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Cultural Dimensions and Leadership Styles Perceived by Future Managers: Differences between Slovenia and a Cluster of Central European Countries
The article contributes to the body of knowledge about the perceptions of future managers (i.e. business and engineering students) in both Slovenia and a cluster of Central European (CE) countries regarding actual cultural practices in their social environments, the value systems they possess and their attitudes to leadership styles. The main question addressed is whether future Slovenian managers are good representatives of the average future manager from CE (transitional) countries as far as their value system and attitudes to individual leadership styles are concerned.
The research results confirm that the Slovenian (potential) future managers perceive actual cultural practices in their environment rather differently from their counterparts from the cluster of CE countries. Two decades of transition from socialist/communist socio-economic systems were apparently not long enough periods to achieve a higher level of harmonisation of existing cultures. The relevant value systems held by the Slovenian (potential) future managers and the CE cluster's future managers still differ significantly. The Slovenian future managers have (statistically) significantly different attitudes to individual leadership styles than their counterparts in the CE countries' cluster. The smallest differences in perceptions between the two stated groups of (potential) future managers exist regarding their views on what are the most important traits and skills of managers.

PurposeThe paper's purpose is to broaden knowledge of customer satisfaction and loyalty in business‐to‐business markets.Design/methodology/approachThe authors propose and test a model in which customer satisfaction is conceived as mediating the relationship between the elements of relationship value (price, product quality, delivery performance, supplier know‐how, time‐to‐market, service support and personal interaction) and attitudinal and behavioural customer loyalty. The empirical analysis uses structural equation modelling and is based on 477 customer‐supplier relationships in the manufacturing context.FindingsThe results show that satisfaction is negatively affected by price and positively by delivery performance, supplier know‐how and personal interaction. On the other hand, satisfaction positively influences behavioural and attitudinal loyalty. In addition, behavioural loyalty is also negatively affected by price and positively by product quality, while attitudinal loyalty is positively affected by personal interaction.Research limitations/implicationsFuture research could add views from the supplier's side and also examine the focal relationship in a network of relationships. The model should be cross‐validated with the same instruments in other contexts.Practical implicationsThe paper's main finding that satisfaction is more affected by delivery performance, supplier know‐how and personal interaction than by price holds direct implications for generic business strategies. By building unique relationships with their customers, suppliers can demonstrate they have something different to offer when there is strong market pressure on price. In addition, the finding that the antecedents of behavioural loyalty are more "rational" and "firm‐related", while the antecedents of attitudinal loyalty are more "emotional" and "individual‐related", can be used by marketers to improve the relationships with their customers.Originality/valueThe paper systematically addresses the antecedents of customer satisfaction and loyalty from the perspective of relationship value dimensions – an approach that has not yet been taken in the literature.

The aim of this study was to develop a model that links the motives, obstacles and expected outcomes of Industry 4.0 implementation. First, it aimed to determine the extent of use of Industry 4.0 technologies and then to investigate the motives, expected outcomes (short and long-term), and the relationship between them. Obstacles to the implementation of new technologies in Croatian companies were identified. The sample comprised 91 companies that had implemented new technologies by 2020. Data were collected using on-line surveying tools. The results show that the surveyed companies are considering new technologies for several proactive reasons, and primarily stress the expected long-term strategic benefits over short-term efficiency. The lack of human resources is the most critical obstacle in the implementation of new technologies. The paper provides several managerial implications. ; Cilj ovog istraživanja bio je razviti model koji povezuje motive, zapreke i očekivane ishode od implementacije tehnologija Industrije 4.0. Prvo, cilj je bio utvrditi opseg upotrebe tehnologija Industrije 4.0, a zatim istražiti motive, očekivane ishode (kratkoročne i dugoročne) i njihov odnos. Identificirane su zapreke za implementaciju novih tehnologija u hrvatskim kompanijama. Uzorak je obuhvaćao 91 kompaniju koje su do 2020. godine primijenile nove tehnologije. Podaci su prikupljeni alatima za provođenje anketa na daljinu. Rezultati pokazuju da anketirane kompanije razmatraju nove tehnologije iz nekoliko proaktivnih razloga, ali prije svega naglašavaju očekivane dugoročne strateške koristi nad kratkoročnom učinkovitošću. Manjak ljudskih resursa najvažnija je zapreka u primjeni novih tehnologija. Rad pruža nekoliko preporuka za menadžere.

Cilj ovog istraživanja bio je razviti model koji povezuje motive, zapreke i očekivane ishode od implementacije tehnologija Industrije 4.0. Prvo, cilj je bio utvrditi opseg upotrebe tehnologija Industrije 4.0, a zatim istražiti motive, očekivane ishode (kratkoročne i dugoročne) i njihov odnos. Identificirane su zapreke za implementaciju novih tehnologija u hrvatskim kompanijama. Uzorak je obuhvaćao 91 kompaniju koje su do 2020. godine primijenile nove tehnologije. Podaci su prikupljeni alatima za provođenje anketa na daljinu. Rezultati pokazuju da anketirane kompanije razmatraju nove tehnologije iz nekoliko proaktivnih razloga, ali prije svega naglašavaju očekivane dugoročne strateške koristi nad kratkoročnom učinkovitošću. Manjak ljudskih resursa najvažnija je zapreka u primjeni novih tehnologija. Rad pruža nekoliko preporuka za menadžere. ; The aim of this study was to develop a model that links the motives, obstacles and expected outcomes of Industry 4.0 implementation. First, it aimed to determine the extent of use of Industry 4.0 technologies and then to investigate the motives, expected outcomes (short and long-term), and the relationship between them. Obstacles to the implementation of new technologies in Croatian companies were identified. The sample comprised 91 companies that had implemented new technologies by 2020. Data were collected using on-line surveying tools. The results show that the surveyed companies are considering new technologies for several proactive reasons, and primarily stress the expected long-term strategic benefits over short-term efficiency. The lack of human resources is the most critical obstacle in the implementation of new technologies. The paper provides several managerial implications.