Background: Motherhood penalty has often been considered the base for the wage gap and the glass ceiling phenomena. It represents a delicate topic in gender equality since its effects tend to persist over medium to long time periods and its validity holds in most countries. The study has been designed to investigate the specific contribution of employer discrimination to the overall motherhood penalty in socioeconomic contexts characterized by the archetype of the “male breadwinner model”, which has been further exacerbated by the recent Covid-19 pandemic. Methods: The employer discrimination phenomenon has often been treated as a black box, since longitudinal data and panel regression modelling were unsuitable to assess the magnitude of the effect of this variable on the overall motherhood penalty. For this study, we addressed this gap by focusing on employer discrimination in the specific context of Germany. The work is based on data generated from a survey conducted among 2,130 working mothers and it is presented as a qualitative content analysis. Results: Our qualitative angle on the employer discrimination phenomenon confirmed previous quantitative investigations. Firstly, the employer attitude toward working mothers conformed to the “second shift” hypothesis, with highly skilled mothers in managerial roles in particular experiencing the largest motherhood gap in our sample. Secondly, we found confirmation for the theory of human capital, with working mothers seeing their career progression come to a halt or temporary slowdown, and pending salary increases not implemented as originally planned. Finally, we found employer discrimination taking various forms, the most frequent being a mismatch between skills level of the working mothers and the suggested new role post parental leave. Conclusion: Our study confirms the previous academic investigations on the topic discussing the antecedents of the motherhood gap, namely the “second shift” hypothesis and the work-effort hypothesis. Ultimately, employers seem to trigger, voluntarily or not, certain career choices for working mothers (e.g., “mother-friendly” arrangements) which cause the motherhood gap to increase, and thus further reinforce the traditional male breadwinner model.
Background and purpose: The purpose of this research is to examine how Machiavellianism and the desire for money can influence entrepreneurial intentions. It could be assumed that the desire for money and Machiavellian tendencies can develop the desire for success in people and eventually entrepreneurial intention. Methodology: Respondents were surveyed using a questionnaire. Four hundred students were from three faculties at two universities in Serbia responded the questionnaire. The study utilized Smart PLS software. Results: It was shown that there is a statistically significant positive impact of Machiavellianism and money intention on entrepreneurial intentions. Money intention is also a mediator in the relationship between Machiavellianism and entrepreneurial intentions. The theoretical contribution of the research is that these influences on entrepreneurial intentions have not been sufficiently examined so far, especially the influence of money intention. The practical significance of the research is the observation of the possibility that people who have a high level of Machiavellianism and money intention can be identified, understood, and systematically directed towards entrepreneurship. Conclusion: Although the observed characteristics can be considered negative, people who possess them also possess entrepreneurial potential, and can create social good. These motives are not desirable, but such people can be useful for society: it is certainly better to spend energy on entrepreneurial ventures and further development of their own company, than on something else, less useful, or even destructive.
Keywords: Machiavellianism, Money intention, Entrepreneurial intention, Students, Serbia
Background/Purpose: Environmental protection issues faced by companies constitute a challenging research topic. The main objective of the study was to research if companies’ environmental performance relates to the quality of information contained in the environmental reports. Methods: In order to assess the environmental performance of companies involved we develop the Environmental Performance Index based on the Slovenian Environment Agency’s data on emissions in air, water and waste. We measured the correlation between the Environmental Performance Index and quality of environmental reporting using Spearman’s correlation coefficient. Results and Conclusion: The results of our analyses revealed that there is no significant correlation between companies’ environmental performance and the quality of their environmental reporting. However, the reasons for the obtained result can be at least partially attributed to the low quality level of analysed environmental reports. This is a reason why the calculated correlation is not as tangible as it would be if company reports would provide more information and therefore more data for analysis. Our findings suggest that voluntary environmental reporting should be complemented by legally defined mandatory elements for such reporting.
Background/Purpose: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, interest in studying crisis influences grew in the last three years since it significantly impacted tourism and hospitality. Observing adaptations and transformations in hotel business models is necessary for tourism and hospitality firms to remain successful and competitive. The purpose of this qualitative case study is to critically analyse crisis management processes and management decisions regarding changes and adaptations in strategies and business model innovations to facilitate recovery, resilience, and sustained growth of hotels in the Croatian micro-region Opatija Riviera in Covid-19 and post-Covid-19 period. Method: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with hotel managers and tourism and hospitality consultants. The transcriptions were checked, and collected data was interpreted based on the narrative analysis. Thematic content analysis (TCA) was applied in the study. Results: Hotels in Opatija Riviera adapt their crisis business models to ensure long-term and sustainable growth and development of hotels and the destination itself. The primary focus is increasing the quality of services and guest satisfaction, achieving competitiveness in the tourist market. Conclusion: The paper includes an exploratory qualitative research study on the impact and consequences of Covid-19 on business and organisational changes in the hotel industry in the Opatija Riviera area, which will have a medium- and long-term impact on the design of resilience and sustainable growth policies. The disruption caused by the pandemic is also important for hotel managers and management from the point of view of introducing crisis management processes, the results of which can be seen in the protection of the well-being of guests, employees and the general reputation of hotels. Therefore, hotel management needs to emphasise the importance of identifying business strategies and practices in business strategies and thus form the basis for effective crisis management.
Keywords: Business models, Covid-19, Hotel industry, Opatija Riviera, Strategies, Risk management, Tourism micro-region
Background/Purpose: This study investigates the distinct entrepreneurial motivations driving export activities and sustainability pursuits in Slovenian businesses, with a particular focus on differences between newborns and mature enterprises. The study proposes that entrepreneurs who prioritize wealth accumulation are more likely to engage in export activities, particularly those running startups, under the pressures of global trade. Conversely, in light of the shifting cultural values towards sustainability, it is hypothesized that entrepreneurs who are committed to making a difference in the world will be more inclined towards sustainability engagement, a tendency that may be more pronounced in startups. Methods:To test these hypotheses, linear regression modelling, using data collected from the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor survey of businesses in Slovenia was employed. Results: Newborns, in comparison to mature businesses, are more engaged in both exporting and sustainability pursuits. Interestingly, the motives behind these activities differ significantly. Exporting is primarily driven by the pursuit of wealth accumulation, while sustainability engagement is motivated by the desire to make a positive difference in the world. Conclusion: These findings provide valuable insights into the unique characteristics of internationalization and sustainability pursuits in startups versus mature businesses. They highlight the role of distinct entrepreneurial motivations in shaping business practices, contributing to the literature on entrepreneurship and business sustainability.
Purpose: In the quest of exploring specific developments in contemporary management research, this study highlights the prevalence of narcissistic leadership in IT firms. We employed the upper-echelon framework to analyze the impact of narcissistic leadership on project success. This study considered the dark side of a leader’s narcissism while analyzing how narcissistic leadership affects a project’s success through knowledge sharing and collectivism. Design/methodology/approach: Structural equation modeling is employed to investigate this proposition. Using convenience sampling, approximately 370 questionnaires were dispensed out of which 272 completed questionnaires were utilized for performing the analysis of IT firms. Findings: Narcissistic leadership affects project’s success through knowledge sharing and collectivism. The results indicate that narcissistic leadership negatively predicts project success. Moreover, knowledge sharing fully mediated the relationship between narcissistic leadership and project success. Whereas, collectivism moderates the relationship between knowledge-sharing and narcissistic leadership. Originality: Our assumptions are based on the upper-echelon theory indicating that narcissistic leadership affects project success through knowledge-sharing and collectivism. This has been proved by the empirical analysis carried out in Pakistan’s IT sector.
