Emerging trends such as digitalization, globalization, and the COVID-19 pandemic are forcing higher education institutions to undergo constant organizational and technological changes and to introduce innovative pedagogical approaches suitable for teaching a new generation of students—the so-called digital natives. The goal of this paper is to engage in the ongoing debate in higher education about new teaching methods, i.e., game-based learning methods, which meet the needs of digital natives. They have grown up in a fast-paced, technology-driven society, which has affected how they absorb information, their ability to concentrate for extended periods, and their motivation and engagement in the learning process. Existing research suggests that implementing the game-based learning method can be very difficult and costly, as it often requires adapting the freely available game to the requirements of the particular course and additional investment in purchasing appropriate equipment. In this paper, we develop a comprehensive procedure for introducing a cost-effective game-based learning method in higher education, which includes thirteen steps to help lecturers introduce game-based activities straightforwardly into their teaching processes. In addition, we also present security, cultural, and quality assurance issues that need to be considered when implementing game-based learning in higher education.

Purpose/Research problem – The paper’s key purposes are twofold: first, to identify the most important determinants for using mobile payments in the initial phase of the COVID-19 pandemic when the rules and behaviour changed; second, to investigate whether and why the coronavirus pandemic increased the degree of digital payments usage. Design/Methodology/Approach – The aim of the survey was to capture the ‘fresh’ effect of restrictions imposed by the government in Poland regarding digital payments. The research data were obtained in the CAWI survey after the pandemic started and before the end of the first wave to assess the result just for that period. Results – The study proved that the first phase of the COVID-19 pandemic increased the degree of mobile payments usage due to the prevailing sense of uncertainty. The pre-pandemic preferences of buyers towards the cost, convenience, and risk have changed. In the initial phase of the pandemic, perceived personal security was extended and covered not only transaction security, but also health safety with benefits resulting from avoiding touching the banknotes and maintaining social distancing. This was identified as more important than perceived convenience and costs. Originality/Value – The time of the analysis time was a kind of a ‘research window’, when the researchers and respondents were exposed to the first wave of the pandemic and did not have a foresight of the coming waves of virus transmission. The questions concerning the sum and quantity of spending were adjusted to the time of quasi-stability in the economy – after the previous crisis and before the inflation level rose in the subsequent waves – which was mainly the effect of the monetary policy response to lockdowns.

Motivation: The organisation’s approach to building human capital is an essential factor in the success of market entities, and it determines a competitive advantage in the market. Due to the challenges and various market changes that banks face, building an effectively motivated multigenerational employee team and understanding employee intrinsic and extrinsic motivation is very important.Aim: The paper aims to contribute to the literature and fill the research gap on the financial motivators available in banking and non-banking entities. The paper examines the role and importance of financial incentives, regularly used in the banking sector, in conjunction with a comprehensive analysis of their significance for representatives of different generations (X, Y, Z), gender, and career level in the sample of various institutions in the banking sector in Poland.Results: The paper outlines the opportunity to revise incentive systems in banking operations. The analysis was made twofold: firstly, within extensive desk research, and secondly, based on the empirical survey in the form of an individual research questionnaire carried out among 418 employees of various banks and companies from their capital groups just before the pandemic in 2020. The results were examined using statistical analysis, including non-parametric tests. We identified multiple respondents’ attitudes to motivational financial factors and classified their importance concerning generation, age, and organisational position. The study’s results indicate that generational and gender differences affect the perception of bank financial incentive tools. Some financial motivational factors regularly used in banks do not equally motivate employees, which leads to the conclusion that banking institutions should inevitably include generational and gender factors in their motivational approach to employees.

Purpose. Mergers and acquisitions (M&A) trigger complex and profound organisational changes. Despite their potential, many M&A still fail to achieve the expected economic outcomes. Building on prior research emphasising the critical role of employee resilience for the success of M&A, this study investigates the factors influencing employee resilience during the post-merger integration phase (PMI). Methodology. In our computer-assisted web interview, we asked office workers representing 295 M&A in Poland to evaluate their experiences in the PMI phase regarding employee resilience, job satisfaction, communication effectiveness, visionary leadership, and organisational identification. Then, we applied a general linear model with Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) estimation to find behavioural factors predicting employee resilience. Additionally, we introduced interaction terms in the model to test the moderating effects of company size and gender on these relationships. Findings. The findings reveal that employee resilience is significantly influenced by job satisfaction, visionary leadership, and organisational identification. Notably, the positive impact of visionary leadership is more pronounced in larger organisations. These results offer valuable insights for managers and M&A advisors, highlighting key areas to ensure smoother M&A integration processes.

Objective: The article aims to empirically examine how employee resilience (ER) during post-merger integration (PMI) develops through two complementary behavioural mechanisms: the reduction of cognitive uncertainty (CU) driven by visionary leadership (VL) and communication effectiveness (CE), and organisational identification (OI) as a source of adaptive capacity. Research Design & Methods: We applied structural equation modelling (covariance-based SEM and PLS Path Modelling methods) using data from a unique survey of 305 office workers across 295 mergers and acquisitions (M&A) in 2014-2023, evaluating their experiences during the PMI phase. Findings: Results confirmed the proposed dual-mechanism structure. Namely, CU negatively affects ER and serves as a central mediating mechanism linking organisational practices to adaptive behaviour and CE influences ER exclusively through the reduction of CU (full mediation). Meanwhile VL exerts both a direct positive effect and an indirect effect via reduced CU (partial mediation). In parallel, OI independently and positively predicts ER. The effects of control variables (gender, age, residence, and firm size) were not significant. Implications & Recommendations: The findings indicate that ER during PMI is not merely an individual trait but a behavioural capability shaped by organisational practices. Managers can strengthen ER by systematically reducing employees’ CU through CE and VL, while simultaneously fostering identification with the newly formed organisation. Contribution & Value Added: This study contributes to M&A integration research by introducing a dual-mechanism framework that integrates cognitive (uncertainty reduction) and identity-based (organisational identification) pathways to explain how resilience develops during PMI. It reconceptualises CU as a manageable cognitive state that directly conditions adaptive capacity. By uncovering the mechanisms underlying resilient behaviour, the study deepens theoretical understanding of employee adaptation in conditions of profound organisational change.