Type of the article: Research ArticleAbstractThe organization’s trade union greatly increases worker productivity by fostering a healthy work environment, resolving employee complaints, and encouraging employee involvement. To ascertain how union practices (collective bargaining, democratic principles, and job security) affect worker performance in Nepal’s cement manufacturing sector, this study investigates their impact on employee productivity. A causal and descriptive research strategy was employed. Survey participants were the employees working in the selected cement manufacturing companies of Nepal. The primary cross-sectional data were collected from October 2024 to February 2025. The paper used purposive sampling techniques; a total of 476 structured questionnaires were distributed, and 247 were retrieved. This paper also employed descriptive statistics and correlation and regression analyses. Similarly, Cronbach’s alpha was used to determine the internal consistency. The study’s findings indicated a substantial positive and significant impact of collective bargaining on employee performance (β = 0.691, t = 18.08). A robust, positive, and statistically significant impact of democratic principles on employee performance was identified (β = 0.60, t = 16.76). The results indicated a robust positive and statistically significant impact of job security on employee performance (β = 0.85, t = 18.54).

Type of the article: Research articleAbstractThe purpose of the study was is to assess the impact of key factors (including employment, income, poverty level, prices and social support) on the dynamics of social pressure in Kazakhstan. The analysis covered the period from 2014 to 2024 and utilized official data. The methodology combines entropy-based ranking of indicators, calculation of the Socio-Economic Pressure Index (SEPI), Social Stability Index (SSI), and Social Inertia Index (SII), as well as phase-portrait visualization. The entropy ranking revealed that the share of population below the food basket cost (di = 0.71; Wi = 0.2381) and housing assistance (di = 0.516; Wi = 0.1728) had the highest variability and the strongest influence on SEPI. Moreover, SEPI rose from 0.0967 in 2014 to its peak in 2023 – over 20 times higher – before falling to 0.53 in 2024. SSI dropped from 4.94 in 2017 to 0.44 in 2023, with minimal adaptive capacity, and partial recovery to 1.87 in 2024. There was recorded instability of positive changes and a high likelihood of renewed pressure due to the lowest value of SII (–3.24) in 2024. Thus, long-term stability and a reduction in the social sphere’s susceptibility to external and internal shocks require integrated policy measures that combine targeted support, income regulation, and adaptive governance.AcknowledgmentsThis research has been funded by the Science Committee of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan (Grant “Development of mechanisms for reducing social inequality and improving the welfare of the population of Kazakhstan” AP19174744).

Type of the article: Research ArticleAbstractBurnout in the education sector has been extensively studied. Yet most research has focused on teaching staff, overlooking the experiences of administrative employees, despite their crucial role in implementing education policy. This study investigates the levels and correlates of burnout among administrative staff in the Greek Ministry of Education. It examines how demographic characteristics shape burnout dimensions and how burnout influences job satisfaction and turnover intention. Data were collected in 2023 through an electronic survey, reaching 40.2% of the Ministry’s workforce. Burnout was measured using the Maslach Burnout Inventory – General Survey (MBI-GS), job satisfaction with the Job Descriptive Index (JDI) and Job in General (JIG) scales, and turnover intention with custom-developed items. Results show moderate levels of exhaustion (M = 3.20) and cynicism (M = 2.82), while professional efficacy was high (M = 4.90), suggesting that staff remain committed despite institutional strain. Burnout was negatively correlated with job satisfaction (e.g., ρ = –0.651 for cynicism and satisfaction with work; ρ = –0.550 for exhaustion and satisfaction with the job in general), and positively associated with turnover intention. Tenure, education level, and gender were significantly associated with burnout dimensions (p < 0.05), while age showed no effect. By focusing on administrative staff, this study contributes new insights into an underexplored professional group in public education. Findings underline the systemic roots of burnout in the Greek public administration and highlight the need for structural HR reforms to foster employee well-being and organizational effectiveness.AcknowledgmentsWe would like to thank the Research Ethics Committee of the University of West Attica for approving the study protocol. We are also grateful to the employees of the Greek Ministry of Education for their participation and valuable contributions to this research. No external funding was received for this study.

Type of the article: Research Article AbstractMandatory reporting regulations challenge management adaptation. Organizational response patterns during regulatory transitions in emerging markets require further investigation. The study examines managerial responses of Thai-listed companies to the mandatory One Report regulation in 2021 and classifies firms into strategic clusters based on adaptation patterns to International Integrated Reporting Framework components. The paper used a comprehensive Integrated Reporting Quality Index and two-step cluster analysis on 232 annual reports from 58 largest companies in Thailand’s SET50 index (2019–2022) to move beyond simple compliance measurement and identify distinct managerial strategies and their organizational implications. Results demonstrate significant improvement in the quality of managerial responses to the regulation, representing a 36.4% increase, from moderate levels (X̄ = 1.21, SD = 0.24) before implementation to high levels (X̄ = 1.65, SD = 0.18) afterward. Wilcoxon signed-rank tests confirmed statistical significance (Z values between –3.205 and –5.526, p < 0.001). Notably, cluster analysis identifies two distinct strategic approaches: Strategic adopters (Cluster 1), who demonstrate comprehensive integrated thinking, and compliance-oriented responders (Cluster 2), who adopt minimalist approaches. The study reveals significant organizational learning over the study period, with strategic adopters growing from 27 to 44 companies (46.6% to 75.9%) while compliance-oriented responders declined from 31 to 14 companies (53.4% to 24.1%). Mandatory implementation successfully catalyzed strategic differentiation, though challenges in disclosing non-financial capital persist. These findings provide crucial insights for managers seeking competitive advantage during regulatory transitions and for policymakers designing effective governance frameworks.

Type of the article: Research Article AbstractThis study investigates the impact of greenwashing in ESG disclosure on firms’ ability to create shared value (CSV) by focusing on the mediating roles of disclosure quality and information asymmetry across different institutional contexts. The analysis is based on 391 firm-year observations of non-financial companies listed in Indonesia (277) and Malaysia (114) from 2018 to 2023, based on annual reports, sustainability disclosures, and Refinitiv ESG data. Random-effects panel regressions and bootstrapped mediation tests were used to evaluate direct and indirect effects. The results showed that greenwashing does not exert a significant direct influence on CSV in either country. However, in Malaysia, greenwashing significantly reduces information quality, which, in turn, undermines shared-value creation (indirect effect is significant). In Indonesia, although greenwashing negatively affects information quality, the subsequent link between disclosure quality and CSV is insignificant, resulting in no mediation effect. ESG disclosure quality, as a proxy for information asymmetry, does not mediate the greenwashing–CSV relationship in either country. These findings highlight the cross-country differences shaped by institutional environments: stronger regulatory oversight and stakeholder scrutiny in Malaysia amplify the mediating role of disclosure credibility, whereas weaker governance in Indonesia attenuates its relevance. This study contributes to the sustainability accounting literature by integrating symbolic compliance theory with the CSV framework and provides evidence that the credibility of ESG information is a critical determinant of value creation in emerging economies. AcknowledgmentWe express our gratitude to the Faculty of Economics and Business, Universitas Brawijaya, Indonesia, and the Faculty of Business and Economics, Universiti Malaya, Malaysia, for supporting this research collaboration.

Type of the article: Research Article AbstractCreative leadership is vital for managing financial crises. Leaders with vision, motivation, and adaptability steer organizations toward stability and success. They anticipate potential crises by establishing conflict prevention mechanisms and internal controls, thereby ensuring resilience and enabling proactive, calm management during crises. Creative leadership is increasingly important for small and medium-sized enterprises in unstable regions like Lebanon. This paper examines how creative leadership dimensions impact financial crisis management through the mediating roles of conflict prevention and internal control. This 2024 study used a questionnaire completed by 157 employees at Lebanese SMEs. Principal component analysis (PCA) identified three creative leadership dimensions: inspiring vision, adaptability, and self-motivation. Results showed that inspiring vision and adaptability affect financial crisis management. Structural equation modeling (SEM) confirmed that inspiring vision and adaptability significantly influence crisis management, mainly through the mediating effects of conflict prevention and internal control. Conflict prevention had the strongest direct effect on crisis management, with internal control showing a similar impact. Therefore, conflict prevention and internal control mediate the relationship between inspiring vision, adaptability, and successful financial crisis management. Adaptability and internal control are key pillars for effectively responding to financial crises. Creative leaders utilize crisis management models and controls to address financial crises. To enhance financial resilience, organizations should implement controls and proactive conflict prevention.

Type of the article: Research Article AbstractCrime remains a significant socio-economic issue, shaped by social instability and economic inequality, and poses critical challenges for public administration and policymaking. In Azerbaijan, rising divorce rates and persistent income disparities have become prominent social concerns, with the former reflecting shifts in family structure and the latter captured by the Gini index as a measure of income inequality. This study explores the causal relationships between crime, income inequality, and divorce rates in Azerbaijan from 2000 to 2021, utilizing econometric methodologies. From a public administration perspective, the study provides empirical insights to support more effective and targeted interventions in crime prevention, social protection, and family policy. Methodologically, the Johansen cointegration test is applied to identify long-term equilibrium relationships among the variables, while the Toda-Yamamoto Granger causality test is employed to examine the directional causality. The cointegration analysis reveals stable long-term associations between crime, income inequality, and divorce, with trace statistics (32.172, 16.067, and 4.052) exceeding their respective critical values at the 5% significance level. Additionally, the Toda-Yamamoto test shows that income inequality significantly influences crime (χ² = 5.145, p = 0.023), with divorce exhibiting a stronger predictive relationship with crime (χ² = 7.071, p = 0.007). These findings underscore the necessity for integrated crime prevention strategies, emphasizing the role of public administration in designing and implementing coherent socio-economic policies.

Type of the article: Research Article Abstract Socio-economic development in the EU countries is a complex process encompassing both social and economic progress. It involves enhancements in living standards, quality of life, and overall well-being, alongside economic growth and structural changes. Thus, the paper aims to identify and assess the key parameters for clustering EU countries by the components of their socio-economic development. The study utilized fifteen indicators from the Social Progress Index and the Human Development Index, reflecting different components of countries’ social development. Using the k-means method, the EU population is divided into three clusters (13, 5, and 9 countries, respectively) based on their similarity in social development. Then, using the decision tree method, the above indicators were assessed, including the following: “Nutrition and Medical Care,” “Health,” “Environmental Quality,” “Rights and Voice,” “Freedom and Choice,” and “Advanced Education.” These indicators are used as the key parameters for clustering countries by components of socio-economic development; therefore, their change largely determines the positions of countries as a whole and, accordingly, their convergence at the EU level. The study found significant differences between EU countries in their socio-economic aspects, particularly between the “old” and “new” members. The results obtained can be used to justify the priorities of EU socio-economic policy to ensure overall progress. Acknowledgment This article was published as an output of the project VEGA 1/0392/23: Changes in the approach to the development of distribution management concepts of companies influenced by the impact of social and economic crisis caused by the global pandemic and increased security risks. Funded by the EU NextGenerationEU through the Recovery and Resilience Plan for Slovakia under the project No. 09103-03-V01-00042.

Type of the article: Research Article AbstractThis study investigates the structural relationships between educational and scientific regulatory interventions and socio-economic development in countries affected by armed conflict and political instability, using the framework of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), specifically SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), and SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure). Rather than focusing on regulatory interventions in a narrow administrative sense, SDG 4 is conceptualized as a reflection of national efforts to improve access to and quality of education, including institutional reforms, policy initiatives, and capacity-building measures in post-conflict settings. The analysis covers 16 countries affected by conflict and instability across Eastern Europe, including Ukraine; the Balkans (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Slovenia); the Middle East (Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Syrian Arab Republic, Turkey); and the South Caucasus (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia), using data from 2011 to 2020. Employing multivariate confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), the study reveals statistically significant and conceptually meaningful covariances between the selected SDGs. The strongest relationship is observed between SDG 8 and SDG 9, underscoring the interdependence of economic growth, industrial development, and innovation. Moderate but significant correlations between SDG 4 and both SDG 8 and SDG 9 highlight the foundational role of education in enabling socio-economic recovery and technological advancement. Key indicators such as primary school completion, secondary and tertiary enrollment, employment in industry and services, and high-tech value-added production serve as measurable proxies for these dynamics. The findings emphasize the importance of aligning education policy with broader development strategies to support resilience and sustainable growth in fragile contexts. Acknowledgments and research fundingThis research was funded by the European Union grants “NextGenerationEU through the Recovery and Resilience Plan for Slovakia” (No. 09I03-03-V01-00130) and “Immersive Marketing in Education: Model Testing and Consumers’ Behavior” (No. 09I03-03-V04-00522/2024/VA). This research was also prepared as part of project 0124U000545.

Type of the article: Research Article Abstract Chinese leadership dynamics have a significant impact on job performance in Chinese enterprises, influencing long-term success and fostering innovation, which highlights the importance of a positive organizational atmosphere in enhancing employee motivation. This study aims to examine how transformation and ethical leadership dynamics influence employee empowerment, organizational learning, and the subsequent long-term sustainability and job performance in Chinese industries. Data were collected from 500 employees across various Chinese industries, e.g., manufacturing, technology, and service. Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was employed to analyze the data. The results reveal that transformational leadership (β = 0.45, p< 0.001), employee empowerment (β = 0.45, p< 0.001), and organizational learning (β = 0.28, p< 0.001) significantly enhance organizational climate, which in turn strongly influences job performance (β = 0.50, p< 0.001). Organizational climate also mediates the effects of transformational leadership (indirect effect: β = 0.23, p< 0.001), employee empowerment (indirect effect: β = 0.16, p< 0.001), and organizational learning (indirect effect: β = 0.14, p< 0.001) on job performance. Furthermore, ethical leadership moderates the impact of transformational leadership (β = 0.19, p< 0.001) and employee empowerment (β = 0.15, p< 0.01) on organizational climate. These findings emphasize the importance of integrating ethical and transformational leadership, employee empowerment, and continuous learning to foster a supportive organizational climate and drive sustainable development. This study offers actionable insights for organizational leaders and policymakers, contributing to a deeper understanding of leadership and organizational dynamics that facilitate long-term success.