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This study aims to statistically investigate the effects of an infodemic as an external stimulus on consumer decision processes based on the stimulus-organism-response theory (SOR). An infodemic is known as an epidemic of misinformation, and the literature on infodemics in marketing is quite limited. With the research model created for this purpose, the mediating role of brand trust (organism) in the relationship between both infodemic and positive word-of-mouth marketing (stimulus) and consumers' store visit intentions (response) is examined. The findings suggest that infodemic news and positive word-of-mouth marketing influence consumers' shopping behaviour. Being influenced by infodemic news does not have a significant effect on store visit intention directly, but it has a positive effect through the mediation of brand trust. In addition, both direct and indirect effects of positive word-of-mouth marketing on store visit intention are positive. This suggests that brand trust functions as a coping mechanism for consumers to deal with the uncertainty or negative impact of infodemic news and that consumers' store visit intentions can be increased by enhancing their trust in the brand. As a result, it emphasises the importance of brands developing various communication strategies to increase their credibility and influence consumer decision-making mechanisms.
Implications for Central European audience: The study aims to investigate the effects of infodemic posts and positive word-of-mouth marketing on consumers' trust in a brand and their intention to visit a store. By doing so, it seeks to provide strategic recommendations that companies can apply in their communications with customers. Data analyses show that being influenced by an infodemic does not have a significant direct effect on store visit intention, but it does have a positive impact through brand trust. Additionally, positive word-of-mouth marketing has both direct and indirect positive effects on store visit intention. The study highlights brand trust as a critical element that can mitigate the negative effects of infodemic news. It is recommended that businesses focus on sustainability projects, ethical practices and the principle of transparency to enhance brand trust.

To identify the most recent trends in the literature about the convergence of FinTech and Sustainability, this study combines bibliometric analysis with a thorough literature review using documents from the Scopus database. The current body of literature in a particular topic of research is thoroughly and methodically examined on a systematic literature analysis. One quantitative technique that makes it easier to identify current trends and underlying ideas in a subject is bibliometric analysis. Trends, evolution, bibliometrics, mapping, and qualitative content analyses serve as the foundation for the analysis. By following all inclusion and exclusion criteria, 116 papers that were taken from the Scopus database were bibliometrically reviewed in order to identify popular keywords, notable authors, institutions, and countries. WordStat was used for content analysis, and Biblioshiney and VOSviewer were used to determine the most cited papers. The results identified five noteworthy clusters. The results show a significant increase in the examination of the connection between FinTech and Sustainability starting in 2021, highlighting the significance of technological advancements and financial innovations in the corporate sphere.
Implications for Central European audience: The study's conclusions have significance for sustainability research as well as FinTech, stressing the importance of relevant research methods and the part FinTech plays in developing and putting sustainable practises and initiatives into reality. The study outlines the development of the literature on the connection between sustainability and fintech, offering insights into influential writers, countries, organisations, and journal sources. The study's insights help to direct future research in this field by providing a road map for more investigation and comprehension of the changing dynamics between sustainability and FinTech.

In recent years, we have observed a growing interest in generational change. Various journalists, commentators and trend watchers have drawn attention to the differences of the newly emerging generation known as Generation Z (for purposes of this study, young people born in 2000 and later). It seems that the specificity of Generation Z is mainly determined by exposure to technology from an early age. It affects not only the way young people communicate but also their values, career expectations and lifestyles. The aim of the study is, therefore, to find out which factors are important for a successful labour market entry and the most influential for young people of Generation Z. We predict that the quantity and quality of online communication, life and work values and career expectations relate to career adaptability and resilience of Generation Z. Data were collected via a questionnaire based on validated and adapted scales – life values inventory, career adaptability scale and career resilience scale. The sample included 804 high school students, representatives of Generation Z, in the last year of their studies. The data of this study were analysed with the SPSS statistical software using exploratory factor and correlation analysis. The correlation analysis showed a significant relationship between career adaptability/career resilience and both variables of the model, value orientation and career expectations. The results of the study also reveal Generation Z’s perception of the ideal workplace, the main priorities in selecting a job, perceived working potential and their career aspirations. The results suggest that Generation Z appreciate when their employer provides them with the possibility of online communication as a necessary part of their work expectations. The ranking of the life values shows the importance of the value “prestige” among students, which indicates the importance of sharing success and experiences online.
Implications for Central European audience: Employability of Generation Z is a viable concept used and researched worldwide. A modified successful labour market entry model for Generation Z is supported in the Czech context, and it provides a base for future research. The results of the study support an investigation of Generation Z employability and provide an insight into the expectations and values of grammar school students in Czechia. The model might offer a convenient roadmap to accommodate the work expectations of Gen Z from the Central European region: career adaptability/resilience and factors of Generation Z’s entry onto the labour market.

Netnography, an online qualitative research method that evolved from ethnography, previously typically used in anthropology, is experiencing its boom in contemporary marketing research worldwide. It helps to answer research questions about a variety of topics, and it is used in many different ways. Therefore, each netnographic study is unique, not only content-wise but also in terms of the approach to the use of the method. In the presented paper, the case study research method was applied to aim at the identification of the best practices in contemporary marketing research when using netnography. Based on the analysis of chosen articles published in peer-reviewed academic journals, the paper defines the features of the research problem suitable for the application of netnography, the typical process, and its variances, as well as basic criteria for use. As a result of observed significant differences in applying the method, the paper captures the variability of netnography use in the Model of NET Dimensions of Netnography. The model shows how each netnographic study has to deal with three dimensions of decisions that need to be taken: ‘the Niche’ – the place ‘where’ and the group ‘whom’ it researches, ‘the Engagement’ – the extent to which the researcher is engaged in the studied community, and ‘the Time’ – the timeline – ‘when’ and timespan ‘how long’. The combination of all the possibilities of NET dimensions makes the netnography so variable, flexible, and adaptable, and therefore a very suitable method for many research problems.
Implications for Central European Audience: The paper presents the variety of use of netnography in contemporary marketing research. Although the method originated at the end of the 20th century and is starting to be very popular worldwide, especially with the growth of life online, there is still very little research done using this method in the CEE. Researching the various scholar engines at the time of the article submission, we found very few published studies originating from the CEE. And yet, as the presented paper shows, the method is very well-fitting for a large variety of research problems, and it is very handy, especially now when other qualitative methods are often more difficult to be carried out due to COVID-19 restrictions. The method has the potential to help to answer many of the real businesses’ questions as well as to solve some academic puzzles. Therefore, we see a need to promote it within the academic and business community.

Several researchers suggest that value-based pricing (VBP) is one of the most profitable pricing methods for companies competing in today's business environment. Interestingly, the implementation rates of VBP are, however, rather low. Numerous barriers to the implementation of value-based pricing have been found by researchers already. Although, a theoretical model for determining whether value-based pricing may be a suitable pricing method for a business is yet to be found in the literature. This study aims to introduce a theoretical model to aid pricing executives in their pricing method selection. For this purpose, 20 semi-structured in-depth expert interviews with German pricing experts were conducted as part of qualitative data analysis. The experts were selected using a purposive selection method. Pricing experts were asked to describe the most important factors for determining whether a company may implement value-based pricing.  We identified two main factors as being necessities for using VBP. The first factor named by the authors was the brand advantage (BA), and the second factor was represented by the delivered product benefits (DB) as perceived by the customer. Based on these two factors, a two-dimensional, quadrant-based theoretical model was developed and was named the VBP Determination Matrix. The matrix now evaluates a company's position within the matrix based on the factors BA and DB. It leads to direct calls-to-action for properly choosing the most suitable pricing method. This study's theoretical contribution was the development of a so far non-existing two-dimensional model for the determination of the suitability of value-based pricing. Business practitioners are now provided with an easy-to-use and highly applicable model to determine the initial suitability of implementing VBP. Senior management is given direct calls-to-action, whether an investment to implement VBP shall be made and whether to allocate resources.
Implications for Central European audience: The VBP Determination Matrix is a highly applicable model recommended especially for business practitioners in pricing, marketing and management. Central European companies are recommended to utilise the model to benefit from its strategic recommendations to properly select the most suitable pricing method for profit maximisation and competitiveness optimisation.

In recent years, artificial intelligence (AI) has become an emerging trend in different fields: science, business, medicine, automotive and education. AI has also reached marketing. The aim of the paper is to research how deeply AI is applied in marketing and what implications there are for marketing practitioners. Authors stated two research questions - which areas of AI are used in marketing and what implications AI delivers for marketing managers. To answer those questions, the authors conducted research on secondary data with AI examples used for marketing purpose. The analysis of gathered examples shows that AI is widely introduced into the marketing field, though the applications are at the operational level. This may be the effect of careful implementation of the new technology, still at the level of experimenting with it. The uncertainty of the outcome of AI implementation may affect the caution in putting these innovations into practice as well. Gathered examples proved that AI influences all aspects of marketing mix impacting both consumer value delivery as well as the marketing organization and management. The paper delivers implications for business, especially ideas about implementing AI into marketing, designing innovations and the ideas on how to incorporate new skills into marketing team required by the new technology.

This paper investigates whether the activities of start-ups specialising in artificial intelligence (AI)-powered solutions could contribute to upgrading in dependent market economies. Mapping the ecosystem of Hungarian AI-solution providers, collecting, and analysing data of their solutions, activities, and performance, we identify the main mechanisms of AI-driven upgrading. We argue that AI-solution providers induce productivity and resource efficiency improvement at technology adopters by enabling process upgrading. By selling their services to the local subsidiaries of global companies, they intensify the local backward linkages of these companies. Increased local embeddedness of subsidiaries is an important manifestation of economic upgrading. Additionally, AI-solution providers diversify the drivers of growth. In dependent market economies, where export-oriented manufacturing activities controlled by efficiency-seeking foreign investors used to be the main (unique) growth engine, the activities of domestic-owned AI solution providers represent a new driver of growth: technology-oriented entrepreneurship. We found, however, that the economic impact of Hungarian AI-oriented ventures is limited, no matter how innovative their solutions are. Managerial implications include the indispensability of devising an adequate business development strategy and a value capture strategy. Without adequate entrepreneurial skills, and without being visible on the global stage of ‘AI-start-ups to watch’, the development prospects of even the most innovative ventures are limited. A key policy implication for supporting the scaling up of AI start-ups by promoting the adoption of AI-powered solutions and stimulating venture capital financing promises good return on public investments.

Globally, there are many profound changes going on within the automotive sector. There are new technological developments like e-mobility and autonomous cars, as well as new business models such as car sharing that may make purchasing a car obsolete for the younger, international target group. The intention of this paper is to identify the role and importance of cars in the young target group internationally and to explore current motives for buying an automobile. To this end, the authors conducted a psychological research study on a diverse group of upper division undergraduate and master’s degree level students originating from more than twenty different nations.  Research methods used include structured one-on-one interviews and in-depth focus groups. The study’s results are useful for international marketing practitioners as they contribute to understanding the relevance and importance of automobiles for the international youth target market as well as identification of motives regarding car purchase across various countries. The results have implications for international managers within the automotive industry for the development of new mobility concepts as well as for international marketing communications within the automotive sector.

This paper aims to define the consumer journey of children through their childhood stages and provide specific touchpoints relevant for a given age, which could be integrated into the marketing communication of car brands to start building this young audience as future buyers. A qualitative study of children in different age brackets was used to identify their current and potential touchpoints with the car industry. The results of the study present specific stands on the prepurchase stage of the children’s consumer journey where the brand might interact with children and build the long-term positive attitudes of this group of potential customers. Specific implications for the industry in terms of understanding the language of the mobile game applications, computer games, YouTubers and integrating those specific activities into the brand’s marketing communication are highlighted for the car industry marketers.

This paper analyzes the state of corporate sustainability in the Czech Republic compared with world trends, including case studies of best practices. Corporate sustainability has developed from ad hoc activities dominantly focused on cost-cutting or corporate image improvements to strategic issue requiring the attention of corporate boards and top management. The development of sustainability as an integral part of corporate existence comprises of the following managerial implications: strategy, collaboration, and implementation. The strategic component requires mission reformulation, strategy redefinition and involves the board and top managers' broader thinking, leaders capable of open mindedness, and creativity. The collaborative component calls for intensive collaboration and communication with all stakeholders, including association with avant-garde partners, such as, NGOs, regulators, universities, and competitors. The implementation component addresses the need for high quality change management programs.

There are many reasons to reconsider the terms "corporate responsibility" and "sustainability". Despite their inflationary use, there is still no convincing concept, which combines these terms. This paper, for the first time, presents a holistic model of "Sustainable Corporate Responsibility" (SCR) mirroring all its different scopes in space and time. It outlines a philosophically founded introduction into the terms of "corporate responsibility" and "sustainability" and how they are interlinked. It, furthermore, emphasises a holistic understanding for what and to whom one should take on responsibility: In order to realise sustainable success in business economic, social and ecologic responsibility has to be taken equally into consideration. The model describes the possible ramifications of SCR constructions, highlighting typical company-profiles and, eventually, allowing better comparability. This way, best practice can be determined and highlighted more comprehensively.

This is a conceptual paper that focuses on the existence and support of entrepreneurial behavior and innovation in larger organizations. It first suggests why it is important to pay attention to entrepreneurship and innovation and then defines corporate entrepreneurship. Typical barriers of entrepreneurial activities are described as well as innovation dilemmas that organizations solve. The innovation process is not linear, but six components of innovative behavior may be identified, together with specific roles employees play when moving the idea forward from idea creation to implementation. Important factors influencing the success of entrepreneurial behavior are discussed, involving the role of middle managers and reward systems. Recommendations for fostering entrepreneurial behavior and innovation are provided together with a simple inventory for measuring employee perception of managerial and organizational support for innovation.