VGTU Journals (Vilnius Gediminas Technical University - Vilnius Tech)
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Quantitative study of the causal relationships among the EFQM model 2020 criteria in the Greek public sector context
No full textThis study aims to apply the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) Model 2020 in the Greek Public Sector context and investigate the causal relationships between the model’s criteria. The research uses a structured questionnaire based on the self-assessment tool and the guidelines on the concept and structure of the EFQM Model 2020, translated from English into Greek using forward-backward translation. Two focus groups and a pilot study were conducted to ensure the validity and reliability of the questionnaire. Subsequently, a large-scale quantitative research was conducted using Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) to test the research hypotheses on a national sample of 177 managers from public administrative services. The study results indicate that the EFQM Model 2020 is indeed a reliable and valid framework for the study of the public sector and reveal significant relationships between the model’s criteria. The study is one of the first comprehensive investigations of the relationships between the EFQM Model 2020 criteria in Europe and, therefore, provides insights into the understanding of the model. As this research was geographically limited, the findings should be treated and generalised with caution, and further research should be conducted in different contexts
Shifting priorities and expectations in the new world of work. Insights from millennials and generation Z
No full textIn the contemporary world of work and modern business, the well-being of a company is directly linked with the well-being of its employees, and in this context, the proactive promotion of work-life balance has become more important than ever because it meets the new ideal and is an ongoing challenge through the lens of the younger generation’s age groups. By unpacking worklife balance into five drivers, the present paper aims to explore the recent trends, priorities, and expectations of the modern workforce. The target population was represented by two generations of employees, Millennials and Generation Z, and the research hypotheses were tested using structural equation in SmartPLS. The results of this research aim to enhance the current knowledge base, offering a distinct perspective along with significant findings for employers, managers, recruiters, policymakers, and other nodes of control who can gain insights regarding work-related priorities and expectations
Audit independence and customer relationship marketing: an ethical conflict or an ethical mutual effect?
No full textIndependence in financial auditing is a topic with extensive research, due to the ethical values expected from accountants and the conflicts with agency pressures and commercial interests. However, there is a lack of research on the benefits of ethical behaviors in the dynamic interactions between auditors and clients. This study aims to achieve through a qualitative approach an in-depth understanding of the self-perceived auditor independence and how it intervenes in the relationship with clients. Ten semi-structured interviews with auditors from the five major audit offices in the city of Porto were conducted. The results explore conflicts of interest between auditor independence and customer relationships. However, the findings highlight that improving auditor’s independence allows at the same time the development of a better professional relationship with the client, mitigating the conflicts of interests identified in previous literature. This paper presents a formula in which audit firms can leverage the concept of independence when they promote communication, transparency, and an open market. Regulation and supervision should work in favour for the same goal
History in the void: Giuseppe Samonà’s 1967 proposal for Montecitorio competition
No full textGiuseppe Samonà was one of the most influential figures in 20th century Italian architecture and urban culture. In 1967, Samonà and his team submitted a competition proposal for the extension of the Camera dei deputati in Rome, considered by many to be one of the most significant and conceptually mature projects of his career. By examining the design and the report appended to the competition submittal the author explores the concept of the void that is the backbone of the project and finds that it has a twofold interpretation. Apart from the obvious physical manifestation of emptying, the void is also a meditative device, an incorporeal entity that relies on the body of the new insert to show the complexity of the history of the Roman site. It is in this inversion of the usual interpretation of the concept of void as being independent nothingness that allure of the project itself lies. By presenting the archival material and contemporary research, the author brings into focus a part of Samonà’s extraordinary contribution to the architecture and urban culture of the 20th century that surprisingly remains unrevealed to non-Italian audiences
The potential of craft industries based on Javanese ethnic culture and the local economy in Indonesia: perspectives of creativity
No full textThis paper aims to determine the extent to which the potential for developing craft industries based on Javanese ethnic culture can improve local economic development and help empower the local community. A qualitative method with case study research approach. Meanwhile, to measure the potential for growing craft industries based on Javanese ethnic culture, the SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) analysis–analytic hierarchy process is used by collecting primary data through group discussions while secondary data with questionnaires. Developing craft industries based on Javanese ethnic culture can contribute to local economic development by utilizing abundant human resources, adding concrete employment opportunities, facilitating licensing, maximizing the potential an open art market, and anticipating goods cheaper competition from foreign as well as the entry threatened free trade that would replace the existence of craft products based on Javanese ethnic culture. Efforts are carried out by business actors, manufacturing industry, and arts community to helping facilitate various promotional business opportunities. In addition, the government has made a policy direction for local economic development by balancing foreign and local players to deal with technological innovations and the rapidly changing character of the market
Theory of planned behaviour analysis on entrepreneurial creativity
No full textThe importance of entrepreneurial education in Indonesian higher education has been argued. In this study, we examined how entrepreneurial creativity, a crucial aspect of entrepreneurship education, contributes significantly to the emergence of entrepreneurial qualities. The theory of planned behaviour serves as the theoretical underpinning for the questionnaire we developed for this quantitative investigation. For this study, we polled 400 college students from numerous private colleges in Indonesia. We ran a route analysis on the data using SmartPLS version 3 as our analysis tool. Our findings demonstrate that when theory of planned behaviour variables have an impact on creativity, which means that subjective norm, attitude toward entrepreneurship, and perceived behavioural control should be focused on because these factors eventually have crucial impact on entrepreneurial creativity
Good stories overwrite creativity: the three eras of city competition
No full textToday cities in national and global competition focus on creativity. Although the creative city concept was invented by Gunnar Törnqvist in 1983, today the dominant concept is creative class articulated by Richard Florida in 2004. Cities are engaged to strengthen their social and cultural environment in the direction indicated in the works by Törnqvist, Peter Hall, Charles Landry, and Florida, and take effort to embed their fame as creative cities to their city branding. This let them communicate a creative image and develop an emotional bond to this image among larger social groups of tourists, employees and beyond. Consequently, their position in competition is improving. The emergence of creativity basically changed the characteristics of city competition since the turn of the millennia, cities – stakeholders in particular – focused on investment and infrastructure development beforehand. As the concept of the creative city already stabilized itself in worldwide city development and branding a new turn might come, and the market of good stories is emerging in city communication which can dim or even overwrite the importance of creativity. While good stories were always part of marketing, and contributed to city planning since the 1980s, their growing importance in city branding can reach a hypothetical point where a new market level develops, and a narrative turn occurs. In such cases, cities themselves carry good stories and the represented virtual reality creates a new market, where creativity will be only one among other stories. In this study we sketch up the three eras of branding in city competition, focusing on the emerging and fading role of creativity
Animating erotica without shame: an autoethnographic creative account
No full textThis article explores the experience of shame and guilt that is associated with producing explicit erotic animated content. By employing the reflective practice journaling method, this autoethnographic essay discusses cultural and psychological challenges that need to be overcome by an animator from the Western cultural sphere in order to be able to produce content with sexual overtones. Findings suggest that to create erotic content, it is necessary first to overcome psychological barriers. But even then, the ability to portray animated sexual rapport requires specific animation skills and aesthetical understanding that are difficult to transfer from previous experience. The article concludes with a discussion on how to approach erotic content and what possible challenges the creative team may face in a project with erotic overtones
Fostering a link between creativity and consumer acceptance: essential factors for advancing innovations in food industry
No full textThis research aims to explore the acceptance of unconventional food products that convey creative solutions for sustainable food production and consumption. This paper presents the first stage results of an extensive Baltic Sea region’s population survey organized to understand how innovative food products’ creators could better enhance the link between sustainable products and different segments’ customer acceptance. In scope of this study, the authors focused on youth market segments, who are known for their adventurous and experimental eating habits. The authors hypothesized that products that have been created to comply with socially responsible and sustainable food products’ requirements face resistance from the youth who do not view them as superior to conventional ones. The cross-sectional study utilized mixed-method methodology, combining qualitative and quantitative approaches, including a literature review, in-depth focus group interviews, and comparative analysis using normal distribution assessment and sentiment classification. The research findings indicate that while the youth acknowledge the social and environmental benefits of innovative food products, they remain hesitant to adopt them personally. Therefore, it is vital for innovative food creators to understand the biases and behaviors of young consumers, ensuring transparency about product contents, motivating them to embrace new consumption models, try unconventional foods, and highlight the personal and societal advantages of purchasing these items
Creative manipulation: a case study of confirmshaming as a deceptive design pattern
No full textThis research article explores the intersection between creativity and deceptive design patterns, focusing on the concept of confirmshaming within the broader framework of a creative society. Focusing on confirmshaming as a case study, this article explores how such deceptive design practices exemplify the dark side of creativity, where digital technologies are used to manipulate user behavior. The aim of this research is to explore the mechanisms and impacts of confirmshaming on user decision-making. By emphasizing the importance of ethical awareness and accountability in digital design practices, this study advocates for the preservation of user autonomy in digital interactions. Ultimately, this article should serve as a call to action for the design community to prioritize responsible and humane design of digital technology