Digital transformation (DT) has become one of the most significant trends in higher education institutions (HEIs) in both EU and non-EU countries. Using Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) to reinvent higher education is contingent upon several factors, including an institution’s development stage regarding the application and strategic integration of ICTs across its key activities and processes. In the extant literature, multiple frameworks of ICT development (maturity) paths have been developed. However, there is a lack of empirical studies on how well those models predict the DT success, and which of their dimensions are most relevant. In this paper, we use a research instrument, adapted from the HigherDecision research project, to capture the subjective assessments of academics and students at three public higher education institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia. Using seven dimensions of the DT construct, prescribed by the HigherDecision framework, we examine their contribution to the subjectively evaluated success of each HEI’s DT initiative and identify the most impactful dimension(s). Our results show that the digital infrastructure and academic teaching and learning are perceived as critical drivers of DT in the academic sector. Provided that the University of Mostar, as a mid-sized public university located in Bosnia and Herzegovina, currently represents one of the DT leaders in the Western Balkans (WB) region, we discuss implications for scaling its good practices in smaller HEIs across the region.

This paper examines the influence of institutional quality, stakeholder networks, entrepreneurial ecosystems, and policies on the adoption of circular economy practices by SMEs in twelve Central–Eastern European and Western Balkan countries. Using the Flash Eurobarometer 549 data, we first cluster countries by the level of circular economy adoption and find that they are highly interdependent. We apply cross-validated LASSO regression to identify two circular economy practices with the highest leverage (minimizing waste and saving materials). We also show that EU membership benefits appear when national administrations can effectively absorb and deploy EU incentives, helping firms transition from basic resource efficiency towards more advanced circular strategies. A two-pillar policy agenda is recommended: building targeted capability bundles inside firms (green-skills training and support for eco-design and production) and strengthening institutions and entrepreneurial ecosystems.

Digital transformation (DT) in higher education institutions (HEIs) depends not only on technology but also on support from different organizational enablers, including a digital organizational culture that emphasizes technological advancement, experimentation, and innovation. In this paper, we empirically examine whether digital culture statistically mediates the association between the digital maturity (DM) of Academic Teaching & Learning and the overall digital transformation (DT) in higher education. Using survey data from stakeholders across four HEIs in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia, we estimate a simple mediation model. Our empirical results indicate that a digitally oriented culture is associated with the link between DM of Academic Teaching & Learning and DT, suggesting that pedagogical innovations are more likely to be associated with higher perceived transformation when digital culture is more developed and accepted within an HEI. In conclusion, we identify implications for higher education institutions and policy in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia and formulate recommendations for future research.

In market-oriented businesses, market orientation holds a significant position as a business concept focused on recognizing and meeting customer needs (the market). Given the interest in this subject, it is essential to identify and analyze the factors influencing the development of market orientation dimensions (market orientation - MO), conceptualized according to the model proposed by Kohli and Jaworski (1990), and their impact on increasing MO. Based on available literature and previous empirical research, the following factors have been identified to assess their influence on market orientation: professionalization of management in SMEs, quality of communication/dissemination of market information within the company, performance measurement of management staff in SMEs, and their material rewards. This research was conducted on a sample of 26 SMEs in Split-Dalmatia County, Republic of Croatia, using statistical methods of descriptive statistics, correlation, statistical testing, and clustering. Non-parametric statistics were used to overcome certain limitations of the small sample size. The results are discussed in the context of developing entrepreneurial infrastructure and public policies to support entrepreneurship.

Business ethics, as a content of formal higher education, occupies an important place in the curricula of higher education. Based on previous research results, it is essential to determine which factors influence students' attitudes and behavior in adopting the principles of business ethics and social responsibility. This paper investigates a series of individual and social influences on students' attitudes toward business ethics. Using a sample of 211 students from the University of Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H), and the University of Niš, Serbia, we empirically test factors, influencing students’ attitudes toward business ethics and social responsibility. The paper employs statistical methods of descriptive analysis, clustering, and statistical testing of mean differences using non-parametric tests (Mann-Whitney U and Wilcoxon Z). After analyzing the empirical results, recommendations are given for improving educational programs and adopting the principles of business ethics and social responsibility in business. Additionally, recommendations are provided aimed at public authorities in creating public policies that would strengthen the focus of young generations on business ethics.

Digital maturity (DM) has emerged as a popular concept for explaining how higher education institutions (HEIs) develop digitally supported academic teaching and learning, research, administration, and community outreach (third mission). However, DM is often framed as a technical problem of adopting information and communication technologies (ICTs), infrastructure, and tool deployment. In this paper, we conceptualize DM as an organizational capability that enables HEIs to align digital tools with strategy, governance, and teaching. Building on entrepreneurial orientation (EO) research, we argue that EO is an antecedent of digital maturity, but that this relationship cannot be realized without a change-supportive organizational culture. We develop a conceptual model in which EO is positively associated with DM, both directly and indirectly through the change-ready organizational culture, and present propositions for future empirical research. We provide a preliminary qualitative evaluation of the model through in-depth interviews with stakeholders in a single, digitally advanced university case from the Southeast Europe (SEE) region. Based on the thematic analysis, we identify patterns suggesting that CRC links EO and DM in this case. We use the findings to refine construct boundaries and show possible mechanisms; assessing generalizable effects is left to future quantitative studies on larger national and regional samples.