M1 - Business AdministrationReturn

Nowadays, in times of the corona crisis, controlling is gaining much attention because it represents an effective internal mechanism that can greatly contribute to a timely and rapid response to changes. Controlling activities reflect the quality of company management at the strategic, tactical and operational levels. In doing so, controlling uses appropriate instruments and contributes to business efficiency and effectiveness. The research aims to determine the current state of controlling instrument application (operational/strategic) in companies. Furthermore, we examine the role of controlling in stabilizing business operations and adjusting business strategies that affect business performance indicators in the context of the corona crisis. The survey method was used, and data were collected from 180 companies of different sizes in the Republic of Croatia. The survey was conducted in 2021. Nonparametric techniques, the chi-square test and the Kruskal-Wallis test were used for hypothesis testing. The findings show that (i) there is a significant relationship between the role of controlling in business stabilization and business strategy redirection in times of corona crisis, thus affecting business indicators measured by liquidity, profitability and indebtedness; (ii) there is a statistically significant difference in the application of operational controlling instruments between companies that have established a controlling department and those without a controlling department; and (iii) there is no statistically significant difference in the application of strategic controlling instruments between companies that have established a controlling department and those without a controlling department. The results of the study provide insight into the application of controlling instruments in Croatian companies during the corona crisis and empirical implications for both academics and practitioners.
Implications for Central European audience: Nowadays, market volatility and external factors significantly influence business decisions of Central European companies. For managerial decisions to be timely and effective, controlling uses various instruments with the aim of better advising managers. To be more agile, companies have to use a combination of operational and strategic controlling instruments. In the Republic of Croatia, as a post-transition country, companies are more short-term oriented, which is visible in the significant use of operational controlling instruments, and the lesser use of strategic controlling instruments. In times of pandemic and geopolitical events, the results of the research indicate the need for strategic orientation of companies through the application of strategic controlling instruments in the practice of Croatian companies to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of their operations.

This study aims to understand the impact of organizational contingencies such as organizational culture, human resource policies and inter-organizational linkage on financial performance, using the mediating role of crisis management in energy companies in Iraq. To this end, structural equation modelling (SEM) was adopted to test the causal relationships between the study variables. An exploratory design (i.e., a questionnaire) was used to collect data from 379 workers in energy companies in Iraq. The results of this study indicate that organizational contingencies affect financial performance. Besides, crisis management provides complete mediation of the relationship between organizational contingencies and financial performance. From the practitioner's point of view, leaders and practitioners should encourage a creative culture and idea generation to give members enough power to act and focus on goals that support building sustainable organizational capacity.
Implications for Central European audience: The findings of this study contribute to providing academics and practitioners with a deep insight into the antecedents of financial performance to develop practices and policies that increase performance. 

This study aims to predict and assess the antecedents of use social commerce using dual-stage structural equation modelling and artificial neural network analysis. This study sheds light on the role of perceived risks in developing the relationship of each of the social bonds and the social network on the convenience of adopting wearable payment. The interactive role of barriers of using the wearable payment for the relationship convenience of adopting wearable payment and intention to use social commerce was also explored. Finally, this study highlighted the effect of the mediating variable of the convenience of adopting wearable payment. The survey was adopted by surveying 334 people with an online shopping experience. The results confirmed the role of interactive variables, perceived risk, and barriers of using wearable payment in increasing intention to use social commerce. On the other hand, the convenience of wearable payment adoption has fully mediated the relationship between social bonds, social network theories and intention to use social commerce.
Implications for Central European audience: The findings of this study contribute to providing academics and practitioners with a deep insight into the antecedents of social commerce to develop practices and policies that increase intentions to use social commerce.

The presented study aims to quantify the determinants of entrepreneurship in the four countries of the Visegrad (V4) group (the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia) with a particular focus on the relationship between entrepreneurship and unemployment. The purpose of the research was to analyze whether, during the periods of higher unemployment rate, individuals more likely engage into entrepreneurial activity. Data were collected from the national statistical offices of the Visegrad countries, World Bank, Eurostat and Heritage Foundation. The collected sample covered years 1998-2015. To achieve the main objective of the article, regression models with the dependent variable, the rate of registered businesses per economically active inhabitant, were quantified. Estimated regressions proved a positive relationship between entrepreneurship and unemployment. A higher unemployment rate was associated with the increase in overall entrepreneurial activity. Estimated models further confirmed the negative influence of the administrative barriers on the overall entrepreneurial activity. Several policy and research implications are discussed in the study.

The purpose of this paper is to determine the intercultural and gender differences between American and Czech customers in relation to their perceptions of the verbal and nonverbal personality characteristics of a salesperson during the personal sales process. This research provides scholars and practitioners with an understanding of the cultural and gender-specific personal interaction factors that should be addressed when designing effective interpersonal sales approaches. The study utilized an experimental design approach. Personal selling scenarios were filmed and shown to respondents (university students acting as potential customers) who completed a survey regarding sales effectiveness. The resulting data was factor analyzed and a conceptual personal sales model was developed. The model suggests that salesperson authenticity and personal interaction factors impact sales success in both the U.S. and the Czech Republic. However, there are variations in the receptivity of potential U.S. and Czech customers to specific interpersonal communication factors. Gender-based variations were also identified. The study focused on automotive retail sales scenarios in the United States; however, the results can be generalized to similar markets.

This study examines the attitude of management students towards whistleblowing in a sample of 121 master students of business ethics at the Faculty of Economics University in Split, Croatia. The three measurement instruments include whistleblowers' attitudes (3 items), whistleblowing attitudes (2 items) and potential types of whistleblowing reactions (8 items), i.e. external reactions (4 items) and internal reactions (4 items). The results of the study indicated a positive attitude toward whistleblowing and whistleblowers. The authors also found that female students exhibited more confidence in management and were more prone to whistleblowing than male students. Also, students with professional experience considered whistleblowing to be in the public interest more than students with no professional experience. The results may be of practical use to managers who can benefit from whistleblowing while keeping in mind that whistleblowing can't be avoided and that punishing whistleblowers seems to be a bad managerial practice.

This article brings managerial guidelines for new market expansion and current market penetration on the example of a Czech medical devices manufacturer. We describe the strategy in evaluation of the opportunities in the territories, of setting up the benchmarks, the steps how to deal with partners in current territories and how to approach the acquisition of new territories. We show how significant the sales growth is for financials, and we mention the limit defined in the Theory of Sustainable Growth. We show how important the level is, how the products are advanced and how important it is to have unique products. The objective of the article is to bring a basis for new thoughts to readers who might intend to look for new markets acquisition. The information and facts provided show a real example of an existing company's approach.