Jan Dvorský, Joanna Bednarz, Anna Blajer-Gołębiewska
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引用次数: 1
Abstract
Research background: Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) play a fundamental role in countries’ economies. Currently, entrepreneurs are struggling not only with the uncertainty of the business environment, but also with high expectations for businesses to be run in a sustainable way. Therefore, the impact of corporate reputation and social media on sustainability is an area of interest for entrepreneurs. In this context, little research has been conducted on their perception of the linkage between these issues. Furthermore, there has been no direct explanation of the effects of SMEs’ reputation and social media usage on their sustainable development, especially in the V4 countries. Purpose of the article: This article defines, quantifies, and verifies the effects of corporate reputation and social media on sustainable development as perceived by SMEs’ owners and top managers in the V4 countries. Methods: Data were gathered in December 2022 and January 2023 using the computer-assisted web interviewing (CAWI) method. The survey was designed based on a literature review and experts’ opinions. Respondents (top managers of SMEs, n = 1090) were asked questions on their firms’ characteristics, reputation, social media usage and sustainable development. The linear regression modelling (LRM) was utilised to evaluate the hypothesis. Findings & value added: The study revealed a strong relationship between owners’ and top managers’ perceptions of the importance of both corporate reputation and sustainable development in SMEs. The belief that social media supports the growth of companies’ performance is related to the understanding of the concept of sustainable business development. Surprisingly, for the owners and top managers of SMEs in V4 countries, there was no relationship between the awareness of social media usage to share information with customers and partners and the understanding of sustainable business growth.
期刊介绍:
Equilibrium. Quarterly Journal of Economics and Economic Policy is a scientific journal dedicated to economics, which is the result of close cooperation between the Instytut Badań Gospodarczych/Institute of Economic Research (Poland) and Polish Economic Society and leading European universities. The journal constitutes a platform for exchange of views of the scientific community, as well as reflects the current status and trends of world science and economy.
The journal especially welcome empirical articles making use of quantitative methods in: Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics, International Economics, Financial Economics and Banking, Public Economics, Business Economics, Labor and Demographic Economics, Economic Development, and Technological Change, and Growth.
Current most preferable topics and special issues:
The economics of artificial intelligence: business potentials and risks;
Digitalization and entrepreneurship in economics;
Sustainable socio-economic development, environmental and ecological economics;
Transition in the energy market (improving energy efficiency, alternative energy sources, renewable energy, energy security).