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Abstract

Objective: Performance measurement and reporting leading to greater transparency and accountability of universities have become a challenging issue. Increasingly, universities have been required to provide performance indicators—empirical evidence of their value creation — to the different group of stakeholders. One of the approaches that may be applied by universities is the Balanced Scorecard (BSC). The objective of this paper is to indicate the BSC as a useful tool for the evaluation of the universities' performance.

Methodology: This study is based on the following research methods: descriptive, deductive, and the literature review. It refers also to case studies that are quoted in the context of their practical BSC application experience and it presents the pioneer approach of California University in BSC adoption. The rationale of this paper follows the principal-agent theory that is a foundation of the accountability concept. It refers also to the new managerialism, new public management, and entrepreneurial university.

Findings: Based on the literature review concerning the analysis of the examples of universities implementing BSC, this paper argues that BSC provides a framework for the performance measurement that allows for the increased transparency and accountability of these institutions.

Value added: The pioneer BSC framework presented in this paper can be used as the basis for the development of general performance measurement in universities.

Recommendations: It is recommended that the universities that want to boost their transparency and be accountable for their outcomes apply and develop the BSC framework to which we refer to in this paper.

Abstract
A model of business communication currently used by companies, based on the financial statements and a number of satellite different themed reports, turns out to be unsatisfying towards high stakeholders' demands for information. Stakeholders expect environmental, social and corporate governance indicators enclosed in the financial and non-financial information, in a form that provides a complete, consistent, clear, comparable and reliable picture of the corporates' achievements. Therefore, in this article we analyze whether the Integrated Report (IR) could become a cross-border communication tool of business, which would satisfy the internal and external global environment needs. For this purpose, in the light of the differences in understanding of business responsibility for society between countries on each side of the Atlantic, the "pros" and "cons" of Integrated Reports are considered and the willingness of the business environment on this new form of communication is examined.

Abstract

Objective: Comprehensive overview of the most current topics, trends and scientific production in the field of behavioral accounting.

Method: A bibliometric approach was applied to analyze data extracted from the Scopus database covering the period 2013–2022. R software and VOS viewer were used to determine the relevant parameters of the studied papers and create scientific maps of collocations.

Findings: An analysis of selected 270 papers has shown that behavioral accounting is a rather scattered area both in terms of publication outputs as well as the conceptual apparatus, including the keywords used by scientists dealing with such issues. This makes it much more challenging to synthesize its output to date and probably slows down the process of crystallizing its scientific identity.

Value Added: It is a diagnosis of the current state of the art within behavioral accounting that can be treated as a continuation of the literature reviews made so far by means of more "manual" methods; however, the first performed with the use of bibliometric tools and devoted exclusively to that topic.

Recommendations: It would benefit the field's development if researchers parameterized their outputs to facilitate the synthesis of the current state of knowledge within behavioral accounting.

RESEARCH OBJECTIVE: Rebranding is a crucial driver of modern marketing strategies that can only be successful if appropriately communicated to society. This research aims to explain which rebranding-related information companies disclose in their communication on this process using various information dissemination channels.
THE RESEARCH PROBLEM AND METHODS: To examine the content of 200 disclosures about rebranding, we used topic modelling, which identifies latent patterns of word co-occurrence using computer algorithms and the distribution of words in the analyzed corpus (set of documents). We applied an unsupervised Bayesian machine-learning approach for topic modelling called latent Dirichlet allocation (LDA), a cutting-edge method that is still not widely used by scholars.
THE PROCESS OF ARGUMENTATION: Rebranding pays out over the lifetime of a company, but society has to be appropriately informed of this decision. The information should be comprehensive, disclosed through multiple channels, and addressed to all stakeholders. However, the question is whether this theoretical knowledge finds its application in companies' practice. We researched each rebranding case of all Polish companies listed on the WSE since 1991 and analyzed how they communicated their rebranding through diverse types information disclosure.
RESEARCH RESULTS: Polish companies are very selective, both in the content of information disclosed and the communication channels they use. They tend to avoid explaining the reasons for rebranding that are vital for society. Information is mainly disclosed through company websites or press releases and primarily has an informal character. They ignore official stock exchange communication channels, even though rebranding information could greatly influence financial performance and value creation.
CONCLUSIONS, INNOVATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS: Our findings implicate a need to increase listed companies' awareness concerning the importance of communicating marketing strategy and its potential benefits in the creation of investor relations.

Abstract

Objective
This article aims to examine what the CEO of LPP S.A. discloses about sustainability and how sustainability topics vary over time in his communication with the stakeholders.


Methodology
We use a machine learning-based topic modelling analysis, specifically latent Dirichlet allocation and keyword analysis, to scrutinize the sustainability disclosure in the sustainability letters to the stakeholders of one of Poland's biggest fast fashion companies, LPP S.A.


Findings
The findings of this study suggest that more attention should be placed on sustainability topics in the letters to the shareholders. The information disclosed is selective and mainly aimed at transmitting a positive message. It lacks a comprehensive and holistic disclosure of information concerning sustainable activities that substantially impact environmental and social matters. Comparing the variation of topics year to year, there is a clear shift from dedicating the majority of space in CEO letters to the stakeholders to social topics toward a broader discussion about the environment and responsible energy consumption in the most recent letter.


Value Added
The study contributes to the sustainability communication literature by identifying specific sustainability topics disclosed by the analyzed company in its direct message from the CEO to stakeholders that have been very limited and selective, thus underscoring the limited importance assigned to this topic by the CEO, thereby questioning the transparency concerning one of the most critical areas of fast fashion impacts.


Recommendations
To keep the stakeholders informed and maintain the transparency of actions and accountability of the disclosure, it is necessary to present the information holistically and comprehensively in the message directed by the CEO to the stakeholders.

Abstract

Objective
The presented work is part of the discussions on evaluating the organizational surroundings, which, in the context of an increasingly globalizing world, is becoming regarded from a global perspective. Considerations of the environmental perception are supported with reflections on innovation and, in particular, startups' innovation. Businesses, which are characterized by the ambition of dynamic scalability, are able to accomplish this dynamism precisely through innovative intensity, which in turn can also be associated with openness to knowledge and solutions coming from the surroundings, not only the closest – local or regional but also international or even global. Striving to develop toward smart enterprises, startups should concentrate on the digitalization of their processes, entering the path of Industry 4.0. The purpose of the work is to contribute to the perception of the environment by startups and the perception of open innovation.


Methodology
In order to meet the objectives of the work, in addition to considerations based on the existing results available in the literature, the results of an analysis of data from a questionnaire survey conducted among future startups were also used. To achieve the objectives of the study, research questions were formulated referring to the general view of future innovation openness, then the view of the propensity to share knowledge, that is, openness from the enterprise side, and finally also the view of the need for openness of the organization at different stages of its development. In the context of organizational openness, the broadest geographically possible context of the organization's environment, namely the global context, was also considered.


Findings
As a result of the analysis, a relationship emerged between perceptions of innovative openness and the global environment of companies. The greater geographical scope of operations is accompanied by a higher demand for innovation, the more globally the enterprises would like to operate, the more innovation intensive they should be. Future entrepreneurs are strong advocates of open innovation, and they are also strong advocates of viewing the environment in an increasingly global dimension.

Abstract

Purpose
This study aims to verify the efficiency of economic, organisational, social and environmental dimensions of sustainability performance.


Methodology
Disclosure analysis and 2-stage data envelopment analysis (DEA) examining the efficiency of sustainability engagement of listed banks in Poland, Croatia, and Romania disclosed in the annual and CSR/sustainability reports for 2015–2018.


Findings
There are apparent differences between the efficiency of sustainability engagement in the banking sectors of the three countries examined in the study. Banking sectors in all these countries are on different stages of their paths to value creation via the efficiency of sustainability engagement.


Practical implications
The results of this study may help compare sustainability engagement and understanding of the further directions of sustainable development in the banking sector in both the analysed and other countries, as well as in other institutions from other sectors. These results may be important for the decision-makers in determining the actions focused on improving efficiency on the way to value creation.


Originality/value
Since only a limited number of studies examine the efficiency of sustainability engagement, especially in CEE countries, little is known about value creation, understood as the efficient use of the resources and activities concerning sustainability. This paper contributes to filling in this gap. It also proposes an alternative approach, analysing the relationship between sustainability engagement and value creation based on efficiency rather than on the direct impact on financial results giving ambiguous results. This approach may be extended to different sectors and other countries.