Is control still an important managerial function? An examination of structural and control process factors in strategic alliances

In this paper we aimed to find an answer to the question: is control still important for modern organization in order to favor achievement of superior performances? We have tried to find answer to this question through an empirical investigation in the field of strategic alliances. Thus, we have analyzed the relationship between alliance monitorization and control and various measures of alliance performances. Based on a statistical analysis of data provided by 46 best performers medium and large companies operating in Romania, we found that control is still important for superior performances, whether productivity (e.g. revenues growth) or innovation related performances (e.g. new product development). We used multiple multilinear regressions and found positive associations between alliance monitorization and control, structural control factors and productivity, respectively innovation related performances. Surprisingly, we found that control process factors are not associated with superior innovation performances and for productivity related performances there is only a low intensity association. In terms of explanatory potential of regression models, in five models out of six, the control factors significantly explained why some companies extracted higher value from their portfolio of strategic alliances, as compared to companies extracting more modest value. The various measures of alliance performances (revenues growth, competitive position, customer satisfaction, operations improvement, product improvement, new product development) were also separately investigated.

Consumer engagement in value co-creation within virtual video game communities

With the emergence of the gaming industry as the most empowering form of entertainment, video game online communities have become a refuge for many users who are looking to fulfil specific needs, leading them to participate in creating their own experiences. Drawing upon the uses and gratifications theory, this research aims to understand the motivations behind consumer engagement in value co-creation within digital game distribution services (exp. Steam), and how it affects loyalty. To the extent of the author’s knowledge, little research has addressed this question within the gaming industry. We conducted an online survey administered to video game platforms users, through which 195 valid answers were collected. Findings suggest that hedonic along with personal and social motivations have positive influence on user’s engagement to co-create value, which in return increases their loyalty behavior.

Organizational diversity and competency-based performance: The mediating role of employee commitment and job satisfaction

Diversity amongst the workforce within central Europe has experienced some form of evolution. This occurrence will incessantly manifest even further in the not-too-distant future. As a result, citizen-dominated societies are gradually tilting towards an increasingly diverse and minority population, broadly of African and Asian descent. Again, demographers suggest the influx of women, minorities, people of different ethnic backgrounds, aging workers, and people with alternative lifestyles within the European employment space, just as the various organizations and schools are filled with these groups. Studies on organizational diversity abound, however, findings from past research on diversity and performance relationships have been equivocal. Thus, the main objective of this study is to assess the mediating role of commitment and job satisfaction in the relationship between diversity and performance. Results from 237 samples drawn from the Czech Republic, Europe and analyzed through partial least square structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) suggest that diversity does not have a significant relationship with competency-based performance. However, both commitment and job satisfaction play notable roles in the relationship between diversity and competency-based performance. Given these results, we discuss the theoretical and managerial implications.

Antecedents of social media usage intensity in the financial sector of an emerging economy: a Pls-Sem Algorithm

The purpose of this paper is to offer a critical understanding of the motivations and benefits of social media usage by small and medium financial enterprises with an empirical study from an emerging economy such as Ghana. Based on previous studies, the current study hypothesizes that customer-firm relationship, financial expectation, firm’s visibility and growth, and market share expectation drive social media usage intensity in the financial industry. Quantitative data was gathered from management and staff of SMEs, specifically, financial institution outlets (having social media channels i.e., Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, etc.) was used to investigate the proposed conceptual framework. Using structural Equation Modelling, the research showed that customer-firm relationship, financial expectation, firm’s visibility and growth, and market share expectation are positively associated with social media usage intensity within the financial sector. Moreover, it was discovered that financial firms that offer physical products only were equally employing social media networks for marketing communication purposes based on cost-effective motives. At the same time, we found that SMEs are more likely to consider ‘market share expectation’ as a key motivation for social media adoption by the financial industry. The findings from this study have provided some solutions to potential research issues specific to strategic management practices. Limitations and future research directions are discussed in the concluding remarks.

Trading using Hidden Markov Models during COVID-19 turbulences

Obtaining higher than market returns is a difficult goal to achieve, especially in times of turbulence such as the COVID-19 crisis, which tested the resilience of many models and algorithms. We used a Hidden Markov Models (HMM) methodology based on monthly data (DAX returns, VSTOXX index Germany’s industrial production and Germany’s annual inflation rate) to calibrate a trading strategy in order to obtain higher returns than a buy-and-hold strategy for the DAX index., following Talla (2013) and Nguyen and Nguyen (2015). The stock selection was based on 26 stocks from DAX’s composition, which had enough data for this study, aiming to select the 15 best performing. The training period was January 2000 - December 2015, and the out-of-sample January 2016 - August 2021, including the period of high turbulence generated by COVID-19. Fitting the best model revealed that the following regimes are the most suitable: two regimes for DAX returns, two regimes for VSTOXX and three regimes for the inflation rate and for the industrial production, while the posterior transition probabilities were event-depending on the training sample. Furthermore, portfolios built using HMM strategy outperformed the DAX index for the out-of-sample period, both in terms of annualized returns and risk-adjusted returns. The results were in line with expectations and what other researchers like Talla (2013), Nguyen and Nguyen (2015) and Varenius (2020) found out. We managed to highlight that a strategy calibrated based on HMM methodology works well even in periods of extreme volatility such as the one generated in 2020 by COVID-19 pandemic.

Marketing communication tools and their influence on marketing innovation: Evidence from Slovakian SMEs

Due to lack of sources, SMEs face certain problems when applying innovative activities. Since marketing communication tools enable to perform innovative actions, SMEs’ usage of such channels might provide solutions for them to overcome the barriers of making innovation. Thus, this paper investigates whether the usage of marketing communication tools by SMEs enables them to be innovative in marketing or not, and the research question is “Does the usage of marketing communication tools by SMEs improve their innovativeness in marketing?” This paper focuses on traditional and technology-enabled marketing communication tools, such as direct marketing, personal selling, online marketing, and advertising in social media. The researchers employ a random sampling method and then create an online internet-mediated questionnaire to collect data from 812 SMEs in Slovakia. The researchers have also performed Ordinal Logistic Regression analyses to fulfill the research aim. The results show that the usage of marketing communication tools by SMEs improves their innovative posture in marketing. The education level of firm executives and cultural factors in a specific nation might be the reasons for the findings of this research. Thus, the trainings and financial support provided by policymakers and collaboration of other institutions are beneficial for the growth of SMEs. This research analyzes traditional and technology-enabled marketing tools, and areas of marketing innovation in a broad perspective, including innovations in products/services, prices, distribution, promotion, people, processes, and visualization. Therefore, it differs from other studies and fills the research gap by making a significant value addition in related literature.

Perception of car brands with an emphasis on expected benefits and features as prerequisites for customer satisfaction

Brand management plays a crucial role in increasing the loyalty of current customers as well as in gaining new customers. The product brand significantly influences shopping behaviour of customers. Many customers prefer branded products to non-branded ones. Some of them prefer branded products in general; some of them prefer branded products only for selected products. This paper is focused on the analysis of the perception of ten favourite car brands by Slovak consumers with an emphasis on the quality, prestige, image and expected benefits and features. The aims of the paper are divided into three main parts: i) find out the selected car brand rank based on the influence on the purchasing behaviour of Slovak consumers; ii) assess the impact of selected socio-demographic characteristics on the expected benefits as well as on the features that the respondent´s chosen car brand should have; iii) identify the main reason why respondents focus on preferred car brands. The correlation of these factors was tested on a sample of 2002 respondents from the Slovak republic. The analysed data represent a partial result of an extensive survey. The chosen mathematical-statistical methods such as correlation analysis and testing of statistical hypotheses were applied to fulfil the purpose of the research. Based on a survey, the most influential car brands include Skoda and Volkswagen. Especially the Skoda brand has a significant position in Slovakia, given by tradition, history and place of production of these cars.

Measuring a Multifaceted Concept: A high Order Confirmatory Factor Analysis Towards Internal Marketing

Multi-dimensionality of internal marketing (IM) concept continuously poses a challenge for researchers because a number of measurement approaches have been used for more than a quarter of a century since its maiden empirical inception. These multiple operationalizations have augmented confusion and decision-makers are not sure which one to rely on for optimal results. Additionally, due to its evolutionary nature, research has not kept up with the pace to substantiate this evolution empirically, leaving a void for researchers to proceed for a quantitative investigation to extend its boundaries. The present research takes up this challenge and provides an empirical evidence to prove its progression. As IM is multi-faceted in nature, this research chips in two brand new dimensions, informational justice and developmental opportunities, to the IM mix, while a third dimension that has only once been studied in connection with an IM work, is also enfolded. To this end, a top-down high order confirmatory factor analysis was done to identify the underlying structure of IM dimensions. Findings of the study revealed that the hypothesized five dimensions of IM are confirmed dimensions of IM concept. This empirical stamp will embolden researchers to devise measurement scales preferably sensitive to its growing character, and capitalize on its prowess to adapt to the novelties and peculiarities of a specific industry. Moreover, this study will help in making it a more reliable tool for managers to negotiate new constraints imposed by Covid in a post-Covid world.

LinkedIn, a vocational social network, as a tool for promotion in selected healthcare service providers

The use of social media platforms and other online tools in the human resource management area has become a common part of the HR manager work. Today, the main aim of every corporation is to have the right employees at the right time and in the right job positions. The main objective of this research paper was to identify whether the size of the selected healthcare service providers influences the existence of a profile on the vocational social network LinkedIn, the active use of the vocational social network LinkedIn for sharing a job vacancy and the active use of the vocational social network LinkedIn for promoting or building the employer brand. Three research hypotheses were defined. The collection of research data was carried out from October 2018 to January 2019. The conducted research has shown that the size of the selected healthcare service provider does not affect the active use of the vocational social network LinkedIn and sharing a job vacancy, promoting or building the employer brand.

Does the Degree of Urbanisation Affect Sustainable Household Consumption? (Some Empirical Evidence)

This paper is aimed at identifying the factors that shape consumers’ interest and propensity for sustainable consumption. It is focused on the differentiation of households in regard to their stated willingness to comply with the principles of sustainable consumption, as well as the identification of differences in the forms of manifestation of sustainable consumer behaviour among the households from different-sized urban areas. To achieve these objectives, first, we have evaluated a second-order factor model of CSC. We have also proposed a CSC Index model at an individual level. Second, we have conducted cluster analysis using the factor scores of the CSC Index model while considering households’ socio-demographics and the size of the urban area. We have identified two segments, ‘Sustainable conscious’ versus ‘Sustainable unconscious’. Finally, we have identified the environmental dimension as the most significant predictor of consciousness for sustainable consumption using a path model of CSC Index.