Business, Management and Economics Engineering

The role of networking competencies in social enterprise performance

2025-01-14T18:30:01+02:00

Purpose – The goal of this research was to identify the need for networking competencies in social enterprises rated by the managerial personnel of social enterprises and academic staff of universities in Latvia.

Research methodology – A survey among representatives of Latvian social enterprises and academic staff of Latvian higher education institutions (HEIs) was conducted. The data was processed by means of average ranking, Kruskal-Wallis H test, and one-way-ANOVA test.

Findings – The analysis of the results of Latvian survey revealed that: 1) social enterprise per- sonnel and university academic staff rated the role of networking competencies in social enterprise performance differently; 2) social enterprises rated cooperation with local governments higher and with industry associations as less important than the group of university academic staff.

Research limitations – The research is limited to the analysis of only networking competencies.

Practical implications – The research results contribute to the institutional framework for the social entrepreneurship ecosystem through recommendations to universities in creating training programmes of social entrepreneurship competencies.

Originality/Value – The conducted empirical study is the first study of its kind in the Latvian social enterprise ecosystem, and it offers unique data that can be used for planning the development of networking competencies.

The need for financial education in the face of the social media and cryptocurrency phenomenon

2025-01-30T18:30:19+02:00

Purpose – is to provide evidence of how social networks act as an indispensable channel in the cryptocurrency phenomenon and its public perception, analysing the context in which it occurs, as well as the patterns followed and the most commonly used channels.

Research methodology – this article explores and provides evidence on the relationship between cryptocurrencies and social networks through the use of digital social listening tools, exploring data retrieved from the most prominent social networks, as well as websites, forums and blogs.

Findings – the urgent need to provide an adequate level of financial education in the digital
economy.

Research limitations – the study should be carried out by age segments to assess whether it is only a problem of the younger population, which are the habitual users of social networks.

Practical implications – the cryptocurrency user or investor is aware of the existing risks associated with cryptocurrencies, especially among the young population, without underestimating the influence that social networks have had and continue to have on the perception and acceptance of digital currencies, and even on their popularity.

Originality/Value – investing in cryptocurrencies requires social responsibility on the part of institutions, demanding adequate legislation and financial training for potential investors.

How macroeconomic factors impact residential real estate prices in Eastern Europe

2025-02-11T18:30:31+02:00

Purpose – This study examines how GDP growth, interest rates, and unemployment rates influence residential real estate prices in politically and economically stable Eastern Euro- pean countries, aiming to identify key drivers of property value changes in the region.

Research methodology – The study uses multiple linear regression and Pearson correlation (r) to assess the relationship between variables and housing prices, with ARIMA (3,1,0) applied for short-term price forecasts based on cyclical time series trends.

Findings – The findings show a strong correlation between macroeconomic indicators and residential real estate prices, with the key influencing factor varying by country, reflecting diverse market sensitivities and regional economic contexts.

Research limitations – The research is limited to Eastern European countries with stable political and economic conditions, excluding those facing instability. Future studies could expand the analysis to include such regions to provide a more comprehensive view.

Practical implications – The results provide valuable guidance for policymakers and investors in crafting strategies tailored to specific macroeconomic conditions, enhancing market predictions and stability.

Originality/Value – By focusing on the underexplored residential real estate market in Eastern Europe, this study contributes novel insights into regional housing price determinants and offers a foundation for further research on macroeconomic impacts in real estate markets.

Employee commitment in Ghanaian healthcare: a multi-factor analysis

2025-02-11T18:30:32+02:00

Purpose – The study investigates the factors influencing organizational commitment among employees at a Municipal Health Directorate (MHD) in Ghana. It focuses on identify- ing key organizational and individual factors that drive commitment and examining potential gender differences.

Research methodology – A quantitative approach was employed, using a cross-sectional survey of 204 MHD employees, with a final sample size of 153. A structured questionnaire measured organizational commitment and influencing factors. Multiple regression analysis was used to examine relationships between variables.

Findings – Key drivers of commitment include training and development, salary, leadership style, work environment, job satisfaction, and involvement in decision-making. Training and development were the strongest predictors of commitment, while job-related stress negatively influenced commitment. No significant gender differences in commitment were found.
Research limitations – The cross-sectional design limits causality. Future research should adopt longitudinal designs to track changes in commitment over time and explore gender differences in other contexts.

Practical implications – The findings emphasize the importance of investing in employee development, fostering supportive leadership, managing job stress, and involving employees in decision-making to enhance commitment.

Originality/Value – This study provides valuable insights into the determinants of employee commitment in healthcare, contributing to the limited research on organizational commitment in resource-constrained healthcare settings in Ghana.

Will the use of cashless subsidy potentially reduce illegal underground economy activity? A case study in Indonesia

2025-02-14T18:30:35+02:00

Purpose – This study was conducted to understand the potential of cashless subsidy to reduce illegal underground economy activity in Indonesia.

Research methodology – The research was done through a qualitative approach then analyzed based on the content analysis and sentiment analysis using Digital Public Services Index frim Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI) research methodology as base. The data used on this study are Indonesia e-news on kompas.com, detik.com, and tempo.co from March 2021- 2022 using two keywords “subsidi” (subsidy), “non-tunai” (cashless) and “nirsentuh” (contactless).

Findings – The result of this study shows illegal underground economy activity can be reduced by implementing cashless subsidy policy.

Research limitations – The data used on the research were big data obtained from e-news be- cause the lack primary reliable respondent. We could not estimate the cashless subsidy after COVID-19 was ended in Indonesia because the declaration of the end of COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia was on 29 June 2023.

Practical implications – This study also provides two recommendations for those problems: (a) increase digital financial literacy awareness; (b) improve the formal economy activity.

Originality/Value – There still no specific research of cashless subsidy and their practice in shad- ow economy perspective, especially in developing countries such as Indonesia.