Purpose: Public involvement is essential in the creation of effective local strategies for the development of a sustainable built environment, yet there has been little research on stakeholder motivation and engagement in the creation of infrastructure-project value, in the entire life cycle of a given project, while different markets show that overlooking stakeholders can negatively affect the success of an infrastructure project. The purpose of this paper is to fill the theory-practice gap that has been discerned, and thus study how early public involvement determines the success of an infrastructure project, which is identified with its value creation (effectiveness, sustainability and utility).Design/methodology/approach: This research entails a combination of methods. A case study analysis allowed observation of the role the stakeholders play and of how the relationships, perspectives, expectations and risks, along with other soft issues, continue to affect projects. The case study required comprehensive examination of project documentation and conduction of interviews. To collect data, focused group interviews and semi-structured interviews were used, supported with direct questionnaire surveys.Findings: The study provides evidence that early public engagement can contribute to infrastructure-project value (effectiveness, sustainability and utility). Practically speaking, the stakeholder analysis performed allowed proposal of a general stakeholder analysis framework for infrastructure projects. It can be implemented at each investment phase of the project life cycle, since stakeholders and their motivation may develop and/or change over time, which necessitates development of proper managerial strategies. The findings highlight the opportunities and the challenges faced by stakeholder management.Research limitations/implications: The limitation of this study derives from the fact that the sample size was small, which was necessary for an in-depth qualitative research and application of the case study method. The observations were made on a selected case study, within a limited period of time, thus the context of the analysis as well as the stakeholder perception was subject to possible change. The research limitations concern the provisional nature of the information obtained, the cross-sectional nature of the analysis itself, and, finally, the inability to predict all future events. Ultimately, stakeholder mapping was performed for the operational phase of the investment exclusively, while the analysis was limited to identification and classification of the stakeholders, including their relationship with the project.Practical implications: The research conclusions provide useful input for future research on development of effective strategies for management of the shareholders that are related to a given infrastructure project, in order to achieve project success. Simultaneously, from a property perspective, the research has contributed to a better understanding of the importance of infrastructure, on the part of real estate stakeholders.Social implications: Application of the approach proposed in the study may contribute to early development and implementation of appropriate trust-building processes. The building of relationships between stakeholders enables checks and balances, promotes short- and long-term project benefits, and increases the value of a project.Originality/value: The novelty of the research consists in the connection, as part of infrastructure projects, of the theory of consumption values and the concept of an investment cycle with the framework of stakeholder analysis.

The rural e-payment market in China is becoming one of the important topics in the research field because of its contribution to the efficiency of fund flows in the economy. Further development of the rural e-payment market mainly depends on its partners’ acceptance. In March 2020, 776.08 million people were using mobile payments in China. After the COVID-19 pandemic in China, the Payment and Clearing Association of China launched an action to encourage citizens to use mobile payments. In this article evolutionary game theory is presented. The benefits of e-payments between financial institutions and users are studied. Based on the analysis of the partners’ selection of costs and profits as well as other factors, important conclusions were drawn. The growth of the rural economy is beneficial to the change of the partners’ behavior in the rural e-payment market. Dynamic evolution of the partners’ behavior makes the supply and demand for rural e-payment services consistent. In order to create more benefits, financial institutions will lead the move to merge the rural e-payment market with the China National Advanced Payment System. These research results are beneficial for its growth by developing strategies to encourage more partners to take part in the rural e-payment market in China.

This study analyses the impact of two major macroeconomic shocks—the COVID-19 pandemic and the Ukraine war—on the financial stability of LPP SA, a leading apparel company in Poland and Central and Eastern Europe. This research uses the coefficient of variation to assess changes in financial volatility and evaluates the effectiveness of LPP SA’s risk management strategies. The findings reveal that, while the COVID-19 pandemic had a more destabilising effect on the company’s performance, the Ukraine war’s impact was mitigated by strategic diversification and resource reallocation. The study’s implications are relevant for risk management practices in the apparel industry and other consumer-driven sectors.

Customer value development in the light of design thinking approach

Celem artykułu było zbadanie, czy stosunek młodych konsumentów do zakupów odzieży wytwarzanej przez firmy prowadzące działania społecznej odpowiedzialności biznesu (CSR) może wpływać na akcentację wyższych cen tych produktów. Badanie zostało przeprowadzone na próbie 150 respondentów, reprezentujących pokolenie Z. Do weryfikacji hipotez badawczych zastosowano jednoczynnikową analizę wariancji. Wyniki badania pokazują, iż istnieje związek pomiędzy pozytywnym stosunkiem pokolenia Z do zakupu odzieży produkowanej zgodnie z zasadami CSR a wysokością akceptowanych przez nie cen. Konsumenci o pozytywnych postawach akceptują wyższy poziom cen ubrań produkowanych społecznie odpowiedzialnie. Wyniki badania są istotne dla polskiej praktyki gospodarczej i mogą być zachętą do podejmowania działań z zakresu CSR przez przedsiębiorstwa. Ma to szczególnie duże znaczenie obecnie, kiedy to głównie duże przedsiębiorstwa wdrażają omawianą koncepcję. Artykuł wypełnia lukę w badaniach zachowań polskich konsumentów pokolenia Z na rynku odzieży produkowanej zgodnie z zasadami CSR. Przyczynia się także do zrozumienia działań społecznie odpowiedzialnych, zarówno przez młodych konsumentów, jak i przez firmy odzieżowe. Wskazano jednak konieczność prowadzenia dalszych badań nad omawianym tematem.

Theoretical background: Design management is of paramount relevance in many modern organisations, increasingly also in those operating in Poland, remaining an independent approach to change management for the creation of new products and services, achieving better productivity and efficiency in a global and competitive environment. Until now, the basis of design management processes has been to understand the needs of the user or customer, their expectations and aspirations. This approach, like many management concepts, is now undergoing a transformation, driven by huge economic, social, political and environmental changes. The uncertainty of tomorrow, facing crises, wars, erupting pandemics are just some of the so-called Black Swans causing the need for management change in organisations. Nowadays, design management is experiencing a boom, which is primarily linked to a shift away from seeing it only on an operational level or as a marketing function to emphasising its strategic importance. In this situation, the concept of “just in time”, familiar from management by quality, should evolve into “just in case” in a much broader reference than that relating to the production, delivery or storage of raw materials and finished goods. The design management model presented in the article is an example of an activity that responds to the needs of companies precisely in conditions of variability, due to the fact that its essence is flexibility and the possibility of redesigning it by adding or subtracting specific constructs, appropriate to the just in case situation. Purpose of the article: This article aims to present how managerial conditions conducive to the implementation of design management activities can support companies in achieving organisational resilience in a world defined by the acronym “BANI”. Research methods: The research problem is to identify managerial determinants conducive to the implementation of design management activities through which companies can achieve organisational resilience. In order to obtain an answer to the research problem so posed, a literature review of design management approaches was conducted, with a presentation of the traditional Danish Design Ladder model and its updated version, adapted to the BANI concept. Based on the literature, the acronyms “VUCA” and “BANI”, used to describe current economic phenomena, were explained. The article then presents some of the results of a survey conducted in 2019–2020, in companies registered in Poland. Quantitative estimation using the CATI method (1,200 medium and large enterprises) and qualitative verification using PAPI and IDI techniques (58 large enterprises with a high level of project maturity and experience in implementing project management) were used. Main findings: The paper presents design management as a type of organisational activity important for achieving organisational resilience. The essence of design management, its two models and the management conditions necessary to implement this approach were described. The role of managers in implementing change in an organisation is characterised. The above considerations are based on a literature review and own research.