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The aim of this paper is to identify the basic characteristics of organic production in the agricultural sector of Bosnia and Herzegovina in terms of determining the scope, trends and flows in the selected time period. In terms of competitiveness, special emphasis is placed on the position of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the region. That is, a comparative review with the countries of the region according to the available indicators of organic production within the data of the Research Institute for Organic Production (FiBL). The analysis is focused on the changes of relevant indicators for Bosnia and Herzegovina and the countries of the region in the period from 2010 to 2020. The analysis was made using methods of dynamic analysis (index numbers, average annual rate of change, trend) and comparison methods. The results of the research can be a starting point for policy makers in support of the development of the agricultural sector.

The aim of this paper is to identify the basic characteristics of foreign trade of Bosnia and Herzegovina in terms of determining the volume, trends, geographic orientation, production structure and level of concentration of export-import flows in the selected time period, with emphasis on its trade with major partners, such as the EU and CEFTA. A special emphasis has been placed on exports as a driver of growth and development of the domestic economy. In order for the economy of Bosnia and Herzegovina to grow, creating jobs and increasing economic welfare of its citizens, it must focus on international trade, particularly the increase in the volume and value of exports. To say that the export is a requirement for survival may sound dramatic, but there can be no doubt that our country needs to improve its trading result. This reflects the importance of foreign trade. The focus of the analysis is placed on the dynamics and structure of the total exchange of BIH in the period from 2004 to 2018. Analysis was done using the appropriate method of dynamic analysis (index methods, average annual growth rate). The main results indicate not so positive trends for international trade of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

PurposeThis study focuses on HR practices that foster employee engagement during Covid-19. Companies in transition economies are particularly vulnerable to crisis and downsizing and other recessionary practices are frequently used.Design/methodology/approachDrawing on the model of caring human resource management, we utilise interviews with human resource representatives of 10 banks in the transition economy of Bosnia and Herzegovina. We analyse the banks at two different times to demonstrate how and why companies adapt their HR practices.FindingsOur findings show a changing mindset in the deployment of highly context-specific HR practices. Strengthening company culture through a sense of community and communication ensure stability and continuity in work. Rather than layoffs, flexible work has become standard.Practical implicationsBy highlighting the interplay between HR practices and employee engagement, we contribute to the discussion on engagement in exceptional circumstances and challenging settings and demonstrate how caring responsibilities “migrate” into HR practices in the professional context of a transition economy.Originality/valueWe propose a context-specific “protective caring approach” to foster employee engagement during crises.

The key social component of every workplace is the employee, whose personal characteristics and competencies enable the organization to achieve its fundamental goals: survival, growth, and development. Management may acquire the most advanced technologies and design the most challenging tasks, but without employees who possess the appropriate characteristics—both current and potential—improvement in business outcomes remains uncertain. In this regard, the paper focuses on examining the relationships between key workplace components—specifically the technical system and the structure of work assignments—and how these, mediated by workers’ personal features, influence their satisfaction and performance. The study is based on a random sample of 125 respondents who completed a questionnaire composed of question segments drawn from several validated scales designed to measure the constructs analysed in this paper. The results reveal a significant and strong mediating effect of employees’ personal features on the relationship between the technical system and the structure of work tasks, on the one hand, and employee satisfaction and performance, on the other. The paper contributes to the HRM process by highlighting that employees’ personal characteristics must be taken into account, as they represent an important and influential mediator that consistently affects employee satisfaction and performance in the context of digitalization. Ključna društvena komponenta svakog radnog mjesta je zaposlenik, čije osobne karakteristike i kompetencije omogućuju organizaciji ostvarenje temeljnih ciljeva: opstanka, rasta i razvoja. Menadžment može nabaviti najsuvremeniju tehnologiju i osmisliti najzahtjevnije zadatke, no bez zaposlenika koji posjeduju odgovarajuće – postojeće i potencijalne – karakteristike, poboljšanje poslovnih rezultata ostaje neizvjesno. U tom kontekstu, ovaj se rad fokusira na ispitivanje odnosa između ključnih komponenti radnog mjesta – tehničkog sustava i strukture radnih zadataka – te načina na koji one, posredstvom osobnih karakteristika zaposlenika, utječu na njihovo zadovoljstvo i radnu uspješnost. Istraživanje je provedeno na slučajnom uzorku od 125 ispitanika koji su ispunili anketni upitnik sastavljen od segmenata pitanja preuzetih s nekoliko validiranih skala za mjerenje analiziranih konstrukata. Rezultati pokazuju značajan i snažan medijacijski učinak osobnih karakteristika zaposlenika u odnosu između tehničkog sustava i strukture radnih zadataka, s jedne strane, te zadovoljstva i uspješnosti zaposlenika, s druge strane. Rad doprinosi području upravljanja ljudskim resursima naglašavajući kako osobne karakteristike zaposlenika treba uzeti u obzir jer one predstavljaju važan i utjecajan posrednički čimbenik koji dosljedno utječe na zadovoljstvo i uspješnost zaposlenika u kontekstu digitalizacije.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to contribute to knowledge about workplace diversity and equality in an under-researched country. Focusing on the south-eastern European transition economy of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), it elaborates on the country’s legislation, public debate and previous research in the field.Design/methodology/approachThe paper draws on a synopsis of the legislative framework, existing literature, public media and personal communications with human resource (HR) practitioners.FindingsThere is only limited research on diversity and equality in BiH. Ethnicity and gender are the most common grounds for discrimination. Although a solid body of legislation addressing anti-discrimination and equality issues exists, implementation is insufficient. The public debate tends to reinforce inter-ethnic conflicts and a negative atmosphere regarding sexual minority rights.Research limitations/implicationsDue to the general lack of research on diversity and equality in BiH, the findings presented in this paper only can serve as a first approximation of the topic. Further academic research on concrete business practices and perspectives of HR managers is needed.Practical implicationsFirms not only need to increase compliance with anti-discrimination law, but they should also focus more on the benefits a multi-ethnic society can offer.Originality/valueThis is the first paper in the management literature that provides comprehensive insight into workplace diversity and equality in BiH.

This study addresses changes in human resource management (HRM) practices of six Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries during the COVID-19 pandemic by highlighting similarities and differences across the countries. We indicated the growing significance of the human factor while also pointing out significant differences between organisations and contexts. COVID-19 intensified changes affecting individuals, organizations and society–especially in the field of HR which may signal a paradigm shift in HR operations.

Reforms in education often fail due to insufficient time to implement them, too few charismatic leaders, the influence of the preceding culture, scarce resources or an incapacity to comprehend the complexity of the education system. Most studies dealing with the cognitive aspects of educational change investigate the meaning of change through the lens of the educators and principals and there is not as much research available on the perception and interpretation of change by policy makers and the language they use to communicate messages about policy that affect sensemaking–sensegiving during the process of learning about the changes. Guided by the premise that the language of a reform movement is shaped by its ideology, this article illustrates how press releases of the Ministry of Education in Canton Sarajevo in Bosnia–Herzegovina reflect an exploitation-oriented dominant reform logic. The results of frequency analysis, hierarchical clustering and multidimensional scaling imply that MoE is driven by a top-down perspective to educational change, with a focus on the procedural, organizational and collaborational aspects of reforms that primarily alter the structure of the education system but not its internal substance. We end this paper by suggesting that educational system as complex adaptive system cannot be controlled, but effectively managed through distribution of control and creation of few attractors, benefiting from self-organization in the technical core and making change in the official top-down rhetoric.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to contribute to knowledge about workplace diversity and equality in an under-researched country. Focusing on the south-eastern European transition economy of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), it elaborates on the country’s legislation, public debate and previous research in the field. Design/methodology/approach The paper draws on a synopsis of the legislative framework, existing literature, public media and personal communications with human resource (HR) practitioners. Findings There is only limited research on diversity and equality in BiH. Ethnicity and gender are the most common grounds for discrimination. Although a solid body of legislation addressing anti-discrimination and equality issues exists, implementation is insufficient. The public debate tends to reinforce inter-ethnic conflicts and a negative atmosphere regarding sexual minority rights. Research limitations/implications Due to the general lack of research on diversity and equality in BiH, the findings presented in this paper only can serve as a first approximation of the topic. Further academic research on concrete business practices and perspectives of HR managers is needed. Practical implications Firms not only need to increase compliance with anti-discrimination law, but they should also focus more on the benefits a multi-ethnic society can offer. Originality/value This is the first paper in the management literature that provides comprehensive insight into workplace diversity and equality in BiH.

The key social component of every workplace is the employee, whose personal characteristics and competencies enable the organization to achieve its fundamental goals: survival, growth, and development. Management may acquire the most advanced technologies and design the most challenging tasks, but without employees who possess the appropriate characteristics--both current and potential--improvement in business outcomes remains uncertain. In this regard, the paper focuses on examining the relationships between key workplace components--specifically the technical system and the structure of work assignments--and how these, mediated by workers' personal features, influence their satisfaction and performance. The study is based on a random sample of 125 respondents who completed a questionnaire composed of question segments drawn from several validated scales designed to measure the constructs analysed in this paper. The results reveal a significant and strong mediating effect of employees' personal features on the relationship between the technical system and the structure of work tasks, on the one hand, and employee satisfaction and performance, on the other. The paper contributes to the HRM process by highlighting that employees' personal characteristics must be taken into account, as they represent an important and influential mediator that consistently affects employee satisfaction and performance in the context of digitalization.

The main purpose of this paper was to carry out an empirical research on whether transformational leadership,in comparison to other contemporary leadership styles, contributes to higher employee satisfaction levels. In total, 399 respondents took part in this research, which was conducted in companies in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Germany. This was the starting point to identify the dominant leadership style in each of the two countries. Using a nonparametric Mann-Whitney test, it was proved that there is a statistically significant difference in employee satisfaction under transformational leadership as opposed to the transactional and charismatic styles. After a detailed research of the literature, it became apparent that research on this subject is scarce. Accordingly, presenting transformational leadership and its influence on employee satisfaction was a particular challenge.