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Research purpose. The subject of this paper is the role of e-commerce for companies in increasing their competitive advantage in the market during and after the pandemic. The paper monitors the digital transformation and e-commerce implementations in a developing country (North Macedonia) and whether this can lead to a better position in the market. Design / Methodology / Approach. The design of the research contained both a literature review from relevant secondary sources, as well as primary research through empirical analysis. The empirical analysis was performed through a survey questionnaire containing 28 questions of open and closed nature, including a five-point Likert Scale. The data was subject to quantitative and qualitative analysis and presented in the paper. Findings. E-commerce has been seen as the future of shopping; however, due to the pandemic, the adoption rates increased significantly in the past two years. Primary data from the research shows that consumers in developing countries are open to online shopping, with satisfied trust and security parameters. The research implies that companies can safely implement e-commerce by following several important aspects to ensure customer interest in converting to their e-stores. Originality / Value / Practical implications. The paper contributes to the e-commerce research field by providing newer data after a global situation-changer, such as the pandemic. The research data can be utilized to compare statistics and generate trends for developing countries in further research, as well as broader usage for customer preferences from other academics and the business sector.

The focus of the paper are the different channels for implementation of e-recruitment and their respective efficiency. As the “work from home” model became the default in the pandemic, there was a steady rise in the use of e-recruitment platforms and social media channels. However, businesses report that there is a discrepancy between in the e-recruitment process between varying position levels, based on the industry, type of job and required experience. The paper researches the first step (i.e. attracting candidates) in the e-recruitment process for entry-level positions, as defined being with lower than country average salary, no required experience and faculty education. Through the process of primary quantitative and qualitative analysis, the results of the paper determine that certain channels may deliver results several times higher than others, in particular social media as a whole. Variable factors such as creative elements, job description and other are outlined in the paper to place the foundation for further research. The reach and efficiency of social media channels in e-recruitment is determined to be a powerful tool if utilized within a proper framework. The paper finalizes the research with the obstacles created with e-recruitment as a whole in the recruitment process, after the first phase of attracting candidates is completed.

This research presents a general theoretical overview and empirical research on e-recruitment strategies in enterprises of the Republic of Kosovo and at the same time evaluates the effect of e-recruitment on the employment process. The study mainly focused on data from the survey of 317 managers of different levels and owners of enterprises who are present or involved in the Strategic Human Resource Management process. These data argued for the increased potential of electronic recruitment for qualitative selection, competitive advantage and other benefits. Electronic recruitment, although not an official part of recruitment, significantly enhanced the recruitment process and changed the nature of the current recruitment process. Deillon (2014) defines electronic recruitment as a new information technology tool for selecting one of the most important human resource resources. While Barber (1998) defines it as an activity to fill positions efficiently and effectively.

The research focuses on introducing social media platforms as either a complementary or main channel in the company sales funnel. Internet technologies and Web 2.0 continue to provide innovations in digital marketing, with the latest iteration being lead generation services through social media. Data shows that almost half of the world population is active on social media, with the new Generation Alpha being projected to be entirely online dependent and proficient in the use of new technologies. The paper provides an overview of the digitalization of sales funnels, as well as the benefits that social media platforms can offer if implemented correctly. Secondary data provides the basis for transforming sales funnels with social media, where previous research provides limited data on the effectiveness of these types of efforts. Primary data demonstrates that introducing social media platforms can provide improvements of up to 3 to 4 times in analyzed case studies, as well as the shorter time when deciding about purchase in use case scenarios. Social media advertising can also be utilized to shorten the sales funnel process and serve as a unified point of entrance and exit in the first few stages.

The focus of the paper is gamification, which has been researched typically through its’ implementation in the business sector. Our research follows the implementation of gamification in Higher Educational Institutions, since the same concepts and benefits that function in the workplace, should function with similar effect or yield even better results with students. The topic of gamification in education is a relatively novel one, with only a few papers addressing it in detail, especially on the Balkan region. The contribution of the paper is two-sided, i.e., through primary and secondary research, recommendations for optimal ways of implementing gamified systems in higher education is given, and according to the obtained data, present statistics and implications for implementing gamification in HEIs in the Republic of Macedonia. The core elements and mechanics of gamification are researched and adjusted in the context of education, as well as improving existing implementations of gamification in HEIs through the introduction of cycles of interest (rewards for encouraging a certain type of behavior of students) and cycles of progression (a stepwise increase in the weight of the activities). The results of the primary research demonstrate that the concept of gamification offers great potential advantages for students and teaching staff, primarily by increasing the level of intrinsic motivation and the degree of completion of subjects. The paper uncovers the gamification mechanics and elements that would work best for HEIs in Macedonia, as well as outline the biggest motivational problems students have when navigating through the educational process. Through the primary research conducted, the first public available information on the introduction of gamification in higher education in the Republic of Macedonia is made available.

This paper elaborates the issue about the ,,brain drain” phenomenon observing it through the prism of its intensity in the Republic of Macedonia and its positive and negative impacts, but also its effects on the development of the economy in the country. This research, which covered 1400 respondents from the target group of young people, aged between 15 and 29, begins by providing answers to the questions about the extent to which this phenomenon is present in Macedonia, what are the characteristics of the people who tend to leave the country, what are the pull factors that attract them to go abroad and also, what are the push factors that stimulate them to leave their own country, what are their expectations in relation to the development of the country in the future, what are their opinions about the effects of the brain drain on the development of the country – whether they are positive or negative effects and finally, which measures and policies, according to the respondents are of a great importance and should be taken by the government institutions and authorities, non-governmental organizations and private sector in order to reduce brain drain in the country.Republic of Macedonia is threatened by serious losses from brain drain that could decrease the human capital of the country and its economic growth. Macedonia faces a serious brain drain threat: 77.03% of respondents have firm stances to permanently leave the country, which is equal to loss of intellectual potential, loss of future skilled workers and entrepreneurs. It is a huge number of young people and poses a great danger to the aging of the population in the country, a risk to the economic potential and economic development of the country, especially if the continuity of migration lasts for a long time.Fortunately, the brain drain is a dynamic phenomenon, and its direction and intensity can be significantly changed through honest, serious and selfless efforts of all social stakeholders. In this direction, well-designed measures for the preservation of human capital in the country and their consistent implementation in practice, could turn this trend of brain drain into a successful brain circulation in Macedonia for a period of 5-10 years.Based on the presented results of the research given in the following text, but also on the basis of personal expertise and continuous monitoring of the brain drain process from the country, we propose several most important recommendations for activities at different levels of influence.

Gamification represents a relatively new term that has become massively popular in recent years. The aim of this paper is to evaluate the various definitions regarding gamification, to present a unified process of designing a gamified system and to research the use of gamification on the territory of the Republic of Macedonia. Gamification focuses on the internal motivators of employees, which are much more powerful and longer-lasting than the external motivators traditionally used in human resource management. Since this concept relies on video games, data demonstrated makes it clear that they are prevalent in each age group and there is no inclination of one sex over the other. The research done through a questionnaire on SMEs in the IT industry on the territory of the Republic of Macedonia was focused on researching the gamification trends in the country and generally gave positive results regarding the level of use and the readiness of the Macedonian managers for gamification. A high percentage of the companies surveyed are using or are in the process of implementing gamified systems and consider that they could bring a number of benefits. The main disadvantages are the lack of understanding by employees and insufficient technical knowledge. The paper contributes in clarifying the gamification concept and distinguishing it from other similar concepts. From a practical standpoint, the presented process for designing a gamified process can be utilized by companies in the IT industry in the future, regardless of the country of origin.

In the modern world information technology especially internet is rapidly changing the way individuals interact in the real world in the labor force market. Social networks (SN) like Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter; Instagram etc. has invaded our daily lives. Human resources management has also taken its share of these changes. Employers have begun using social networks for getting information about job candidates. Information provided by Social Network about personal and professional life of potential job candidates made Social Network as an important tool for recruiters. In the Republic of Kosovo even in some other countries social network is not an official part of the selection but their influence on the recruitment process is very evident. The essence of the research is the impact of social networks and traditional methods - interviews, C.V and recommendations in the recruitment process in the Republic of Kosovo. In foretold, the research thesis is explored with all the justifications and challenges that follow. Presentation of the research plan and procedures reflects in detail the real situation. The methodology I have used in this research has analytical character and practical verification of hypotheses. This first research is dealt with on this day and will be a major contributor to the human resources strategy devoted to the recruitment process.

Working without limits, changes in consumer preferences, and contemporary processes of global integration have changed the traditional concept of conduct for business enterprises. The application of the modern concept of entrepreneurship in tourism enterprises provides conditions for increasing efficiency. A focus on innovative approaches for basic activities, and continued allocation of total resources represent the main features of modern entrepreneurship. Modern entrepreneurship is the process through which the entrepreneur and employees are devoted to the opportunities at hand. This changes the concept of what constitutes entrepreneurship. The main objective of this paper is to show how the modern concept of entrepreneurship is a main factor in efficient operation of business enterprises. In this respect, knowledge and intellectual capital represent critical resources in operating and implementing information and communication technology as a necessity in coordinating business processes among tourism enterprises. The applied part of this paper involves practical research to perceive the presence of entrepreneurship. The paper concludes with proposing a modern entrepreneurial model as a main factor for improving business operations. The specific results will be indicated in the sphere of representation of teamwork, introduction of changes, staff training, introduction of innovations, and level of tolerance.

This article investigates the usage of digital channels by UK small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and assesses the impact caused on their strategic marketing position. The research is based on statistical analysis of 66 surveyed SMEs in the context of the digital era. Despite indications from the relevant literature about the reluctance of SMEs to adopt advances in technological communication, the research reported indicates a high level of usage of digital channels, especially social media (SM). The web 2.0 technologies that facilitate the new digital channels are standardised, interactive, ubiquitous and cheap. These features change the way how companies communicate and shift fundamental marketing and business concepts. Due to this shift, the SMEs’ barriers for technology adoption, including lack of financial resources, knowledge and skills, are diminishing. The latter, supported also by the research findings, increases the impact of SMEs bringing them closer to the large corporations in the global marketplace. The study is significant because it extends previous knowledge on technology adoption, with findings about the adoption of digital channels by SMEs, but more importantly, it opens up a novel insight into strategic literature for SMEs.

Substantial research has been conducted in developing sophisticated security methods with authentication mechanisms placed in the front line of defense. Since these mechanisms are based on user conduct, they may not accomplish the intended objectives with improper use. Despite the influence of usability, little research has been focused on the balance between usability and security in authentication mechanisms when evaluating the effectiveness of these systems. In this paper we present a quantification approach for assessing usable security in authentication mechanisms. The purpose of this approach is to guide the evaluation process of authentication mechanisms in a given environment by balancing usability and security and defining quantifiable quality criteria.