Sustainability describes a means to satisfy the needs of today’s generation without causing suffering to the needs and standards of living of future generations. The concept of sustainability consists of three pillars: economic, environmental, and social. The purpose of this study is to find a link between Corporate Social Responsibility and the Environmental Management System and its impact on the economic results of the researched companies. Many companies expect to increase their profits through Corporate Social Responsibility behavior and Environmental Management System certification. Based on an analysis of data collected from 200 of the largest firms operating in various industries in the Slovak Republic, we observed the implications of these two management tools and their impacts on the economic results of these companies. To verify individual hypotheses, we use well-established methods, specifically the Pearson Chi-square test, the Mann-Whitney U test, and the Kruskal-Wallis test, along with the Statistica software. The results suggest a relationship between the incorporation of these two management tools and that incorporation of the Corporate Social Responsibility has an impact on company profit. This work contributes to the literature on sustainability, corporate social behavior, and environmental certification in firms operating in various sectors of the national economy.

Slovak spa companies significantly contribute to tourism support and to health tourism development. The paper aims to evaluate the financial situation and financial position of 21 Slovak spa companies, and the Slovak spa industry within NACE 86 - Human Health Activities and NACE 869 - Other Human Health Activities. In terms of legal form, the research sample consists of 16 joint-stock companies (Inc. (a.s.)), 3 limited liability companies (Ltd. (s.r.o.)), and 2 state-owned companies (s.o.). Data of given spa companies are obtained from their Financial Statements in Register of Financial Statements of the Ministry of Finance of the Slovak Republic. Data on mean values of the financial indicators for NACE 86 and NACE 869 were obtained from the company CRIF - Slovak Credit Bureau. We cover the period 2007-2018. Our results include an evaluation of the criterion of economic efficiency of the industry NACE 86, the sub-industry NACE 869, and individual spa companies using methods of quantifying the impact of determining factors. At the same time, we present the factors that influence development most. We determine the position of spa companies by using multidimensional scaling (MDS). Results show that the total assets turnover ratio and return on sales are contributing factors to the change of ROE to the greatest extent. MDS quantifies that Spa Bojice, a.s., has the best financial position in space, on the other hand, Specialized Medical Institute Marína, s.o., has the worst position.

This paper explores the relationship between digital readiness and sustainable development in European Union (EU) countries through a two-level cluster analysis based on the 2024 Network Readiness Index (NRI) and selected Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The first analysis groups countries by digital maturity across the NRI pillars: Technology, People, Governance, and Impact. The second focuses on SDG performance in areas such as health, education, gender equality, clean energy, and sustainable cities. Results reveal significant disparities between digital readiness and SDG achievements: some digitally advanced countries underperform in sustainability, while others with lower digital scores excel in SDG outcomes. The study identifies regional patterns, confirms a moderate positive correlation between NRI and SDG clusters (r_s = 0.526), and underscores the need for integrated digital and sustainability policies. Recommendations are provided for targeted policymaking and international cooperation.

Industry 4.0 and related automation and digitization have a significant impact on competition between companies. They have to deal with the lack of financial resources to apply digital solutions in their businesses. In Slovakia, Industry 4.0 plays an important role, especially in the mechanical engineering industry (MEI). This paper aims to identify the groups of financial ratios that can be used to measure the financial performance of the companies operating in the Slovak MEI. From the whole MEI, we selected the 236 largest non-financial corporations whose ranking we obtained according to the amount of generated revenues in 2017. Using factor analysis, from eleven traditional financial ratios, we extracted four independent factors that measure liquidity (equity to liabilities ratio, quick ratio, debt ratio, net working capital to assets ratio, current ratio), profitability (return on sales, return on investments), indebtedness (financial leverage, debt to equity ratio), and activity (assets turnover, current assets turnover) of the company. Our analysis is an essential prerequisite for developing a realistic financial plan for companies operating in the MEI, especially when considering investments in new technologies related to Industry 4.0.

The scientific periodical journal (indexed on Web of Science) published by the Tomas Bata University in Zlin offers results of basic and applied economic research in the English language.

Coopetition has been the issue of various studies in different fields, but there is a research gap in examining coopetition within the tourism sector and destination management. This paper aims to determine whether there are internally homogeneous and externally heterogeneous groups of European Union countries regarding indicators of natural and cultural resources of the Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Index (TTCI), and thus subsequently identify the importance and possibilities of competition among countries within the tourism sector. Multidimensional scaling and cluster analysis are used to verify the research hypothesis, along with ten indicators of the fourth sub-index (Natural and Cultural Resources) of TTCI. The results of the cluster analysis led to a six-group solution. Italy, Spain, and France have the best position in terms of tourism competitiveness. The results show space for competition in the international tourism market. Even though EU countries are competitors at a global level, their cooperation could be beneficial to tourism development. The findings of this study can be helpful in planning and strategy development for tourism policymakers and destination management organizations but can also be used to develop various marketing strategies. Furthermore, cooperation between destinations will support the need for strategic flexibility in the tourism sector, as the diversity of tourism attractions will increase.