International Journal for Quality Research

10

Authors: Alina-Andreea Dragoescu Urlica, Sandra Stefanovic, Lulzime Kamberi, Marta Boguslawska-Tafelska

This paper aims to examine language learning and communication modalities in the emerging digital educational spaces used by undergraduate students from Banat's University "King Michael I of Romania" from Timisoara, Romania, University of Tetovo, North Macedonia, and Lomza University in Poland during the academic year 2021-2022. Particularly, the use of digital platforms provided for online schooling during the pandemic is analysed based on feedback from students participating in online English classes. The purpose of the study is to reveal the specific modalities available for collaborative learning communities, as well as the challenges faced by both learners and educators and the viability of maintaining ecological multimodal dialogues. The paper explores how online classes are able to mobilize students in digital spaces to enable the development of language learning, as well as soft skills promoting communicative competence, while also maintaining the need for visibility within distance education. The analysis uses a multimethod approach, on the one hand theoretically grounded in ecolinguistics and ecosemiotics (evolving from semiosphere theory) by investigating digital practices and, on the other hand, experimental-based qualitative analysis examining the feedback collected from students through surveys conducted anonymously. Ultimately, the discussion aims at enhancing genuine interactive openness and plurivocal dialogue which valorizes identity formation, from a quality-based and ethical perspective.

12

Authors: Andrijana Rogošić

Quality Costing is one of contemporary accounting methods that can provide the most relevant information for the decision-making in quality management. This strategic management accounting method brings many benefits yet many companies hesitate to implement it. Those quality-oriented companies that use Quality Costing often do not deploy it properly. Some companies are at the first stage of collecting and measuring quality costs when the problem with cost identification occurs. During the time and depending on the knowledge of quality managers and accountants the quality costs become better followed-up. Thus, the scope of quality cost recording and the usage level of Quality Costing determines its maturity level. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of the frequency of quality cost reporting on the level of Quality Costing maturity. Among the observed companies only 44.3% prepare quality cost reports. Findings indicate that if quality managers use accounting information more often, the more developed (matured) Quality Costing becomes.

14

Authors: Robert Szydło, Małgorzata Ćwiek, Sylwia Wiśniewska, Marek Koczyński

Most of the questionnaires used to measure quality of life are not covering most important areas for young people' in emerging adulthood stage. The aim of this paper is to present the creation procedure of a shortened version of the questionnaire for multidimensional examination of students' quality of life (MIS-QOL-S), its structural and theoretical validity as well as reliability. Within a three step quantitative approach, the MIS-QOL-S revealed a high reliability of 0.94 as measured by Cronbach's alfa, and 0.972 when measured by the split-half coefficient. The theoretical validity of a tool measured by a Pearson's coefficient revealed the results of 0,97 with MIS-QOL; 0,62 with SWLS and 0,693 with QOLS which proves reliability and validity of a crated tool. Based on its properties MIS-QOL-S may be used for research and diagnostic purposes in the fields of social sciences such as management, psychology or sociology as well as in medical science.

14

Authors: Nadiya Shkromyda, Vitaliy Shkromyda, Taras Gnatiuk, Iryna Franchuk, Svitlana Viter

The study analyzes the state of social entrepreneurship, quality of accounting in the EU and its state regulation. The social entrepreneurship development intensity was calculated by taking into account the level of GDP per capita of the country, which revealed certain patterns: countries with a high level of social protection form a lower level of social entrepreneurship development. For countries that have a high level of economic development is characterized by high intensity of social entrepreneurship; territorially limited countries. The systems of indicators that allow assessing the social effect of the country through the macroeconomic indicator of GDP per capita with the specification of social groups are described. It is proved that the effectiveness of social entrepreneurship depends on the level of income of social groups. That's why in Eastern Europe countries (Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania), the intensity of social entrepreneurship is much lower than in Western EU countries (Germany, France).

16

Authors: Alona Kliuchnyk, Vyacheslav Shebanin, Olena Shebanina, Yuri Kormyshkin, Volodymyr Rybachuk, Zoriana Buryk

As a result of the study, it has been found that the role of public administration in the regional development of EU member states is the highest in less developed countries, forasmuch as after joining the EU these countries have adapted their national legislation and the legal system as a whole to much higher standards than national ones. As a result, investors' confidence is growing, the investment climate and business activity are improving. It has been proved that the basic strategic factors of public administration in less developed EU countries will be the factors related to improving the quality of regulatory and legal support of the social-economic environment and ensuring the rule of law. The factors outlined and policies towards achieving high level can be used by developing countries as a positive experience in reforming national legal systems and public governance.

18

Authors: Hugo de Oliveira Guimarães da Silva, Mariana Cristina Magalhães Costa, Maria Victoria Cabrera Aguilera, Maria da Glória Diniz de Almeida, Bernardo Bastos da Fonseca, José Salvador da Motta Reis, Luís César Ferreira Motta Barbosa, Gilberto Santos, Nilo Antonio de Souza Sampaio

This abstract presents a case study approach based on qualitative methods and data that aimed a detailed examination of an environment, a particular subject or situation. The objective of this work is to improve the painting process of an automotive company through the application of Statistical Process Control for the optimization of performance indicators quality and productivity. Statistical Process Control is applied to the monitoring of manufacturing industry processes, including automotive manufacturing. The implementation of the SPC in production environments is to improve and control real-time product and process characteristics, quality and productivity is an accepted manufacturing event.

20

Authors: Ljudevit Krpan, Krešimir Buntak, Predrag Brlek, Ivan Cvitković

The protection of market competition is one of the fundamental concepts of the Community acquis. It is implemented through strict supervision and regulation of subsidized economic activities. The aforementioned acquis must also be accordingly implemented in the field of transport, i.e. the field of providing transport services. The provision of public passenger transport services is characterized as an activity of general economic interest, for which public service contracts must be concluded. With that in mind, the paper presents one of the possible models for defining the minimum standard for the accessibility of public passenger transport. The model is based on the available statistical data and it can be used in the preparation and implementation of tenders for the conclusion of public service contracts to which all interested carriers can apply under the same conditions. The proposed methodology is simple to apply and it is based on generating the needs for movement depending on the structure and complexity of life functions correlated with the size of the settlement. Research results confirm the possibility of applying the mentioned method as referential in defining the minimum scope of the public passenger transport service at all levels.

20

Authors: Andrey A. Polukhin, Veronika I. Panarina, Svetlana P. Klimova

This article is aimed at substantiating the prospects and developing recommendations for quality management in the food market in favor of sustainable development based on industrial and manufacturing engineering in the digital economy. Taking into account the influence of factors and using the capabilities of industrial and manufacturing engineering in the age of digital economy when studying quality management in the food market on the basis of industrial and manufacturing engineering determines the originality and uniqueness of this study. The benefits of digitalization are substantiated in it for the first time, not from the standpoint of enterprises (productivity growth) or the state (growth of transparency and accountability), but from the standpoint of consumers through the lens of quality. The novelty of the research also consists in the development and application of a new scientific and methodological approach to measuring quality in the food market, based on a broad interpretation of quality in the unity of consumer properties, sufficiency and availability of food products. The new approach opens up opportunities for learning and managing the quality in the food market for sustainable development that were not available previously. The authors developed a scientific and methodological approach to the quality management in the food market for sustainable development based on industrial and manufacturing engineering in the digital economy, proposed policy implications for its practical application, and conducted a case study, and tested a new approach on the example of the soybean seed market in Russia.

22

Authors: Agnessa O. Inshakova, Ekaterina P. Rusakova

The purpose of this paper is to study the contribution of the factors of industrial and manufacturing engineering to quality of digital legal proceedings in the EAEU (Eurasian Economic Union) and BRICS and to develop recommendations for managing these factors for increasing the quality of services' provision in the form of digital evidence, Internet courts, and E-court. Originality of this research is ensured by the following competitive advantages as compared to the existing literature sources. Firstly, we specify the "wide" treatment of quality of digital legal proceedings' services and select the indicators, form statistical basis and offer a methodological approach to complex indicative evaluation of quality of digital legal proceedings' services. This provides a scientific basis for protecting business's interests in the court in the interaction with the state. This also forms a comprehensive scientific idea on creation of favorable conditions for doing business with the help of increasing the quality of digital legal proceedings' services. Secondly, we take into account the influence of the factors of industrial and manufacturing engineering on quality of digital legal proceedings' services. This allows developing detailed and precise applied recommendations for state management of quality of digital legal proceedings' services in the interests of their increase. Thirdly, we study the experience of countries of the EAEU and BRICS, which allows determining the differences in quality and influence of the factors of industrial and manufacturing engineering on digital legal proceedings' services among developing countries and the consequences for favorability of doing business.

22

Authors: Gilyan V. Fedotova, Roman R. Chugumbaev, Nina N. Chugumbaeva, Irina S. Larionova, Gulnara K. Dzhancharova

This purpose of the article is to assess the quality of life of the population of Russia in the conditions of the ongoing crisis caused by the current global challenges provoked by the current epidemiological situation. The originality and novelty of this article consists of the following aspects. First, the authors characterize the concept of quality of life from the positions of different authors and consider the main factors influencing on this indicator. In addition, the main approaches to assessing this standard of living of society are considered in the article. Secondly, the authors analyze of the main statistical indicators reflecting the quality of life of the population in the certain country using the example of Russia and for this purpose select digital material on such parameters as economic, social, demographic, ecological living conditions. Special attention is paid to the ongoing processes in the public administration system and the provision of public services to the population. Thirdly, the authors carry out a regression-correlation analysis of statistical data on the main parameters of the socio-economic standard of living was and determine the projected figures of the future development of the main spheres of public life. The main conclusions are made about the relationship between the basic indicators of the quality of life of the population and their influence on the general level of socio-economic development of the country in modern economic conditions. The main scientific contribution of the study is lying in the identification of the degree of the correlation between various indicators of the socio-economic development of the country in the context of the current crisis state of the public sector on the example of Russia. Recommendations for the future development and adjustment of the public administration system under the influence of the current crisis are developed.

6

Authors: Andrés Carrión-García Angela Grisales José Lara

A correct performance of measurement systems is a key element in the Quality effort of manufacturing organizations. At least as important as calibration processes, Measurement System Analysis is essential to ensure a solid baseline for decision making. Confirming this relevance, Measurement System Analysis is one of the quality core tools for automotive industry, as ensures the validity of the measurements obtained. In variables measurement, some indicators describe different aspects of the measurement system performance, and simultaneously serve as validation criteria for system acceptance. Probably the most important two indicators are the gage repeatability and reproducibility as a percentage of the total process variation (%GRR) and the number of distinct categories (ndc), for which threshold values apply (%GRR should be less than 10% and ndc should be greater than 5). In this paper we enhance the fact that these two indicators aren't independent, and the threshold values are incoherent, creating a possible conflict when deciding the acceptance of a measurement system.

12

Authors: Nguyen Ngoc Thach, Hoang Thanh Hanh, Dinh Tran Ngoc Huy, Sylwia Gwo?dziewicz, Le Thi Viet Nga, Le Thi Thanh Huong, Vu Quynh Nam

Industry 4.0 and digital technology has been affecting banking activities in most of bank system in emerging markets, esp. in Vietnam, one of the countries having high economic growth in ASEAN nations; so, quality management of technology issues and cyber security management are rising. There are main technologies in 4.0 revolution to process information including: Big Data database technologies, Cloud Computing, Machine Learning, IoT, AI, Business Intelligence, Data Mining and Blockchain Technologies. These technologies are successively implemented in developed and improved security procedures IT and cybersecurity risk management. Also changes to the operating environment IT can occur suddenly and without warning, such as under the COVID-19 international emergency. As the critical sector financial is adapting to expanded remote operations, there is the potential for increased vulnerabilities and potential amplification of the effect of cybersecurity threats. Therefore, organizations need to own the ability to make in new ICT and cybersecurity investments to quickly and effectively adapt to address unforeseen circumstances for better quality management of technology.

14

Authors: Hasan Beyari

The aim of this paper was to conduct a systematic review of the newly emerging research on e-commerce, and synthesise any learnings for e-commerce system development from a quality perspective. A systematic review was conducted using Google Scholar and 39 shortlisted papers were reviewed. The results of the review found the following: The e-commerce industry's rapid growth in 2020 cannot be ignored. Demand for various types of products rose as situational requirements changed and varied among countries. Some countries could not implement e-commerce effectively due to lack of trust and confidence of customers on online transactions and weak laws and regulations to protect them. Some theories like Maslow' hierarchical needs and Ajzen's planned reasoned action and planned behaviour may apply to customer intentions for online purchase as a few results indicate. On the supplier side, various digital technologies to facilitate the display of products, information regarding safety, e-ordering, and payment methods have been used, and new methods are being tested. International organisations like WHO, World Bank, EU and international consultancy agencies like McKinsey have released reports and guidelines in this respect. One firm belief is that the new normal in all aspects of work and life set by the pandemic will continue even after the threat is over. The implications of this research from the perspective of the quality of e-commerce system development are that the system will need to exhibit the following characteristics: gain the trust and confidence of customers by aligning the system with the best practices in online transactions; use suitable digital technologies to facilitate the display of products, information regarding safety, e-ordering, and payment; and ensure there is sufficient supply of the products offered.

14

Authors: Kateryna Lysenko-Ryba

The aim of this publication was showing the place of returns in logistics customer service and highlighting the need to take care of returns, as a large part of them is caused by the abuse of the returns policy by customers. The research process included the development of research tool such as questionnaire. Surveys of anonymous nature were made by CAWI technique among individual customers from Poland on a sample 327 respondents. The research process carried out as well as the analysis of the obtained results allowed to respond to the research questions. As a result, it can be stated that returns play an important role in customer service management process. Moreover, consumers honestly admit to the abuse of return policies.

16

Authors: Inna Mitrofanova, Olga Chernova, Svetlana Pyankova, Elena Kleitman

The authors reason the necessity of moving beyond the methodology of geo-ecological planning in assessing coastal areas investment potential and developing the system of technics enabling to take into consideration environmental and economic risks as well as industry specifics of the realized project. The paper represents the authors' toolware enabling to assess the influence of separate kinds of environmental and economic risks on every component of investment potential of the region; it includes the appraisal of the application of the proposed toolware in coastal areas of the Azov Sea and the Low Don of the South of Russia demonstrating its usefulness for regional management. The author's system of technics enabled: to identify risks of project realization in the sphere of developing tourist and recreational complex on the territories under examination; to estimate the level of significance of environmental and economic risk for every component of the area's investment potential.

18

Authors: Michela Poli, Elisabetta Bianchini, Davide Cornolti, Silvia Pardini, Elisabetta Pisano, Elena Simi, Lorena Tedeschi, Giorgio Iervasi

In recent years the contraction of public and private investments in many countries has had a negative impact on the research activities and innovation. The strategic fundraising has become increasingly complicated and the need for accountability to the stakeholder in spending the funding drawn requires full transparency and effective organization in management. The public research institutions to be more competitive and transparent could optimize its management introducing new organizational models such as Performance Management System. The adoption of "traditional" tools to manage performance remains controversial and the balance between respect for the researcher's freedom and personnel management policy represents the main difficulty. A winning strategy for applying Performance Management System could be the implementation of a personalised Quality Management System tailored on the need of the public research institution. In our experience we adopt a custom-made model, which incorporates the Common Assessment Framework developed for the public sector. In this work, we described the implementation of the model and the results obtained after four years of application.

20

Authors: Alexander N. Alekseev, Svetlana V. Lobova Aleksei V. Bogoviz

This paper aims at determining the influence of digitalization on quality of labor in developing countries. Originality and novelty of this research consist, firstly, in specifying the characteristics and systemic treatment of quality of labor in view of the priorities of all interested parties - entrepreneurship, employees, and government. Secondly, the influence of digitalization on quality of labor is studied in detail at the empirical level of economics with the use of statistical data, which allows determining precise causal connections and forming a reliable evidential base of the considered concept. Thirdly, an assumption of contradiction of the influence of digitalization on quality of labor is a new one. This influence is not treated positively a priori - instead of this, we offer a hypothesis on the combination of the positive and negative influence, which is verified in the course of the research. Fourthly, experience of developing countries is studied, which allows determining the specifics of the influence of digitalization on quality of labor in these countries as compared to developed countries. This will help differentiating the practices of digitalization from the positions of the consequences for labor quality and developing separate approaches for labor quality management in the digital economy of developing countries. Fifthly, digitalization is specified, and the influence of various directions of digitalization on quality of labor is studied. This allows obtaining detailed conclusions and compiling highly-effective practical recommendations. As a result, it has been determined that the maximum systemic growth of characteristics of labor quality based on digitalization in developing countries in the period until 2024 constitutes 78.63%. Harmonization of digitalization in developing countries for the purpose of increasing labor quality envisages increase of the level of development of digital technologies by 68.83% and digital perspectives by 46.22%. Management implications are offered for this.

20

Authors: Vladimir S. Osipov, Dmitry V. Martynov, Igor A. Shulyatyev, Tatiana V. Panova

The purpose of this paper is to form a new approach to provision of quality of entrepreneurship's products, which is based on financial management and the idea of company's large interest in increasing product quality for the formation of sustainable, long-term, and unique competitive advantages in the target market, which cannot be achieved by means of marketing or prices. This approach is oriented at a progressive society, in which living standards are differentiated but allow consumers to accept higher price due to higher product quality, and marketing effects are limited due to higher level of awareness and responsibility of consumers. Originality of this work is due to the following advantages as compared to the competing studies. Firstly, the structure of quality is specified: the commercial and non-commercial components are distinguished. The indicators of official statistics with which the both components of quality could be measured quantitatively are determined. Secondly, the level of socio-economic development of countries and its influence on preference for financing and the created positive effects for product quality in entrepreneurship are determined. Thirdly, the differences are determined and the preference for sources of financial provision of quality in entrepreneurship is substantiates - state financing of innovations and direct foreign investments. Fourthly, the methodological recommendations on financial management of product quality in entrepreneurship depending on consumers' priorities are offered.

20

Authors: Elena V. Karanina Marina A. Selivanova Irina A. Skudnova

The purpose of this paper is to develop a new scientific and methodological approach to scientific research and practical implementation of state management practices in global financial markets, which would take into account the specifics and would realize the potential of the digital economy due to using the factors, threats, criteria, and indicators of industrial and manufacturing engineering. Originality of the research consists in the following: firstly, it envisages evaluation of the results of state management in global financial markets from the positions of quality, due to which high precision of evaluation of achieved, and it becomes applicable for thorough scientific research of causal connections of management in global financial markets. Secondly, a treatment of quality of state management in global financial markets through the prism of economic security risks is offered. Thirdly, the specifics of the digital economy are given: the essence of security of global financial markets in the conditions of the digital economy in the aspect of domination of new - cybernetic - risks are given, and the indicators of development and tools of state management in global financial markets are considered. The factors, threats, criteria, and indicators of industrial and manufacturing engineering are used for studying them.

24

Authors: Ana Beatriz Cardoso de Sousa Alvarenga, Maximilian Espuny, José Salvador da Motta Reis, Fernanda De Oliveira Silva Nilo Antonio de Souza Sampaio, Thaís Vieira Nunhes Luís César Ferreira Motta Barbosa, Gilberto Santos, Otávio José de Oliveira

The level of Quality of Life (QoL) influences and reflects some elements of student health and impacts on academic performance. The objectives of this study were to analyze content to identify the main research opportunities and challenges on the qualityoflifeof students aged 15 to 16 years in public and private schools, and to verify if there is a correlation between student QoL, social, economic, and educational indicators. The methods adopted in this research were bibliographic research, content analysis and multivariate statistical analysis. The academic contribution of this work was the articulation of a theory on student quality of life, and the applied contribution was subsidy for the government and educational institutions to elaborate strategies, considering the correlations between the economic, social and educational variables.

12

Authors: Ting Miao, Worawit Janchai, Anurak Panyanuwat

This research aims to explore on quality assessment and develop a participatory knowledge management (KM) approach through a competency development model based on the concepts of "CommonKADS", needs assessment, and CIPP model. Data were collected by the use of questionnaires, interview formats, and focus group discussion items for the model's empirical test. They were analyzed by frequency distribution, mean and standard deviation, t-test, and data analysis. The approach's participatory characteristic was determined for the stakeholders, followed by its components, consisting of the input and process factors with technical conditions and driving mechanism. After their learning needs were assessed and prioritized, a model was developed as a conceptually formulated pattern of a KM's functional guidance with five dimensions-language competencies, coordination techniques, planning and administration competency, teamwork commitment and academic competency. The findings indicated that (1) an empirical test of the approach was conducted with the foreign affairs officers and university lecturers successfully and satisfactorily, (2) the key informant experts verified that the appropriateness of this participatory approach to knowledge management. This approach was confirmed as a series of continuing KM procedures involving the stakeholders' physical and mental participation in creating, thinking, planning, and making the decision.

14

Authors: Krešimir Buntak, Matija Kovačić, Maja Mutavdžija

The development of artificial intelligence (AI) starts in the 1950-year whit lot of skepticism. Whit the development of informational technologies, skepticism related to the AI is decreasing ant its applicability is increasing. AI shown special usage in the management of the complex system as well as the help for humans in different kinds of processes. One of the most frequently used AI is in the business where is used for the decision-making process support, making different kind of the simulations as well as the base for the developing competitive advantage of the organization. Whit implementing the AI system in different departments in an organization there is a possibility to increase performances of the business processes as well as the increasing satisfaction whit the service or the products that organizations have. Some of the examples of usage of AI in business are marketing, research and development, production, and quality management.

14

Authors: Gumar Kh. Batov, Movsar M. Mustaev, Tamirlan R. Magomaev, Fatimat A. Mambetova

The high heterogeneity and diversity of regions are obstacls to the sustainable development of the entire economy of the country. The aim of the study is to develop a methodological toolkit for reindustrialization in problematic regions and the organization of the digitalization process in various branches of the material sphere, based on the use of digital and information technologies. The research was based on the system approach methodology, the methodological apparatus of the information society theory, the methods of economic and statistical analysis, scientific abstraction, analogies and scientific generalizations. On the example of specific enterprises, the article reveals the use of digital and information technologies, which form the basis of reindustrialization in various sectors of the regional economy. The implementation of the proposed methods and mechanisms can become the basis for the development strategy of different regions and could help the lagging regions to move to a higher technological mode.

16

Authors: Dominik Zimon, Joanna Woźniak, Pedro Domingues, Muhammad Ikram, Hubert Kuś

The principal objective of this article is to provide the profile of the market of pellet in Poland, and also to develop a design of the production of pellet, taking under a particular consideration the essential activities connected with the entire process of production. This article includes, among others, the analysis of demand for raw materials, and also the analysis of the entire process of production, including the identification of the following processes: technological, transportation, and also the storage ones. This design is intended to be applied by small and medium-sized enterprises conducting their business activity in Eastern and Central Europe which are wishing to optimize and streamline conducting essential processes in which they are involved. This study provides the guidelines to managers and decision makers in pellet industry to optimize the process of the production of pellet in order to develop the sustainable logistic environment.

16

Authors: Malek Bakheet Elayan, Mohammad T. Sleimi

This paper aims to investigate the relationship between the use of a Human Resource Information System (HRIS) and the attainment of Competitive Advantage (CA) through the mediating effect of Dynamic Capability (DC) at Higher Education Institutions (JHEIs) in Jordan. Data were collected from 416 full-time academic staff at 13 universities in Jordan. The research adopted a quantitative statistical approach and used Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) to analyze the obtained data. The findings showed that the HRIS has both a direct and indirect significant impact on CA in JHEIs. The HRIS applications and benefits showed a direct and positive influence on CA. As for the indirect effect, all the HRIS applications were positively related to DC, which, in turn, was positively related to CA. Thus DC was shown to play a mediating role between HRIS and CA. In addition, the paper highlights that the education sector in Jordan consists of many institutions which are attempting to implement new, innovative working mechanisms such as the HRIS and utilize it to make a valuable contribution to CA. Moreover, the effect on DC of applying HRIS supports JHEIs in bringing about innovations to attain CA.

16

Authors: Anna A. Ibatullina, Azat R. Safiullin

The relevance of the study is due to the lack of a unified approach to implementation of projects at the federal level, article aims at developing a mechanism for managing labor costs of the project. The leading approach to the study of the problem is the development of the matrix "specialization-competence" and a mechanism for optimizing labor costs. Testing was carried out in JSC "Kazan Electrotechnical Plant". The regions-leaders of instrument-making are defined. In the project No. 1 there was a decrease in labor costs by 19%, overtime by 3 times, the cost of 1 standard hour by 4%. As a conclusion, the theoretical aspects of an integrated approach to the management of industry projects are put forward. The materials of the article are valuable for the management of the region's economy.

18

Authors: Andrey V. Kuklin, Elena A. Bratukhina, Yulia O. Gorokhovitskaya

This paper aims to develop a new approach to management of education in the regional economy, which is oriented at quality. Originality of this research consists in considering quality as the key landmark of management of education in the regional economy. This ensures harmonization of non-commercial and commercial function of universities. It is proved - by the example of modern Russia - that quality should be the key landmark of management of education in the regional economy. It is determined that in 2020 quality of services of secondary vocational and higher education in Russia's regional economy has a secondary role, determining the opportunities for employment of university graduates by 31.22% and having almost no influence on the level of their wages. The key factor of graduates' employment is the number and qualification of lecturers (48.75%). The perspectives of increase of quality of services of secondary vocational and higher education in Russia's regional economy are connected to transition to the practice-oriented model of education, active use of the network form of education, wide professional and public accreditation of educational programs by employers, and upgrade of equipment and equipment of universities. For this we offer applied recommendations, which are based on expansion of the use of the leading technologies according to the federal project of digital education, which is successfully implemented in Russia's regions and is oriented for the period until 2024.

18

Authors: Alexey S. Buryi, Mikhail I. Lomakin, Alexander V. Dokukin, Evgeny V. Morin, Anatoly A. Strekha, Mikhail I. Zlydnev

In order to improve the scientific and methodological base of data and measurement systems of testing laboratories within the stage of software products certification, the article suggests an integrated approach to assessing the quality of software. The approach includes structural analysis of information and measurement tasks, implementation of ISO standards when developing information features models and creating databases as well as formalized representation of the vector of features of quality in the course of software testing, based on comparison of current measurements with specified requirements of standards (images). A cognitive model of software product quality was obtained on the basis of the analysis of fuzzy cognitive maps and weakly structured scenarios of interaction between external and internal factors affecting the formation of quality properties of software products. The results of modeling are presented and conclusions are formulated.

20

Authors: Aleksandr G. Rubin, Natalia V. Zinchenko, Aleksandra Yu. Artyushkova, Vasiliy V. Sorokozherdyev, Gennadiy G. Pimenov

The purpose of this paper is to develop an alternative - systemic - approach to managing the quality of company's business processes, which would describe - precisely and correctly - the causal connections of provision of quality of company's business processes under the influence of endogenous and exogenous factors in a hi-tech market environment. Originality of the research consists in the fact that it fills the gaps in the system of scientific knowledge on the topic of quality in entrepreneurship. The advantages of this paper include the following: firstly, it takes into account the hi-tech context of the modern market economy and considers quality from the positions of innovations and digitalization. Secondly, it opens a "black box" and shows the internal structure of quality, studying it not from the positions of the final result but in view of business processes. Thirdly, it considers endogenous and exogenous factors, reflecting the conditions of formation of quality in entrepreneurship. Practical significance of the authors' conclusions and recommendations consists in their high level of detalization, which simplifies their implementation into the managerial practice of modern entrepreneurship. As additional advantage of the results of this research is the fact that they were obtained based on experience of the leading developed and developing countries by the level of digitalization. This makes the authors' recommendations universal ' they could be applied around the world.

24

Authors: Qais Ahmed Al-Maamari, Tamer Alkadash, Mujeeb Saif Al-Absy, Muskan Nagi, Manar Ahmed Abdullah

However there is a huge amount of research on Total Quality Management Practices (TQMps) as a multidimensional construct on individual readiness, there seems to be a lack of literature that provides detailed accounts of procedures for how Total Quality Management Practices (TQMps) have an impact on individual readiness for change (IRFC). This research analyses organizational commitment as a mediator by which total quality management augments individual readiness for change. A survey was conducted on a sample of 360 Yemen Oil Units (YOUs) employees selected using stratified random sampling methods. The data from the self-administered questionnaires, which had a return rate of 60%, was subjected to Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) analysis and validated that TQMps were the most prominent gauge for individual readiness for change. Furthermore, TQM practices were linked to the rise in Employees' organisational commitment as well as the growth in IRFC. The aim of this research is to further examine the association between TQM practices and the IRFC.

14

Authors: Alina Steblyanskaya, Zhen Wang, Nailya Gabdrahmanova

Financial decisions that take into account long-term social, energy and environmental consequences should be determined as the the key point for the sustainable growth of the oil and gas industries in many countries all over the world, including Russia and China. The oil and gas industry transition to "Green Finance" in these two countries is represented by a new mathematical dynamic model, which uses the Ricci tensor analysis. For a sustainable growth analysis (a) Financial sustainable growth index (FSI), (b) Higgins' sustainable growth rate (SGR Higgins), (c) Ivashkovskaya' sustainable growth index (SGI Iv), (d) Varaya' sustainable growth index modification (SGI modif) was analyzed and the graph' average weights of the Ricci curvatures (Re) are compared. The links between financial sustainability and nonfinancial factors were found. Comparative analysis of the development of the China and Russia petroleum industries shows that China is developing more steadily. The R- values for each period are higher for China than for Russia.

16

Authors: Aminah Hardwan Ahmed, Luca Zanotti Fragonara

A systematic review was undertaken to examine the solutions available for traffic congestion and associated problems in smart cities. Google Scholar and Google were used as search engines, leading to the final selection of 35 eligible papers for inclusion in this review, after a serious of screening based on definite criteria. Intelligent transport systems were found to be the most suitable solution to traffic congestion and associated problems in smart cities. Certain models and frameworks of smart cities include smart mobility and transport management systems. These can be approximated to intelligent transport systems. True intelligent transport systems are infrastructure-based or intelligent vehicle based or more preferably, a combination of both. The Internet of Things and cloud computing should be built into the system as they enable the operation of smart transport networks. Some methods of designing traffic control systems combining both Eulerian and Lagrangian approaches have been discussed for the possibility of using any of them to design a new automatic traffic monitoring and control system for smart cities. The practical implication of this research is that it can improve quality of life of people by minimizing traffic congestion. Limitations of this paper include this being a systematic review, availability of very few papers and not considering adaptive intelligent traffic control systems. Explanations for these limitations have been provided.

16

Authors: Yevhenii Rudnichenko, Larysa Liubokhynets, Nataliia Havlovska, Olena Illiashenko, Nina Avanesova

The study of the management system of modern companies indicates the need for a qualitative justification of managerial decisions related to the selection of methodological and instrumental approaches for their improving. It has been established that a qualitative choice of agile management methodologies is a prerequisite for the formation of universal algorithms for the automation of managerial processes and general optimization of the company strategic development processes. Agile management allows to quickly respond to processes of rapid change in the functioning environment of individual business entities and provides enterprise management with a sufficient number of managerial alternatives. The direct selection of agile management tools should be based on reliable methods, that is the basis of economic mathematical modeling. The article suggests using optimization models for choosing agile management tools based on the criterion of minimizing costs. It is proved that it is agile management with a reasonable choice of the necessary tools that can provide enterprise management with the opportunity to formulate high-quality management decisions in the context of the company strategic development.

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Authors: Adnan M. Rawashdeh, Mohammad Salameh Almasarweh, Eiad Basher Alhyasat, Firas Al-Rawashdeh

This study aimes to investigate the effect of transformational leadership to organizational performance via the mediating role of quality innovation. Adopting a quantitative research design, data were collected from 222 middle level- leaders using a self-structured questionnaire. Structural equation modeling (SEM) via The Analysis of Moment Structures, i.e., IBM AMOS 22 was used to test the hypotheses. The findings indicated that transformational leadership was significantly associated with both innovation and organizational performance. Furthermore, innovation has a positive effect on organizational performance. Consequently, the results underlined a significant mediation role of innovation in the relationship between transformational leadership and organizational performance. The findings of this study serve as a guide for leaders and policymakers in terms of having better understanding on the relationship between transformational leadership, quality innovation, and organizational performance. Hence, practitioners are able to design a good polices for adopting transformational leadership and innovation to enhance organizational performance. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this paper is the first of its kind to anayise the mediating effect of quality innovation on the relationship between transformational leadership and organizational performance linkage in manufacturing sector in a developing country context. Finally, the results of this study was extracted based on data collected from manufacturing sector, which can not be generalized across a braodr rang of sectors.

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Authors: Ratna Sari Dewi, Melinda Roza, Muhamad Taridi, Alek Alek, Fahrurrozi

The objective of the study is to examine the effect of quality of education on the students' satisfaction and loyalty in the universities of Indonesia. The study has collected 384 responses from the students of Indonesian HEIs using five-point Likert scale self-administered questionnaire. The sample was gathered using nonprobability convenience sampling technique and analysis was based on PLS-SEM using SmartPLS version 3.2.8. The results have shown that quality of education has significant effect on student satisfaction while student satisfaction has significant effect on student loyalty. From a practical point of view, as a cumulative body work arises on the quality of educational service, but this study's conceptual model provides greater acknowledgement if such improvement of image and ranking are addressed by the institution of tertiary level. A strong understanding of the relationship between program quality, industrial link, student satisfaction, image and service quality that allows to make better policy and strategic decisions, as well as finding ways to be strengthened by organization management. This makes it possible to recruit high-quality foreign students in the world's leading universities for academic research and development.

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Authors: Muhamed Begović, Samir Čaušević, Elma Avdagić-Golub

Software Defined Networks (SDN) offer a new architecture and different approach to the management of traffic and network resources. Unlike traditional networks, SDN separates control and data planes and enables centralized network management. Forwarding devices are programmable, network statistics are monitored and behavior adjusted to current traffic conditions. SDN is an answer for meeting the QoS (Quality of Service) demands of environments such as IoT (Internet of Things). This paper provides an overview of contemporary approaches in optimizing such complex scenery, and present-day mechanisms for balanced and efficient use of network capacities, ensuring QoS through traffic-aware routing and dynamically adaptive rules. Key new ideas were identified in optimizing the management of the SDN-IoT network. Ultimately, room for future research has been identified and the need to create a new comprehensive model tailored to the specificities of the SDN-IoT environment has been addressed.

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Authors: Ekaterina P. Rusakova, Agnessa O. Inshakova

The purpose of this paper is to determine the influence of the factors of industrial and manufacturing engineering on quality of services that are provided in digital legal proceedings of the Asia-Pacific region, based on? Big Data, blockchain, and AI. The authors model the influence of the factors of industrial and manufacturing engineering on quality of legal proceedings in countries of the Asia-Pacific region with the help of correlation analysis. Simplex method is used for determining the optimal influence of the factors of industrial and manufacturing engineering on quality of legal proceedings in countries of the Asia-Pacific region. It is determined that the potential of increase of quality of services of digital legal proceedings based on managing the factors of industrial and manufacturing engineering is more vivid in developing countries (33.55%) than in developed countries (9.36%). The authors reflect a new view on the prospects of development of legal proceedings - from the position of consumers' interests' protection, emphasizing on quality of the provided public services. Due to this, a new, alternative approach to state management of development of the legal proceedings system is developed; instead of increase of regulation, it envisages de-regulation and marketization of legal proceedings. An original approach to managing the quality of services of digital legal proceedings is offered, which is based on managing the factors of industrial and manufacturing engineering.

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Authors: Fernanda Santos Mendes, José Miguel Soares

The present paper analyses the KPI's (Key Performance Indicators) of the financial area, based on the real project of the pharmaceutical company ABC in the Iberian affiliate. The process of outsourcing in the financial services, using shared resources is already a current practice in the organizations with multinational size. With the definition of six sigma management strategy model, the choice has fallen on DMAIC methodology (Define- Measure-Analyze-Improve-Control). Once the concept of quality is linked to this work presentation, was made a study about this issue. Was also performed in the literature review, a description was made to realize the relationship between the strategy and methodology, as well as itself concept. Outsourcing of services was recently, which allowed a very active participation and interaction between resources. The analysis was done step by step of this process, according to the chosen methodology. Does the externalization of financial services (suppliers' area) have improved the key performance indicators (KPI) compared with the previous process?

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Authors: Fazle Rabbi, Saad Saud Almutairi

The aim of this systematic review was to review the methods adopted by corporates to avoid corporate tax, factors related to it and responses of countries to improve their compliance. Using Google Scholar with the topic as the search terms and different overlapping timeframes, the search yielded 68 papers. These were listed and briefly described. The common factors in these studies were tabulated for easy reference. It was a revelation in the way the corporates adopted methods to avoid sales tax. Papers dealing with policies, strategies and impact of sales tax on these corporates were in majority. Economic growth variables and their linkage to sales tax were the basis of study of some papers. Corporate social responsibility is an essential part of corporate finance and an attempt to link it with their tax compliance practice was the subject in some. Studies also covered the role of civic and interest groups in preventing evasion of tax as detrimental to society at large. An important aspect which came to light was that as long as there is competition among countries on tax matters and the existence of tax havens, a defiance of the tax laws and the tendency to avoid tax was noticed. Only a thorough reform of the tax laws in the countries will check these large scale evasions and bring more revenue where it is required. The need of the hour is a vigilant civil rights and interest group which can add pressure on the corporates to behave responsibly and ethically towards tax compliance. The implications that these changes will bring is huge as it prevents leakage of income which is rightly due to the governments. This study will help in plugging the loop holes and ensuring stricter compliance with the laws of the land.

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Authors: Rabee Alqahtani, Narentheren Kaliappen, Mohammed Alqahtani

This paper provides a systematic review of the quality of adaptive learning tools over non-adaptive learning tools. A search using the relevant keywords in Google Scholar yielded 66 usable papers. These were categorised based on the works and the countries where most of the research has taken place. Perceived problems were identified and a framework / model as a suitable solution was developed - both adaptive and non-adaptive. Adaptive learning is an interactive experience which leverages technology and provides a responsive teacher to the student. The advantages over non-adaptive methods are numerous and mentioned here. A review of these showed their superiority also in terms of quality over the existing methods. Learning styles are the prominent points of discussion and form the basis for developing frameworks or models. This research has implications on the quality of learning capability of the students and also on the quality of delivery of teaching. Infrastructural limitations in schools are possible but can be overcome through smartphones / other technologies. For future research, it would be worthwhile to compare the adaptive learning tools with non-adaptive learning tools using a quantitative methodology.