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PurposeThe aim of the study was to illustrate how three different institutional logics, present in the implementation of action research, interact in a formalised project, in a traditional university setting.Design/methodology/approachThe article is empirical in nature and the research method used is an instrumental case study. The case was the implementation of action research within the framework of an educational project co-financed by EU funds, conducted in a Polish public university. The research process was conducted from September 2017 to November 2019. The following techniques were used: document analysis, in-depth interviews, participatory observation during the project. Constant comparative analysis was used as an analytical approach.FindingsThe study indicates that action research, project management and university management follow different “logics”. The dominant logic of action research is problem-solving, of project management is efficiency and of university management is compliance. These different logics and the relationship between them is explained in the paper.Originality/valueThe research enriches the ongoing discussion on logic multiplicity and project management in a new context – that of the university environment and combines the issue of the implementation of action research with broader conversations on institutional logics.

Celem tekstu jest identyfikacja oraz kategoryzacja kluczowych czynników sukcesu wybranych przedsiębiorstw w trakcie trwania globalnej pandemii COVID-19. W części teoretycznej, w pierwszej kolejności, zidentyfikowano warunki funkcjonowania przedsiębiorstw w trakcie pandemii COVID-19, a następnie ukazano czynniki sukcesu jako kategorię wyjaśniającą wyniki przedsiębiorstw w tym okresie. Cel pracy został zrealizowany poprzez badania empiryczne przeprowadzone na próbie 22 przedsiębiorstw reprezentujących różne sektory, o zasięgu zarówno globalnym, jak i lokalnym. Badania zrealizowano przy wykorzystaniu triangulacji metod badawczych. Główną metodą wykorzystaną w procedurze badawczej było wielokrotne studium przypadku. Wyniki przeprowadzonych badań pozwoliły na ustalenie, że zidentyfikowane czynniki warunkujące sukces badanych przedsiębiorstw w trakcie pandemii tworzą siedem kategorii: strategia, model biznesu, zasoby, elastyczność, produkty/usługi, relacje z klientami oraz otoczenie zewnętrzne.

Today's universities are confronted with questions about the increasing scale of corporatization and commercialization, as well as their decreasing activity in the field of the social mission, i.e. engagement in the real problems of ordinary people, local communities and society at large. As a remedy for this problem, this book proposes using action research as a means of shaping collaboration between universities and their stakeholders, taking into account related benefits, opportunities and challenges. In this context, we understand action research somewhat more broadly, as universities’ conducting useful research that becomes a domain of their social mission. The core message of this volume is the development of a cooperation process in which the university leaves its "ivory tower," builds relationships with its stakeholders and, as a result, engages more effectively in social life. In this book, readers will find an original perspective on action research, the application of which enables mutual benefits for universities and their stakeholders. It presents the authors’ original model of cooperation based on the AR approach and concrete examples of successful cooperation between universities and their stakeholders. Step by step, it illustrates how to initiate cooperation, conduct useful scientific research and together with stakeholders bring about changes in social life. This book will be of value to university managers, academics, students of social, management and economic sciences, as well as managers and specialists employed in organizations from various sectors that may be interested in cooperation with universities.

The article discusses the importance of remuneration systems in organizations using Total Quality Management (TQM) and presents the current state of knowledge regarding the role of remuneration systems in quality improvement. The main objective of this paper is to determine the role played by (rarely researched) bonus systems in the process of motivating employees to improve product and service quality. Firstly, the authors indicate to what extent quality criteria are included in the designing of remuneration systems. Secondly, they provide employee feedback on how motivating their pay systems are. Thirdly, they determine to what extent different pay solutions are assessed as fair. Findings: decisions on bonus granting are based on not only objective product/service quality criteria but also opinions such as assessments made by superiors and criteria such as zero work-related accidents, zero sickness absences, or customer satisfaction levels. Thus, it is difficult to assume that bonus granting criteria are completely fair. The conducted analysis shows that a considerable group of the respondents consider bonus awarding as a source of perceived injustice. The most important factors influencing employee motivation include commendations from superiors (in service enterprises) and the possibility of self-control in production enterprises. Contributions: the conducted research extends the knowledge of the role of bonus systems in processes aimed at improving the quality of services and products.

The process of globalisation in world markets, and the growing number of enterprises competing with one another in terms of the products and services they offer, naturally leads to the improved efficiency of management systems. Efficiency is required in order for these entities to maintain competitiveness. To assess the efficiency of their management systems, enterprises use quality cost calculation. This book fills the research gap concerned with the scientific study of the quality cost calculation, with regard to service companies. It offers the authors’ concept of using the cost of quality calculation as a tool for assessing the efficiency of the management systems of service companies. The book consists of six chapters that present both a theoretical and an empirical part. In the theoretical part, the following issues are discussed: quality costs; the evolution of quality cost calculation; quality cost calculation models and their applications to date; and the specific way in which service companies operate. The practical part presents the authors’ model of quality cost calculation along with the adopted assumptions and cost structure, as well as the research methodology and verification of the use of the developed model in a selected service company. The research gives credence to the role and importance of this tool in economic practice. The book will be desired reading by both theoreticians and practitioners of quality management and accounting. It is also a valuable resource for master’s and doctoral students wishing to broaden their knowledge of quality costs and their calculation in the fields of economics and management.

In this chapter we discuss how, as a tool for organizational change, action research can affect the development of cooperation between a traditional university and the external environment. The case analyzed was a two-year action research project carried out in cooperation with over 20 employers. This project was carried out at multiple levels and had several essential goals. Apart from its emancipatory role in the shift in the way students carry out their master's theses (toward application, implementation, where organizations become the research subject instead of the research object), the project's aim was to open up the university to cooperation with its environment and conduct useful research. The results indicate that action research through the democratization of the process of introducing changes and its bottom-up nature influences the development of real cooperation between the university and external organizations. Additionally, they contribute to the emancipation of university knowledge, its democratization, dehierarchization, as well as cocreation and sharing with cooperating organizations.

PurposeThe aim of this paper is to show the ways of setting quality objectives, their attributes and the conditions under which they can perform a motivational function.Design/methodology/approachCollecting relevant data, the authors used the results of previous research and theoretical assumptions concerning quality objectives. Subsequently, they carried out a survey and exemplification research based on participatory observations, document content analysis and interviews.FindingsGoals are set mainly by top management, but the communication process itself is insufficient; the needs of system users are not taken into account. In the opinion of the employees, quality objectives are measurable and objective, although not very ambitious. For quality objectives to fulfil a motivational function, they should be objective and measurable. Also, the allocation of tasks among employees needs to be fair. Furthermore, quality objectives have to play a greater role in remuneration systems.Originality/valueThis paper is one of the first publications on the role and function of quality objectives. Its advantage is that it defines the conditions under which such objectives can have a motivational effect and encourage employees to pursue the improvement of their products and services.

"Risk management is a domain of management which comes to the fore in crisis. This book looks at risk management under crisis conditions in the COVID-19 pandemic context. The book synthesises existing concepts, strategies, approaches and methods of risk management and provides the results of empirical research on risk and risk management during the COVID-19 pandemic. The research outcome was based on the authors' study on forty-two enterprises of different sizes in various sectors, and these firms have either been negatively affected by COVID-19 or have thrived successfully under the new conditions of conducting business activities. The analysis looks at both the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the selected enterprises and the risk management measures these enterprises had taken in response to the emerging global trends. The book puts together key factors which could have determined the enterprises' failures and successes. The final part of the book reflects on how firms can build resilience in challenging times and suggests a model for business resilience. The comparative analysis will provide useful insights into key strategic approaches of risk management"

Management staff now face not so much a choice, but the necessity to implement a new management function, which is risk management. The purpose of this text is to identify the role of a manager in contemporary enterprise risk management. To achieve the intended objective, the evolution of the development of managerial functions in the area of risk management is presented, a catalogue of competences necessary to perform such functions is also presented along with a review of currently offered professional trainings which authorize the performance of the functions of risk managers, risk management specialists, and risk officers.

Objective: The purpose of this text is to identify approaches to defining and subsequently reviewing the definitions of uncertainty and risk as interdisciplinary terms which are of key importance in modern management. Methodology: The work is theoretical. The main method used in the research process was the analysis of scientific literature. A one-dimensional logical classification method was also used, in order to categorize approaches to defining uncertainty and risk, satisfying the exhaustive and mutually exclusive criteria in the selection of categories of approaches. Findings: The main results of the work are: 1) identification of approaches to defining uncertainty and risk, 2) interdisciplinary review of definitions of uncertainty and risk indicating the criteria to distinguish between the two, and 3) determination of the meaning of the terms uncertainty and risk in modern management. Value Added: Considering the approaches to defining uncertainty and risk taken from many fields and disciplines of science, this text is a compendium of theoretical knowledge for the proper understanding and meaning of these concepts in management. Recommendations: The research findings can have implications for both management theory as well as the practice of organization management.

Aim/purpose - The main objectives of this article are to identify the major risks with a global dimension and to attempt to specify the potential consequences of their occurrence for organizational management. Design/methodology/approach - The article is based on an analysis of the literature on the subject and an analysis of the content of The Global Risk Reports published in the years 2013-2017, prepared within the scope of the World Economic Forum, and presenting the results of work performed by international experts. Findings - The major results of the research are the following: 1) becoming aware of how global risks are understood, 2) identifying the most significant present risks of a global character, as well as tendencies in changes in their importance, and 3) determining general possibilities of the identified risks' exerting influence on organizational management processes. Research implications/limitations - The research results are based on a selected group of reports illustrating the result of the work of experts performed within the scope of the World Economic Forum. Thus, there is a possibility of an alternative approach to global risks, e.g., in reports drawn up for the purposes of the insurance sector. However, the authors decided that the aforementioned reports were the most reliable and representative from the perspective of this article's objectives.Originality/value/contribution - The article shows global risks as a determinant of management processes and includes reflection about their significance.(original abstract)

Modele oceny dojrzałości zarządzania ryzykiem umożliwiają organizacjom diagnozę rozwoju oraz efektywności stosowanych praktyk w zakresie zarządzania ryzykiem. Są narzędziami, które mogą służyć jako wzorce zarówno w procesie implementacji systemów zarządzania ryzykiem, jak i doskonalenia już funkcjonujących. Celem opracowania jest scharakteryzowanie oraz porównanie wybranych modeli oceny dojrzałości zarządzania ryzykiem. Do realizacji celu wykorzystano metodę analizy literatury. Artykuł zawiera: genezę modeli oceny dojrzałości zarządzania ryzykiem, ich przegląd oraz analizę porównawczą. Główny wniosek z dokonanych analiz wskazuje, iż modele oceny dojrzałości zarządzania ryzykiem są w wysokim stopniu uniwersalne oraz umożliwiają formalizację procesów zarządzania ryzykiem w organizacji. Risk management maturity assessment models enable organizations to diagnose the development and effectiveness of risk management practices. They are tools that can serve as an exemple both in the implementation of risk management systems and in the improvement of existing ones. The aim of the study is to characterize and compare selected risk management maturity assessment models. The literature analysis method was used to achieve the goal. The article consists of: the genesis of risk management maturity assessment models, review and comparative analysis. The main conclusion from the conducted analyzes indicates that risk management maturity assessment models are highly universal and enable the formalization of risk management processes in the organization.