The knowledge-based voluntary activity covered by the research, the pro bono, which will be introduced from the aspect of employer branding. The primary results of the research described in the study are the outcome of a quantitative data collection process, where 840 evaluable questionnaires were processed in the course of a pretested standardized questionnaire survey. On top of that, during the research we were able to confirm that the motivation of volunteering is connected to the individual values, hence it can be stated that the reason behind the unwillingness of young people less motivated towards volunteer work is the immature value orientation and often the lack of information, instead of the sharp isolation rooted in the values or the lack of empathy. The introduced results may provide practical guidance to the institutions and companies organizing pro bono activities, and especially to the organizations that intend to address the young generation.

Research background: The innovation process is a key factor when creating and maintaining competitiveness, so the SME sector has to address a special attention to it. Examining the impact of corporate co-operation on innovation activity has to be mentioned as a crucial goal. Purpose of the article: The main goal of the research is to assess the innovative activity of the SMEs operating in ICT sector, and to map the distribution between the innovative and non-innovative businesses. The article's purpose was to outline the most recent developments in Slovakia's ICT industry with regard to SME innovation. The empirical study concentrated on the types of innovation, variables that encourage and discourage innovation, and the innovation activity of SMEs in the ICT sector. Methods: In accordance with the main goal of the research, descriptive statistical methods, i.e. unweighted and weighted arithmetic mean were used to analyze the research hypothesis. A questionnaire research study was carried out between September 2021 and February 2022 in Slovak ICT SMEs. Findings & Value added: Significant differences can be determined between the innovative and non-innovative ICT companies in terms of innovation. The majority of SMEs implemented both technological and non-technological innovations. A small number of SMEs failed to implement either type. A significant portion focused on technological innovations, with the majority successfully implementing them, and over half of them introduced non-technological innovations between 2018 and 2020. Over 75% of the companies felt they were more innovative than their competitors. More than 67% of non-innovative SMEs saw themselves as less innovative than their competitors. 92% of innovative SMES implemented both technological and non-technological innovations. 51% implemented technological innovations. 56.41% innovative SMEs implemented 3 to 5 types of innovation activities, while 38.46% implemented 6 to 7 types. Only 5.13% implemented all 9 types of innovation activities considered. 38% of innovative SMEs spent the most on research and development, 33% allocated highest expenditure to machinery and equipment. In case of supporting SMEs in innovation activities, three market players received above-average ratings: customers and consumers, suppliers of raw materials and piece parts and the group of companies.

The economy is significantly impacted by environmental, social, and governance (ESG) risks. The growth of the economy can be sped up by the effective management of ESG risks through sustainable business practices. To promote sustainable development and to secure the long-term welfare of employees, customers, and all other stakeholders in the economy, companies must adapt and reposition their business strategies and organizational cultures. The goal of this paper is to determine how a set of common ESG elements, chosen from the viewpoints of sustainability and well-being, influence economic growth in the Western Balkan countries. For each ESG component, we used different variables. The information pertains to the five Western Balkan countries of North Macedonia, Albania, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Serbia. Because of a lack of data, Kosovo is excluded from the study. Then, we compared results from the analysis of the Western Balkan countries with a set of countries in Southeast Europe, which are members of the European Union and essentially coincide with the Western Europe countries. We performed multiple regression analysis with applied fixed effects to the data model. According to the study’s findings, each of the independent variables had no significant impact on the GDP’s annual growth of the Western Balkan countries, but two of the variables, life expectancy at birth and labor force participation, have certain impact on the GDP growth of Southeast Europe countries, which are members of the European Union. The green transition has gained significant importance in the Western Balkan countries as a crucial pathway toward sustainable economic growth, though it introduces a range of new social and economic challenges. Economically, these nations are confronted with considerable funding requirements for development. To build sustainable societies, it would be beneficial for these countries to explore more creative financing strategies. It is advised to establish financing frameworks that not only increase the transparency in policymaking but also ensure greater accountability in their execution.

Competitiveness is one of the most complex and controversial areas among economists. The literature on the subject is vast, but the more one studies competitiveness, the more one can become aware of the contradictions, debates and different views on the subject. There is, of course, an explanation for all this. Competitiveness can be analysed in relation to all economic actors, whether national, regional, industrial, corporate or individual. In addition, the market in which an economic operator operates and the factors that actually contribute to its performance are not entirely irrelevant. It can be said that even firms within the same industry may not have the same competitiveness factors. Competitiveness means slightly different things to different people, and we do not always find the same opinions on the sources of competitiveness. This paper does not set out to undertake the impossible task of providing a broad interpretation of the concept and levels of competitiveness. Instead, it attempts to relate innovation as a competitiveness factor to the evolution of competitiveness over time. It does so by focusing on competitiveness in the national economy. The study argues that innovation is one of the most important pillars of competitiveness and that countries considered to be more innovative are much higher in the competitiveness rankings, also primarily because of their conscious investment in knowledge or innovation. To prove this, use international multidimensional innovation and competitiveness analyses carried out by the European Commission or by the best-known competitiveness research centres. And it will use the literature review to find further evidence of the positive interaction between competitiveness and innovation.

Security is considered a basic human need, according to Maslow’s hierarchy; however, it is hard to define exactly what the term means. Globalization, the digital environment, bring new dimensions and increasingly diverse interpretations of security to life. These new approaches, while reducing the consistency of the concept, allow an understanding of individual attitudes towards security. In recent years, several researchers have analyzed the psychological dimension of security at a personal level and ontological security in relation to citizens, residents, employees and students; however, based on a review of research history, there is still a scientific gap with regard to the perspective of customers and consumers. Accepting the fact that market actors are increasingly taking their share of creating a secure environment, in our empirical study we focus on corporate involvement and contribution through an examination of consumers’ perceptions of security. Corporate security is originally a field supporting the smooth operation of the organization, but nowadays it has become an important element of corporate strategy and also a factor of competitiveness. Keeping that in mind, our objective is to get a picture of how consumers judge the contribution of companies to the general sense of security in Hungary, what security-related tasks they expect from the corporate actors, and how they feel about a company’s security-related performance. In our study, we develop the ontological security model of consumers, into which we integrate—next to the individual socio-psychological features and the macro-environmental elements—the dimension of the assessment of corporate performance, the possible components of which are analyzed during the quantitative primary research.

In the aftermath of the coronavirus epidemic, there is hardly an economic operator that has not suffered a very severe economic crisis. In this period, the question of how to manage a crisis effectively and appropriately has become a focus of attention. Although the nature of global economic crises was already a major lesson after 2008, some actors were still not adequately prepared to weather another crisis. Today we are in a particularly difficult situation. Not only the COVID-19 epidemic, but also the Russian-Ukrainian conflict are complicating economic conditions. In this study, we sought to answer the question of how small businesses have tried to respond to the economic challenges they face. Our survey asked businesses in the SME sector about, among other things, how they had dealt with the crisis. This paper presents the results.