Evaluating Digitization Projects in Retail: Presentation of the CIES Model and Call for Research

Stationary retail is increasingly under pressure. Digitization continues to advance rapidly and allows retailers numerous opportunities for innovation. Accordingly, the evaluation and prioritization of digitization projects is a challenge. This paper presents the CIES Model (German original: "KIEN" Model), which was created by Deckert and Wohllebe (2021) for the description of digitization projects. The acronym CIES stands for Customer Benefit, Implementation, Efficiency and Sustainability. According to the inventors of the model, a consideration of these four aspects allows a comprehensive evaluation of digitization projects. The individual aspects are broken down into sub-aspects. Possibilities for practical application are outlined. In addition, there is a call to apply the model in practice-oriented research and to report on the results in research papers.

Impact of Job Stress on Job Performance and Turnover Intention Among Employees in Hospitality Industry in Ghana

Work stress and uncivil behaviors have their side effects socially, physically, and mentally on employees and thus hinders the performance and growth of the individual and the organization as a whole. Nevertheless, over the past years, there have been numerous theoretical and practical studies devoted to stress reduction and how it affects job performance and turnover intention. The present study ob-jective is to examine the influence of job stress on employee job per-formance and turnover intention in the Ghanaian hospitality industry. We tested the research hypothesis using a total of 367 working adults and completed the questionnaire on the level of job stress impact on workplace incivility, job performance, and turnover intention. Results indicated that emotional exhaustion (EE) was found to have a positive significant relationship to job performance (JP). Job Stress (JS) was found to have a significant negative relationship to job performance but a positive relationship to turnover intention and workplace incivility. Al-so, the relationship between workplace incivility (WI) and Turnover In-tention (TI) has shown to be positive and significant whiles workplace incivility did not have any significant relationship with job performance. Managers should set informal standards for ideal workplace behaviors and encourage employees to choose ways to cope with work stress to improve job performance. This study provides novel insights for job stress and developing effective employee strategies in curtailing work-place incivility and turnover intention.

Economic Implications for Stationary Trade Under the Influence of SARS-CoV-2

An impact analysis against the backdrop of the Covid-19 pandemic on brick-and-mortar retail and consequences for stationary trade, with a focus on Germany. The Covid-19 pandemic has put tremendous pressure on the retail sector. Across the entire breadth of the market, significant declines in sales have already been observed, particularly in the assortments relevant to city centers, as a result of the 1st lockdown in March and April 2020 and the subsequent restrictions (accessibility of stores, masking requirements, spacing, etc.). However, delayed effects as well as the effects of the 2nd lockdown imposed from mid-December 2020 in conjunction with the Christmas and spring business in 2021, which will be cancelled to a large extent for the stationary trade, will further exacerbate the situation in the german economy (stock market). This article sheds light on the current economic starting point, carries out a scientific, but also in particular practice-oriented, literature research of renowned business enterprises, and is intended to offer future trends and action implications from the crisis.

Concepts of Employee Ambidexterity - A Literature-Based Analysis of Paradoxical Behavior on an Individual Level

Many companies face the challenge of exploring new business potentials while exploiting internal excellence to meet their market conditions. This results to a mutual limitation of resource capacities and thus to a management task at the individual level. Under this premise, the following article summarizes the arguments and counterarguments in the scientific discussion about the ambidexterity on a employee level. Although academic interest in the study of indi-vidual ambidexterity is growing, there is still a need to understand the different concepts and to classify their potential. For this purpose, the existing scientific literature is compiled according to individual employ-ee behavior, structured and described in its most important results. The review took place between January 2021 and June 2021 by using different academic databases such as Econbiz, Scopus and Web of Science. The sample included 10 articles from a cross-sectoral con-text. The evidence of the analysis demonstrates that ambidexterity in employee behavior promotes economically useful adaptability within organizations. Practitioners and scientists are invited to cope the po-tential of individual ambidexterity and to implement ambidextrous be-havioral practices in organizational reality.

Kaizen in Automotive Innovation: How the Hungarian Automotive Clusters Can Profit From the Adoption of Kaizen Principles – A Literature Review of the Central European Automotive Industry

Due to historical, political, and cultural similarities the Central European (CE) domestic market grew to one of the closest and most integrated economic networks of the world. Sharing the necessary technological competencies and resources, industries like the au-tomotive industry arose to cross-bordering ecosystems. In contrast to the supply chains of other consumer goods, Hungary established a suitable environment to become dominant in the primary industry of manufacturing rather than a sole cost-reducing supplier. However, the analysis of current organizational framework of operating automotive enterprises in CE highlighted, that long existing concepts like Kaizen are still not tailored into the day-to-day business concept. Consequent-ly, competitors from other hemispheres might have an impactful market advantage. Thus, the purpose of this paper focuses on the barriers of implementing said organizational changes and identifying necessary steps towards internal reorganisation in Hungary while keeping the se-curity of known and long-established structures alike. By analysing the experiences of neighbouring countries which are also part of the CE supply chain, critical factors are revealed. The findings of the paper elaborate on the positive long-term effects of Kaizen for this specific industrial sector as well as drafting a recommended innovation roadmap for the Hungarian automotive innovation.

Towards a Scientific Definition of App Marketing – A Practice-Oriented Approach Using Scientific and Grey Literature

The relevance of smartphones and mobile apps has increased significantly in recent years. Increasingly, companies are trying to use mobile apps for their business purposes. Accordingly, the role of app marketing has become more important. Nevertheless, there is no uniform understanding of the term "app marketing". Based on scientific and gray literature, two definitions of "app marketing" are developed. In the narrower sense, app marketing refers to measures aimed at making a mobile app better known and acquiring users i. e. generating app downloads. In the broader sense, app marketing refers to all activities that are used to acquire users for a mobile app, contact them, and encourage them to reach a specified goal. Additionally, based on job ads, an overview of activities in app marketing is provided from a practical point of view. Here, the focus is primarily on paid app install campaigns as well as on monitoring, reporting and analytics.

A Review of Contemporary Challenges in Business Culture

The following article deals with the basic principles of intercultural management and possible improvements in terms of cultural, ethnic and gender diversification. The results are exemplarily applied to a bank located in Germany. The aim of this paper is to find out to what extent intercultural management could improve the productivity of Relatos-Bank in dealing with foreign employees or employees with a different cultural background. To achieve this goal, the authors con-duct a literature research. The main sources of information are books, journal articles and internet sources. It becomes clear that especially the different perceptions of different generations have a potential for conflict, which can be counteracted by applying presented scientific models. Equalizing the salaries of female and male employees and equalizing the rights and distribution of power could also be the key to becoming an open-minded, dynamic and fair organization that is pre-pared for the rapidly changing environment in which it operates.

It’s A Pirate Tale – A Supplementary Approach To Coaching In Business And Management

The article deals with the scientific discussion on coaching in the business context. On the one hand, the need for qualified human capital is increasing; on the other hand, the possible requirement profiles of employees are becoming more and more extensive. Given the prevailing framework conditions in human resource development, a need for action in terms of innovative approaches can be assumed. The number one success factor is and remains the human being. The main purpose of this research paper is therefore to investigate to what extent the topic of "piracy" can be implemented as a complementary approach in coaching processes for business and management. The relevance of this problem is that there is insufficient scientific literature on innovative approaches to coaching and thus a need for new impulses can be assumed. From the author's point of view, integration is therefore possible, as almost everyone is likely to have a positive association with the topic of pirates. For the research, a literature search was first conducted. In the subsequent conceptual work, an approach was developed to embed and apply the context of pirates in existing established coaching elements, such as the Logical Levels (according to Robert Dilts), goal work or the theme of values. The results and practical implications of this contribution are concrete approaches to make the potential of this approach recognizable and usable.

Application of Game Theory in Middle-Management: A Military Historical Study of the Role of the Middle-Manager as a Correlated Equilibrium Factor in the Decision-Making Process

The role of the manager, defined by innumerable scientific publications, is only rarely seen through the prism of game theory and its notions of equilibrium allowing decision-makers to optimize situations. The role of the middle-manager, mindful of the human factor and respectful toward his mission shall lead to a virtuous balance, can be defined in game theory as a correlated equilibrium in the sense of the game theorist Robert Aumann. Indeed, this kind of equilibrium goes further than the Nash equilibrium by introducing the notion of a common game and an intermediary embedded in the decision-making process and getting the strategy from his superiors to translate it to his subordinated staff. We use two military historical illustrations to illustrate this concept: the case of the Auftragstaktik refers to Sherman's "march to the sea" while the study of Lee's defeat at Gettysburg refers to the necessity of having capable subordinated staff to maximize an outcome. Throughout this study, we show and formalize the essential role of the middle-manager in the elaboration of effective decisions and processes.

Role of Public Relations in Corporate Image Building and Sustenance

Public relations is a strategic approach towards the creation of goodwill and brand image through developing a cordial relationship between the organization and its target audience. Image is the reputation or perception of a person, group or corporate body, held by others, often as a result of what they (the corporate body) do or have done. The study is set to find out two major things: To find out if public relations plays a role in image building of an organization; and to determine if public relations plays a role in image sustenance of an organization. The methodology for the paper is the review of existing literatures in the field of public relations and image building and sustenance. Public relations is a veritable tool of corporate image building and sustenance as it helps shape the way publics of an organization see or perceive the organization. These publics can be internal or external. By internal we mean employees, and by external we mean customers/clients and the host community. In building or sustaining a corporate image of an organization by the Public Relations Officer (PRO), there are quite a number of tools very important. These tools include press/news release, press/news conference, sponsorships, house organs, Annual General Meeting (AGM), etc. Different types of public relations are presented.