Vol. 10, Issue 3, 2025

Summary

Social Media and Entrepreneurial Thinking: The Mediating Role of Motivation among University Students

  • Page: 521
  • Authors: Lotfi MEKHZOUMI, Akram BAKADI, Imad BELLOUL
  • Abstract: This study examines how social media relates to entrepreneurial thinking among university students and clarifies the role of motivation using established psychological frameworks. Drawing on Self-Determination Theory and Social Cognitive Theory, the research models motivation as a pathway through which social media engagement is associated with the dimensions of entrepreneurial thinking. A cross-sectional survey of 321 students at a public Algerian university was analysed with partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) to test direct, mediating, and sequential pathways among social media use, motivation, five entrepreneurial thinking dimensions (opportunity identification/exploitation, innovation/creativity, resource mobilisation/management, adaptability/learning, growth mindset/self-efficacy), and an overall social media–related entrepreneurial thinking construct. The results indicate that social media use shows modest direct associations with overall entrepreneurial thinking, while motivation exhibits a stronger association and functions as the primary mediator. Among the thinking dimensions, opportunity identification/exploitation and adaptability/learning, but not innovation/creativity, resource mobilisation/management, or growth mindset/self-efficacy, transmit the association between social media and overall entrepreneurial thinking; sequential pathways (social media → motivation → opportunity/adaptability → overall thinking) are supported. These results suggest that educational interventions may be more effective when they first nurture students’ autonomy, competence, and relatedness and then channel engagement toward opportunity scanning and adaptive learning. Limitations include the single-university context, reliance on self-reported measures, and the cross-sectional design, which constrain generalisability and causal inference; future research should employ longitudinal, multi-context, and platform-differentiated approaches.
  • JEL Classification: I23, L26, M13, O33
  • Keywords: entrepreneurial thinking, motivation, pls-sem, social media, university students.
  • DOI: 10.24818/mer/2025.03-01
Download

Innovation as a Catalyst for Trade Participation in Africa

  • Page: 544
  • Authors: Victor Ushahemba IJIRSHAR, Jerome Terhemba ANDOHOL, Isa Jibrin OKPE, Joseph FEFA, Joseph Tarza SOKPO
  • Abstract: This article investigates the role of innovation as a catalyst for trade participation in Africa, addressing existing gaps in the understanding of how innovation benefits trade on the continent. The study applies the pooled mean group (PMG) and the mean group (MG) estimators. The analysis is based on data from 25 African countries. The findings reveal a bidirectional causal relationship between industrial design applications, patents, trademarks, and international trade participation. The study shows that exports encourage investments in design, patents, and branding, while innovation improves exports. Additionally, trademark applications are found to significantly boost exports, and research and development, along with logistical efficiency, contribute to short-term export growth. On the import side, the study finds that factors such as intellectual property protection, innovation, logistics, population size, and economic performance play crucial roles. The study recommends that African governments should prioritise the establishment of innovation ecosystems and promote regional economic integration.
  • JEL Classification: B17, F14, P45
  • Keywords: exports, imports, innovation, trade participation.
  • DOI: 10.24818/mer/2025.03-02
Download

Learning to Thrive: Organisational Learning in the Business Landscape of Algeria

  • Page: 566
  • Authors: Fairouze HAMITOUCHE, Mustapha MEZIANI, Nina SZCZYGIEL
  • Abstract: Organisational learning is highly important in changing environments, especially in the context of technological and social advances. This paper seeks to examine the determinants that significantly impact organisational learning within Algerian small and medium enterprises (SMEs). For this purpose, a hypothetico-deductive approach was adopted and surveys with managers and executives from 100 SMEs situated in Bejaia province in Northern Algeria were conducted. The research model was constructed using structural equation modelling, employing the partial least squares method (PLS-SEM). The insights derived from this study underscore a crucial finding: within the spectrum of the sampled SMEs, organisational learning is fundamentally rooted in experiential knowledge. This intrinsic learning process is notably fortified by the establishment of a pervasive learning culture and active participation from both management and employees. These results not only contribute to the scholarly discourse on organisational learning, but also have practical implications for enhancing the adaptive capacity of SMEs. The importance of the research lies in the development of an inventory of the reality of organisational learning in the Algerian context. This will provide insights for future research and establish a foundation upon which solutions can be considered to support the owner-manager in promoting organisational learning.
  • JEL Classification: D83, L26, O32
  • Keywords: knowledge management, organisational culture, organisational learning, PLS-SEM, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
  • DOI: 10.24818/mer/2025.03-03
Download

Risk and Reward: Regulatory Focus Orientation and the Effectiveness of Promotion and Prevention Targeted Organizational Apologies

  • Page: 583
  • Authors: Eric RHODES, Masahisa Kurt YAMAGUCHI, Samuel CLARKE
  • Abstract: Organisations are expected to apologise when they cause offense, but apologies sometimes fail to restore trust. This study applies regulatory focus theory (RFT) to examine why some apologies are more effective than others based on the inclusion of regulatory focus keywords. Our findings are based on a textual analysis of 38 real-world apologies and instrument data from 298 U.S. participants recruited from the CloudResearch Connect platform. Both paired samples t-tests and a mixed-design ANOVA showed that apologies containing promotion or prevention-focused elements restored significantly more trust, p < .001, than those limited to a basic statement of contrition. However, neither test revealed any effect of participants’ chronic RFT orientation on apology effectiveness, nor a significant interaction between apology type and orientation. The findings show that both risk and reward-focused strategies enhance apology effectiveness for U.S. consumers. Our research advances the theory of trust restoration and extends the application of RFT to organisational communication.
  • JEL Classification: M14
  • Keywords: Trust, Regulatory Focus, Apology, Communication, Forgiveness
  • DOI: 10.24818/mer/2025.03-04
Download

Operational and Organizational Stress Specific to the Agencies within the Romanian Police Force

  • Page: 594
  • Authors: Loredana-Mihaela RÎNJEA, Constanța POPESCU
  • Abstract: This study is concerned with the problem of professional stress and the regulation of emotion systems of the police officers that carry out their activity within the domain of Public Order and National Safety, at the level of one police unit. A number of 95 respondents took part in this research, both police agents and officers, more than half of them being at the beginning of their professional career. In order to carry out this research, three important work tools with closed questions were applied, and they identified the differences concerning operational and organisational stress among police agents and officers, as well as the influence of professional experience in coping with it; we also monitored the connection between the components of the emotion regulation system and the professional stress.
  • JEL Classification: D23, M54
  • Keywords: police officer, emotional regulation, operational stress, organisational stress.
  • DOI: 10.24818/mer/2025.03-05
Download

Understanding the Financing of Very Small Enterprises by the Entrepreneur’s Family: The Role of Culture in West Cameroon

  • Page: 605
  • Authors: Nelson Aubin DIFFO LONTSI

  • Abstract: The main objective of this study is to examine the relationship between the owner-manager of a VSE and the members of his family in order to detect the elements within this relationship that are necessary for an understanding of the entrepreneur’s access to financing from family sources in the West region of Cameroon. The qualitative case study approach involved semi-structured interviews with 11 VSE promoters, and the thematic content was analysed using Nvivo 10 software. From the analyses, it emerged that the reciprocity of services rendered between the entrepreneur and members of the family constitutes the main cultural lever that allows these business leaders to oxygenate their business financially through family financing. As a result, VSE managers need to combine the pursuit of economic interest with respect for this cultural value, to ensure that they have access to family sources of finance for their businesses. The value added of this study lies in the fact that it puts into perspective the role of sociocultural values, and in particular “reciprocity of services rendered”, on access to local financing by very small businesses in the Cameroonian context.
  • JEL Classification: G30, G32, G39
  • Keywords: Family, reciprocity of services rendered, Culture, Family solidarity, Family financing
  • DOI: 10.24818/mer/2025.03-06
Download

European Cities in Global Clusters: A 2-Sided View of Environmental and Economic Differences

  • Page: 617
  • Authors: Corina-Elena MIRCIOIU

     

  • Abstract: In contemporary times, the economy and sustainability are deeply linked, serving as the foundational pillars that support the development and prosperity of settlements around the world. This paper explores their interdependence by investigating the formation and differentiation of global city clusters based on the Global Power City Index (GPCI) 2024 as a key analytical framework due to its multidimensional nature. Using Two-Steps cluster analysis and the Mann-Whitney U test, the study examines two perspectives, one centred on economic factors and the second focused on environmental factors. The results highlight the essential function of various GPCI pillars in defining urban groups, revealing the role of economic strength as a decisive differentiator for environmentally-defined clusters, while accessibility played the role of differentiator considering the economic perspective. The analysis continues by profiling the European cities landscape, with each city possessing unique features and with no single universal leader emerging. The findings provide valuable insights for city governments, enabling them to understand their position worldwide and consolidate their urban development strategies. Furthermore, it aids in developing public policies to increase investor appeal and assists tourism organisations in designing personalised campaigns.
  • JEL Classification: R11, Q56, A13
  • Keywords: economic factors, environmental factors, European cities profile, global city clusters, GPCI index.
  • DOI: 10.24818/mer/2025.03-07
Download

Policy Uncertainty and Investment Dynamics in the Renewable Energy Sector: A Post-Pandemic Perspective from Romania

  • Page: 632
  • Authors: Mihai SANDU, Mihai VRISCU, Ahmed SHAKIR
  • Abstract: This article investigates the influence of policy uncertainty on investment decisions in Romania’s renewable energy sector during the post-COVID-19 period. The analysis uses real data from 2018–2024 to explore the interplay between investment flows, regulatory instability, electricity market volatility, and alignment with EU-level green objectives. Econometric modelling of quarterly data reveals that unpredictable policy shifts—such as abrupt changes in support schemes or emergency price regulations—significantly dampened renewable energy investments in the short run. The results indicate that delayed support mechanisms and frequent legislative changes contributed to investor hesitation, capital relocation, and project delays in Romania’s renewable energy industry. Meanwhile, EU initiatives like the Green Deal and the Recovery and Resilience Facility appear to have moderated some negative impacts by underpinning investor confidence in the long-term decarbonisation trajectory. Based on these empirical findings, the article proposes policy recommendations to foster regulatory coherence and restore investment momentum in line with Romania’s 2030 decarbonisation objectives.
  • JEL Classification: E22, D81, Q42, Q48
  • Keywords: Econometric model, Green transition, Investment, Policy uncertainty, Post-COVID, Renewable energy, Romania.
  • DOI: 10.24818/mer/2025.03-08
Download

The Strategic Use of Standards to Foster Sustainability in Public Procurement in the Construction Sector in Romania

  • Page: 649
  • Authors: Rodica LUPU, Iuliana ZAVATIN (CHILEA), Ellemer DOBO, Alexandra STEFAN
  • Abstract: Public procurement offers an important potential to drive sustainable development and innovation through the strategic use of standards, accounting for 14% of purchasing power in the EU and more than 19% in Romania. However, despite existing policy and legal framework both at European and national level, the strategic use of standards in public procurement remains challenging, due mostly to lack of know-how, inadequate expertise, and a pervasive bias, linking efficiency to lowest price. This article presents an applied research analysis of public tenders in the Romanian construction sector from 2020 to 2024, using random samples of approximately 200 awarded contracts annually to study the occurrence of standard references and their relevance for sustainability. Findings account for a positive trend in referencing standards and a slight increase in the use of environmental or social criteria, where in 2020 less than half of the value invested by public authorities in construction works was awarded through tenders based on the of standards. While in 2024, the total value of contracts awarded through tenders referencing standards represented more than 75% of the total contracted value. Still, the overall approach to using standards strategically to foster sustainability and innovation remains fragmented, reactive, and unsystematic, with high unpredictable variations between the urban and rural environment or between various regions. This research argues for the need to invest higher efforts in devising more focused public procurement strategies, where standards can play a major role in driving behavioural changes in the private sector, and for targeted upskilling of relevant public servants and enhanced communication of both relevant standards and the strategic use thereof.
  • JEL Classification: L15, L74, F02, O38, O33
  • Keywords: public tenders, standards, sustainability, constructions.
  • DOI: 10.24818/mer/2025.03-09
Download

Managing Inflation and its Effects on the Economy

  • Page: 662
  • Authors: Silviu-Gabriel BACIU
  • Abstract: This paper examines the phenomenon of inflation and its effects on the overall performance of the economy through a theoretical and qualitative lens. The study aims to analyse the key mechanisms through which inflation influences the major macroeconomic variables, including output, employment, investment, and income distribution. By employing a descriptive–analytical and conceptual methodology, the research synthesises insights from both the scientific literature and institutional reports from global organisations such as the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. The findings indicate that inflation exerts complex and multidimensional impacts on the economy, depending on its rate, persistence, and the effectiveness of monetary and fiscal policies. Moderate inflation may stimulate economic activity, while persistent or uncontrolled inflation undermines purchasing power, distorts price signals, and reduces overall economic stability. Although the paper does not include empirical analysis, it provides a comprehensive theoretical foundation that enhances the understanding of inflation’s dynamics and its policy implications.
  • JEL Classification: A11, E71
  • Keywords: inflation, inflation rate, prices.
  • DOI: 10.24818/mer/2025.01-10
Download