The paper at hand analyses the principal-agent relationship, where comparative perspective between principals’ (municipalities) and agents’ (public utility providers) in the field of water and wastewater management is scrutinized. The goal of the paper is twofold: firstly, to present empirical results validating principal-agent relationships that emerged due to the reorganization process of public enterprises; secondly, to highlight the similarities and differences between the perspectives of principals and agents regarding motives, advantages and disadvantages, and price-setting in relation to the reorganization process. The empirical research is based on the primary data collected through two self-prepared and structured online questionnaires—one for municipalities, and the other for public utility providers. The results reveal similarities between public enterprises and municipalities in motivating factors for full municipal ownership. However, differences are seen among the advantages of the reorganization process. Price-setting by public utilities is recognized as a motivating mechanism for agents.

Project success requires team commitment, which is a product of an encouraging culture of cooperation and teamwork among project team members. The research work aims to ascertain which components of team commitment affect the performance of construction projects in Nigeria. The research adopted a quantitative design where questionnaires were used for data collection. Out of 1233 questionnaires distributed, 975 were received with valid responses and used for data analysis. Data were analysed descriptively using percentage, mean score, and relative agreement index. The study showed the factors of team commitment having an effect on project performance, as rated by the respondents, to be: Normative component: “Project team members owe a great deal to this organisation”; “Members of the project team do not feel it is right to quit the project before completion”; “This organisation has a great deal of personal meaning for project team members”. Affective component: “This organisation deserves the loyalty of project team members”; “The project team considers the team’s problems as their own. Then, “One of the few negative consequences of leaving this organisation will be the scarcity of available alternatives” is for continuance. In conclusion, the emotional attachment of the team members and sense of obligation to the project team and construction organisation are the driving forces behind pushing for the successful outcome of projects within the Nigerian construction industry.

This study investigates the relationships among entrepreneurship, technical competency, and business performance, focusing on CEOs in the beauty service industry in the Busan area. A total of 215 survey responses were collected, with 213 valid responses selected for final analysis after excluding 2 unsuitable responses. The key findings of the study are as follows: First, entrepreneurship was found to partially influence technical competency. Second, technical competency was found to influence business performance. Third, entrepreneurship was found to partially influence business performance. Fourth, technical competency was found to partially mediate the relationship between entrepreneurship and business performance. Based on these results, the study systematically analyzes and explains the causal relationships among the entrepreneurship of CEOs in the beauty service industry, their technical competency, and business performance. It also seeks to provide useful reference materials for strengthening the innovation and competitiveness of CEOs in the beauty service industry and establishing a theoretical foundation for future research in related fields.

Currently, there is a unique situation in the global economy, industrial eras coexist together, there is interaction and transformation of financial systems simultaneously within the framework of Industry 4.0 and Industry 5.0. New, digital resources are entering the economy, intellectual capital is becoming virtual, artificial intelligence is increasingly finding its application in the structure of financial support. Financial intermediation in developing countries is also subject to global trends, the active development of new instruments for developing economies is especially important. The aim of the study is to identify effective ways to develop financial intermediation in Industry 5.0 for the economies of developing countries. Based on the results of the study on the development of financial institutions mediation revealed a problem related to the lack of reasonable tools that could be used to improving the efficiency of the financial intermediaries market, proposed the main directions of such a process: mobilization of savings, distribution financial assets, payment system, risk management and control over market agents involved in financial operations.

This study evaluates the influence of quality certificates on sustainable food production in Poland, considering economic, social, and environmental dimensions. Analyzing 25 different certificates, the research explores their criteria, procedures, and costs across various food product categories, including meat, fish, and plant-based products. The study provides a detailed review of certification processes, from initiation to audits and inspections. It identifies both commonalities and differences among certificates, each addressing unique aspects such as environmental impact, worker rights, and product origins. Despite the diversity in standards and procedures, the study underscores the need for standardized international criteria to improve transparency and meet consumer expectations, highlighting the significant role of quality certificates in advancing sustainable food production.

In this paper, we examine a possible application of ordered weighted average (OWA for short) aggregation operators in the insurance industry. Aggregation operators are essential tools in decision-making when a single value is needed instead of a couple of features. Information aggregation necessarily leads to information loss, at least to a specific extent. Whether we concentrate on extreme values or middle terms, there can be cases when the most important piece of the puzzle is missing. Although the simple or weighted mean considers all the values there is a drawback: the values get the same weight regardless of their magnitude. One possible solution to this issue is the application of the so-called Ordered Weighted Averaging (OWA) operators. This is a broad class of aggregation methods, including the previously mentioned average as a special case. Moreover, using a proper parameter (the so-called orness) one can express the risk awareness of the decision-maker. Using real-life statistical data, we provide a simple model of the decision-making process of insurance companies. The model offers a decision-supporting tool for companies.