The COVID-19 epidemic surprised economic operators around the world. The very existence of many businesses, and thus jobs, was at stake. However, one year after the WHO declared the outbreak a pandemic, contrary to the pessimistic forecasts of business analysts, some industries did not experience the predicted negative effects of the crisis. This article presents the results of a pilot study on micro and small enterprises in the rubber products industry in Poland during the COVID-19 pandemic, with the aim of analyzing the phenomenon of sustainable resource management that led not only to the survival of these enterprises but also to a significant increase in their turnover. Therefore, the purpose of the study was to analyze the key success factors of the indicated economic entities, with particular emphasis on the perspective of sustainable resource management and relationship management. On the basis of best research practices, a triangulation of research methods was applied (integrative literature review, computer-assisted telephone interviewing, and individual in-depth interview). A relationship was observed between the sustainable management of resources and the structure of the relationship network and the strength of its connections. In micro and small enterprises in the rubber products sector in Poland, sustainable resource management is related to the structure of the network of relations and the strength of connections in the network (relations/networking), as enterprises form a group of entities with a high level of loyalty, especially between the suppliers and buyers of raw materials. The formulated conclusions will become the basis for further in-depth research that can be conducted (a) in the same group of respondents, but using a representative research group, (b) in the same industry among a group of large enterprises, and (c) in a group of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) from other industries.

Purpose: presenting the possibilities of using social media and artificial intelligence in creating the image of a leader in the local government election campaign in Poland. Design/methodology/approach: triangulation of research methods; the election campaign of the candidate for the mayor of Lubin, Lower Silesian Voivodeship in 2024 was analyzed; then a survey of the opinions of Lubin residents was conducted (March–April 2024); the survey was complemented by obtaining the candidate's opinion, and therefore an interview was conducted with him. Findings: significant information was obtained related to the perception of the elections and candidates as leaders conducting the campaign in social media; in addition, 56.60% of respondents confirmed that information posted on social media has an impact on their voting decisions; 44.34% of respondents trust information about candidates in social media; posts and video materials were indicated as the most engaging content in social media. Regular and frequent publications allow for maintaining the interest and involvement of voters, which is crucial for an effective election campaign. Artificial intelligence can be effectively used during the campaign, among others for the analysis of election data, personalization of the message, automation of responses to comments, creation of newsletters, e-mail marketing, generation of films, images and graphics, and optimization of advertising campaigns. Research limitations/implications: the study concerns only one election campaign of a specific candidate in local elections in Poland; in order to verify the obtained results, further research could be conducted on the comparison of campaigns of other candidates at the same level of power, other levels of power, or even the comparison of campaigns of candidates from different countries. Practical implications: conclusions were drawn that were important for election teams and individual candidates, according to which social media are an important tool for attracting voters’ attention. Social implications: indicating modern methods of conducting political campaigns and their impact on local democracy. Originality/value: previous publications concern mainly presidential campaigns; the value of this article is the analysis at the level of local government elections.

The article presents the results of the study the main purpose of which was to determine the level of social activity in Poland. However, the specific goal was to identify the possibilities of using employees’ social activity in implementing the sustainable development strategy (SDS) in enterprises. As the presented study is part of a larger scientific project (statutory research) entitled Human capital management in the conditions of sustainable development, the conclusions of the analysis are the basis for further work, which will result in the development of a set of good practices for enterprises and other organisations in the field of human capital management in terms of using the potential and competences of employees active in the area of social work. The diagnosed tendency of the Polish population to work for the benefit of the social good allows the author to conclude that enterprises that want to implement the SDS should use the potential existing in socially engaged employees.

W artykule zaprezentowano przykład wykorzystania analizy przepływów wewnątrzorganiza­cyjnych w organizacji przy zastosowaniu autorskiego narzędzia badawczego o nazwie FAN_v.1 (z ang. Flows Analysis of Network-Centric Companies). Narzędzie to powstało na potrzeby konkretnego, między­narodowego przedsiębiorstwa z branży farmaceutycznej, ale z uwagi na swoją uniwersalność, może być użyteczne dla innych firm, zwłaszcza tych o złożonej i rozbudowanej strukturze. Dlatego też w niniejszej pracy przedstawiono podstawy teoretyczne, budowę oraz wskazówki metodyczne posługiwania się ww. narzędziem oraz przykład jego zastosowania.

The purpose of the article is to present an example of a diagnostic tool for identifying the competence gap of representatives of the “Z” generation who want to conduct business in the e-business model. The first part presents the characteristics of the “Z” generation (Gen-Z) based on studies of Polish and foreign literature. Groups of individual professional competences important for e-business owners were also identified, which were developed on the basis of the results of personal research carried out in 2018 by the CAWI method. The methodological part presents the construction and application of the "e_BIS" tool, which can be used to diagnose the current state and development of competences, broken down into competences: business (B), IT (I) and strategic leadership (S). Based on preliminary analyses, it was formulated that the presented tool can be useful both in education (secondary and higher) and on the labour market to properly shape the individual professional competences of representatives of the “Z” generation.

Purpose: presenting the results of considerations on the importance of the ideas of humanism, holism and harmonization in the contemporary theory and practice of HCM. Design/methodology/approach: the literature research covers the period 2010-2025. Empirical research was conducted by content analysis of 179 abstracts submitted to the 13th Congress of HRM Departments, which took place in 2025. Findings: the following opposing/alternative trends to those preferred in HCM were identified: 1/ humanism – dehumanization, posthumanism, and transhumanism; 2/ holism – specialization and fragmentation; 3/ harmonization – chaos, improvisation, and coercion. The formulated conclusions are intended to open up new perspectives for the development of HCM theory and practice. However, they do not constitute a basis for changing HCM paradigms. However, they point to the need to verify the research methodology used in diagnosing and analyzing HCM-related phenomena. Research limitations/implications: Limitations primarily concern the specificity of the source materials; the analyzed abstracts are not representative of the global knowledge base. However, due to the conference's prestige and national scope, they are representative of Polish scholarship. An additional limitation is the lack of research conducted in business practice on similar topics. Supplementing the presented considerations with the perspective of existing organizations would highlight the gap between HCM theory and practice in perceiving the evolution of holistic, humanistic, and harmonized approaches. Practical implications: The considerations described here are of crucial practical importance, especially in the field of education for HR specialists. They also highlight the ethical and social threats to the development of alternative diving, and consequently, the need to create and implement control mechanisms and prevent/limit unacceptable practices. Social implications: The issue of humanization of work and the existing or emerging threats to it is a key topic related to society, both in the macro context (the labor market) and micro context (the mechanisms of human functioning in the work environment). The trends presented in this article concern ongoing activities related to dehumanization, fragmentation, and lack of cohesion in human work, which can pose a significant threat, especially in the context of technological and cultural changes. Originality/value: a new look at the evolution of HCM.