Unstable External Environment as a Challenge for Business Management in Ukraine

In this article, the role of state policy in Ukraine and the experience of European countries in managing recreational services during wartime are investigated. The purpose of the study is defined as the analysis of specific features of recreational service management in Ukraine under martial law, the identification of the role of public policy in ensuring the comprehensive rehabilitation of individuals affected by the war, and the exploration of the potential for adapting European practices to develop practical management approaches. A comprehensive interdisciplinary methodology is applied, literature and regulatory frameworks are analyzed, a comparative approach is adopted, a systems perspective is employed, and a descriptive-analytical method is utilized to examine recreational service management in wartime Ukraine. The medical-biological, socio-cultural, and economic functions of recreational activities are assessed as essential stages in developing rehabilitation and social adaptation plans for individuals affected by the conflict. The role of public policy in facilitating physical, psychological, and social recovery, adaptation, and reintegration through the development of recreational services is substantiated. The need for improvements in the national recovery system is emphasized, particularly regarding integrated approaches, personalized support, and interagency coordination. Special attention is given to recreation as a critical but underdeveloped component of state policy for comprehensive recovery. A comparative analysis of the implementation of recreational functions in Ukraine and the EU is conducted. Recommendations are proposed to ensure comprehensive rehabilitation of individuals affected by the war, including the creation of conditions for health improvement, rest, and recovery; the implementation of effective psychological support programs; and the development and execution of state programs to support war-affected populations. The findings of this study are expected to be of practical value for public authorities, local governments, and professionals in the fields of tourism and recreation in developing strategies for managing recreational services during wartime and throughout the post-war recovery period.

The relevance of the proposed article is due to the significant role of the IT sector in the formation of Ukraine's GDP, as well as the emergence of a number of challenges that Ukrainian companies faced during the war. In this regard, the need to analyze the competitive advantages of Ukrainian IT companies and the factors influencing their formation is becoming more urgent. Improving their management should become the basis for the strategic development of the industry and increasing its stability in an unstable external environment. The purpose of the article is to analyze the competitive advantages of Ukrainian IT companies and the problems of managing them during the war period. The research used such scientific methods as abstraction and generalization, logical analysis, and the tabular and graphical method. The article analyzes scientific works that explore the essential characteristics of the concept of «competitive advantages». Based on the results of generalizing the analyzed definitions, it is proposed to interpret competitive advantages as a combination of a company's internal competencies and external favorable factors that together form its competitiveness in the market. The competitive advantages of Ukrainian IT companies were classified by sources of origin, dividing them into two groups – internal company competencies and external favorable factors. The volumes of exports of IT services from Ukraine for 2019-2024 and their share in the total volume of Ukrainian exports of services were analyzed, positive trends in the competitive positions of the IT sector of Ukraine in the pre-war period were identified. The problems of functioning of Ukrainian IT companies during the war were investigated, among which the main ones were a decrease in the number of employees, a temporary suspension of financing of Ukrainian startups by foreign investors, loss of team stability, a decrease in domestic demand for IT services, unstable supply of electricity and access to the Internet during military operations. It was concluded that managing competitive advantages during wartime requires exceptional flexibility, strategic vision and readiness for constant transformation from Ukrainian IT companies.

The aim of the article is to identify the features of modern approaches to the motivation of personnel of international projects to ensure competitiveness and establish, using statistical and econometric methods, the quantitative influence of individual socioeconomic factors on the performance of these employees. The socioeconomic and political situation in Ukraine due to the full-scale military aggression on the part of the russian federation requires the top management of business entities to search for and successfully use statistical and econometric methods to determine and model dependencies between socioeconomic indicators, as well as to provide an opportunity to be involved in international projects in order to obtain additional competitive advantages. In the course of the study with the use of system-structural analysis and synthesis, the stages of personnel management of international projects are determined, as well as the characteristics and functions performed by individual subsystems of personnel management of international projects are identified. According to the results of the review of scientific literature, considerable attention of scientists to the problems of motivation of personnel of international projects to ensure the competitiveness of enterprise has been revealed. Approbation of theoretical studies was carried out based on the results of the activities of JSC «Interpipe NMPP», the main types of products of which are pipes of medium and small assortment. The analytical study revealed a decrease in sales, net profit and the number of employees, which is a consequence of the company’s work in an unstable external environment (COVID, military aggression of the russian federation against Ukraine). With the use of statistical and econometric methods, the degree of influence of individual factors on the efficiency of the personnel of the specified enterprise is determined; in particular, with the use of regression analysis, the author has built econometric models of the impact of personnel development in the form of professional training and advanced training and material incentives (remuneration) on the efficiency of the personnel of the specified enterprise and its involvement in participation in international projects. The author’s vision boils down to the fact that the use of such tools for motivating the personnel of international projects as wages, vocational training and advanced training provide an increase in labor productivity and, accordingly, the formation of competitive advantages of both employees and products, the enterprise, and the country as a whole. Prospect for further scientific research is the formation of a system of non-material factors for increasing labor productivity and personnel evaluation.

The purpose of the paper is to study the transformation process of the labor market of Ukraine during the war period; the impact of external and internal migration on the labor market; to provide recommendations for the stabilization of the labor market in the post-war period. Methodology. Research methods such as classification and analysis were used in the work on various aspects of the labor market during the war. The article provides a comparative analysis of the state of the labor market in the war and post-war periods, a noticeable vacancy in the labor market. The relocation of a significant part of the business to the western regions was also taken into account, which in turn resulted in a significant social and employment burden in these regions. It was concluded that despite the difficult conditions, the labor market has shown its ability to adapt to the new conditions. Practical implications. The impact of the war on various sectors of the economy has had devastating consequences, but as time has shown, the labor market has the ability to recover and adapt to new conditions. Thus, the example of the labor market in the Carpathian region shows that the risks and positive shifts in the social burden due to a large flow of internally displaced persons are taken into account. Value/originality. The article offers practical recommendations for the restoration of the labor market after the end of the war. Stabilization of the labor market should become one of the most important tasks of state policy, where it will be necessary to take into account the emergence of various population groups (people with disabilities) who suffered from military aggression, since Ukraine is experiencing significant human losses, which are reflected in the labor market.

The economic and environmental development in the field of nature management in Ukraine requires the formation of new regulatory mechanisms that will take into account their economic and material nature. This is particularly true in the aftermath of disasters such as war. The areas protected through the Nature Reserve Fund of Ukraine are not only regional nature protection centers, which ensure the ecological well-being and health of the population, but such territories should also be developed in symbiosis with the economic and ecological needs of local communities and regions in the postwar period. They could help overcome the traumas and losses of the war. At the same time, protected natural areas that have been adversely affected by the war must be restored. The aim of the article is represented vouching, as public private partnership, which can attribute economic privileges to the results of innovation activities. Our research is devoted to the problems of the formation and use the vouching tool in the field of conservation work, advantages and disadvantages of implementing the mechanism of vouching contracts are considered both for the Nature Reserve Fund’s institutions, and for representatives of the private sector of the economics. The military the Russian invasion in Ukraine have led to numerous transformations in the social, economic, political, ecological and regulatory field. The deviant behavior as a social phenomenon can negatively affect not only the individual, but also others, and even the economic well-being of the region. For Ukraine Russian invasion means destruction of existing markets, business collaborations and the formation of new vectors of military and civilian activities. The research purpose is to determine and institutionalize the main cost-effective forms of economic activity in protected areas, and the formation of cooperation's vectors of nature reserve fund with territorial communities and regional business groups. For example, franchising agreements are determined, not only as forms of contractual cooperation, but also as innovative start-up concept in the field of reserve fund, the possibility of carrying out economic activity under a state brand (logo, trademark), obtaining additional guaranties for the development of businesses and the formation of constant investment flows to protected areas. Thanks to franchising agreements, I propose the formation of double investment flow to protected areas: passive – for the use of the brand (logo) of the protected area itself, active - dividends for the actual production or services provided by the subject of business activity.

The purpose of the study there is a justification for the importance of innovation in the tourism industry, which is developing in an unstable external environment and a number of sanctions restrictions, identification of promising innovative projects in the field of tourism. The methodological base of the study they present normative legal acts on the development of tourism, concepts for the development of tourism in the regions and the country, roadmaps for the development of popular tourism in Russia, statistical data of Russian ratings in the field of tourism, scientific publications, analytical and industry reports. The use of these materials makes it possible to analyze the country’s tourism potential and identify the most promising areas for improvement. The results of the study. The main result of the study is the substantiation of the relevance of the development of the tourism industry as one of the factors of the development of the domestic policy of the state, as well as the identification of relevant innovative projects, approaches and directions in the field of tourism aimed at attracting new categories of citizens to domestic tourist products. The main place in the development of tourism at the moment is occupied by youth projects, popular science tourism, as a combination of tourism and business, and associations of tourist and sports clubs. The prospect of the study makes an in-depth analysis of existing innovative projects that have a significant impact on the pace of development of domestic tourism in the Russian Federation, as well as the identification of new promising areas.

Subject. This article considers the peculiarities of regulation of inter-budgetary relations in the constituent entities of the Russian Federation in the conditions of an unstable economic situation. Objectives. The article aims to form an approach to assessing the effectiveness of the distribution of transfers from regional budgets in current conditions. Methods. For the study, we used the methods of analysis and synthesis, analogy, comparison, and grouping. Results. The article offers recommendations for the formation and improvement of the approach to assessing the effectiveness of the distribution of intergovernmental fiscal transfers between municipalities. Conclusions and Relevance. The proposed approach to assessing the effectiveness of inter-budgetary relations in the region can help comprehensively assess the effectiveness of the provision and use of inter-budget transfers to municipalities. This makes it possible, if necessary, to promptly adjust the distribution of funds between municipalities in an unstable external environment. The proposed approach to assessing the effectiveness of the distribution of intergovernmental fiscal transfers between municipalities should be used in the activities of regional authorities in the development of relevant regulatory documentation, as well as in the practice of financial interaction between regional and local authorities.

Of all the machinery and equipment used on construction sites, excavators are responsible for the greatest number of fatal accidents. Excavation is an inherently risky process due to imprecise work processes and the unstable external environment on most work sites. The resulting accidents cause serious injuries that threaten the lives of not only the excavator pilots but also those working around them. In this study, we propose a mechanical device that is capable of operating the excavator remotely from a nearby safe location such as a site office. To ensure worker safety and at the same time boost the productivity of excavation operations, data from 3D scanners, cameras, and sensors were combined to create a detailed 3D picture of the area surrounding the excavation site to guide a remotely operated excavating system. Rather than modifying the excavator itself, a removable manipulator was mounted on the joystick in the excavator’s cockpit. Our proposed system was tested on a standard commercial excavator to verify its performance for a real-world excavation task.

The article comprehensively examines the theoretical and methodological foundations of logistics support for the commercial activities of enterprises in the context of the digital transformation of the economy. It reveals the essence, objectives, and functions of logistics within the structure of a trading enterprise and substantiates its key role in shaping competitive advantages. It is determined that an effective logistics system contributes to cost reduction, improved customer service, and the enterprise’s adaptation to dynamic changes in the market environment. Special attention is given to the implementation of digital technologies in logistics processes, including ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning), WMS (Warehouse Management System), TMS (Transportation Management System), the Internet of Things (IoT), cloud services, GPS monitoring, and Big Data analytics. The capabilities of these tools in automating the management of product flows, warehouse and transport logistics, as well as inventory, order, and data management, are analyzed. Examples of successful digital transformation of logistics systems by leading Ukrainian companies, including Rozetka, Epicentr, Nova Poshta, METRO Ukraine, and Foxtrot, are presented. The article identifies key challenges that hinder the widespread adoption of digital solutions in logistics, such as insufficient digital literacy among personnel, limited funding, complexity of IT system integration, and cybersecurity risks. Practical recommendations are proposed to improve logistics support for the commercial activities of domestic enterprises, taking into account current challenges such as military actions, supply chain disruptions, changes in consumer behavior, global instability, and digital inequality. Particular emphasis is placed on the importance of synchronizing digital logistics with the strategic goals of the enterprise and developing partnership relations within supply chains. A systematic approach to logistics–based on the principles of transparency, adaptability, and technological flexibility–is identified as a key success factor in an unstable external environment and a context of digital competition.

The article considers the problem of assessing the flexibility of business processes of transport enterprises in the conditions of the modern logistics services market, which has undergone significant changes due to military operations. The author emphasizes the importance of adaptability and efficiency of logistics processes in the context of global transformations and high dynamics of the external environment. The study is based on the analysis of modern scientific approaches to define and assess the flexibility of business processes. The author considers various aspects of flexibility, including the ability of enterprises to change and adapt to conditions beyond their direct control quickly. The paper presents a methodology for assessing the flexibility of business processes, which consists of three stages: determining the significance of factors of variability of the external environment, calculating the flexibility indices of business processes and the enterprise as a whole, ranking business processes by the difference between the index of variability of the environment and the level of process flexibility. Special attention is paid to the specifics of the activities of transport enterprises in the logistics services market. The author analyzes the key business processes of such enterprises and their features in martial law conditions. The practical application of the proposed methodology for assessing the flexibility of business processes is demonstrated on the example of LLC «Trans-Service-1». The integral indices of flexibility of business processes are calculated and their impact on the overall adaptability of the enterprise is determined. The article proposes a methodology for ranking business processes by the level of flexibility and variability of the environment, which allows you to determine priority improvement areas to increase the enterprise's efficiency. The study has practical value for managers of transport enterprises, as it offers a toolkit for assessing and increasing the flexibility of business processes in an unstable external environment. The results of the work can be used to improve management strategies and increase the competitiveness of enterprises in the logistics services market.

The purpose of the research is to establish the characteristic features and signs, the inherent mechanism and strategies of managing financial and economic security, which should be used by domestic enterprises in the war period and in the post-war recovery period in the conditions of the development of Industry 4.0 trends in the realities of the BANI world. Defects in the organization and functioning of the financial and economic security management mechanism were identified, which began to be clearly investigated during the work of business entities in wartime conditions. Additional elements of the financial and economic security management mechanism of the enterprise in the conditions of Industry 4.0 and BANI World are proposed. The peculiarities of the strategy and mechanism of managing the financial and economic security of enterprises in various models of the world system are specified. The outline of the GUARDIAN strategy for the implementation of the tasks of strategic management of the financial and economic security of enterprises was developed and the expediency of its use in the realities of Industry 4.0 and BANI World was substantiated.The development of a new paradigm of strategic management of financial and economic security for the post-war recovery of business entities in the conditions of BANI World, taking into account the trends of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, allows expanding the limits of the application of the tools of effective security-oriented management. In order to successfully optimize traditional approaches to financial and economic security management in the post-war period, it is necessary to transform the financial and economic security management mechanism to ensure its readiness to counteract the impact on the enterprise's corporate resources from the threat of military aggression, global pandemics, the development of the trend of Industry 4.0 and BANI world.

Topicality. In the wartime and postwar periods, the issue of forming an effective mechanism for the development of domestic agricultural commodity markets is relevant. Its construction requires the study of market trends, since the war caused significant imbalances in the development of agri-food markets. Significant destruction of production and processing enterprises, disruption of logistics supply chains, loss of market advantages in strategic international markets, certain market segments, entrepreneurial initiatives, and imbalance in foreign trade - all this necessitates monitoring trends in the development of agricultural commodity markets to determine development priorities in the war and post-war periods. Particular attention should be paid to the market of grapes and fruit and berry crops as strategically important for the development of related commodity markets.Aim and tasks. The purpose of the study is to determine the trends and priority areas of development of the domestic market of grapes and fruit and berry products in the war and post-war periods. Objectives of the study: based on the analysis of trends in the development of the market of grapes and fruit and berry products, to outline the priority areas of development in the war and post-war periods, taking into account world trends in the light of the restructuring of the global economic system.Materials and methods. The research materials are based on the work of domestic scientists on the study of the development of agricultural markets. The data of the State Statistics Service of Ukraine, the Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food of Ukraine, and the Ukrainian Agrarian Export Association were used to conduct an analytical review and identify market development trends. The main methods used were: induction and synthesis, systemic and structural approach, statistical method, and for visual presentation of the data obtained - tabular and graphical methods.Research results. The trends in the development of the grape and fruit and berry market are analyzed. It is shown that even during the war, Ukraine is trying to maintain its position as a key exporter of agricultural products. It is determined that in recent years, changes have occurred in the varietal composition of fruit and berry crops, which have affected the yield and production of fruit and berry crops. It has been studied that wine is produced in all regions of Ukraine, and vineyards are concentrated mainly in the South, which carries certain risks - due to the loss of vineyards, logistics is disrupted and production is interrupted. It has been determined that berry products are a commodity characterized by growing demand and expanding markets, which requires producers to find ways to improve and establish production. This requires improvement of production technology and deep processing, formation of an effective foreign economic policy aimed at exporting goods with high added value.Conclusion. It is determined that due to military actions, there was a decrease in the production of grape planting material and wine production, which led to a decrease in the competitiveness of wineries at both the national and international levels. It is determined that the market of fruits and berries has a tendency to reduce exports overall, although producers have managed to increase volumes for some items, despite the fact that the shortage of fruits in the domestic market is quite high. Promising areas for study include the quality of finished products, limitations on the range of products, lack of high-quality packaging and packing of fruits and berries and appropriate storage and processing facilities, pricing policy, development of new logistics systems and global value chains.

Introduction. In the war and post-war periods for Ukraine, the issue of socio-economic development on an innovative basis receives special attention. One of such important and promising directions in Ukraine today as an equal and competitive partnership in the system of international trade and economic relations can be the development of the aviation sector, in particular in the direction of airport operations. The foundation of the expanded reproduction of the potential of the airport and its infrastructural component in the wartime and postwar period is the timely implementation of advanced innovative technologies based on efficiency and systematicity. In the implementation of a successful innovative model of airport development, as evidenced by international experience, a decisive role is played by the system of state regulation, which operates with effective coordination-integration, administrative-fiscal financial-investment levers and tools of strategic, regulatory, legal and resource support of state economic policy. On the other hand, in Ukraine, as a result of the attack of the Russian Federation in the field of airport development on an innovative basis in the aviation field, the trends of critical deterioration of the technical and economic parameters of the functioning of the airport infrastructure are increasing. Under such circumstances, the state priority should be the solution of the extremely difficult task, which consists in ending the war, liberating the territories of Ukraine from the aggressor of the Russian Federation, restoring the socio-economic development of the regions of the country, restoring the activities of airports on the basis of innovative transformations, which require the development and implementation of adequate requirements and imperatives of public , scientific and technical progress of the integral concept of modernization of the state regulation of innovative development of the airport infrastructure. Materials and methods. Informational and statistical materials, normative legal acts, and national airport development programs made up the information base of the research. The positive international experience of airport development can be used in Ukraine in the war and post-war periods for the purpose of economic recovery of the country. Results and discussion. As a result of the research of international experience regarding the functioning of airports on an innovative basis, it was found that there are the main factors of their functioning in the countries. Unlike the countries of the world, there are factors in Ukraine that restrain their development, in particular, the presence of military actions in connection with Russia's attack on Ukraine. In this regard, the international experience of the operation of airports in the war and post-war periods was analyzed. Peculiarities of institutional support for the functioning of airports, development of cooperation, etc. are considered. Conclusions. Based on the study of the peculiarities of the functioning of airports, proposals have been developed for their activation in Ukraine during the war and post-war periods. A significant development is the development of proposals in the direction of the introduction of concession agreements in Ukraine, taking into account the peculiarities of the experience of the countries of the world.

The article considers the organizational conditions for the functioning of the sports industry, suggests ways to ensure the strategic development of the sports industry in conditions of uncertainty. The possibility of implementing the European model of socio-economic development management in Ukraine is analyzed, it is concluded that it is connected with complex systemic transformations in which a new quality society is formed, the level of business activity and political responsibility of citizens increases, human rights and freedoms are ensured. These changes in the structure and content of civil society inevitably determine changes in the form and essence of public policy in the system of state, territorial and sectoral government. The problem of developing social responsibility of business in Ukraine at the present stage is relevant and of paramount importance. Therefore, state support is necessary for the importance of ethical and socially responsible behavior of organizations, increasing their prestige. The introduction of a system of modern management of the sports industry, the use of best European management practices will increase competitiveness, efficiency and ensure the sustainable development of the sports industry in conditions of uncertainty. Improving the efficiency of interaction in the system "state – community – science – business" and building a socially responsible economic policy, improving the quality of the national management system of the sports industry is one of the main conditions for sustainable socio-economic development of the country as a whole man.

Background:Prolonged exposure and overexposure to depleted uranium (DU) is leukemogenic and genotoxic due to its radiological (alpha particle) and chemical (metal) components. The use of DU in the 1999 Kosovo War raised concern about the increase of new cases of leukemia.Aims:The aim of this study was twofold: 1) to analyze the incidence rates of leukemia in Kosovo in the pre‐war (1995–1998) and two post‐ war periods (2000–2003 and 2012–2015); and 2) to examine if there is any association between the use of DU rounds and incidence rates of leukemia in different regions of Kosovo.Methods:Patients diagnosed with leukemia in the University Clinical Centre of Kosovo for the period 1995–2015 were subject of this study. Annual incidence crude rates per 100,000 persons/year were calculated for seven regions of Kosova in three periods (1995–1998, 2000–2003 and 2012–2015). The number of DU rounds by region was determined from accurate NATO records containing geographic coordinates. Regional distribution, difference in incidence between pre‐war period and first and last post‐war period were calculated. In addition, to examine possible links between the presence of DU ordnance and incidence rates of leukemia, we analyzed the correlation between rounds/km2 and average annual incidence rates in the 27 municipalities.Results:Difference of incidence rates between the pre‐war (1995–1998) and the first post‐war period (2000–2003) for the entire territory of Kosovo shows that leukemia increased by 12.63% whereas between pre‐war and last post war period by 68.95% (Table 1). Region of Gjakova and Peja, the first and third most exposed regions to DU ordnance (7.73 rounds/km2 and 4.78 rounds/km2 respectively) ranked first and second in difference in leukemia incidence whereas Prishtina, Gjilan and Ferizaj, regions with the least number of rounds/km2, were characterized by declining in incidence rates of leukemia. After 15 years, still the difference in leukemia between pre‐war period and the last post‐war period remains larger in Gjakova and Peja.In the first post‐war period (2000–2003), significant moderate Spearman correlation was found between the DU rounds/km2 and cases of leukemia (Figure 1).imageFigure 1. Correlation between rounds/km2 and annual average incidence rates by municipalities for leukemia in the period 2000–2003. Data was analysed using the Spearman correlation test and significance accepted when p < 0.05.Summary/Conclusion:The rise in incidence of leukemia in Kosovo may be partially induced by the use of DU during the war, but further studies are needed to explore this.image