Management and Production Engineering Review (MPER), 2023
Leadership research is an essential part of all areas of organisational science worldwide, and th... more Leadership research is an essential part of all areas of organisational science worldwide, and there is still a lack of studies in this research area. The paper aims to determine leadership competency perceptions and their sub-competencies characteristics and determinants in the fourth industrial revolution era. The research survey, conducted in 2018-2021, covered a sample of 100 respondents from organisations from the Czech Republic. The most important competencies for leadership are effective communication, innovation, cooperation, creativity, solving problems, lifelong learning, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and motivation and support of others. We selected statistical methods ANOVA and linear regression for the characteristics of the respondents and the cluster analysis for the leaders' 4.0 types determination. The linear regression results showed that age, the field of education, position in the organisation and tenure in the organisation of the respondents affect their assessment of the level of leadership competency. We identified three management types that are currently facing the challenges of Industry 4.0: ICT-oriented Junior Managers, Top 4.0 Prepared Leaders, and Non-Creative Unmotivated Senior Directors. The contribution of this paper is the in-depth study in the area of perceived levels of partial competencies for leadership for different criteria of respondents.
The microbrewery market in the Czech Republic has experienced a tremendous boom, especially in th... more The microbrewery market in the Czech Republic has experienced a tremendous boom, especially in the last 15 years. Recently, people have liked to try new things, and there is a growing demand for non-traditional types of beer offered by these companies. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, microbreweries have had to reduce activities or even close facilities. The paper aims to examine microbreweries' perception of competition threat, promotion, and activities during the COVID-19 pandemic in the Czech Republic. We examined the differences related to four microbreweries' characteristics: the location of the facilities, the scale of the operations, the annual volume of beer production, and the number of years in business. The questionnaire survey was carried out in 105 microbreweries. We used statistical methods of Kruskal-Wallis ANOVA, Mann-Whitney test, and Pearson's Chi-square test to prove research working hypotheses. The results show that microbreweries do not consider the threat of competition high. The beer production volume factor influences this perception of competition. We found that enterprises make the most use of websites and customer referrals in their promotions. We proved that the use of the web depends on the range of business activities. Finally, we analyzed the direct impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on microbreweries. The vast majority of the enterprises partially kept the operation running. Interestingly, some enterprises have taken advantage of the current situation to diversify their activities and look for new opportunities. The main factors that varied between enterprises, in this case, were the range of activities and years in business. The paper's originality is related to the first attempt to analyze the COVID-19 impact on the breweries during the lockdowns and government restrictions.
Modern technologies are penetrating all fields of human activity, including agriculture, where th... more Modern technologies are penetrating all fields of human activity, including agriculture, where they significantly affect the quantity and quality of agricultural production. Precision agriculture can be characterised as an effort to improve the results of practical farming, achieving higher profits by exploiting the existing spatial unevenness of soil properties. We aim to evaluate precision agriculture technologies' practical use in agricultural enterprises in the Czech Republic. The research was based on a questionnaire survey in which 131 farms participated. We validated the hypothesis through a Chi-squared test on the frequency of occurrence of end-use technology. The results showed that precision farming technologies are used more in crop than livestock production. In particular, 58.02% of enterprises use intelligent weather stations, 89.31% use uncrewed vehicles, and 61.83% use navigation and optimisation systems for optimising journeys. These technologies are the most used and closely related to autonomous driving and robotics in agriculture. The results indicate how willing are agricultural enterprises to adopt new technologies. For policy makers, these findings show which precision farming technologies are already implemented. This can make it easier to direct funding towards grants and projects.
The rise of new technologies known as the fourth industrial revolution (Industry 4.0), brings a t... more The rise of new technologies known as the fourth industrial revolution (Industry 4.0), brings a transformation that makes it possible to produce and manufacture products on machines through robots in modern smart factories. Industry 4.0 will increase productivity, quality of goods, foster industrial growth, and modify the profile of the workforce and required competences. However, such benefits and advantages should be assessed in light of potential barriers and negative consequences. The paper deals with the barriers of new technology introduction and main disadvantages of Industry 4.0. Based on questionnaire research in 217 industrial enterprises, the differences between enterprises according to their size and technological intensity are analysed. The main barriers of technology introduction and Industry 4.0 disadvantages are lack of funds, high costs, production process optimization and high investment need. The research confirmed only small differences in managers’ preferences of Industry 4.0 technology barriers and Industry 4.0 disadvantages according to the enterprise size. The technological intensity was important only partly in case of perception of Industry 4.0 disadvantages. The key contributions of this work are promising results for a better understanding of technology barriers and Industry 4.0 disadvantages.
Management and Production Engineering Review (MPER), 2022
Since the beginning of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, enterprises have been promising the main... more Since the beginning of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, enterprises have been promising the main advantages and benefits of implementing the Industry 4.0 technologies. However, the perception of new Industry 4.0 technologies may vary between different types of enterprises. The paper focuses on the main advantages of Industry 4.0 technologies for manufacturing enterprises. We analyze the difference of enterprise size and technological intensity in enterprise managers’ perception. The research was conducted based on a questionnaire survey that participated 217 enterprises from the Czech Republic. Statistical analysis showed that higher productivity and production volume are the main advantages of Industry 4.0. The present results show differences between enterprises according to their size. However, differences related to the technological complexity of enterprises have not been confirmed as an essential factor.
Small enterprises are exposed to new challenges in examining the impact of creative accounting on... more Small enterprises are exposed to new challenges in examining the impact of creative accounting on their financial statements, particularly when assessing 'going concerned' conditions and increasing the risk of fraud. The article aims to identify accounting errors and fraud risks made by accounting adjustments, thus distorting the true and fair presentation of financial statements. We aim to explore the risks of creative accounting based on the relationship between profit creation (EBT) and cash flow (CF) by applying the CFEBT risk triangle method. We analyze small enterprises operating mainly in the trade, processing, and construction industry to achieve this. The detected risks of accounting records were subsequently compared and evaluated in the selected branches of activities. Our research findings confirmed that M-score values were primarily negative for the monitored industries of small enterprises. The resulting values point to applying creative accounting methods-earning management, which pursues, in particular, tax optimization, and, on the other hand, the fulfilment of profitability criteria. A more profound analysis of selected accounting items and financial indicators confirmed more substantial differences between the trade and construction industries. Differences between the branches were found in one-half of the financial indicators and most of the 14 accounting items monitored. The accounting risks ascertained may be used as a tool for reducing the information asymmetry between authors of accounting records and users of reported accounting data and information. The detection and evaluation of risks of accounting errors and errors beyond the economic substance of reported data may considerably improve the quality of decision-making of internal and external users and is also used by persons authorized to conduct the administration and Corporate Governance for increasing the efficiency of enterprises' internal control systems.
Today’s customer no longer wants one-size-fits-all products but expects products and services to ... more Today’s customer no longer wants one-size-fits-all products but expects products and services to be as tailored as possible. Mass customization and personalization are becoming a trend in the digitalization strategy of enterprises and manufacturing in Industry 4.0. The purpose of the paper is to develop and validate a conceptual model for leveraging Industry 4.0 and digitalization to support product customization. We explored the implications and impacts of Industry 4.0 and digitalization on product customization processes and determine the importance of variables. We applied structural equation modeling (SEM) to test our hypotheses regarding the antecedents and consequences of digitalization and Industry 4.0. We estimated the process model using the partial least squares (PLS) method, and goodness of fit measures show acceptable values. The proposed model considers relationships between technology readiness, digitalization, internal and external integration, internal value chain, and customization. The results show the importance of digitalization and technology readiness for product customization. The results reveal that the variable of internal integration plays a crucial mediating role in applying new technologies and digitalization for customization. The paper’s main contribution is the conclusion that, for successful implementation of the customization process, models are required to focus on the internal and external factors of the business environment. Our findings are supported by various practical applications of possible product customization.
Journal of Entrepreneurship, Management and Innovation, 2021
PURPOSE: Current research seeks to create an economic model that connects strategic management an... more PURPOSE: Current research seeks to create an economic model that connects strategic management and network theory. However, most theoretical models do not provide empirical evidence of network relationships' real structure and attributes. The purpose of the paper is to explore the relation between enterprise characteristics and the characteristics of buyer-supplier relationships in supply chain networks. We are specifically interested in business relationships in networks with respect to the various enterprises' sizes and sectors of industry. The subject of our research was characteristics, such as network relationship complexity, continuity of relationships, and strategic management in networks. The paper summarizes the results of an empirical study on buyer-supplier networks and accentuates the importance of developing and fostering business collaboration for strategic management. METHODOLOGY: We conducted the questionnaire research in 2016-2019 on 360 enterprises from the Czech Republic. We selected the research sample based on the non-probability purposive sampling method. The members of the research team collected data from an online survey and personal visits to enterprises. The statistical analysis of hypotheses is based on the frequency of managers' answers. To evaluate results, a two-proportion Z-Test is used for comparing different categories of enterprises according to their enterprise size or prevailing sector of the industry. FINDINGS: The main results show that the differences between enterprises involved in the buyer-supplier structures lie mainly in their size. The survey did not identify
Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis , 2021
The development of entrepreneurship competencies is not the primary objective of the management e... more The development of entrepreneurship competencies is not the primary objective of the management education system. Given the lack of student competencies required to start a new enterprise, the importance of entrepreneurship and economic education is increasing. There are new intentions from the Czech Republic's state politics that early business can be positively influenced and supported. The paper discusses entrepreneurship and its educational role. The research relies on a 214 questionnaire survey administered in 2018-2019 on students of the University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice. The paper focuses on the assessment of gender differences of management students in entrepreneurship education. We reduced 19 variables to three decisive factors-attitudes, knowledge, and entrepreneurship competence using factor analysis. Differences were found in the personal attitudes to entrepreneurship within gender, while the difference was not confirmed in the required entrepreneurial competencies and preferred knowledge. The study deals with a vital gender topic, and its results can be beneficial for the fields of management and education, especially for their overlap.
Journal on Efficiency and Responsibility in Education and Science, 2021
Entrepreneurial education has recently become popular at universities of economics almost all ove... more Entrepreneurial education has recently become popular at universities of economics almost all over the world. Various teaching methods play a significant role in the development of future entrepreneurs. Therefore, for a student to become a successful entrepreneur, it is essential to find the most effective tool for the teachers to support entrepreneurship education and find the ideal connection between the needs of the students and the right choice of a teaching method. There is a large gap between the needs of the business environment and university studies in this area. The research is based on 214 questionnaires filled in by the students from two different faculties. The paper aims to find and analyse the preferences of teaching methods for management students based on the following criteria: gender, faculty, degree of study. The students expected to be taught by active methods, e.g., expert lectures and business simulators. Differences in the use of teaching methods were the most evident among students from different faculties. The students of economic faculty prefer active methods to a greater extent than students of social studies. On the contrary, special projects and counselling are preferred teaching methods by students in health and social sciences.
With the arrival of new technologies in modern smart factories, automated predictive maintenance ... more With the arrival of new technologies in modern smart factories, automated predictive maintenance is also related to production robotisation. Intelligent sensors make it possible to obtain an ever-increasing amount of data, which must be analysed efficiently and effectively to support increasingly complex systems’ decision-making and management. The paper aims to review the current literature concerning predictive maintenance and intelligent sensors in smart factories. We focused on contemporary trends to provide an overview of future research challenges and classification. The paper used burst analysis, systematic review methodology, co-occurrence analysis of keywords, and cluster analysis. The results show the increasing number of papers related to key researched concepts. The importance of predictive maintenance is growing over time in relation to Industry 4.0 technologies. We proposed Smart and Intelligent Predictive Maintenance (SIPM) based on the full-text analysis of relevant papers. The paper’s main contribution is the summary and overview of current trends in intelligent sensors used for predictive maintenance in smart factories.
Sustainability has recently become a phenomenon; small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are in... more Sustainability has recently become a phenomenon; small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are increasingly emphasizing the principles of sustainability in their corporate governance. They implement these changes through project management. The purpose of the paper is to determine the critical success factors in project management, as seen by the managers of Czech manufacturing enterprises, related to the most to the successful completion of the projects. We aim to analyze the relation of these success factors to Industry 4.0, Human Resources, and sustainability. We determined the possible interconnectedness of the critical success factors using correlation coefficients. Then, we compared them using the Mann-Whitney test with new corporate management trends. The results show that companies consider Leadership and Experiences, and Employees and Flexibility to be key factors in project management’s success. The most important critical factor for the sustainability of projects focused on Industry 4.0 is the finances that decide the implementation of projects. The benefits of Industry 4.0 concerning sustainability have been identified in projects aimed at implementing new energy sources. In addition to the results obtained, the development of a methodology for evaluating Industry 4.0 projects’ success concerning sustainability may be based on critical success factors in the future.
European Journal of Business Science and Technology, 2020
When starting a new business, entrepreneurs used the acquired experience, skills, and com-petenci... more When starting a new business, entrepreneurs used the acquired experience, skills, and com-petencies. The paper aims to determine opinions on the most important competencies that entrepreneurs need to start their business. The research is based on the questionnaire to survey entrepreneurs and students of economics. We try to determine the differences in their opinions. We assume that the views of entrepreneurs already running a business near reflect the competencies' real usefulness. We used the questionnaire as an instrument for data collection. When comparing entrepreneurs and students, statistically significant differences are in most competencies. Students evaluated entrepreneurial competencies significantly less important than entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurs' opinions on competencies do not depend on enterprise size. Similarly, students' views on competencies are not related to their gender. Our study suggests a significant discrepancy between students' opinions on the importance of various competencies and reality.
Due to Industry 4.0 technologies, small-and medium-sized enterprises have a great opportunity to ... more Due to Industry 4.0 technologies, small-and medium-sized enterprises have a great opportunity to increase their competitiveness. However, the question remains as to whether they are truly able to implement such modern technologies faster and carry out digital transformation. The main aim of the paper is to classify small-and medium-sized enterprises into various groups, according to the level of implementation of Industry 4.0, using the Index of Industry 4.0. Based on the results of the cluster analysis, the small and medium enterprises are categorized into four different groups, according to the level of implementation of Industry 4.0. There are top Industry 4.0 technological enterprises, I4 start enterprises, noobs enterprises, and I4 advances enterprises. So far, the largest group consists of the small-and medium-sized enterprises that are just starting out with the introduction of Industry 4.0 technologies, such as IT infrastructure, digitalization (data, cloud, data analysis, and information systems), and sensors. On the other hand, the top I4 technological enterprises group is the least numerous. The analysis carried out comparing the small-and medium-sized enterprises with the large enterprises shows that the SMEs still have a lower level of Industry 4.0 implementation. This confirms the assumption that the large enterprises have greater opportunities to use new technologies and transform them into smart factories. However, this situation may change in the future if new technologies become more accessible, and SMEs are worth investing in Industry 4.0 in terms of the return on investment.
Green processes are very important for the implementation of green technologies in production to ... more Green processes are very important for the implementation of green technologies in production to achieve positive sustainability outcomes in the Industry 4.0 era. The scope of the paper is to review how conventional green processes as a part of Industry 4.0 provide sustainability outcomes in manufacturing. The paper is based on the methodology of systematic literature review through the content analysis of literary resources. Twenty-nine studies were included in our content analysis. The results show the main focus of current literature related to Industry 4.0, sustainability outcomes and green processes. The authors present a conceptual Sustainability Green Industry 4.0 (SGI 4.0) framework that helps to structure and evaluate conventional green processes in relation to Industry 4.0 and sustainability. The study summarizes which technologies (big data, cyber-physical systems, Industrial Internet of Things and smart systems) and green processes (logistics, manufacturing and product design) are important for achieving a higher level of sustainability. The authors found that the most often common sustainability outcomes are energy saving, emission reduction, resource optimalization, cost reduction, productivity and efficiency and higher economic performance, human resources development, social welfare and workplace safety. The study suggests implications for practice, knowledge and future research.
The development of bankruptcies in the Czech Republic is closely related to the impact of the glo... more The development of bankruptcies in the Czech Republic is closely related to the impact of the global financial economic crisis, which, among other things, has also affected the competitiveness of Czech companies to a great extent. The future state of overall company financial health can be determined through prediction models. This paper discusses the history of financial analysis and the most widely used models, with the main purpose of the paper to compare the accuracy of various prediction models and to decide which model has the highest prediction success rate. The sample consisted of the total of 90 Czech companies, out of which 1/2 were companies in bankruptcy and 1/2 were non-bankrupt companies. Ratio indicators of given models were calculated from balance sheets as well as profit and loss statements for a five-year period. The reliability of the accurate classification of accounting units is verified by a confusion matrix. The highest total success rate of classification was achieved by Zmijevski model, which had the highest predictive value. Another partial objective of the paper is to determine whether the accuracy rate of the bankruptcy models changes with branches within which the companies operate. The hypothesis about differences between the branches is confirmed. The most statistically significant differences were shown between Wholesale and Retail and the Processing Industry, with the results of models varying among different branches. The results show that taking into account the branches the company is operating in is advisable for selecting prediction models.
Purpose: The paper deals with the differences of supplier performance management characteristics ... more Purpose: The paper deals with the differences of supplier performance management characteristics by different size of the enterprises and sectors of industry. Methodology/Approach: The research is based on a questionnaire survey carried out in 2016-2019 in 366 enterprises. Four hypotheses were formulated, focused on supplier selection preferences, frequency of supply evaluation, providing feedback to the suppliers about their performance and quality control. The results are analyzed by the tests of Chi-square statistics. Findings: The results show that the enterprises differ in the criteria of the selection of the supplier, frequency of supply evaluation and providing feedback to the suppliers about their performance according to their sector industry. In terms of the size of the enterprises, differences were found only in the evaluation of suppliers and evaluation feedback. Enterprises did not differ in quality control of the deliveries. Research Limitation/implication: The results show that quality is the most evaluated criterion in the selection of the suppliers. In the future, the importance of other environmental and Industry 4.0 criteria will grow. It is recommended combining supplier evaluation and reviews with the feedback to the suppliers to improve the performance of the suppliers. Originality/Value of paper: The study compares the enterprises in terms of their size and industries in the area of supplier performance management characteristics. These criteria are often not mentioned nor compared in other publications. Category: Research paper
Industry 4.0 includes digital process transformation, information technology (IT) development, mo... more Industry 4.0 includes digital process transformation, information technology (IT) development, mobile devices, learning software, automation, and robotics, as well as intelligent sensors to collect large datasets, store, analyze, and use them in business, including simulation, virtual reality, and digital twins. The aim of the paper is to characterize the readiness of the enterprise to use Industry 4.0. In the research, a questionnaire survey was carried out on a sample of 276 enterprises mainly from the manufacturing industry. Using explorative factor analysis, the index of Industry 4.0 (VPi4) was designed to determine the level of Industry 4.0 implementation in the enterprises. The results were further verified by a statistical analysis, using Mann-Whitney test and correlation coefficients. The results indicate that the VPi4 index was consistent in terms of distribution when comparing the results on the verification sample. Its results correlate with the subjective perception of the enterprises, and different levels of the index reflect the difference in technological intensity of the industry. The VPi4 index enables the enterprises to determine their own level of current state of readiness for Industry 4.0, to better prioritize business development. The proposed solution categorizes Industry 4.0 components into a useful theoretical framework. Further research offers the possibility of applying the index in other sectors, its relation to the size of enterprises, and updating with respect to new trends in information technology.
Scientific Papers of the University of Pardubice, Series D: Faculty of Economics and Administration, 2019
Accounting records constitute the basic information sources for various groups of users. The qual... more Accounting records constitute the basic information sources for various groups of users. The quality of information acquired may considerably affect their decision-making based on accounting data and information reported. The focus of this contribution is laid on the CFEBT method of risk detection of accounting records from the view of a risk of accounting errors and frauds, with a result in the reduction in the information asymmetry between their authors and users. The main article objective is to analyze the risk of accounting errors and frauds through CFEBT risk triangle and a case study of selected small entities which operate predominantly in processing industry. The CFEBT risk triangle was designed as a tool for detection, evaluation and management of the risk of accounting errors and frauds in circumstances of the Czech accounting standards and International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). The case study results that it was ascertained that the most significant discrepancy between the economic substance of the business activity of the accounting unit and the generation of cash flow is a consequence of reported financial revenues.
Purpose: Quality in manufacturing can be improved by using lean production methods. The paper dis... more Purpose: Quality in manufacturing can be improved by using lean production methods. The paper discusses traditional and modern methods of lean production and their use in different enterprises.
Methodology/Approach: Through a questionnaire survey and research, 90 industrial enterprises were classified by the size, production scope and their ownership. The research results were analyzed by means of statistical methods to determine the differences in the use of lean production methods.
Findings: Regarding the lean production and its different methods, the size of the enterprise is an important factor. The statistics revealed that large enterprises tend to use lean production more. It was also proved that some methods of lean production are not completely common in the Czech Republic. Moreover, some methods are quite new to the majority of the enterprises.
Research Limitation/implication: Some questionnaire surveys conducted in different countries (especially in the US) use a different enterprise size classification. As the research results show, there is still a large potential for the introduction of lean production methods in small and middle-sized enterprises that can help enterprises to improve the quality of their production.
Originality/Value of paper: The application of lean production methods has been investigated so far, especially in large engineering enterprises. The paper deals with the use of these methods also in small and medium sized enterprises. The authors focused their research also on non-engeneering enterprises in the field of the food industry and production of products for domestic use too.
Uploads
Papers by Martin Pech
is to develop and validate a conceptual model for leveraging Industry 4.0 and digitalization to support product customization. We explored the implications and impacts of Industry 4.0 and digitalization on product customization processes and determine the importance of variables. We applied structural equation modeling (SEM) to test our hypotheses regarding the antecedents and consequences of digitalization and Industry 4.0. We estimated the process model using the partial least squares (PLS) method, and goodness of fit measures show acceptable values. The proposed model considers relationships between technology readiness, digitalization, internal and external integration, internal
value chain, and customization. The results show the importance of digitalization and technology readiness for product customization. The results reveal that the variable of internal integration plays a crucial mediating role in applying new technologies and digitalization for customization. The paper’s main contribution is the conclusion that, for successful implementation of the customization process, models are required to focus on the internal and external factors of the business environment. Our findings are supported by various practical applications of possible product customization.
Methodology/Approach: The research is based on a questionnaire survey carried out in 2016-2019 in 366 enterprises. Four hypotheses were formulated, focused on supplier selection preferences, frequency of supply evaluation, providing feedback to the suppliers about their performance and quality control. The results are analyzed by the tests of Chi-square statistics. Findings: The results show that the enterprises differ in the criteria of the selection of the supplier, frequency of supply evaluation and providing feedback to the suppliers about their performance according to their sector industry. In terms of the size of the enterprises, differences were found only in the evaluation of suppliers and evaluation feedback. Enterprises did not differ in quality control of the deliveries.
Research Limitation/implication: The results show that quality is the most evaluated criterion in the selection of the suppliers. In the future, the importance of other environmental and Industry 4.0 criteria will grow. It is recommended combining supplier evaluation and reviews with the feedback to the suppliers to improve the performance of the suppliers.
Originality/Value of paper: The study compares the enterprises in terms of their size and industries in the area of supplier performance management characteristics. These criteria are often not mentioned nor compared in other publications.
Category: Research paper
Methodology/Approach: Through a questionnaire survey and research, 90 industrial enterprises were classified by the size, production scope and their ownership. The research results were analyzed by means of statistical methods to determine the differences in the use of lean production methods.
Findings: Regarding the lean production and its different methods, the size of the enterprise is an important factor. The statistics revealed that large enterprises tend to use lean production more. It was also proved that some methods of lean production are not completely common in the Czech Republic. Moreover, some methods are quite new to the majority of the enterprises.
Research Limitation/implication: Some questionnaire surveys conducted in different countries (especially in the US) use a different enterprise size classification. As the research results show, there is still a large potential for the introduction of lean production methods in small and middle-sized enterprises that can help enterprises to improve the quality of their production.
Originality/Value of paper: The application of lean production methods has been investigated so far, especially in large engineering enterprises. The paper deals with the use of these methods also in small and medium sized enterprises. The authors focused their research also on non-engeneering enterprises in the field of the food industry and production of products for domestic use too.