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Research purpose. The main goal of the article is to determine the current level of financial literacy among clients of the selected bank in Slovakia. This finding will be compared with the average level in the country. In the survey, we focused on determining their financial literacy level. Currently, a lot of attention is paid to the issue of financial literacy. In connection with financial literacy, a lot is said about education. Therefore, in the paper, we focused on finding out the relationship between financial literacy and the level of education as such. We also compared the financial literacy of the survey sample with the overall financial literacy in Slovakia.

Customers are key in the brand-building process. Many times, this term is applied very broadly, especially in segmentation and planning. Knowing the customer buying behaviour and customer decision-making process is important for brands, especially today, when customers are informed much better and get information over the Internet faster. In this paper, we present theory that deals with the purchasing behaviour of customers and emphasize the analysis of the sales cycle of the individual phases in the current conditions, when segmentation based on socio-demographic data is not enough. It is much better to define the psychological factors, which influence the customer and motivate him to buy in combination with the buyer’s decision-making speed. Thus, the article discusses the basic four types of customers according to the major research work carried out by Eisenberg brothers. Based on this analysis, we can determine the percentage of individual customers. The article offers a survey that was conducted to find the most important factors in the decision-making process when buying a car. In addition to the criteria, we also asked our respondents about the importance of these factors. We have used the multiple criteria decision analysis as it is one of the methods of complex evaluation and it minimizes the degree of subjectivity in choosing a suitable variant. Based on our survey, we have used analysis to estimate trends that brands operate in automotive sector could use to communicate in order to address the type of customer that belongs to their target audience. The primary aim of the paper is to prove that there is a growing trend of humanistic customers through study about their preferences and criteria during the decision-making process that leads them to buy a new car. Moreover, we determinate communication strategies for all four types of customers based on theory provided by Eisenbergs.

Research background: CRM is one of the most popular tools of modern marketing in today’s globalized world. It is a purposefully set up management with customers, which synchronizes several internal company processes. Its justification is indisputable, as it is generally the case that companies that do not engage in customer relationship management are soon overshadowed by competition and fall into extinction. With the help of CRM, the company can manage not only the sale of products to customers but also following service. Sales staff, call center staff, service department staff and many others can thus use the CRM system. The subject of research in the paper is the use of CRM in Internet commerce. Purpose of the article: The development of a functional CRM system in a specific company and the introduction of selected CRM tools in the company’s online store can be considered a priority goal. Methods: During the elaboration of the paper, the methods of the compilation of analysis, synthesis and description were used on the basis of the search of the relevant literature. Findings & Value added: The paper contains findings on two levels. From the theoretical point of view, it provides an overview of the essence, development, individual elements, customer relationship strategy, as well as the technical architecture and possibilities of CRM implementation. From the practical point of view, it is about the design of a functional CRM system in a specific company and the introduction of selected CRM tools in the company’s online store In contrast, the CRM application in specific business conditions represents added value.

Research background: Against the background of a more thorough knowledge of the impact of the Covid pandemic, it is necessary to consider the possibilities of mitigating the effects of it. We propose the use of such progressive management tools in the field of transport, which could increase the readiness of management for more stable and effective management in the future. Purpose of the article: The main purpose is based on the analysis of the impact of the Covid pandemic to suggest ways to improve the management of transport companies operating in Slovakia. To achieve this, we will focus on identifying the key impacts of the pandemic in this sector and propose management tools that could mitigate the impact of a potential crisis in the future. Methods: We will use theoretical and empirical scientific methods in processing the subject. We will work with theoretical methods, such as analysis, synthesis, induction, deduction. In the second step, the article will use empirical scientific techniques that work with specific data and precise methods to achieve concrete results. In addition to explanatory methods, interpretive methods will also be used. Findings & Value added: Information on the effects of the pandemic on Slovak transport companies will be important, which will serve as a basis for the design part. The added value will be the recommendation of progressive management tools in the conditions of specific transport companies with an emphasis on strategic management and elimination of the impacts of potential crisis situations in the future.

(1) Background: This research deals with an element of strategic management, namely corporate changes. It applies to production enterprises operating in the countries of the Visegrad Group. Since similar studies in the area of change management in the V4 environment are absent, we consider the research to be beneficial for the subject area. The aim of the paper is to identify key elements in change management that would contribute to improving the work of leaders. (2) Methods: We conducted the research on a sample of 318 manufacturing companies operating in V4 countries. We verified the obtained data using several tests, including Chi-square tests and Fisher's exact test or binomial test, through which we verified established research hypotheses. A multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was also used, which made it possible to identify critical factors in the area of change management. (3) Results: Critical change management factors emerged from the research, and we also determined the preconditions for successful management of these initiatives. We consider the results significant for change management leaders. (4) We consider the findings to be a contribution to the given field of management, as similar studies are absent in it, which creates a gap in this field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the relationship between financial management, corporate social responsibility (CSR), and sustainability within small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the service sector across the Visegrad Four (V4) countries: Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia. The research aims to quantify the impact of financial management and CSR on SME sustainability, addressing a critical gap in understanding sustainability dynamics in this sector. The data was collected through a comprehensive survey of 339 SME owners or top managers across the V4 countries, employing a structured questionnaire. The hypotheses were tested using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to evaluate the causal relationships between the factors. The results reveal that financial management plays a more significant role in determining SMEs' sustainability level than CSR. Nevertheless, CSR also positively affects both sustainability and financial management, though the intensity of its impact on financial management is weaker. These findings are crucial for SME owners and managers, as they highlight the importance of integrating both financial discipline and socially responsible practices to achieve long-term sustainability. The study's implications extend to policymakers, educational institutions, and support organizations, providing a framework for developing strategies that promote sustainable business practices. This research offers a valuable contribution to the body of knowledge on sustainability in SMEs, especially in the context of post-pandemic recovery in the V4 region and provides practical recommendations for enhancing the resilience and competitiveness of SMEs through improved financial management and CSR integration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Customer awareness and customer satisfaction are generally important attributes for the success and competitiveness of any business. In some sectors, they are studied very intensively; in others, they are neglected. In the field of transport services, it is important that the attitudes of customers are sufficiently monitored because public passenger transport has a lot of individual competition. Only satisfied customers can prefer public transportation over their own. In this context, this contribution analyses customer requirements and their satisfaction with bus public transport in the Slovak Republic. The opinions of customers are supplemented in this article with those of strategic managers. We ascertained customer requirements through questionnaire surveys. Using theoretical knowledge, we established hypotheses, which were subsequently verified using the selected statistical methods. Based on the findings, we proposed the concept of the target perspective of the BSC system for bus transport companies in the Slovak Republic in an effort to increase their competitiveness. Our procedure was also based on knowledge that is the output of various research studies in this area. Their results show that marketing strategies are considered the most important part of strategic management. Today, it is common in many industries that all business entities offer the same product at the same price under approximately the same technological conditions and with the assistance of equally well-equipped personnel. Therefore, a correctly set marketing strategy can also be the key to business success in transport services. The methods used in this paper were analysis, synthesis, questionnaire surveys, and the selected managerial and statistical methods. Our goal was to propose a concept of the customer perspective of the BSC system based on the analysis of customer requirements. We are convinced that the results of our survey can contribute to increasing the competitiveness of not only bus carriers in Slovakia, but also in other EU countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research background: Financial literacy has been a topic of discussion in recent years. The concept of financial literacy can be understood as knowledge of financial concepts, but above all as the ability to be able to orientate in the financial market, the ability to manage funds or financially secure oneself and one's family. It is also the ability to properly distribute household expenses or secure income. In our case, we want to look at the level of financial literacy in connection with the shopping behaviour of the population. Originally, the survey focused on Slovakia and Poland, but since we did not manage to obtain a sufficient number of responses from the Polish side, we will focus primarily on the survey in Slovakia and only point out the results achieved in Poland. In addressing this issue, we relied on already existing global surveys, which point to a low level of financial literacy. One of the surveys involves the OECD, which tests pupils aged 15 in certain countries at regular intervals. The Household Finance and Consumption Survey targets people over the age of 18 and tests people in multiple countries. We also conducted surveys that would point out the purchasing behaviour of the population of Slovakia during the COVID-19 pandemic, one of which was carried out by the TASR agency. Purpose of the article: The aim of the paper is to point out the current state of financial literacy of the population in Slovakia in relation to shopping behaviour and to outline recommendations for strengthening financial literacy. Methods: Various methods are used in the paper. By analysing the existing surveys, we determined the assumptions of the survey. Subsequently, using a questionnaire survey, we determined the level of financial literacy. We also used mathematical and statistical methods in the evaluation. Subsequently, by synthesizing the acquired theoretical knowledge and survey results, we outlined possible measures to improve financial literacy in Slovakia. Findings & Value added: The results of the survey can be used as a basis for work in the field of financial literacy and its constant increase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In today’s rapidly changing business environment, it is important for a company to succeed. This applies to companies that produce goods as well as to those that provide services, and public transport is not different. Nowadays, people prefer individual transport. In the Slovak Republic, individual transport is perceived as an expression of personal prestige and freedom. On the other hand, however, it places a heavy burden on road infrastructure and has a great impact on the environment. In this paper, the authors aim to present the information obtained through a questionnaire survey focused on customer satisfaction and preferences in public mass transport in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. As part of the statistical evaluation, the interdependence of two quantitative variables (ownership of a passenger car versus the purpose of the public mass transport customer’s trip) will be observed. Based on the research results, customer requirements and preferences were summarized and can be used by management of companies as a valuable basis for managerial decision-making and communication towards customers.

This article presents an empirical study carried out to evaluate and analyze artificial intelligence-supported workplace decisions. Building our argument by drawing on data collected from Bright & Company, Corporate Research Forum, Deloitte, IBM Institute for Business Value, Management Events, McKinsey, and Top Employers Institute, we performed analyses and made estimates regarding to what extent organizations have been able to use human resource analytics to successfully predict business outcomes and take action to drive different outcomes (%). Data gathered from 4,700 respondents are tested against the research model by using structural equation modeling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research background: If globalization presents really a new and not reversible process that creates a more homogenous world, strategies of enterprises should appropriate to this phenomenon, too. European legislation has significantly contributed to the creation of the mutual market and increasing freedom of movement of services within the European Union. This paper examines the issue of using the BSC system methodology in the strategic management of a selected non-profit organization. The aim is to explain the importance and essence of the BSC system methodology in the strategic management of a non-profit organization, to analyse the application and knowledge of the BSC system methodology in practice of selected organizations in Slovakia and apply the essence of the method in strategic management of selected non-profit organizations. The non-profit organizations are an important part of the public sector, which in the form of various activities, in particular the providing of various services, performs tasks related to addressing manifestations of market imbalances. In contrast to the “traditional” business sector (profit sector), the task of the non-profit sector is not to generate profit but to provide consumer tasks. Purpose of the article: The objective of the article is to clarify and present the specifics of functioning and management of non-profit organizations in the conditions of the Slovak Republic. Methods: During the elaboration of the paper, the methods of compilation of analysis, synthesis and description were used on the basis of the search of the relevant literature. Part of the paper is a survey, which we conducted through a questionnaire on a selected sample of non-profit organizations in the Slovak Republic. Findings & Value added: The results of the survey we have transported into general practice recommendations for non-profit organizations to improve their operating in the conditions of Slovakia while accepting the process of globalization.

Research background: If globalization presents really a new and not reversible process that creates a more homogenous world, strategies of enterprises should appropriate to this phenomenon, too. European legislation has significantly contributed to the creation of the mutual market and increasing freedom of movement of services within the European Union. Its basic principle can be applied to the harmonization of basic requirements for services and the subsequent normalization – the creation of common European standards. This also applies to the area of non-profit organizations. These organizations are an important part of the public sector, which in the form of various activities, in particular the providing of various services, performs tasks related to addressing manifestations of market imbalances. In contrast to the “traditional” business sector (profit sector), the task of the non-profit sector is not to generate profit but to provide consumer tasks. Purpose of the article: The objective of the article is to clarify and present the specifics of functioning and management of non-profit organizations in the conditions of the Slovak Republic. Methods: During the elaboration of the paper, the methods of compilation of analysis, synthesis and description were used on the basis of the search of the relevant literature. Part of the paper is a survey, which we conducted through a questionnaire on a selected sample of non-profit organizations in the Slovak Republic. Findings & Value added: The results of the survey we have transported into general practice recommendations for non-profit organizations to improve their operating in the conditions of Slovakia while accepting the process of globalization.

Non-profit organizations carry out activities that the state either does not want to perform or does not take responsibilities for them due to financial reasons, and the private sector is not interested in them. Specific features of such kind organizations is the fact that their performance is mostly depended on the work of a man – a volunteer, so a human capital is their integral part. Volunteering is a multidimensional phenomenon. It is an important part of the society and its future development. The context of volunteering has changed in last years, because social trends as globalization, technological development, changes in demography, emergence of postmodern values, and changes in families and work change people´s attitudes toward volunteering. In order a volunteer could realize his own personality and belief in volunteering activities and simultaneously participate in meeting goals of an organization, it is essential that all elements of management (organizing, managing, control, evaluating) are carried out effectively and have a meaning. To achieve this point, it is needed to know reasons, why people do volunteering that does not have only motivational sense, but also strategic one. Identifying motifs is therefore broader than just meeting needs and their knowledge is an essential factor for the effective functioning of non-profit organizations regardless of fields of their operation.