This study examines the effect of social media use on SME performance, focusing on the quasi-moderating roles of digital entrepreneurial orientation, digital literacy, and organizational ambidexterity. A total of 232 SME owners in the retail and wholesale industry in Lagos State, Nigeria, were purposively sampled. Using the partial least squares method (PLSM), the cross-sectional data obtained with a well-structured questionnaire were analyzed for hypothesis testing. Based on the PLSM results, the study found that social media use significantly elevated SME performance. At the same time, entrepreneurial orientation, digital literacy, and organizational ambidexterity enhanced SME performance. The study also found that entrepreneurial orientation and organizational ambidexterity significantly moderated the effect of social media use on SME performance. But this was not the case for digital literacy, whose effect was insignificant. The findings confirmed the quasi-moderating roles of digital entrepreneurial orientation and organizational ambidexterity because they interact significantly with social media use while directly enhancing SME performance. The study concluded that the utility of social media for performance improvement is contingent upon the degree to which SMEs perceive themselves as demonstrating strong digital entrepreneurial orientation and organizational ambidexterity.

The development of public and private organizations is an irreversible process, but the pace at which it unfolds is different. While private organizations seek solutions to increase profit, public organizations, in the absence of a competitive environment, carry out their activity with less pressure on operating costs and with a slight passivity in the implementation of new reforms or technologies. Public managers are facing new technological challenges, with the development of artificial intelligence systems. The article aimed to conduct a comparative analysis regarding the implementation and intention to implement artificial intelligence tools in cities-municipalities in Romania versus those in Norway. The study of specialized literature highlighted the fact that in Norway there are extensive debates on the subject of the adoption of a legislative framework regarding the use of artificial intelligence in public institutions, while in Romania these are just beginning to take shape. The analysis carried out showed that in Norway, at the level of public organizations, from the perspective of the structural configuration, there are IT departments with a high number of employees. In Romanian municipalities, the number of workers with IT duties is under 10 civil servants, even if the number of employees in the institution exceeds in some situations over 800 or 1000. Of the nine municipalities in Romania analysed, in two of them, Cluj Napoca and Galați, virtual assistant solutions, called virtual civil servants chatbots, were implemented. In the context of the implementation of artificial intelligence, public management and all the functions it performs will need to be fundamentally rethought.

Historically, the Caucasus region has constituted a critical nexus of trade routes and strategic interests nevertheless, for centuries, persistent political instability and economic isolation have impeded the full realization of its economic potential. The legacy of the Soviet system, coupled with the political disintegration that followed in the post-1990s era, has profoundly shaped the region’s economic structures. In the case of Georgia, the transition from a centrally planned economy to a market-based system introduced substantial challenges, necessitating deep structural adjustments and comprehensive reforms, a process that continues to be of critical relevance and urgency today. At the present stage, despite numerous challenges and obstacles, Georgia is perceived as an economically liberal and investment-attractive country, striving to establish itself as a financial hub within the Black Sea region. The country’s macroeconomic indicators, fiscal policies, and a stable banking sector contribute to its growing and increasingly significant role in both regional markets and the broader international financial system and networks. The present research conducts a comprehensive analysis of Georgia’s role in the economic transformation of the Caucasus region from a historical perspective to the contemporary era. It does systematically explore the fundamental drivers that enabled Georgia to overcome economic crises and progressively integrate into regional and global financial markets. Special focus is placed on the structural reforms undertaken during the 2000s, notably the strengthening of the financial sector, the enhancement of the business climate, the modernization of the banking system, and the negotiation and signing of international trade agreements. The study makes particular emphasis on Georgia’s participation in multilateral economic platforms and its efforts to deepen ties with the European Union, emerging and developed economies of Asia, and global investment markets. Regarding future prospects, the study highlights both the opportunities and challenges facing Georgia. It examines the critical areas necessary for the development of the country’s financial markets, emphasizing the need for deeper economic diversification, the integration of technological innovations, and the enhancement and effective utilization of labor productivity. These measures are essential for Georgia to maintain its competitiveness and to secure a significant and leading position within the global economic system. The paper also underscores the importance of addressing geopolitical risks, as well as challenges related to energy security and state stability, all of which exert a considerable influence on the country’s future economic development. In conclusion, Georgia’s historical trajectory, contemporary accomplishments, and forward-looking strategic planning collectively pave the way for the country to position itself as a leading economic center in the Caucasus region and to expand its influence within both regional and global financial markets.

The study examines the relationship between work-life balance and gender equality amongst academics in Zimbabwe. Although women have made progress in entering the workforce alongside men, many still face significant barriers preventing them from reaching top leadership positions, making achieving gender equality in the academic workspace seem unattainable. Although much research has been conducted on the gendered consequences of work-life balance, there is a lack of focus on this phenomenon because most of these studies are centered on industrialized countries. This study employed a quantitative research approach, utilizing stratified and judgmental sampling techniques to gather data from a total of 74 respondents who were affiliated with an academic institution within a private university in Zimbabwe. Data was collected using a 10-item questionnaire on work-life balance and a 9-item questionnaire on gender equality. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS version 29, employing descriptive statistics and correlation analysis. The study findings suggest a direct correlation between work-life balance and gender equality. The study contributed to the discussion and conversations surrounding work-life balance in the academic community in Zimbabwe.

Smart city initiatives are becoming more visible nowadays in Eastern Europe, due to the rapid steps taken in terms of digitalization during the pandemic and the funding opportunities available. The comparison of two Romanian development regions will be the main focus of this study, which will highlight the fact that there are no notable differences between the two development regions while demonstrating that a number of factors influence the degree of smart city project implementation within the communities. Both interested parties and academics studying the smart city framework may find value in the study's findings.

Entrepreneurial universities play a crucial role in existing economic landscape, stimulating innovation, entrepreneurial initiative and economic development. These institutions extend their traditional mission of teaching and research by integrating an entrepreneurial perspective, promoting the commercialization of research and supporting start- ups. The concept of the entrepreneurial university has evolved significantly, now including actions and initiatives that support innovation and knowledge transfer to industry and communities. Factors such as visionary leadership, institutional culture, support networks and collaborations with business and public authorities are essential for the development of these universities. For regional development, knowledge transfer and commercialization of the academic research’s outcomes, the incubators and support for new firms are also important activities promoted by these universities. While facing challenges such as funding constraints and bureaucratic hurdles, entrepreneurial universities have significant opportunities to innovate and collaborate with industry partners. Their impact on regional development is evident by creating jobs, stimulating innovation and improving the local entrepreneurial ecosystem, thus contributing to economic growth and human capital development.

This study explores the transformative potential of digital technologies in optimizing value chains and driving societal progress in South Africa. It proposes a novel framework integrating digital tools such as AI, IoT, and blockchain to enhance efficiency, adaptability, and resilience across value chains while addressing critical societal issues like unemployment, inequality, and sustainability. The study examines the interplay between technological innovation and socio-economic challenges, contextualizing its findings within South Africa’s unique environment. Key challenges, including policy limitations, infrastructure deficits, and digital skill gaps, are discussed alongside opportunities for stakeholders in government, industry, and civil society to collaborate for inclusive growth. This research advances academic knowledge by bridging value chain management theories with socio-technical systems and developmental economics perspectives. It also offers practical insights for fostering digital transformation in South Africa and other emerging economies. The study contributes to global discourses on leveraging technology for equitable and sustainable development.

The pace of adopting artificial intelligence (AI) is accelerating across various fields, and the travel and tourism sector is one of the most benefited from this technology. This article reviews the impacts of AI on the development of travel and tourism experiences, focusing on four model countries: Switzerland, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the smart city of Helsinki, Finland. The article highlights the challenges faced by the tourism sector in improving service quality and meeting travelers' expectations in the modern technological era. The significance of this research is highlighted by its emphasis on how AI can be used as an innovative tool to enhance travel experiences and increase the efficiency of tourism operations. The article aims to explore practical applications of AI in these countries and provide insights into best practices that can be adopted in the sector. Through the analysis of successful models, the article arrives at several key findings: First, AI technologies contribute to the personalization of services according to travelers' needs, thereby increasing their satisfaction. Second, big data enables the analysis of customer behavior and the improvement of marketing strategies. Third, technological innovations enhance operational efficiency and reduce costs. The article concludes by offering future insights on how to leverage AI to achieve further innovation and growth in the travel and tourism industry, emphasizing the importance of international collaboration in knowledge and experience exchange to develop the tourism sector for optimal results.

Industry 5.0 highlights the need for synergy between digital technologies and human factors, to meet sustainability objectives and resilience within modern production systems. The general objective of this paper is to generate a representation of the research conducted so far on the topic of Industry 5.0, intending to ultimately understand whether researchers' perspectives indicate the capability of Industry 5.0 to support innovative and sustainable entrepreneurship, as well as to see the most representative application areas and the main boosters. The research methodology used is mainly based on bibliometric analysis. The general results indicate, first of all, that sustainability is one of the main insights in scientific research on the topic of Industry 5.0. On the other hand, advanced digital technologies, such as blockchain, digital twins, and artificial intelligence, are the main enablers of the new industrial revolution, and the areas in which they can be implemented are diverse. Finally, we highlight as limitations of this work the fact that the data were taken from a single database, as well as the reduced number of search criteria. As a follow-up to this work, potential future research is proposed, namely identifying the most representative enablers of Industry 5.0 depending on the implementation sector.

This paper explores the advancement of leisure facilities in the European countries through a comparative approach between urban and rural environments, placing the tourist interests at its core. Overtourism and interdisciplinarity of tourist services are explored, in order to assess the tourism trend in urban and rural regions over the years. Regarding methodology, authors used both qualitative methods for analyzing the relevant current literature from the field and quantitative methods for analyzing secondary data retrieved from Eurostat database. Pareto distribution analysis is the main tool used for reviewing collected data for a period of ten years, 2014-2023. Results show that the same countries are in a leading position in both areas, urban and rural, respectively France, Italy, Spain and Germany, prevailing the European tourism. Authors selected this topic due to the upward trend of tourism economy worldwide. This article can be relevant for students, scientific researchers, organizations and practitioners concerned with the subject, bringing alternative perspectives for analysis.