Conference Tracks & Key Topics

The development of AI and other emerging technologies has influenced the transformation of marketing and communications in recent years. The transformation process has put an emphasis on technologies, leaving many issues aside. People are increasingly concerned that AI will replace them in the workplace. This fear was heightened when researchers began to explore the creativity of AI. AI anxiety has emerged as a reaction to the fear of AI. However, a successful future requires the integration of both humans and digitals. Only in this way will the desired synergy create new value for consumers. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

Software engineering involves the systematic application of engineering principles, processes, and practices to develop reliable, scalable, and maintainable software systems. Applied software engineering is the practical implementation of these principles, considering real-world constraints and requirements to deliver robust and efficient applications. Integrating requirements engineering, design patterns, agile methodologies, software coding & testing, and collaboration practices empowers developers to create reliable, scalable, and maintainable software systems. Embracing applied software development engineering principles can significantly enhance software applications’ quality, efficiency, and customer satisfaction in today’s fast-paced digital landscape. The section Applied Software Engineering aims to: – explore the key aspects of software development and software engineering and its significance in building a solid foundation for successful applications; – integrate the knowledge of researchers and practitioners’ experience and encourage both to employ technologies for problem-solving – based on best practices and proven ideas.

The technology behind blockchain is transparent. Financial services, healthcare, supply chains, insurance, manufacturing, education, the Internet of Things, identity management, and asset management are just a few of the industries and daily services where blockchain technology is starting to appear in pilot programs. New libraries, frameworks, tools, and digital platforms are used for their creation, testing, and implementation. Blockchain technology is still in its infancy and there is a great need for innovative solutions in business and information systems that reduce costs, increase security and decrease the possibility of fraud and counterfeiting. Despite its numerous benefits, blockchain technology also poses challenges, some of the most important ones being a lack of people with the necessary knowledge and skills to use the technology, a lack of trust among blockchain users, scalability, and the loss of privacy. This section aims to show the concepts and real examples of how blockchain technology transforms such innovative ideas into reality.

The merging of digital and green transformation poses significant challenges and enormous potential for societies, governments, and industries on a global scale. As society progresses towards a more technologically advanced and sustainable future, these two transformations are progressively assuming critical importance in influencing the economic, environmental, and social environments. A fundamental obstacle resides in the harmonization of digital progress with environmental objectives. Although digital technologies can enhance energy efficiency, minimize waste, and facilitate more intelligent resource management, they also generate substantial amounts of electronic waste and energy consumption. Achieving a balance between these factors necessitates the development of novel approaches that not only boost technological capacities but also place sustainability first. In addition, the digital divide presents an enormous obstacle. The presence of disparities in digital technology accessibility among various regions and communities may further compound pre-existing inequities and impede the ability of all to benefit from the process of digitalization. To ensure the equity of green and digital transformations, concerted efforts are required to bridge this gap by ensuring that all individuals have access to the required infrastructure, technologies, and skills. Furthermore, regulatory frameworks may be unable to keep up with the rapid rate of digital transformation, which may result in governance gaps that have adverse effects on social and environmental outcomes. It is essential to devise proactive, forward-thinking policies that can effectively manage the risks associated with technological advancements while maximizing the benefits that can be derived from these changes. The achievement of green and digital transformations is contingent upon our capacity to cultivate cross-sector collaboration, judiciously harness innovations, and place sustainability as the fundamental tenet of technological progress. To achieve a future that is environmentally sustainable and digitally advanced, it will be imperative to confront these challenges directly.

The topic should depict the growing potential of interaction between creativity, innovation and sustainable management. Innovation has long been recognized as the key driver of organizational and industrial growth and competitiveness, becoming even more significant in the twenty-first century. Thinking and doing creatively is one of the crucial skills and management goals, giving that the huge number of corresponding innovative solutions (new products, services, technologies and business models) is taking place in different fields This is obviously expected to grow further, empowering businesses to enlarge their reach globally and transform the way they operate. Having in mind profound impact innovations produce on doing business and driving growth and competitiveness, it should be essential to identify various implications, effects, opportunities and challenges in this context, especially in the domain of interaction between humans and digital technologies, so as to increase certainty that digital solutions are responsibly and sustainably leveraged.

Data Analytics and Business Analytics aim to develop a holistic approach to managing organizational systems in order to support their survival, development, and growth. This has proved to be particularly important in the post-COVID era, which has brought about significant changes in the business environment. Data analysis, modelling, and optimization support the decision-making process to create business value in the broadest context. In addition, various mathematical and statistical methods, and artificial and computational intelligence techniques aim to assist in forecasting, planning and managing of organizational systems. We call for papers that address interesting research problems and develop methods and approaches that help organizations apply data and business analytics. Interdisciplinary and mixed methods approaches are also welcome.

The main topic of the section “Designing organizations for digitally transformed business ecosystems” is reshaping traditional organizational structures to survive and thrive in the digital transformation era, especially as part of a larger business ecosystem. Technological breakthroughs and perpetual crises have transformed the organizational context. Individual organizational design is still attractive, but it is paramount to fit it into the organizational ecosystems and redefine organizational frameworks. This section calls for papers that will study how organizations can position themselves at the forefront of digital ecosystems using design to adjust and improve all elements of the organization. We welcome articles that focus on strategy, structure and processes, while relying on hard elements from the milestone article “Structure is not organization” by Waterman, Peters and Phillips (1980). Apart from the hard elements, articles may also focus on soft aspects of the organization, such as culture, staff, or styles. Researchers need not be limited to “7S” elements – reward systems, goals, technologies, so it is possible to extend the list to other topics related to organizational design. We need insights into the best practices of combining human creativity, intuition, and critical thinking with precision, efficiency, and since the advent of generative AI, even creativity of digital tools. Example topics include designing resilient structures that can be adapted in response to technological advancements, applying agile strategies to fit into transformed business ecosystems, “then and now” descriptions of business ecosystem transformation, structure and functional processes within the digitally transformed ecosystems, etc. Theoretical, empirical research, case studies, and success stories are welcome methodologically as long as they fit into the article form. We hope to jointly research and discuss unlimited possibilities that emerge when humans and digitals collaborate harmoniously to unlock novel potentials.

Operations and logistics management is the basis for the effective functioning of every enterprise. It is the science of planning, organizing, implementing, controlling, and improving the processes and systems that transform inputs into products and services. Digital operations and logistics management bring together information management, industrial automation, and non-wastes operations. The base of digital operations and logistics management is data. Accurate and real-time data is essential for making decisions based on monitoring and measuring the performance of business processes and resources. By enabling collaboration and optimization, a central logistics information backbone provides visibility of data across the enterprise and extended supply chain, to implement new business models and ensure their excellence. The tendency towards digitalization is of particular importance for operations and logistics management, given the time, resources, and leadership attention that organizations already devote to improving the way they manage their operations. Furthermore, with the support of digital technologies (robotics, automation, IoT, IIoT, blockchain, big data analytics, cloud computing, artificial intelligence, augmented reality, virtual reality, advanced analytics, etc.) and continuous waste and cost reduction, all industries and supply chains encourage organizational performance to yield higher and faster-growing revenue. The application of digital technologies in operations and logistics management results in enhanced productivity, efficiency, real-time visibility of data, collaboration and connectivity, data-driven decision making, supply chain optimization, innovation, adaptability, agility, business sustainability, environmental protection and increased customer satisfaction altogether.

This section discusses topics related to modern digital business ecosystems, as well as technologies employed in the development of infrastructure and digital business services. Some of the key areas of application include e-commerce ecosystems, digital marketing, e-government, e-health, smart environments and others. The section also strives to explore the practices of software development for e-business, including agile approaches, DevOps, modern software architectures, and solutions. The special focus will be on the potential application and integration of services based on technologies such as cloud computing, blockchain, mobile technologies, Internet of Things, virtual and augmented reality, artificial intelligence, and others. Further, the section aims to open new horizons and enhance collaboration and integration of knowledge from both science and practice, exchange of ideas and experiences, and encourage young researchers and students to engage in scientific and professional work in the fields covered by the section.

This section focuses on changes and challenges in managing human resources in the contemporary work environment. The general question is how has digitalization and digital transformation affected all HR processes? Additionally, to what extent can we expect the inclusion of artificial intelligence-based solutions in HR practice? How challenging is employees’ competency development for human resources in the digital era, especially in the domain of digital competencies? Finally, what can be understood as future HR trends?

The topic of “Lean management and organization – purpose, process, people” aims at bringing together leading experts from the field of lean and all related approaches directed towards the improvement of business process efficiency and effectiveness. Lean management is a broad management and efficiency improvement philosophy grounded in industrial engineering, and supported by a growing set of methods, techniques, tools, and digital technologies. Lean organizations are value-driven, with the primary business purpose of satisfying the needs of their customers through highly efficient business processes, without any waste. While the majority of people likely associate lean organizations with their emphasis on process improvement, what distinguishes lean management from other approaches is its ability to create the conditions under which people can achieve their maximum potential. Lean organizations acknowledge that valuable efficiency improvement ideas may arise from any organizational level and emphasize the importance of providing every employee with the necessary tools to actively contribute. They further encourage engagement by acknowledging and providing rewards to individuals actively contributing to positive change. This track provides a platform for researchers, educators, and specialists to exchange their knowledge and experience, discuss the most recent academic trends, issues, practical challenges and solutions regarding all things lean, and learn from each other.

Good project management requires an approach that should be consistent with the organizational strategy and project characteristics. The key aspects related to the effective linking of organizational strategy with project management practices will be analyzed in this section. The idea is to analyze innovative approaches and strategies that organizations can apply to improve the results of their projects in accordance with broader business goals through the presentation of research and practices of the participants of the section. The section will focus on ways in which organizations can synchronize their organizational strategies with specific project goals and ways to achieve optimal alignment between the long-term vision of the organization and the operational aspects of project management. It will try to find answers to the questions of how organizations can successfully apply hybrid models, recognize projects that require adaptation, and how to integrate agile principles into the framework of traditional project management. A special emphasis will be placed on how projects contribute to achieving organizational goals and creating value for the organization. It will analyze how project management can support and strengthen an organization’s strategic initiatives. The latest methods, tools, and technologies that support effective project management within organizational strategy will be discussed. Participants will be able to familiarize themselves with the latest software solutions and their applications in a real business environment. Through practical case studies, participants will have the opportunity to study the challenges and concrete solutions of organizations for implementing project management strategies. The section is designed to be an interactive panel where participants will be able to actively participate, ask questions, share their experiences, and create contacts with other professionals. The section aims to present ideas, information, and practical guidelines to encourage the improvement of project management in accordance with the dynamic requirements of the contemporary business environment.

Contemporary crises and permanent disruptions impose increasing and often conflicting demands on organisations, requiring them to continuously adapt while ensuring stability. In such conditions, contemporary organisations increasingly rely on quality management and standardisation, which enable consistent responses to uncertainty and complexity. Quality management enables organisational learning, process stability, and continuous improvement under conditions of uncertainty, thus strengthening business excellence. At the same time, standardisation supports the development of new technologies, thus enabling organisations to translate technological advancements into sustainable business results. Thereby, building resilient and robust management systems is crucial for enabling organisations to effectively meet the challenges posed by permanent disruptions.

Redesigning Finance for Permanent Disruption explores how finance functions must evolve in a world where volatility, shocks, and uncertainty are no longer exceptions but the operating environment. The track focuses on building financial systems that prioritize resilience, liquidity, and intelligent capital allocation over short-term optimization, enabling organizations to absorb stress, adapt quickly, and make high-quality decisions under continuous disruption. Through the lenses of capital structure, liquidity management, risk governance, and financial intelligence, the sessions examine how finance can move from a reactive support role to a central driver of organizational stability and long-term value creation.

GenAI is revolutionizing our interaction with technology, enabling natural language communication with computers, a stark contrast to traditional programming languages. This innovation extends beyond dialogue into generating new content across various formats like text, images, audio, and videos, all without the need for specialized programming knowledge. The accessibility of GenAI, often at little to no cost, democratizes its benefits. Unlike previous technologies that automated repetitive tasks, GenAI ventures into creative domains, executing complex tasks with minimal human intervention. Its implementation could increase annual labor productivity growth by approximately 1.5% over a decade, potentially boosting the global GDP by 7%. Goldman Sachs strategists Ryan Hammond and David Kostin suggest that productivity gains from GenAI could expand current capital growth trends in the United States, positively impacting the stock market, particularly the S&P 500 index. They forecast a potential 9% increase in the fair value of the S&P 500 due to GenAI’s influence. GenAI is poised to transform the labor market, potentially leading to job displacements. Approximately two-thirds of jobs in the U.S. are at risk of automation, with administrative and legal professions facing significant impacts. However, this shift also creates opportunities for new job roles and demands for different skill sets. To leverage GenAI’s potential, businesses, governments, and educational institutions must embrace it as a tool, investing in workforce training programs. Early data indicates that workers familiar with GenAI technologies are more likely to retain their jobs. As witnessed in the early 2000s with ICT, new technologies can lead to the creation of novel professions while boosting demand in service industries like healthcare and education. The impact of GenAI, whether disruptive or transformational, depends on its application, regulatory frameworks, and societal choices in managing these technologies. Policy makers should aim to create a regulatory environment that encourages GenAI usage while addressing concerns like data protection, AI ethics, and employment impacts.