Rok 2024 (ročník 27)

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Assessing the impact of exchange rates on international trade in the manufacturing sector of CEE countries: A specific focus on SMEs
(Technická Univerzita v Liberci, ) Simakova, Jana; Prazak, Tomas; Ekonomická fakulta
This paper aims to analyze the impact of exchange rates on international trade in the manufacturing sector in selected Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries. To accomplish this, a distinctive combination of econometric techniques is employed, enabling an assessment of both macro- and micro-level perspectives concerning the mutual relationship between foreign exchange rates and international trade. At the macroeconomic level, the examination employs the J-curve methodology, utilizing Johansen cointegration and vector error correction models to assess the influence of currency exchange rate dynamics on international trade within the manufacturing industry in Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Croatia, Hungary, Poland, and Romania. At the micro level, the generalized method of moments is applied to company data from the manufacturing industry in each respective country. The research period encompasses data spanning from 2011 to 2021. The research findings highlight a significant disjunction between macroeconomic and microeconomic perspectives on the impact of exchange rates within the manufacturing industry. While macroeconomic analysis indicates a general trend towards expected outcomes, such as increased exports and improved trade balance following domestic currency depreciation, miecroeconomic regression analysis reveals a more nuanced picture. Contrary to macroeconomic assumptions, the microeconomic perspective, particularly in the case of Romania and Hungary, suggests that exchange rate effects may have opposite impacts on return on assets (ROA) in the manufacturing sector in tested small- and medium-sized companies. This discrepancy underscores the complexity of exchange rate dynamics and emphasizes the need for nuanced, context-specific analyses when assessing the influence of exchange rate fluctuations on international trade and financial performance.
An attempt to resolve no-wait flow shop scheduling problems using hybrid ant colony and whale optimization algorithms
(Technická Univerzita v Liberci, ) Rostamzadeh, Reza; Gholipour, Arezou; Komari Alaei, Mohammad Reza; Zavadskas, Edmundas Kazimieras; Saparauskas, Jonas; Ekonomická fakulta
The incentive for many developments and scientific progresses within the field of scheduling has emerged from industrial environments, and naturally, it could be utilized in expressing the scheduling concepts regarding terms used in the industry. Generally speaking, scheduling problems are known as limited optimization issues through which decisions related to the machines’ assignment and works processing sequence are probed. Thus, following a review of the related literature, the major goal of this research is to design a mathematical model and to solve it through a meta-heuristic for no-wait flow shop scheduling problem using different machines for the purpose of minimizing the time required to complete the work using whale and ant colony optimization (ACO) algorithms in Sanat-Gostar-e-Hamgam Shoe Company. The ACO and whale algorithm methods are used to compare and predict scheduling activities in manufacturing line of shoe industry. The results showed an ACO algorithm with two stages in mean ideal distance (MID) end amounting to 76.65 and 77.38, respectively. Also, regarding the amounts of standard error mean squares, it could be claimed that the model designed using the improved whale algorithm has a better prediction, and the minimum time required to complete works using the whale algorithm is estimated to be equal to 86.1071. This could lead to an optimal state in achieving the predetermined goals.
Attitudes of manufacturers toward the value attributes of regional product brands
(Technická Univerzita v Liberci, ) Beran, Vojtech; Dedkova, Jaroslava; Ekonomická fakulta
The increasing consumption of regional products is pivotal in fostering regional development, a phenomenon analyzed in various academic discourses. This article aims to contribute to the existing knowledge base by exploring the attributes of regional brands of products, specifically from the perspective of regional producers (regional brand of product holders). Unfortunately, this topic remains underexplored within academia, resulting in the need for an in-depth investigation. The article undertook a comprehensive analysis of articles in reputable databases such as Web of Science and Scopus, focusing on brand, brand equity, and regional product brands to address this research gap. The primary objective of this article is to describe the attitudes ofregional brand producers towards attributes of brand equity in the case ofregional brand products. The paper also presents the outcomes of quantitative marketing research. The research employed the computer-assisted web interviewing (CAWI) method, collecting data between November and December 2023. The presented research is based on a substantial sample of 101 respondents from the Czech Republic. The statistical software IBM SPS Statistics and XLSTAT program were subsequently used for data calculation and presentation. Semantic differential, descriptive statistics, and hierarchical cluster analysis were applied to the data analysis. It was found that some groups of regional producers have similar attitudes toward the attributes of regional product brands. All results and findings are then discussed. Exploration advances the understanding of regional product brands’ dynamics and provides a valuable foundation for future research in this field.
Can executive incentives improve corporate ESG performance? Evidence from Chinese listed companies
(Technická Univerzita v Liberci, ) Deshui, Ma; Guohua, Wang; Akbar, Ahsan; Usman, Muhammad; Sokolova, Marcela; Ekonomická fakulta
This paper examined the driving factors of ESG performance in Chinese listed companies from the perspective of executive motivation and found that: (1) monetary compensation incentives and equity incentives exert a sizeable impact on enhancing corporate ESG performance, and the robustness test results remain unchanged; (2) corporate strategic change and green technology innovation play a mediating role in executive motivation and corporate ESG; (3) the promotion effect of executive monetary compensation incentives on ESG performance is more significant in state-owned enterprises and heavily polluting entities, while the impact of executives’ equity incentives on ESG performance is suppressed in state-owned enterprises; and (4) the economic effect test shows that good ESG performance has a positive economic influence of reducing a firms’ litigation risk and idiosyncratic risk. This paper provides empirical evidence for Chinese listed companies to improve ESG performance.
A comparative analysis of multivariate approaches for data analysis in management sciences
(Technická Univerzita v Liberci, ) Ahmed, Rizwan Raheem; Streimikiene, Dalia; Streimikis, Justas; Siksnelyte-Butkiene, Indre; Ekonomická fakulta
The researchers use the SEM-based multivariate approach to analyze the data in different fields, including management sciences and economics. Partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) and covariance-based structural equation modeling (CB-SEM) are powerful data analysis techniques. This paper aims to compare both models, their efficiencies and deficiencies, methodologies, procedures, and how to employ the models. The outcomes of this paper exhibited that the PLS-SEM is a technique that combines the strengths of structural equation modeling and partial least squares. It is imperative to know that the PLS-SEM is a powerful technique that can handle measurement error at the highest levels, trim and unbalanced datasets, and latent variables. It is beneficial for analyzing relationships among latent constructs that may not be candidly witnessed and might not be applied in situations where traditional SEM would be infeasible. However, the CB-SEM approach is a procedure that pools the strengths of both structural equation modeling and confirmatory factor analysis. The CB-SEM is a dominant multivariate technique that can grip multiple groups and indicators; it is beneficial for analyzing relationships among latent variables and multiple manifest variables, which can be directly observed. The paper concluded that the PLS-SEM is a more suitable technique for analyzing relations among latent constructs, generally for a small dataset, and the measurement error is high. However, the CB-SEM is suitable for analyzing compound latent and manifest constructs, mainly when the goal is to generalize results to specific population subgroups. The PLS-SEM and CB-SEM have specific efficiencies and deficiencies that determine which technique to use depending on resource availability, the research question, the dataset, and the available time.
Customer engagement in Facebook brand communities: A case study from automotive in the Czech Republic
(Technická Univerzita v Liberci, ) Eger, Ludvik; Turchyn, Liuba; Ekonomická fakulta
Social media is a valuable medium for customer engagement, maintaining existing customers and for acquiring prospective customers. Social media platforms are increasingly adopted as strategic communication tools for building brand equity and consumer engagement. The main objective of this study is to examine the roles of company-created content on Facebook in enhancing brand visibility and interaction between brand and consumer response. In this study, four official Facebook profiles from automotive brands were collected and surveyed and then the data were analyzed in detail using content analysis. Evaluation using the uses and gratification theory and the application of correspondence analysis of content related to the consumer’s point of view brings new insights to brand communication using social media. The findings document how selected categories according to user gratification theory influence users’ engagement. Both quantitative analysis of brand communication via Facebook and a qualitative survey of the posts with top engagement show differences in the marketing strategy of automotive brands in their social media communication. The findings of best-published posts could also be used as an example for benchmarking. The research provides a theoretical and practical understanding of social media marketing that can guide managers’ decision-making when developing and improving their social media marketing activities focused on brand communities.
Decision-making on the job choice in the condition of Slovak households
(Technická Univerzita v Liberci, ) Kollar, Jan; Kika, Marian; Mazurova, Barbora; Ekonomická fakulta
Getting, keeping as well as changing jobs are the moments in a person’s life associated with not only the search and evaluation of the options but also with selection and decision-making. The article is one of the few in the Slovak Republic that deals with the issue of decision-making on the job choice in households, thus bringing new point of view into the knowledge about the Slovak labor market. The aim of the article is to analyse the decision-making process on the job choice of members of Slovak households and to identify the decision-making circumstances. It deals with the three selected parts of the decision-making process: the decision-making steps, the decision-making subject (decision-maker) and the decision-making circumstances. The contribution is based on the theoretical background concerned to decision-making, paid work and specific conditions of households and it draws the knowledge from the results of the original national research in more than 500 Slovak households. The primary data was collected through an anonymous survey, using a standardised anonymous questionnaire and guided interviews. Statistical sorting and descriptive statistics were used in data processing using the statistics software SPSS. The chi-square test was used to verify the representativeness of the research sample. The results show that the closer the final decision, the higher the proportion of individuals who implement decision-making actions. The most important decision-making circumstances include financial valuation, the character (difficulty) of the work and the childcare.
Determinants of the impact of ESG policy and corporate governance on employee rights
(Technická Univerzita v Liberci, ) Li, Chiao-Ming; Lee, Joe-Ming; Ekonomická fakulta
To comply with international development trends in recent years, Taiwanese government agencies have formulated environmental, social, and governance (ESG) legal policies and strengthened publicity for listed firms to prepare sustainability reports. Government agencies are trying to use ESG legal policies to gradually guide firms to take environmental, social, and governance measures and move toward sustainable operations. However, employee rights were easier for firms to ignore in the past, so paying attention to the correlation between employee rights and organizational governance is necessary. This paper aims to analyze the relationship between the organizational governance and employee turnover rate of Taiwanese food firms in the ten years from 2011 to 2021 through a panel regression model. The results show that there is a U-shaped relationship between board size and employee turnover. There is an inverted U-shaped relationship between the development of major shareholders’ shareholding and the strength of human resources. The research results show that organizational governance is significantly related to employee turnover. Finally, this paper believes that paying attention to human resources will contribute to the sustainable development of enterprises. Therefore, in terms of organizational governance policies, although government agencies have formulated relevant reference standards, firms should have functions more conducive to developing human resource measures. These functions include utilizing the guiding energy of the board of directors functions, and shareholding structure design, which will further help the stable development of human resources. Firms need high-quality human resources to make breakthroughs in technology or the market. Therefore, when firms cultivate high-quality human resources, they not only rely on employee welfare conditions but consider long-term organizational governance and human resource development as necessary planning conditions. These factors will drive firms to have the ability to break through the status quo, value all stakeholders, and create an attitude toward sustainable business development.
Digital payments as an indicator of financial inclusion in Euro Area countries
(Technická Univerzita v Liberci, ) Petrikova, Tamara; Kocisova, Kristina; Ekonomická fakulta
The process of digitisation in the financial sector is developing through the systematic introduction of computer systems, the establishment of Internet connectivity and the use and ownership of various information and communication devices. Information and communication technologies can increase the desired degree of financial inclusion in a country by increasing the availability of various financial services. This study examines the individual attributes that can affect financial inclusion in the Euro Area countries in 2021. Our analysis applies a probit model to data from the World Bank Global Findex database, focusing on digital payments as a proxy for financial inclusion. The main finding highlights that higher income, higher education, female gender, and younger age groups are associated with an increased propensity to engage in digital payments. Notably, our expectation of a non-linear relationship between age and digital payments is confirmed, as evidenced by the application of the Robin Hood algorithm. Specifically, we observe a positive correlation between age and digital payment usage. However, this trend reverses beyond a specific breakpoint, approximately around the age of 40, leading to a subsequent decline in digital payment activity. Furthermore, our research shows that individuals who utilised alternative payment methods alongside cash before the COVID-19 pandemic are likelier to engage in higher digital payments. Additionally, a tendency for higher adoption of digital payments coincides with countries that achieved a higher Digital Access Index (DAI), an indicator assessing the degree of digitalisation in a country. Furthermore, it is associated with countries among the Euro Area’s founding members.
Do women get into less debt? Gendered local political performance in the EU
(Technická Univerzita v Liberci, ) Malicka, Lenka; Vancova, Jana; Hadacova, Daniela; Juskova, Dominika; Ekonomická fakulta
Gender differences in local financial management are, according to empirical grounds, a reality that predetermines differences in the fiscal performance of municipalities led by women and men. The position of women leaders in public administration and their influence on sources of income, the nature of expenses, and the level of indebtedness have been a popular research issue in recent years, but it includes an almost unexplored gender dimension that needs deeper analysis. For this reason, the main aim of the paper is to examine the relationship between women’s representation in local politics (mayor and councilors) and local indebtedness, emphasizing the assumption about observed better fiscal discipline in municipalities led by female local authorities. The econometric estimations based on the panel data approach are conducted on the sample of twenty-seven European Union countries in the period 2011–2021 using the share of female mayors and female local councilors as explanatory variables. Further, we test the effects of the moment of the EU accession and the degree of fiscal decentralization to offer deeper insights into the problem. Results support the assumption of an inverse relationship between female mayors and local indebtedness, while female local councilors do not cause any statistically significant impact on local indebtedness. Other results show that the number of women in local politics and the degree of fiscal decentralization are important to consider when examining this relationship.
Driving economic inclusion: Analyzing the participation of individuals with disabilities
(Technická Univerzita v Liberci, ) Malecka, Joanna; Czerkawski, Dominik; Duhacek Sebestova , Jarmila; Ekonomická fakulta
The population with disabilities constitutes the largest minority group in the labour market, facing social and organizational barriers. The ambiguous nature of employment support provisions and the lack of unified vocational activation systems hinder their economic participation. This study reviews existing literature and examines the effectiveness of support programmes, and discusses the employment challenges faced by disabled individuals. The research emphasizes the need for coordinated national guidelines and highlights disparities across Central and Eastern European countries. The objective of this study was to analyze the economic activity of individuals with disabilities in micro, small, medium, and large enterprises in Poland. The study was conducted using the CAWI method (computer assisted web interview). The questionnaires were sent and completed online. The study found that individuals with severe disabilities may face greater challenges in accessing resources to support their own sole proprietorship (8.33%) in the labour market, compared to entrepreneurs with moderate (66.67%) and light (25%) disabilities. Furthermore, only 2.56% of individuals with physical disabilities are employed in micro-enterprises, with 32.08% being professionally inactive. This study identifies significant factors that contribute to the active participation of disabled individuals in the workforce, particularly in the Wielkopolska region, which was chosen as a case study. The results of the survey indicate a preference for enterprises without a high proportion of disabled employees. The factors influencing disabled individuals’ participation in the workforce include age, education, and professional activity. The improvement of the system should take into account company size, disability level, job assessment tools, and the use of job coaches. Incentives should not be based on disability status. The findings from this study have the capacity to inform about changes in SME job creation and enhance professional activity for people with disabilities.
DuPont analysis among European dentistry companies to measure the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic
(Technická Univerzita v Liberci, ) Heryan, Tomas; Gajdova, Karin; Ekonomická fakulta
Although health economics belongs to the highly respected economic disciplines within the research literature, there is a considerable gap related to the investigation of dentistry in particular, even after the global pandemic of COVID-19 disease. Fundamentally, the DuPont framework is a well-known complex analysis to evaluate companies from the point of view of financial performance. The investigation of the return on equity as a relation between the return on assets and the equity multiplier, simply called the leverage effect, is presented in this paper. Therefore, this study aims to estimate the effect of leverage and its changes due to the COVID-19 pandemic among dentistry companies in selected European countries with different healthcare insurance systems. This comparative investigation focused on the generalised method of moments with dynamic panel data from Orbis, the Bureau van Dijk financial database for 1,128 dentistry companies in nine European countries. Methodologically, concerning those post-estimation techniques to evaluate over- and underestimation of the models. It has been differentiating between companies with a high or low ownership concentration structure. The results have shown differences in the leverage effect during the pandemic, assuming that companies with a major owner increased their equity, while the debt leverage increased among those companies with dispersed ownership and vice versa. If economic theory states that debt financing is more effective for a company than using internal sources, it is apparently different in the case of dentistry during the pandemic. However, dispersed ownership is more often related to dentistry, according to mergers in this particular business industry.
Educational attainment as a predictor of poverty and social exclusion: Empirical analysis of Serbian case
(Technická Univerzita v Liberci, ) Dzunic, Marija; Golubovic, Natasa; Jankovic-Milic, Vesna; Ekonomická fakulta
This study examines the impact of education on the risk of poverty and social exclusion in a single-country framework. Relying on household and individual level data from the annual EU-SILC survey obtained in Serbia in 2020, we estimate the market and non-market benefits of education in the context of combating poverty and social exclusion in developing countries. Based on a representative sample of the adult population in Serbia, we explore to what extent the risk of poverty and social exclusion can be predicted by the levels of educational attainment. Econometric estimations indicate that educational underachievement acts as a significant driver of poverty and social exclusion. Probit regression analysis indicates that the risk of experiencing poverty and social exclusion decreases substantially with higher education levels. We include three model specifications that calculate the predicted probability of being at risk of poverty, severely materially deprived and exposed to combined risks. Holding other predictors constant, the decrease in poverty and social exclusion probability attributed to a one level increase in educational attainment amounts up to 7.96% (for unemployed women with only primary education). The analysis confirms that the highest gains from schooling are materialized for the categories of respondents who are not active in the labor market and those with the lowest levels of educational attainment. Besides this, self-perceived health and labor market activity significantly affect the risk of poverty, material deprivation and social exclusion. The impact of age differs across our model specifications, indicating that age increases the probability of severe material deprivation and the combined risk of poverty and deprivation, while older age appears to go in hand with a lower risk of poverty itself. These results offer relevant information that should be considered when determining the optimal level of social investment in education.
Effectiveness factors of small and medium-sized enterprises from the perspective of corporate culture: A case study in Slovakia
(Technická Univerzita v Liberci, ) Lorincova, Silvia; Hitka, Milos; Durian, Jozef; Rauser, Daniel; Ekonomická fakulta
To reach business success, a company can use and manage a lot of seemingly inconspicuous and useful tools. One of them is corporate culture. The purpose of the paper is to define the factors that affect business efficiency from the perspective of corporate culture. The Organizational Culture Assessment Instrument (OCAI) was used. For data analysis, the Beta regression method, inductive statistics, and Tukey’s test were used. Based on the research results, it can be stated that there are significant differences in factors that affect the business efficiency of small and medium-sized enterprises in Slovakia from the perspective of corporate culture. The results show that effectiveness factors typical for clan corporate culture, such as teamwork, communication, loyalty, and human resource development, are applied in small enterprises. However, medium-sized enterprises are dominated by a hierarchical corporate culture with an emphasis on regulations, procedures, stability, control, and accuracy of management. It can be concluded that clan corporate culture is the best type of corporate culture for small and medium-sized enterprises in Slovakia. It is recommended to see the success of the enterprise in relation to caring for the people because employees represent a strategic tool in management that can influence the effectiveness of all business processes.
The essence and barriers to the use of controlling in the practice of manufacturing enterprises
(Technická Univerzita v Liberci, ) Potkany, Marek; Musa, Hussam; Schmidtova, Jarmila; Gejdos, Pavol; Grofcikova, Janka; Ekonomická fakulta
The theory, but also examples from practice confirm the fact that the use of controlling in economic practice differs significantly in the context of understanding its essence. The ambiguity of the definition of controlling, two different thought concepts, the diversity of tools and approaches, but also other barriers prevent its use to a greater extent than this managerial approach would deserve. The current research is based on the understanding of the essence of controlling in German-speaking countries and is oriented towards a coordinated predictive management approach based on precise cost reports. The research question was aimed at identifying current use and barriers of controlling in manufacturing enterprises in relation to the understanding of its essence and impact of performance through a questionnaire survey and structured interviews with managers from 2021 to 2022. A population of 2,504 enterprises was addressed by means of stratified sampling. The chi-square goodness- of-fit test was used to test how well the characteristics of the research sample fit the final population. A total of 352 manufacturing enterprises formed the resulting sample representative – enterprise size and type of industry designated according to the European standard industry classification system. Methods of contingency analysis and interval estimates of the population proportion were used to test the stated hypotheses. The testing confirmed a dependence between the practical use of a broader scale of controlling tools and the performance of enterprises measured by the return on sales (ROS) indicator, as well as the difference in the perception of barriers to the implementation of controlling depending on the size of enterprises. Controlling with the assistance of software support of the management information system, with a detailed implementation process and precisely defined competencies of employees and controllable KPI, creates the potential to increase the complexity of management and performance of enterprises as well as the elimination of potential risks.
Examining climate change awareness and climate-friendly activities of urban residents: A case study in Košice
(Technická Univerzita v Liberci, ) Toth, Veronika; Sebova, Miriam; Ekonomická fakulta
As the impact of climate change begins to be felt all around the world, the vulnerability of urban areas due to their population density, high concentration of economic activities and the altered characteristics of the physical environment is becoming increasingly apparent. As a result, cities will play a crucial role in tackling climate change by fostering mitigation activities and managing and coordinating the adaptation process. Research has shown that engagement and awareness among citizens is vital in the promotion of effective adaptation policies, but studies have also drawn attention to the significance of the so-called “awareness-action gap,” the absence of a direct link between awareness and action. This study contributes to the ongoing debate over the awareness-action nexus by discussing the factors that can affect the adaptation and mitigation activities of urban citizens using the Slovak city of Košice as a case study. Data was collected using a survey conducted with local residents as part of the preparations for the city’s first adaptation strategy on climate change. The paper uses a two-step analysis to investigate the socio-economic, psychological and contextual factors associated with climate change awareness and climate-friendly activities. The results of the standard linear regression model indicate that self-assessed vulnerability is a determining factor in both the level of climate change awareness and the likelihood of individuals to take action. In the second step, we find that the factors which influence engagement in climate-friendly activities differ depending on the costs involved in implementing the activities. The exploratory analysis conducted using a machine learning algorithm suggests that the awareness-action nexus may be non-linear in nature. The main findings of this study imply that communication strategies should place a primary emphasis on individuals’ vulnerability to the negative impacts of climate change. The paper contributes to the existing research by providing a case study of a generally under-researched geographical area of Central Europe. In addition, the analysis provides a specific context of urban area and implications for local policymakers, something that has been lacking the in literature looking primarily at data at the country level.
Existing and forthcoming obstacles in adopting technological advances in vulnerable supply chains
(Technická Univerzita v Liberci, ) Raj, Rohit; Kumar, Vimal; Ranjana, Jyoti; Anirvinna, C.; Ekonomická fakulta
The study on supply chain vulnerabilities presented in this research intends to uncover key indicators influencing the adoption of new technological advancements to enhance supply chain operations. This work used the GRA (grey relational analysis) method to conduct semi-structured interviews with the PQR company’s automotive lead design engineer, manufacturing process engineer, and optical process engineer in order to enhance the supply chain process and develop a comprehensive structural relationship to rank them to streamline the supply chain vulnerability (SCV) indicators. From the data analysis and results, cost of implementation (CI), skills gap (SG), and cultural shift (CS) are identified as the top three key indicators. However, environmental concerns (EC), regulatory compliance (RC), and supply chain complexity (SCC) have been identified as the bottom three key indicators, respectively. The study’s conclusion assists the company’s supply chain vulnerability decision-makers (DMs) in identifying critical signs impeding the uptake of new technology. As a market leader, it constantly seeks to enhance the value of its goods through supply chain management (SCM), strong management teams, and expert decision-making that will boost business performance. This study is innovative in that it uses the GRA approach to rank the important indicators of supply chain vulnerability. Managers and practitioners will benefit from this work as the organization will be able to adapt to new developments in their supply chain process and offer superior services.
Exploring the relationship between usage of social networking sites, cyberbullying and academic performance: Evidence from the higher education sector of Saudi Arabia
(Technická Univerzita v Liberci, ) Rasool, Samma Faiz; Raza, Hamid; Zubr, Vaclav; Asghar, Muhammad Zaheer; Sultana, Razia; Ekonomická fakulta
The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between the use of social networking sites (SNS), cyberbullying (CB) and academic performance (AP). Firstly, we investigate the direct relationship between the use of social networking sites (Instagram, Facebook and TikTok) and academic performance. Secondly, the relationship between the use of social networking sites (Instagram, Facebook and TikTok) and cyberbullying is explored. Thirdly, linkages between cyberbullying and academic performance are examined. Lastly, the mediating effect of cyberbullying in the relationship between the use of social networking sites and academic performance is tested. In this study, we used quantitative survey analysis. We collect data using the research questionnaire from the graduate and postgraduate students enrolled in the universities located in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The data were analyzed using the structural equation modeling through SmartPLS 3.2.2. The findings demonstrate that in direct relationships, Facebook and TikTok have a significant relationship with academic performance. However, in the direct relationship, Instagram has an insignificant relationship with academic performance. Similarly, the outcomes confirmed that Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok have a significant relationship with cyberbullying. Furthermore, the outcomes indicate that cyberbullying has a negative impact on academic performance. Finally, the results of this study indicate that cyberbullying negatively mediates the relationship between the use of social networking sites and academic performance. At the end of the study, we have toughly discussed the conclusion, limitations and future research directions.
Exploring travel agencies customers’ loyalty motives throught machine learning analysis
(Technická Univerzita v Liberci, ) Dudek, Andrzej; Jaremen, Daria E.; Michalska-Dudek, Izabela; Pellesova, Pavlina; Ekonomická fakulta
This article focuses on identifying the directions of changes in the decision-making process of purchasing package travels and the motives determining this purchase, as well as the impact of these motives on the affective, behavioral and global loyalty of travel agency customers during the COVID-19 pandemic. To achieve the research goal, a literature review and field research were conducted. In the case of secondary sources, the content analysis method was used to examine them, while data from primary sources (N = 1,508) were collected using an indirect survey technique (CAWI). The data analysis was carried out using machine learning – the variable importance method and the random forest algorithm. The obtained results allowed us to conclude that during the period of threat of the COVID-19 virus pandemic, tourist packages had been purchased less frequently, and buyers either had limited their trips to domestic trips or had adapted their travel destinations to the changing pandemic situation. The most important motivators that determined the choice of a travel agency during the COVID-19 pandemic were an attractive offer, a wide selection of package travels, previous positive experiences and trust in the organiser. It was also confirmed that in the face of the pandemic threat, buyers of package travels had been loyal to travel agencies. The use of machine learning allowed for more in-depth analyses and identification of motives that had a key impact on the development of buyer loyalty during the pandemic. The factors identified in the study encouraging buyers of package travels to maintain long-term relationships with their suppliers are belief in the value of the travel agency’s offer, trust in the travel agency, individual approach travel agency employees, efficient service in the travel agency, and a wide selection of package travels.
Factors influencing career sustainability in Saudi Arabian banks: A PLS-SEM analysis
(Technická Univerzita v Liberci, ) Parveen, Musrrat; Alshehri, Amal Awadh Hadi; Ekonomická fakulta
This research delves into the correlation between organizational career growth and its impact on career sustainability among employees in the Saudi Arabian banking sector. It also explores the mediating influence of task performance and organizational citizenship behavior. Utilizing self-reported online questionnaires, data was collected from employees in Jeddah and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, working in both private and public banks. Approximately 255 surveys were gathered, and thorough scrutiny of the data was conducted to identify any instances of common bias, duplication, or missing values. Following this data cleaning process, a sample size of 200 was retained for subsequent analysis. The survey, conducted over a month from December 2022 to January 2023, targeted four key factors: organizational career growth (OCG), organizational citizenship behavior, task performance, and career sustainability. The study utilized partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) and path analysis, a combination that allows observed variables to represent latent variables while elucidating causal relationships between them. The findings showed that organizational career growth has a positive and significant influence on organizational citizenship behavior, task performance, and career sustainability. The SRMR value of 0.078 indicates a good fit between the observed data and the model; while the normed fit index (NFI) score of 0.957 shows that the model fits the data well. In addition, the study utilized the blindfolding technique to evaluate the model’s predictive validity. The results show that organizational career growth exerts a moderate effect on both task performance (Q2 = 0.218, Q2 = medium effect) and career sustainability (Q2 = 0.281, Q2 = medium effect) and has a limited impact on organizational citizenship behavior (Q2 = 0.136, Q2 = small effect). Expanded career opportunities within the organization led to better task performance and organizational citizenship behavior, indirectly boosting employees’ career sustainability in banking sector. Detailed managerial insights are also provided.

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