With 140 contributions by authors from 19 different countries, XVIII International Symposium of Organizational Sciences – SymOrg 2022 successfully sets the high level for future conferences. The topic of SymOrg 2020, “Sustainable Business Management and Digital Transformation: Challenges and Opportunities in the Post-COVID Era”, attracted researchers from different institutions, both in Serbia and abroad. This year, more than 300 scholars and practitioners authored and co-authored scientific and research articles that had been accepted for publication in the Book of Abstracts. All the contributions to the Book of Abstracts are classified into the following 13 key topics:  Blockchain Technology in Business and Information Systems  Business Analytics  Creativity, Innovation and Sustainable Management  Digital Operations and Logistics Management  Digital Transformation of Financial Industry  Digital Transformation of Public Administration  E-Business Ecosystems  Evidence-Based Public Policy Making in the Post-COVID Environment  LEAN Business Systems – Structures, Processes and Models  Managing Digital Transformation Projects under Discontinuity  Managing Human Resources in the Post-COVID Era  Rethinking Marketing and Communication in the Post-COVID Era  Quality Management and Standardization in Digital Transformation Era. The participation of numerous domestic and international authors and the diversity of topics justify our efforts to organize the Symposium. As SymOrg is traditionally at the intersection of academy and business, we believe that this year’s meeting will bring about many in-depth discussions, contribute to prospective partnerships, and build stronger business and academic networks. We also believe that meeting will contribute to the exchange of knowledge, research results and experience among industry experts, research institutions and faculties, which all share a common interest in contemporary organizational sciences. We are very grateful to our distinguished keynote and plenary speakers: Ana Draskovic, Aleksander Aristovnik, Manuel Mazzara, Basant Agarwa and Priyanka Harjule. Also, special thanks to moderators for organizing the panels and workshops in the fields of higher education, business, supply chain, doctoral research studies and student engagement and sustainability. The Faculty of Organizational Sciences would like to express its gratitude to the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development and all the partners and individuals who have supported and contributed to the organization of the Symposium. We are particularly grateful to the contributors and reviewers who made this issue possible. But above all, we are especially thankful to the authors and presenters for making SymOrg 2022 a success! Belgrade, June 6, 2022 Marko Mihić, Ph.D. Sandra Jednak, Ph.D. Gordana Savić, Ph.D.

This book covers high-quality peer-reviewed research papers presented at the 18th International Symposium of Organizational Sciences (SymOrg 2022) held in Belgrade, Serbia, from 11 to 14 June 2022. The aim of the book is providing stimulative framework for readers to explore viable alternatives and indicate implications for the post-pandemic world. Researchers from academia and industry present their original work focusing on different aspects of sustainable management and digital transformation including blockchain technology, business analytics, e-business, innovation, digital operations and logistics management, financial industry, public administration, lean business systems, digital transformation projects, human resources, marketing and communication, and quality and standardization. The chapters could be useful for industry experts, research institutions, universities, and all others who share a common interest in contemporary organizational sciences.

The process of the transition to a market-oriented economy for countries from Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) started some 25 years ago. A new technology base triggered the fast growth of new investments into intangible assets by global economic leaders at the beginning of the 1990s, providing the basis for a move towards a knowledge economy. During the past 25 years, entrepreneurs in CEE and the CIS have reshaped traditional industries and created new industries, combining innovative ideas with traditional competencies. Yet we still do not know very much about how and why companies led by entrepreneurs develop, how they expand globally and what the role of new knowledge and innovation is in the internationalization process. Understanding the pathways of entrepreneurial development, especially growth through internationalization, is important for the overall development of countries in transition and beyond. Entrepreneurship in Central and Eastern Europe: Development through Internationalization provides an overview of entrepreneurship in a range of important emerging markets. This book aims to fill the gap in the literature by providing up-to-date data and case-based evidence. With coverage of a range of national firms from countries including Belarus, Estonia, Hungary, Poland, Latvia, Lithuania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia and Ukraine, this book will be vital supplementary reading around international entrepreneurship and essential reading for those studying the business environment in this vital emerging market.

This book constitutes the proceedings of the 4th International Conference on Decision Support Systems, ICDSST 2018, held in Heraklion, Greece, in May 2018. The main topic of this year’s conference was “Sustainable Data-Driven and Evidence Based Decision Support”. The 15 papers presented in this volume were carefully reviewed and selected from 71 submissions. They were organized in topical sections named: decision support systems for a sustainable society; decision support systems serving the public; decision support systems in management and organization; and advances in decision support systems’ technologies and methods. The EWG-DSS series of International Conference on Decision Support System Technology (ICDSST), starting with ICDSST 2015 in Belgrade, were planned to consolidate the tradition of annual events organized by the EWG-DSS in offering a platform for European and international DSS communities, comprising the academic and industrial sectors, to present state-of-the-art DSS research and developments, to discuss current challenges that surround decision-making processes, to exchange ideas about realistic and innovative solutions, and to co-develop potential business opportunities.

Traditional teaching methods often struggle to meet the diverse and dynamic needs of both educators and students. The persistent challenge of retaining knowledge, exacerbated by the Ebbinghaus forgetting curve, continues to hinder effective teaching. Moreover, the burden of mental fatigue resulting from long, uninspiring lectures and information overload plagues the learning experience. As educators grapple with these issues, the need for a more efficient and engaging pedagogical approach becomes increasingly urgent. Optimizing Education Through Micro-Lessons: Engaging and Adaptive Learning Strategies is a groundbreaking compendium of insights from eighteen distinguished authors. This meticulously curated volume provides a transformative solution to the problems plaguing contemporary education. Micro-lessons, concise learning units spanning just 1 to 10 minutes, and accessible across multiple devices, hold the key to unlocking superior learning outcomes and bolstering retention rates. In this book, academic scholars, educators, and policymakers will find a comprehensive guide that not only explores the theory behind micro-lessons but also offers practical strategies for their effective implementation.

This volume constitutes the refereed proceedings of the 7th International Conference on Modelling and Development of Intelligent Systems, MDIS 2020, held in Sibiu, Romania, in October 2020. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic the conference was held online. The 25 revised full papers presented in the volume were carefully reviewed and selected from 57 submissions. The papers are organized in topical sections on ​evolutionary computing; intelligent systems for decision support; machine learning; mathematical models for development of intelligent systems; modelling and optimization of dynamic systems; ontology engineering.

This book addresses the status quo of Corporate Social Responsibility practices and their development since 2008. How have things changed in the practice of CSR? What new opportunities and challenges have arisen? The book reports on an international set of cases and case studies on how CSR is practiced at business and organizations in various countries. It analyzes country-specific and industry-specific issues, as well as general global issues in connection with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. The contributions gathered here provide comprehensive information on CSR for both practitioners and researchers around the globe.

Festivals across the world represent the joy, recreation, and traditions of their different societies and cultures. There is a plethora of reasons to commemorate and organize such events. Every festival has its own distinct personality, charms, appeal, and experiences that are closely linked to culture, customs, issues, core values, and more. All of these factors combine to create a one-of-a-kind selling offer for specific destinations. Festival attractions can serve to popularize and strengthen the tourist economy, as well as to promote employment, entrepreneurship, and tourism destination branding for the location. Managing Festivals for Destination Marketing and Branding addresses the most current and promising parts of tourism-centric festivals, which are held in numerous tourist areas throughout the world. It links tourism festivals around the world as a catalyst for destination marketing and identity. Covering topics such as destination brand equity, social media networks, and motivations and expectations of tourists, this premier reference work is a dynamic resource for business executives and leaders, brand managers, event managers, festival managers, government officials, students and educators of higher education, librarians, researchers, and academicians.