Gen Z, people born in the Internet age, are entering the labour market and soon will be responsible for public administration. Such a situation creates the need to study their professional motivations and competencies. We aim to determine: (1) What are the motivating factors of Gen Z representatives? (2) What is the factor’s structure of competencies of Gen Z employees? (3) Do Gen Z’s interest in public administration result from their needs to realise the public interest? These questions are fundamental for the strategy of hiring and training newcomers. This original paper’s insights have emerged iteratively based on a systematic literature searching method and data obtained from the surveys (n = 335). Research of Polish representatives of Gen Z showed that their expectations are similar to those found in other countries. However, their responses suggest that ethical issues are not the most important for them. The presence of generation G on the labor market will generate a paradigm shift in the activity of companies and public institutions that will be the employers of these young people. Reconfiguration of the principles of human resource management is necessary so that organizations benefit from the qualities of generation Z—they gravitate towards gamified processes because of mobile-centricity; they are natives of global communication, self-learners, and self-motivators; they appreciate transparency.

Investment decisions in the field of sustainable development should be taken based on an economic calculation, taking into account the analysis of a diverse economic environment. The economic calculus of an enterprise is treated as a kind of way of thinking about the rationality of decisions made by an entrepreneur. In the case of sustainable development, the economic calculus serves as an instrument to support the selection of the investment measure. The result of the economic calculus is based on various types of economic parameters, which are subject to frequent changes and high risk. A risk-based financial account may be of little use in the context of the unpredictability of the forecasted situations. In the article, I attempted to determine the importance of a variable interest rate in the economic calculus of a company as an instrument to support sustainable development. For this purpose, I modified the Net Present Value (NPV) meter, which contains actual (variable) discount rates.

The occurrence of the COVID-19 pandemic revealed many weaknesses in the functioning of businesses. It turns out that managers are not prepared to manage the enterprise’s resources in a high-risk environment. Considering risk managers’ issues requires reaching for theoretical and practical knowledge about competencies shaped in unpredictable conditions. This study attempts to determine the importance of the company’s resource management risk among the managerial staff. For the research carried out in 2019–2020, a questionnaire, interview, and literature studies were used. The questionnaire was addressed to 282 managers from western Poland. Particular attention was paid to establishing the crucial components of the company’s resource management competence. Moreover, the regular self-assessment of risk competence made it possible to present preferences in managing strategic resources, depending on the type of position held. The competence of human resources management risk was also examined according to biographical variables (i.e., age, sex, seniority, and total seniority).

Recent economic anomalies, including the unprecedented lockdown generated by the COVID-19 crisis, have demonstrated that the weighted average cost of capital (WACC) remains an actual topic in the financial literature and in practice. Companies operate in an increasingly volatile environment, due to twin transitions and interlinked crises, and so they must have specific tools for measuring risk and profitability, in order to enable them to have a sound financial policy. Based on the earlier results obtained by Modigliani and Miller (1963), Harris and Pringle (1985), and Farber, Gillet, and Szafarz (2006), this study shows the relationship between WACC and interest rate. It offers a modified WACC formula that considers unstable market circumstances. The new redefined WACC can be a valuable tool in business planning for companies from different fields. The companies in the energy sector are very interested in the topic of WACC, considering not only the complex nature of the investments made and the long-term nature of investment recovery but also the multiple risks that have an impact on their activity and that can be found in different economic, social, and geopolitical spheres.

Previous research into Economic Value Added (EVA) has extensively described it as a business metric of firms. Still, no studies have confirmed or denied that EVA is a universal metric and that one may use EVA in unstable markets in the same way as in stable and developed economies. Meanwhile, the green energy revolution, ensuring carbon neutrality through green innovations, requires enormous investments, and the projects realised must be appropriately tailored. These projects are realised by different firms, including those from developing countries, and investors need solid financial metrics. The study determines whether EVA is a universal metric of owners’ value in the energy sector. The research proves that this metric does not correctly reflect the limitations of emerging markets, can lead to incorrect managerial decisions and limit shareholders’ value. Therefore, there is a need to reanalyse financial metrics used in financial planning, including EVA. The study eliminates this research gap and, based on data from seven countries and the Euro Zone, explains why one may not perceive the currently used EVA formula as a universal financial metric. Consequently, the study modifies the EVA formula and presents a universal solution tailored to unstable economies. In the conducted research, literature studies were used, taking into account the methodology of a systematic literature review, including bibliometric analysis. Based on this review, it is shown that little is known about whether EVA as a financial measure can be used in energy management. Two conclusions emerged: first, the research contributes to developing the business and management science; second, identifying risks associated with EVA metrics helps practitioners. In addition, the study defined further research directions.