ACTIVITIES

Authors Published the Study Titled: “Entrepreneurial and Intrapreneurial Intentions: Analyzing The Premise of Distinct Constructs with Different Determinants“

Study titled “Entrepreneurial and intrapreneurial intentions: analyzing the premise of distinct constructs with different determinants“ was published as one of the first project outcomes. It is issued in Periodicals of Engineering and Natural Sciences (Vol. 10, No. 3) journal.

This study investigates entrepreneurial and intrapreneurial intentions of the working-age population in Bosnia and Herzegovina by considering a set of demographic and entrepreneurial background factors. Using a cross-sectional survey design, 782 responses were collected. Utilizing the advanced statistical methods, the study reached results which suggest important theoretical and practical implications.

Considering the limitations in the existing literature, the first objective of the research was to determine whether entrepreneurial and intrapreneurial intentions are divergent constructs. Results show that these to constructs are statistically different and deserve separate attention.

In regards to mixed results present in the earlier research, the second objective of this study was to investigate whether demographic factors are significant differentiators in entrepreneurial and intrapreneurial intentions. Analysis shows that age is a significant differentaitor in those intesions. Experience and education are found to be partial, while gender is not a significant differentiator in entrepreneurial and intrapreneurial intentios.

Also, existing literature offers diverse findings in relation to the significance of entrepreneurial background for entrepreneurial and intrapreneurial intentions. Results reached by this study indicate that both entrepreneurial education and entrepreneurial family are significant differentiators in entrepreneurial and intrapreneurial intentions.

The importance of this study lies in the fact that it helps various actors in B&H business environment. Since the results show that young population is characterized by higher entrepreneurial and interpreneurial intentions, policymakers in Bosnia and Herzegovina should aim to improve entrepreneurial ecosystem to help them convert those intentions to real actions. This is highly important cosnidering that the current business environment is regarded as bureacratic, with high taxes and lack of resources.

Also, this research shows that individuals with less experience have higher entrepreneurial and intrapreneurial intentions. Such results suggest that the companies should review their current recruitment policies which require work experience even for the entry level positions. Such occurences limit young and less experienced workers, who could significantly contribute to the companies, to apply and get the job.

Finally, results show that entrepreneurial education significantly contributes to entrepreneurial and intrapreneurial intentions as opposed to general education. Hence, educational institutions should adjust their curricula and offer more entrepreneurship-related courses starting from the high schools.

A Roundtable Discussion titled “Young Entrepreneurs: Motivation, Challenges, and Support” held at IUS

A roundtable discussion titled "Young Entrepreneurs: Motivation, Challenges, and Support" was held at the International University of Sarajevo (IUS) on Tuesday, March 21, 2023 with an aim to inspire and empower young adults in pursuing their entrepreneurial dreams. The event was moderated by Asst. Prof. Dr. Šejma Aydin and attended by both high school and university students.

The event featured a panel of exceptional speakers, including Ms. Nerma Saračević, Startup Finance Mentor at “Mozaik Foundation”, Ms. Elvira Leka, Executive Director at Center for Education and Research "NAHLA”, Ms. Merjem Hamzić, business owner of “BASHKA Chocolatier”, Mr. Asim Aganović, Software Developer and Mr. Ali Dlakić, the business owner of “ACEDIA”. They shared their personal experiences and provided valuable insights into challenges that young entrepreneurs in Bosnia and Herzegovina face, as well as potential solutions to overcome those challenges.

The main goal of the discussion was to promote entrepreneurship among young adults and introduce them to various opportunities and resources available to support their ventures. The event was organized by a dedicated team of experts, including Assoc. Prof. Dr. Emil Knezović, Senior Assistant Dr. Azra Bičo, Asst. Prof. Dr. Šejma Aydın, and Assistant Hamza Smajić, as part of their project “Entrepreneurial and Intrapreneurial Intentions in Sarajevo Canton: A Generational Approach”.

Overall, this roundtable discussion was a huge success, inspiring and empowering young adults to pursue their entrepreneurial dreams and showing them that with, anything is possible.

Authors Published the Study Titled: “Assessing the Entrepreneurial and Intrapreneurial Intentions of Current and Future Labor Forces: The Role of Entrepreneurial Orientation”

Study titled “Assessing the entrepreneurial and intrapreneurial intentions of current and future labor forces: the role of entrepreneurial orientation“ was published in European Journal of Management and Business Economics.

The study aimed to examine whether there is a difference in entrepreneurial and intrapreneurial intentions between current labor force and future labor force. Moreover, the role of entrepreneurial orientation as a common determinant has been presented.

A cross-sectional survey was used to collect the data from 472 members of the current labor force and 310 members of the future labor force in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Hypotheses of this study were tested utilizing advanced statistical methods.

The reached findings showed that there is a difference in both entrepreneurial and intrapreneurial intentions between current labor force and future labor force and that individual entrepreneurial orientation, to a certain degree, is a determinant of them.

The study extends the literature by offering a comparative approach to two populations within the same country. Furthermore, the study deviates from a more traditional approach that entrepreneurial and intrapreneurial intentions are divergent constructs with different determinants.

Authors Presented the Paper at the “Challenges of Europe” International Conference

As part of the project, team members (Dr. Emil Knezović, Dr. Šejma Aydin, Dr. Azra Bičo, and Hamza Smajić, MBA) participated in the 14^th International Conference “Challenges of Europe: Design for the Next Generation" held between 17-19 May 2023 at Bol, Brač Island, Republic of Croatia. The conference was organized by the Faculty of Economics, Business and Tourism, University of Split, in cooperation with the European Commission.

Among esteemed researchers from all over the world, the most prominent participants were keynote speakers Prof. Eric Maskin (Nobel Laureate in Economics 2007), Prof. Alvin Roth (Nobel Laureate in Economics 2012), Prof. Edward Altman (World’s Leading Expert on Credit Risk and Debt Markets), Prof. David Reibstein (World-renowned Authority on Branding and Marketing Metrics), Assoc. Prof. Özge Öner (World-famous Academic in Urban and Spatial Economics), and Mr. Luc Tholoniat (Director, Directorate-General for Economic and Financial Affairs, European Commission).

At one of the first sessions, team members presented a paper titled “Understanding Individual Entrepreneurial Orientation: A Generational Perspective”. The presentation sparked the interest among authors from the field, leading to a fruitful discussion that paved valuable future research avenues. Additionally, the team participated in other relevant sessions, discussions, lectures, and events with the aim of gaining the most recent knowledge on the relevant topics, expanding the network for future collaboration, and promoting the project and the International University of Sarajevo.

Overall, the participation in the “Challenges of Europe” Conference was highly successful and resulted in gathering the most recent knowledge in the fields of management, economics, and finance. Additionally, it opened ways for future collaborations between researchers from Bosnia and Herzegovina and scholars from all over the globe.

Team Organized the Lecture to Promote the Results of the Project: “Entrepreneurial and Intrapreneurial Intentions in Sarajevo Canton – A Generational Approach”

On 25^th May 2023, the team organized a lecture with the aim of disseminating the main findings of the project. The event took place at the International University of Sarajevo. It was attended by various professors, students, and others interested in entrepreneurial and intrapreneurial intentions in Canton Sarajevo.

The lecture was held by Dr. Azra Bičo. She introduced the audience to the project, research, performed activities, final results, and future plans. This lecture was followed by an interesting Q&A session, which led to a long and fruitful discussion. Participants were curious about the results of the project but also their implications in practice. Team members welcomed the questions and shared their views with the audience.

Authors Presented the Paper at the 12th International Scientific Symposium: “Region, Entrepreneurship, Development”

Team members participated in the 12th International Scientific Symposium: “Region, Entrepreneurship, Development” held on 15-16 June 2023 in Osijek, Republic of Croatia. This conference was organized by the Faculty of Economics in Osijek, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek in cooperation with several other institutions.

The team presented their paper titled “Entrepreneurial and Intrapreneurial Intentions in Bosnia and Herzegovina: A Generational Approach”, which led to valuable discussion among participants and interesting suggestions for further research and cooperation. The team members also listened and actively participated in relevant paper presentations prepared by other esteemed participants.

Apart from tracking the recent research streams in the field, the conference enabled the participants to meet other scholars and expand their professional networks which could be the basis for joint projects in the future.

Authors Published the Study Titled: “Entrepreneurial and Intrapreneurial Intentions in Bosnia and Herzegovina: A Generational Approach”

The paper presented at the 12th International Scientific Symposium: “Region, Entrepreneurship, Development” mentioned above was published in its proceedings. It aimed to examine entrepreneurial and intrapreneurial intentions through a generational perspective with a focus on Baby Boomers, Generations X, Y, and Z.

Utilizing the cross-sectional survey design, the authors collected 1,292 responses from 18+ individuals in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The proposed hypotheses were tested using the advanced statistical methods.

The results showed that entrepreneurial and intrapreneurial intentions significantly vary across generations. For both types of intentions, Baby Boomers achieved the lowest, while Generation Z achieved the highest scores.

This research confirmed the existence of generational differences in entrepreneurial and intrapreneurial intentions. The results provide important practical implications for policymakers and managers.

Final Project Report Submission

By the end of June 2023, the project team submitted the final version of the report that summarized everything that has been done throughout the project: “Entrepreneurial and Intrapreneurial Intentions in the Sarajevo Canton: A Generational Approach”. The report included 59 pages and was structured as follows.

It started with the introduction which explained the topic and the aims of the project. It was followed by an extensive literature review of key variables and the relationships between them. Further, the report contained the precise methodology that was used to collect responses from participants and analyze them. The results section contained the main findings on the profile of respondents, entrepreneurial and intrapreneurial intentions, and other related variables. The conclusion section summarized the results and provided suggestions based on them. Finally, the report ended with a summary of all project outcomes.

The report was submitted to the Ministry of Science, Higher Education, and Youth of Sarajevo Canton. The aim is that the government, educators, and policymakers consider and implement the relevant results based on the research conducted through this extensive project.

Authors Published the Study Titled: “Age, Entrepreneurial and Intrapreneurial Intentions: The Mediating Role of Individual Entrepreneurial Orientation”

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between age and entrepreneurial and intrapreneurial intentions considering the mediating role of individual entrepreneurial orientation dimensions.

The authors utilized the cross-sectional survey design and collected data from 782 working-age individuals from Bosnia and Herzegovina. Hypotheses were tested utilizing complex statistical methods.

Results showed that younger individuals have significantly higher entrepreneurial and intrapreneurial intentions compared to older individuals. The mediating role of individual entrepreneurial orientation dimensions was partially supported.

This research enriched the literature on the relationships between age, individual entrepreneurial orientation, and entrepreneurial and intrapreneurial intentions. Moreover, it provided valuable theoretical and practical implications.