditional AR counterparts, highlighting the distinctive attributes and potential advantages of the former, and delve into the theoretical implications of WebAR’s utility in navigating orga-nizational crises and uncertainties, drawing from relevant academic literature and theoretical frameworks. By adop-ting a more abstract and theoretical lens, this paper seeks to contribute to the body of knowledge surrounding WebAR. It aspires to foster a deeper academic understanding of its potential applications and implications, eschewing a more pragmatic approach in favor of a comprehensive theoretical exploration.

RESHAPING PROJECT MANAGEMENT TOWARDS SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT – METHODOLOGIES AND STANDARDS

2023-12-13T23:11:39+00:00

In the contemporary business landscape, sustainability is emerging as a pivotal factor in project delivery, driven by stakeholder demands for ethicality, eco-consciousness, and economic efficiency throughout a project’s lifecycle. This study aims to identify and elucidate the norms and standards governing sustainable project management practices within project organizations. Our findings unveil that sustainable project management transcends mere reliance on indicators, embracing a comprehensive package of activities. This multifaceted approach adapts project management mechanisms to different sustainability dimensions. An important result of the analysis of research materials is also the list of seven identified areas of project management subject to transformation towards sustainability. This study probes the realm of sustainability within project management, unveiling its potential to curtail costs, amplify opportunities, and bolster organizational success. The conclusions of the paper emphasize that SPM (Sustainable Project Management) is not just a trendy word, but a necessity in the face of contemporary global challenges. Organizations must actively adapt to the sustainability paradigm and effective leaders are crucial to the success of sustainable projects.

PRO-INNOVATION ACTIVITIES IN SHAPING THE ORGANIZATIONAL RESILIENCE

2024-01-10T07:33:13+00:00

This work aims to identify factors/activities that may affect the complexity of ensuring organizational resili-ence, as well as the complexity of the importance of ensuring organizational resilience shaped in innovative organizations; and to assess these phenomena in Polish innovative entities. Theoretical methods have been used in the study, i.e., analysis, synthesis, and query of the scientific literature. Inductive inference, as well as elements of deductive inference, have been used. The empirical CAWI survey technique and statistical analysis of quantitative data have also been used. The study used factor analysis, cluster analysis, the analysis of descriptive statistics, and the Kruskal–Wallis test for inde-pendent samples. Studies have shown that the complexity of ensuring organizational resilience (ICAOR indicator) and the complexity of the importance of ensuring organizational resilience (ICIOR indicator) is moderate. Moreover, there is a relatively small “gap” between respondents’ assessment of the level of implementation of factors and activities and the importance of the same factors/activities in the context of ensuring organizational resilience.

MANAGING ASSISTANCE IN THE FIELD OF SOCIAL INCLUSION ADDRESSED TO YOUNG PEOPLE FROM MIGRANT FAMILIES AT THE EUROPEAN UNION LEVEL

2023-11-14T21:59:10+00:00

Youth migration can be considered in many aspects. More and more young people from third countries are moving to European countries on their own or with their parents, sometimes at a very young age or even in childhood. At the same time, more and more young Europeans are becoming mobile across the continent. In terms of public policy for youth, it should be noted that students and pupils from a migrant background often struggle with difficulties in adapting to new learning conditions. Social inclusion of all young people, including those with migrant backgrounds, is one of the priorities of EU public policies in the youth field. Nowadays, social inclusion is largely based on activities that do not allow for digital exclusion, because modern education is very closely related to modern technologies. The instruments for implementing public policy for youth involve various programs funded by the European Union. These programs play a very important role in the process of social inclusion of young people from migrant families. As a result of the research, using the method of institutional and legal analysis, it was concluded that the key recommendation is that all activities addressed to young people from migrant families should enable them to function well in youth communities.

SLOW THINKING, OR THE ART OF NETWORK THINKING

2023-12-13T23:09:23+00:00

This article presents Slow Thinking: a reason and action tool used in problem-solving, also referred to as the methodology of network thinking. This methodology allows us to better understand the working of systems, specifically complex systems. It provides a holistic approach, a broad outlook, and examination of the world and a discovering of new relations; all this requires holistic thinking. Here attention is also drawn to the pitfalls of fast thinking and the need to develop the competence of slow thinking. The authors also present exemplary applications of slow thinking with a network model that demonstrates the impact of demographic changes and globalisation on the development of Europe.

THE ROLE OF ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE IN THE ORGANIZATION’S ACTIVITIES (THE CASE OF JSC BANK OF GEORGIA)

2024-02-22T09:22:43+00:00

The present paper provides a literature review on the concepts of organizational culture and a brief history of its development. Scientific views are analyzed according to the superficial, internal and deep levels of organizational culture. Every organization has a certain structure of its organizational culture, basic values and the values that determine its viability in everyday life. Organizational culture is a complex phenomenon and represents a pressing scientific problem, which at the moment of our research has not been properly studied in Georgia. Considering such limitations, we use the single case study method in our research, which allows us to provide an in-depth analysis of current events in a real context, to identify causal connections in the research phenomenon. This paper presents a case of a successful culture based on the example of the Bank of Georgia. The case examines the values of the organizational culture at different levels, showing how a strong, unified culture is formed in the company and how culture impacts the company’s activities. The study of the documentation depicting the functioning of the Bank of Georgia showed us that the organizational culture determines the image and reputation of the bank, ensures employee and customer satisfaction, and strengthens the reputation of the bank as the best employer.

COMPETENCIES OF THE FUTURE IN LIGHT OF THE CHANGES TAKING PLACE IN LARGE-SIZED COMPANIES

2023-09-01T23:27:29+00:00

The reality of the labour market is that changes are determined by both internal and external factors. The COVID-19 pandemic and the Russo-Ukrainian War doubtlessly resulted in a significant transformation of the labour market. The consequences of both events belong to external factors, where the expectations of both employers and employees, as well the offers being made by both groups participating in the labour market, clashed anew, revealing the existing competencies and deficits in their scope. Given the aim of the article, the authors will focus primarily on the conditions created by employers in large-sized companies, and their influence on the reinforcement and development of competencies of the future. The conducted survey studies indicate the necessity to introduce changes in the process of work organisation; and of the kind which will foster the development of competencies of the future. The studies were conducted taking into account the social changes in the external environment of organisations and the changes which were imposed on employers, remote work among others, in response to the changing environment. Thus, the issues raised in the studies, apart from competencies of the future, include organisational changes faced by the employees. Based on the obtained results recommendations were formulated.

SEARCHING FOR ALTERNATIVE POSSIBILITIES FOR IMPROVING THE LIVING CONDITIONS OF CITY RESIDENTS THROUGH MODIFICATIONS TO TRAFFIC FLOW

2023-10-02T07:54:40+00:00

The identification of best practices in traffic organization and road infrastructure in urban agglomerations indicates their low effectiveness in terms of traffic flow. Through the acquisition and synthesis of available knowledge, this article aims to foreground effective organizational and technical concepts that will help efficiently reduce traffic congestion in urban agglomerations. A modern city or urban area is a system of interconnected elements that influence people’s quality of life; influenced, among other things, by the accessibility of amenities or urban space related to the effort required for mobility, often involving emotional, temporal, and financial costs. People’s movement encounters many limitations related to urban area management. The conducted theoretical research indicates that any effective reduction of traffic congestion in urban agglomerations would require a combination of different organizational and technical solutions. Best practices in traffic organization and road infrastructure include the development of public transport networks, the implementation of intelligent transport systems, variable road pricing, and urban planning that considers traffic flow. Of course, radical restrictions on road traffic in cities are also possible through the utilization of various technical and organizational solutions, such as promoting alternative means of transportation.

LITERATURE REVIEW AND ANALYSIS OF RESEARCH CONDUCTED IN EUROPE ON HEALTH LITERACY

2024-03-21T10:32:36+00:00

According to World Health Organization, Health Literacy encompasses the cognitive and social skills that determine the motivation and ability of individuals to access, understand and use information in a way that promotes and maintains good health. The aim of this article is to present the concept of “health literacy”, its determinants and consequences, as well as to review research conducted in Europe using the European Health Literacy Survey Questionnaire – HLS-EU-Q16 indicator. For this purpose, a literature review was conducted, to incorporate analysis and criticism. The article determines the scope of research on health literacy in Europe using the European Health Literacy Survey Questionnaire – HLS-EU-Q16, based on literature analysis. The greater people’s health literacy, the better their understanding of prevention and treatment. Low health awareness means financial losses, both personal and global. High Health Literacy enables good prevention, which is the best and cheapest method in every health system.

HOW SUPPLY CHAIN DISRUPTIONS AFFECT THE WAY COMPANIES FUNCTION – A CASE STUDY ON THE EXAMPLE OF THE TFL ENTITY GEIS GLOBAL LOGISTICS

2023-08-29T06:39:23+00:00

The aim of the article is to present the essence of disruptions in the supply chain and assess how they are linked with enterprise resilience. Furthermore, it aims to indicate how company’s operations are impacted in the long term. The article has a theoretical and empirical character. It presents the results of empirical research conducted in the third quarter of 2022 at Geis Global Logistics. Here we look to answer three research questions concerning the problems and challenges resulting from the pandemic and geopolitical crisis, their role in creating new development opportunities for the company, and defining key logistics and supply chain strategies to maintain its competitiveness in a turbulent environment. The results show the actions taken by the Transport Forwarding Logistics (TFL) industry entity to survive and be competitive in the market, i.e., building resilience through the ability to absorb, react, and rebuild after disruptions.

INNOVATIVENESS OF TRAINING COMPANIES IN THE WEST POMERANIAN VOIVODESHIP

2023-11-07T08:16:29+00:00

The aim of the article is to analyse and evaluate the innovativeness of training companies operating in the West Pomeranian Voivodeship. In the theoretical part of the article: the basic concepts related to the innovativeness of training companies are defined and the indicators for measuring the innovativeness of these enterprises are summarised. The practical part of the article analyses the innovativeness of training companies in the West Pomeranian Voivo-deship. The following research methods were used in the article: literature analysis, analysis of source data from the Central Statistical Office, analysis of primary data obtained as a result of quantitative research.

SOCIO-ECONOMIC SECURITY MANAGEMENT – NEEDS, POSSIBILITIES AND APPLICATIONS

2023-08-27T16:26:58+00:00

This paper presents theoretical considerations on the needs and possibilities of socio-economic security management and practical application of the model of the system for diagnosing and forecasting socio-economic security in the region. The first part of the paper presents the validity and possibility of managing safety in relation to the definition of management and safety. In that context, the thesis was justified that the task of the state, as an organization, is to properly direct and dispose of the resources it has an influence over in order to ensure the highest possible level of security and eliminate its threats. The second part presents arguments for the need to create a tool for managing socio-economic security at the regional level. The importance of such a tool for making decisions regarding socio-economic policy and management practice at both the strategic and operational level was emphasized. Then, a multifactorial model of the system for diagnosing and forecasting socio-economic security of Polish regions was presented in terms of its contribution to the achievements of two scientific disciplines, and its practical application. Next, the possibilities and limitations in the construction of the model and its practical application as a management tool were presented.

BARRIERS TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF UNIVERSITY-BASED SPECIAL PURPOSE VEHICLES

2023-08-11T16:02:36+00:00

The aim of this article is to identify the barriers to the development of university-based special purpose vehicles (SPVs) in Poland and to identify the recommendations to address these barriers. As a consequence of the research objective formulated in this way, it was decided to use a literature review, analysis of secondary documents, and a case study method. As part of the case study, in-depth interviews were conducted with the SPV manager and its stakeholders. The literature review concerned the constrictions in the development of the cooperation between science and business on the part of both entrepreneurs and scientists, which consequently translates into barriers in the development of units created to commercialise the results of scientific research created in universities and research institutes, including SPVs. On the basis of the collected research material, barriers to SPV development were defined and then grouped according to the type of constraints (systemic, economic, competence, awareness-cultural) and according to the environment they directly affect (SPVs, scientists, entrepreneurs). In response to the barriers to SPVs development, actions have been proposed to overcome them. The originality of the article stems from the development of the issue of the functioning of SPVs, whose role and capabilities are little understood in both academic and business circles.