No abstract

The aim of this article is to assess the innovation performance of innovative small, medium-sized, and large enterprises operating in the manufacturing industry in two European countries – the Czech Republic (CR) and Finland, and to determine their position within the EU based on a comparison with average values of created Fictitious EU Country (FEUC). The FEUC includes the indicators and population of the EU member countries whose data were available. The performed analysis is based on the use of selected key performance indicators (related mainly to inputs that are expected to contribute to innovations) evaluating the enterprises´ innovation performance. The conducted research tries to identify the most significant drivers of innovation performance with regard to the size group of enterprises. Moreover, the achieved results are further compared within the innovation environment of the CR and Finland as well as the EU as a whole. It is worth highlighting the innovation resources of Finnish mainly small but partly also medium-sized enterprises, which in some monitored indicators occupy a much more significant share than in the case of the CR. This fact can indicate a particular signal, which size group of enterprises should become a target group of public support aiming to boost innovation performance.

No abstract

The chapter focuses on aspects of digital transformation connected with managing human resources (HR). It aims to present trends brought to the working environment using technologies and tools to manage people and their knowledge. Firstly, the authors aim to specify selected areas of HR management influenced by the development of information technologies based on the literature review and a professional opinion. Four areas were selected: a hybrid world of work, robotic/intelligent process automation (RPA/IPA), talents, and knowledge management in the digital era. The research statements were prepared for the round table discussion with experts and a survey using the CAWI method. Practitioners' opinion was compared with theoretical findings and statements. Despite the research limitations, the results bring topical information and complement the professionals' views. Overall, respondents agree that discussed trends in HR bring new opportunities, freedom, and flexibility, but also some challenges. RPA/IPA solutions free people from routine work and give space for creativity.

Internationalization is a widely discussed topic analysed from various points of view. In our paper, we have decided to measure this trend in two border regions in former Eastern Germany and in Czechia, namely in Saxony and the Liberec region in the time period 2013-2020. Both areas belonged to the Eastern bloc before 1990. Saxony experienced a rapid reunification process within the early 1990s and Czechia a transformation process competed in 2004 by the EU accession. In our paper, we have decided to test three hypotheses. First, we tested if Saxony is more internationalized in terms of human resources (1) and secondly with regard to export output (2). Then, we conducted the same tests on the Liberec region. Our assumption was that, due to the rapid reunification and favourable geographic proximity of lucrative Western markets, the position of Saxony would be more advanced. Finally, we tested the hypothesis (3) that the rising number of foreign workers contribute to the rising export volumes. We correlated the indicators of employed foreigners and exports per head in both regions from 2013 to 2020.