Remote communication in Scrum teams – a COVID-19 preventive measure or work time optimisation?

The article presents the impact of remote work, resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, on the functioning of Scrum teams. Attempts have been made to analyse the positive and negative aspects of remote work. The article also looks at the impact of remote work on the level of communication and efficiency of Scrum teams. For this purpose, the author conducted research on a sample of 40 organisations that declared to use Scrum methodology, using 187 questionnaires as the research material. The study was carried out at the turn of April and May 2021 and was carried out using the CAWI technique. The obtained results were analysed using the Principal Component Analysis and Cluster Analysis methods, and enable defining a picture of an organisation’s readiness to work remotely. In addition, they also allowed for an assessment of how the infrastructure used for remote work communication translates into the organisation of Sprint meetings. This paper presents conclusions aimed at counteracting the observed irregularities detected during the tests. At the end, the author proposes solutions that could improve communication within Scrum teams, with remote work in mind.

Key competencies in the labour market from the perspective of higher education students

The subject of key competencies in the labour market has been discussed in many publications and reports in recent years, presenting the point of view of researchers and employers on the issue. However, the perspective of future employees also seems to be worth discussing; hence this research covers university students currently entering the labour market. Ten competencies identified as key in the labour market are examined: problem-solving, creativity and innovation, analytical and critical thinking, active learning and teaching, interdisciplinarity, emotional intelligence, social intelligence, intercultural competencies, virtual cooperation, digital competency. The study aimed to determine the respondents’ opinions and beliefs about selected key competencies on the labour market, their willingness to develop them, and their declared level of these competencies. The survey was carried out using the quantitative method, using the CAWI technique, on a sample of 352 respondents – students of the University of Lodz. The results indicate that the students mostly share the view that the competencies indicated as being key will be expected by employers in the labour market in the next five years. Moreover, for most of the competencies being studied, they assess their current level to be high and see the need to develop them for professional purposes. Discrepancies are also indicated between the students’ self-assessment of their competencies and their employers’ assessment.

Public policy on city center revitalization based on the Town Centre Management concept

Nowadays, it is impossible to ensure sustainable development of the state without using innovative policies of territorial development, one of which is a city revitalization policy. This article defines the main causes of city center degradation and typical approaches to revitalizing city centers in Europe and North America. The New Urbanism principles are outlined as regards city center revitalization, with an emphasis on their potential importance for sustainable urban development. The evolution of Town Centre Management (TCM) and the features of its application are characterized by authors with a focus on the mechanisms of anti-crisis management professionalization in the conditions of degrading city centers. A model of the public policy on city center revitalization based on the TCM concept is presented, which envisages the functioning of a TCM manager (office) of (with a list of the main tasks); objectives and the sequence of policy implementation stages; application of tools for public participation and a public-private partnership in this process; city center revival through an integrated effect on various spheres (community, economy, space and environment), and, as a result, achievement of a multiplicative effect for the promotion and development of the entire city. The study used a set of general scientific and specialized methods that are based on the modern scientific principles of public administration and its related sciences (geography, economics, sociology, culturology, etc.), and interdisciplinary and systematic approaches.

Personal branding of managers in service companies

Personal branding in the last ten years has been gaining significantly in popularity - especially in the business environment (Gehl, 2011; Wee & Brooks, 2010). Meanwhile, the literature still recognizes the need for empirical research on personal branding that examines how various professions experience personal branding. Managers are increasingly aware that the activities they perform as part of personal branding affect how the organization they represent is perceived. The aim of this article is to identify the process of building personal brands by managers. To achieve this goal, a literature review and qualitative research were carried out in the form of individual in-depth interviews. The choice of the research method is justified by the subject of the analysis. The study covered a group of nine people with at least two years of experience in a managerial position and employed in service companies located in Greater Poland. As a result of the conducted research, it was found that personal branding is perceived as a multi-stage process in which social media is credited with increasing use. In addition, organizations only support building personal brands by managers and executives. The article is a field for further exploration of publications and research.

The role of open source software in the process of implementing social innovation in SMEs

Nowadays, small and medium-sized enterprises (further SME) look for ways to overcome pressing social problems. An open-software-based application can be considered a powerful tool for this task, because of functionalities such as data management, BI operation, and efficient channels of communication. A review of literature shows that there is a shortage of studies concerning connections between usage of Free/Libre or Open Source Software (further FLOSS) and implementing Social Innovation (SI). The aim of this research is to investigate how the use of FLOSS relates to the ability of SMEs to implement SI. The author aims to underline key areas in which FLOSS supported implementation of SI. A set of recommendations for future initiatives is created based on the experience of successful implementation. Based on a review of literature, the author created a set of hypotheses which are validated by the in-depth surveys with three companies in the SME sector. The article structure is as follows: first the author presents literature findings concerning the subject, and next the areas of the model and survey answers. Finally, the author performs a critical review of the model, confirming that open software can stimulate the process of developing social innovation in SMEs, especially in cost reduction, flexibility, and community support.

Deaf-friendly research – conducting research using an electronic questionnaire

A non-exclusive approach in conducting survey-based research which assumes the participation of people with disabilities is one of the important ethical aspects of the research process. The use of the tool, which has been designed in accordance with the universal user-oriented design, makes it possible for people with disabilities to take an active part in surveys. This means that they can present their attitudes and express opinions within the conducted surveys. The aim of the article is to present the issue of conducting surveys using an electronic questionnaire among deaf people, modelled on the Avatar PJM project. People with a hearing impairment, whose first or primary language used for communication is a sign language, should be given a questionnaire in an appropriate form enabling them to complete it easily. The discussed project presents a proposal to construct a questionnaire using the LimeSurvey software. The questionnaire has been adapted to the needs and expectations of the recipient group. The presented solution for designing a user-friendly research tool can be used in other types of research in this group of respondents (e.g. industrial or educational research) or can become an inspiration for further research in this field.

Structural capital and its importance for the intellectual capital of an organization

This article aims to confirm the thesis that structural capital (SC) is a framework for intellectual capital (IC) in an organization, which allows proper configuration of intangibles. Therefore, in the resource-based view, it determines its strategic character. Realizing such a goal, the author pays attention to the nature of relations and connections of individual components of IC, indicating that the SC is the key factor creating intangible assets of the organization as a source of gaining competitive advantage. The reason for taking up this issue is that, despite years of discussion in the field of IC, there are still unanswered questions concerning the management of an organization’s IC, especially its planning and development. The defined knowledge gap concerns the source of strategic characteristics of IC, which, according to the resources-based view, are its rarity, originality, and the inability to be substituted or copied. The ability to shape the strategic value of intangibles makes this source itself a strategic resource and identifying it can change the way we understand IC. To achieve the paper’s aim and fill the knowledge gap, the author asks whether SC can provide the characteristics of IC mentioned above and whether the strategic character of IC can be achieved independently of SC. The review and theoretical considerations are based on the analysis of the literature on IC and selected issues that are not directly related to IC, but of which the subject touches on the intangible assets commonly considered to be components of IC, such as the issue of functional stupidity, knowledge management, or resource theory. As a result of the analysis of features and characteristics of SC, the author concludes that SC is responsible for the efficient use of relational capital and human capital potential and thus is a strategic factor shaping IC as a source of achieved competitive advantage. The topic has important practical implications because by confirming the strategic role of SC, indicates the sources of effective creation of IC and its potential. The discussion also identifies directions for further research on this issue, especially the operationalization of IC and its analysis in organizations’ internal structures.

Using BBC Learning English Podcasts to develop university students’ listening skills

The emergence of podcasts in an English foreign language (EFL) setting is seen as a helpful aid to foreign language learning. Using podcasts might help improve language learning efficiency. This research addresses how podcasts can be an alternative means of improving English listening comprehension for university students. The study was carried out at Nizhyn Gogol State University, Ukraine, using quantitative and qualitative methods of analyzing data. To collect the data, research tools such as a questionnaire, initial and final testing, and observation were used. The procedure was introduced for a group of first-year students and implemented for six weeks. Special BBC Learning English podcast activities were designed and offered to the students. The main stages have been specified in the process of developing students’ listening skills. In the pre-listening stage, students do preparation activities to prepare for the podcast using their background knowledge. The while-listening stage is aimed at listening for gist, listening for details, making inferences, and summarizing. In the post-listening stage, the listeners are taken beyond the podcast content and set tasks which contribute to integrating other language skills. Samples of activities which correspond to these three stages are provided. A balanced approach to choosing top-down or bottom-up processing within the stages improves the process of forming competencies in listening of first-year students. Hence, based on the positive results of this study, BBC Learning English podcasts with meaningful, appropriate, and interesting activities attract the students’ attention, increase their motivation, and improve their listening comprehension.

The students' and graduates' perception of the potential usefulness of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the academic curricula of Finance and Accounting Courses

The application of computer-based technologies in academic education has at least three decades of history and experience. In some study fields, it has been present since the very beginning, while in others it has become a necessity only in recent years. The ongoing technological revolution is disrupting the traditional professions with fundamental changes and – in some cases – even with the threat of disappearance of jobs. The finance and accounting professions are expected to undergo a technological change in the near future. While the changes are visible at the corporate level, university education seems to lag one step behind. We conducted a study among the students and graduates of the finance and accounting line of studies at the Cracow University of Economics. Using regression analysis, we investigate the perception of the usefulness of courses providing knowledge on new technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI). We use a unique Polish setting, which is a leader in terms of outsourcing services. Our findings show that both students and graduates are aware of the importance of technological change. The courses teaching basic subjects are essential, but the current expectations are much higher in terms of the application of new technology based on AI in finance and accounting.