Vezetéstudomány / Budapest Management Review
The monthly published, peer-reviewed Vezetéstudomány / Budapest Management Review [ISSN 0133-0179 (Print); ISSN 3057-9376 (Online)] is the most significant journal in the field of business, management, and organizational studies in Hungary, published since 1970. It is a general management journal, which includes studies on different aspects of organizations: structure, processes, and performance, and equally on cultural, behavioural, and technological subjects, and publishes papers that provide empirical findings or contribute to theory. Articles published in the journal (starting in 2022) are indexed in the SCOPUS database.
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Guest editorial foreword to the Thematic issue on "Stakeholder roles in product and service management"
Copyright (c) 2026 Corvinus University of Budapest, publisher of Vezetéstudomány / Budapest Management Review https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
From theory to practice – Bridging international competency models with Fligby simulation for leadership self-assessment
This paper explores how the FLIGBY digital simulation bridges the gap between the theoretical frameworks of international leadership competency models (ECQ, UNESCO, UN, OECD) and practical competency development within the public service. The research focuses on the tension between students’ self-perceived competencies and their actual performance measured in simulated decision-making scenarios. An exploratory pilot study was conducted involving 16 public service professionals. A mixed-method approach was employed, where subjective self-assessment scores were linearly transformed to be comparable with the algorithm-based behavioural scores generated by the simulation software. The results confirm a significant discrepancy between „perceived” and „actual” (simulated) competency levels. Participants consistently overestimated their skills, particularly in interpersonal domains. The study concludes that while static competency models define normative expectations, they lack the feedback mechanisms necessary for reflexive self-awareness. The FLIGBY simulation effectively complements these frameworks by providing experiential feedback and fostering realistic self-assessment of leadership.
Systematic Literature Reviews in management research
The aim of the study is to identify the methodological and stylistic requirements of systematic literature reviews in management research, and to present the current practices and development opportunities of Hungarian research in this area. The research consists of two parts. The first part analyses eighteen editorial articles published in international management journals, with the aim of identifying good practices recommended by journal editors. The second part reviews thirty systematic literature reviews published between 2021 and 2025 in Hungarian MTA “A” category journals, evaluating domestic practice against the international benchmark identified in the first step. The comparison suggests that international editors consider methodological transparency, quality of theoretical synthesis, and practical relevance to be the most important, whereas Hungarian articles are more often descriptive and place less emphasis on critical evaluation. The study formulates recommendations to improve methodology, strengthen critical synthesis, and promote the ethical and transparent use of artificial intelligence.
Who wins today? University governance and management in model-changing institutions
In Hungary, the most contested higher education reform of recent decades has been the so-called model change, which has generated debates domestically and internationally. The legislation granted the foundations maintaining the modelchanging institutions the opportunity to deviate from the governance model prescribed for state institutions, thereby allowing for a more diverse set of institutional governance practices to emerge. Drawing on the statutes of the modelchanging universities, this article examines the (self)governance and management of universities. The findings indicate that in most model-changing institutions, the powers of the senates have diminished, particularly in financial matters. In one-third of the senates, the share of members whose appointment depends on the management or the board of trustees has substantially increased. Overall, four distinct types of senates can be identified: self-governing, marginalised, symbolic, and controlled senates. With regard to management, three main models emerge: the rector–chancellor, the presidential and the rectoral model.
The presence of machiavellianism in the workplace
Machiavellianism is a core personality trait of the Dark Triad that, in organizational contexts, is associated with strategic self-advancement and orientations toward power and hierarchical positions. The present study aimed to examine the extent to which Machiavellianism (Mach) can be explained by demographic and work-related status variables. The sample consisted of 768 participants, and Machiavellianism was assessed using the Machiavellianism Personality Scale (MPS). A multiple linear regression analysis indicated that the overall model was statistically significant (R2 = .190; R2Adj.= .178 p < .001). The results showed that women scored lower on Machiavellianism than men, whereas middle- and topmanagement positions were associated with higher Mach scores compared to non-managerial roles. Participants aged 51 years and above exhibited lower Mach scores relative to those aged 18-30, while organizational tenure did not emerge as a significant predictor.
CALL FOR PAPERS - THEMATIC ISSUE (Vol. LVIII., 2027): Business Process management in the Age of Digital Transformation
CALL FOR PAPERS - THEMATIC ISSUE (Vol. LVIII., 2027): Communication Management and Complexity"
Call for Papers for Publication Excellence Award
Magyar Tudományos Akadémia IX. Osztály Gazdálkodástudományi Bizottság Ipar- és Vállalatgazdaságtan Albizottsága, Marketingtudományi Albizottsága és Vezetés- és Szervezéstudományi Albizottsága
CALL FOR PAPERS - THEMATIC ISSUE (Vol. LVIII., 2027): Startup Excellence - Strategy, Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Call for thematic and special issue proposals for Vezetéstudomány / Budapest Management Review, 2027
Architects and architectural engineers as dual-role stakeholders in the innovation value chain of offsite construction technologies
This study examines innovation resistance toward off-site construction technologies among Hungarian architecture students and practising architects, who act as dual-role stakeholders, by using building technologies. Based on Innovation Resistance Theory (IRT), seven resistance dimensions (usage, value, risk, tradition, image, innovation-related, and educationrelated) were identified and examined through a quantitative survey (n=109). Reliability tests, Spearman correlations, and nonparametric analyses confirmed a consistent scale structure and revealed negative associations between resistance dimensions and innovation acceptance. Legitimacy-related factors (expert availability, client and regulatory acceptance) emerged as the strongest predictors of innovation resistance. The highest average intensity appeared in the usage dimension, while the tradition dimension showed the greatest heterogeneity and relevance. Differences in educational barriers suggest the formative role of architectural training. The findings support a three-level integrated communication model that links perceptual, interactional, and institutional mechanisms, offering a framework for interpreting and mitigating innovation resistance in the adoption of offsite construction technologies.
MTA Section IX. Committee On Business Administration - Publication Excellence Award 2024
Challenges in mobilizing formal volunteers
Despite increasing participation in volunteer activities, effectively mobilizing potential volunteers remains challenging. Understanding this requires identifying the factors that hinder volunteering, as well as distinguishing between different groups of potential participants. In this pilot online survey, the authors examined inhibiting factors along the dimensions of “cannot”, “doesn’t want to”, and “no one asked”. Cluster analysis identified three distinct groups: the weakly constrained (n=189), the multiply constrained (n=65), and waiting potential volunteers (n=107). Cluster membership was significantly associated with gender, religiosity, community-oriented motivation, and prior volunteering experience. Limitations include non-probability sampling and the relatively small sample size; therefore, the findings are not generalizable. Nevertheless, the results suggest that the application of differentiated recruitment strategies may be justified for volunteer organizations. In particular, the group of waiting potential volunteers deserves special attention, as its members are open to participation but have not previously been approached.
Factors influencing openness to artificial intelligence
With the rapid spread of digital technologies, employee openness toward the workplace integration of artificial intelligence (AI) has become a key factor in the adaptability of organizations within the information and communication technology (ICT) sector. This study aims to identify the main factors influencing openness to AI integration, with a focus on employee engagement, work experience, job position, and educational background. Based on a survey conducted among 129 employees, the authors applied ordinal logistic regression to test their hypotheses. Results indicate that employee engagement, ICT-specific work experience, and managerial roles significantly increase openness to AI. In contrast, age, general work experience, and education level did not show a significant effect. The practical implication of the study is that successful AI implementation requires strengthening employee engagement and ensuring managerial support.
Business collaboration, digitalization, and innovation redefining success in uncertain times – A CEE perspective foreword to the special issue
Copyright (c) 2025 Corvinus University of Budapest, publisher of Vezetéstudomány / Budapest Management Review https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
Stakeholder-focused evaluation of a gamified educational platform
This article examines a gamified educational platform developed for organizations, employing a stakeholder-focused evaluation approach. The theoretical framework defines gamification, outlines its key elements, explores its application in organizational contexts, and discusses its relationship with user experience. The empirical component investigates usability issues, user perceptions of gamified elements, and factors influencing corporate procurement decisions through inductive content analysis. Data were collected through usability testing with end users (n=8) and semi-structured interviews with potential corporate decision-makers (n=5). As a case study, the findings demonstrate how structured stakeholder consideration enables informed, comprehensive development decisions for similar systems.
The role of artificial intelligence as a stakeholder in consumers’ makeup product purchasing decisions
Rapid integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into the beauty industry fundamentally transforms consumer decision making, simultaneously challenging traditional stakeholder theory. The authors recognized that traditional stakeholder approaches are unable to fully address the characteristics of AI, such as autonomous operation, influencing capacity, predictive decision support, and the active role it plays in shaping consumer experiences. The aim of this research is to explore how AI can be interpreted as a stakeholder and through what mechanisms it exerts a structural impact on the purchasing processes of makeup products. In the empirical research mixed-methods approach was used, including a questionnaire-based survey and in-depth interviews. Empirical results showed that AI appears as a decision-making support actor for more than half of consumers, making its interpretation as a stakeholder well-founded. The acceptance of AI recommendations correlated with age, education and attitude towards technology. During the cluster analysis, distrustful, technology-friendly and traditional consumer groups were separated.
The integration of design-oriented approach into corporate management processes
The study aims to explore the potential of the design approach in corporate management processes, its domestic application characteristics, and its added value to company competitiveness. The theoretical framework draws on the evolution of design management, the Design Management Staircase model, and the design capacity framework, highlighting the strategic, tactical, and operational roles of design within organizational processes. Empirically, it is based on case studies of 68 Hungarian organizations that received the Design Management Award between 2009 and 2023, supplemented by semi-structured interviews with leaders of eight award-winning companies. The findings show that most organizations operate on the upper levels of the Design Management Staircase, where design thinking is embedded in corporate culture; although strategic planning supported by formal performance indicators remains limited. The study concludes that highlevel design management creates added value by enhancing customer experience, strengthening brand differentiation, fostering innovation, and supporting long-term sustainable corporate practices.
The university as an innovation ecosystem orchestrator
In innovation ecosystems, the orchestrator plays a coordinating role, enabling heterogeneous actors to collaborate and create shared value. The authors’ study aims first to provide theoretical grounding for the orchestrator concept, with special attention to roles related to resource provision, creating the preconditions for collaboration, and shaping joint value propositions; and second, to examine universities’ orchestrator role in innovation ecosystems from a product and service management perspective. They apply a qualitative multiple-case study design, analysing two international universities (MIT, Stanford) and three Hungarian universities (SZTE, BME, METU) using a unified set of criteria. The results show that in international cases, the orchestrator role is strongly institutionalised and linked to the full innovation lifecycle, whereas in Hungarian universities it appears more partial and fragmented, often on a project basis. The study formulates theoretical and practical implications for universities, industry, and policymakers.
CALL FOR PAPERS - THEMATIC ISSUE (Vol. LVII., 2026): Entrepreneurship Research
Entrepreneurial uncertainty in Central and Eastern Europe
Entrepreneurship in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) has long been shaped by institutional instability, political volatility, and repeated shocks. This paper synthesizes findings from 42 studies to examine how entrepreneurs in this region navigate uncertainty. The systematic coding process revealed recurring themes, including institutional fragility, political involvement, responses to external shocks, digital innovation, migrant and cultural entrepreneurship, long-term reforms, and regional development. Evidence shows that entrepreneurs in CEE rely less on formal institutions and more on trust-based networks, pragmatic approaches to innovation, and practices rooted in identity. Events such as pandemics and the Ukraine war have exposed existing vulnerabilities, but also highlighted the adaptive strategies, including increased digital engagement and refugee entrepreneurship. Overall, entrepreneurship serves as both a coping mechanism amid crises and a catalyst for transformation in transitional economies. Based on these insights, the paper proposes strategies for institutional reforms, digital skills enhancement, and inclusive support systems.
Advancing sustainability in organic food SMEs through green entrepreneurship
This bibliometric study analyses 157 publications (between 2015 and March 2025) mapping research at the intersection of green entrepreneurship, sustainability, and organic food SMEs. Citation network analysis identified six thematic clusters: sustainable business model innovation, financing mechanisms for green innovation, transformative entrepreneurship, circular economy strategies, institutional support systems, and hybrid business models in organic food. Performance analysis reveals that systematic reviews and conceptual frameworks predominate in high-impact research (GCS: 1.6-8.8). Temporal evolution shows a transition from broad sustainability frameworks pre-2020 to focused innovation strategies post-2020, driven by the European Green Deal and UN Sustainable Development Goals. Geographic concentration in Western Europe and Asia limits cross-contextual applicability. Critical gaps include longitudinal validation of sustainable business models, gender-inclusive entrepreneurship research, and digital transformation pathways in developing economies. This study advances bibliometric methods in entrepreneurship research while providing evidence-based priorities for scholars, policymakers, and practitioners in organic food sustainability.
Stakeholder-oriented performance measurement
The aim of the study is to explore how key performance indicators (KPIs) are linked to different stakeholder groups and how they fit into the dimensions of the Corporate Performance Management Radial Model. The empirical analysis is based on data collected from several companies, in which KPIs were evaluated by their importance and measurement frequency. The results of the factor and cluster analyses confirmed the theoretical structure of the model, with the financial, customer, operational, employee, sustainability, and resilience dimensions clearly distinguishable. The research demonstrated that sustainability and resilience have emerged as independent, quantitatively measurable performance management dimensions. The Radial Model dynamically reflects the interactions between the company and its environment, as the priorities of its dimensions are determined by stakeholder needs. The study provides practical guidance for identifying the most relevant indicators and scientifically confirms the need to integrate the stakeholder approach into modern performance measurement.
Working on a dream – Resources and management of family businesses in winemaking
The performance of family firms depends critically on how they recognize, configure, and leverage their resource base, particularly the intangible, family-derived elements commonly referred to as familiness. This study examines Hungarian family-owned wineries with the aim of identifying their key resources, exploring their dual – both advantageous and constraining – nature, and analysing how they become embedded in everyday operations. Drawing on qualitative interviews and the existing literature, the paper introduces three novel theoretical contributions: a dynamic, life-cycle-dependent interpretation of familiness, the identification of status quo preference as a previously underexplored mechanism that inhibits the deployment of VRIN resources, and the concept of a “natural VRIN configuration” emerging from the integration of physical (e.g., terroir) and family-based intangible resources. Based on these insights, the author develops a holistic, seven-step, iterative resource-management model that links theoretical perspectives with practical managerial processes and deepens the understanding of resource dynamics in family firms.
The diffusion of AI-based technologies generates both new opportunities and challenges for society, which directly affects user attitudes. The aim of this study is to empirically test the applicability of the General Attitudes Towards AI Scale (GAAIS) in the Hungarian population and to identify attitude-based segments, along with their value-oriented profiles. Data collection took place in autumn 2024, resulting in a sample of n=415. The online questionnaire included demographic items and validated scales (GAAIS, PVQ21). The findings reveal three distinct attitude segments, which differ along individual value orientations. Among members of the Positive segment, the core values are Universality, Stimulation, and Hedonism, whereas in the Negative segment, Self Direction and Tradition emerge as the primary value dimensions. In the case of the Ambivalent segment, the dominant values are Power, Security, Conformity, and Tradition. These results provide a basis for further analyses and strategy development, while enriching the academic discourse on AI attitudes.
CALL FOR PAPERS - THEMATIC ISSUE (Vol. LVII., 2026): Stakeholder Roles in Product and Service Management
Assessing the consequences of digitalization
The rapid spread of digital technology is transforming workplaces and creating new challenges. Technostress has emerged as a critical factor to investigate, with the authors’ current research exploring its negative side (distress). Their goal was to develop and validate a Hungarian-language scale for measuring workplace technostress, building upon recognized international scales, contributing to the Hungarian literature on technostressors, and providing a tool for further research. Their cross-sectional study is based on a questionnaire with a non-representative convenience sample (n=337). The analysis confirmed the reliability and validity of the seven-dimensional scale (Overload, Invasion, Complexity, Uncertainty, Insecurity, Usefulness, Safety/Threat). Although average levels of technostress were low, individual variability was relevant, highlighting the need to differentiate technostress levels based on individual or organizational characteristics. Along with proposed refinements, the scale can be used in future studies to map the effects of technostress in the workplace and formulate recommendations for preventing its negative impacts.
The study examines, within the framework of smart tourism, “double AI” (AI-on-AI) systems. The aim is to present how leaders in the tourism sector (SMEs, municipalities, destinations) can use these new frameworks to increase risk resilience. The research is grounded in the theoretical frameworks of resilience and AI technology, utilising both qualitative (case studies) and quantitative (surveys) methods. According to the literature, AI enables personalised services and enhanced efficiency in tourism while also presenting new challenges related to data protection and employment. The study complements this by presenting international and Hungarian examples, as well as three comparative case studies. The results encompass, on the one hand, the primary components and impacts of AI systems on resilience, and, on the other hand, the key quantitative indicators from the surveys. This mixed-method approach supports corporate leaders’ decisionmaking from several perspectives.
Why do we refrain from volunteering? A test of inhibiting factors
In light of Hungary’s changing socio-economic landscape and the crisis situations of recent years, voluntary organizations are experiencing increasing pressure, highlighting the need to engage a growing number of volunteers. While the number of volunteers has risen, understanding the reasons behind non-participation remains essential for effective recruitment. This study explores barriers to volunteering in Hungary by applying an internationally recognized framework. A quantitative empirical investigation was conducted, in which the original statements of the framework were adapted into the Hungarian language and tested through a questionnaire. The results show that the adapted version is fully applicable for three factors (lack of skill, lack of accountability, lack of opportunity), while three others (lack of time, physical boundaries, and stress associated with volunteering) are only partially transferable. For the remaining two factors (lack of benefit, social boundaries), the measures did not prove to be valid in the Hungarian context.