Background. The principle reason for this paper is to completely understand females’ business involvement in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) zone. Lebanon and the United Arab Emirates provide a good environment for research about women’s status in business and this topic requires more thorough exploration.

Research aims. The purpose of the article is an initial analysis of women’s situation in the Arab countries and assessment of the risks and open doors for women who are willing to own and work their establishments all through the MENA region, however the remarkable attention was given to two chosen nations from the region: Lebanon and the United Arab Emirates.

Methodology. The paper is in light of composing a review of the conducted research and data gathered on females’ business in MENA area. It takes into consideration studies done on women in Lebanon and the United Arab Emirates and the analysis of figures and tables. Thus, it is a literature review and an analysis of secondary resources of data.

Key findings. Females’ business has not reached its full capability. Now is the time to enhance women’s entrepreneurship. Women in Lebanon and the United Arab Emirates are still facing several social, cultural, and economic obstacles as part of the workforce. The ability of administrations both to generate measures that are valid, reactive, and inclusive and to improve gender orientation balance is crucial.

Background. The concept of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is nowadays widely recognised as important in a globalised economy. Companies often inform the public about initiatives they are involved with in relation to CSR but it is unclear whether such declarations are in synergy with the every-day business reality.

Research aims. The research problem is related to whether the declarations of companies concerning activities in the area of CSR overlap or are in synergy with their espoused business practice.

Methodology. Empirical research in the form of a questionnaire was conducted among 385 companies operating in Poland. The key questions verifying their activity level in the CSR area concerned: (1) involvement in pro-social endeavours, (2) participation in voluntary initiatives, and (3) creating (or modifying) legal regulations concerning the improvement of working and social conditions. The respondents’ answers were categorized based on the form of ownership, the number of employees as well as the source of capital.

Key findings. The general conclusion indicates that the companies’ declarations about CSR are not fully reflected in their real business activities.

Background. The application of modern information technologies alone does not solve communication problems in companies. The effectiveness of internal information flow is contingent on many factors with employees’ participation in planning being supposedly the one.

Research aims. The paper examines downward and upward information flows by looking through “the lens of employees” and considering their participation in planning processes. It links strategic awareness and operational planning on the one hand with performance reporting, scope of control, post-control information, and managerial feedback on the other.

Methodology. The results presented in the paper are based on a survey comprising 179 Polish companies. The authors employed a qualitative approach based on mining descriptive comments provided by employees matched with quantitative results based on pre-defined answer options.

Key findings. The content analysis revealed a certain level of reporting duties being delegated at a departmental level. It was also visible that control activities were a part of a corporate learning process, and that meetings of managers with their employees contributed to a performance related dialogue. On the other hand, the said effects were achieved by a small share of Polish companies, since only one fifth of those engaged employees in their planning processes.

Background. The main thesis of this paper assumes that advisory services provided by universities may be the basis for regional and local development. Therefore, presenting those issues, the objectives of a university advisory system for regional and local development should be defined. They include: preparing development strategies, supporting changes, adapting to existing operating conditions, developing and creating entrepreneurship, preparing to use assistance funds, etc., thereby influencing the preparation of enterprises, public and social organisations to carry out these tasks.

Research aims. An attempt to define the essence, scope, and types of university advisory services and activities related to their provision to regions, while also determining the conditions of their delivery.

Methodology. This study relies on the relevant literature, selected documents on the European Union and Polish development programmes and the author’s own reflections. The foundation for drawing it up were data processing methods, i.e. analysis and synthesis, and logical inference methods, in particular induction.

Key findings. The performed analysis indicates that universities can and should be involved in advisory services as part of their activities. A university advisory system should be built on the cooperation with other actors, cooperation under concluded agreements, but also for the preparation and implementation of regional development strategies.

Background. Internal Market Orientation is a philosophy that is meant to create a seamless relationship among different functional areas in the organisation, with a view to achieving an improved organisations’ performance. However, there is an on-going debate grounded on the upper echelon theory, with regard to how leaders’ background characteristic influence firm performance; though with limited empirical support.

Research aims. This paper seeks to assess the relationship between marketing background expertise of senior executives and Internal Market Orientation, within the context of the public sector.

Methodology. Survey data was collected from senior executives of the public sector of Ghana, comprising 111 organisations; using a structured questionnaire. The hypothesized relationships between Marketing background expertise and the primary dimensions of Internal Market Orientation were tested through Pearson’s product-moment correlation analysis.

Key findings. Data analyses reveal lack of support for the hypothesized relationships between marketing background expertise and the primary dimensions of Internal Market Orientation. However, the study provides empirical support for the on-going discourse on leadership characteristics and firm performance, in the context of the public sector; where research on Internal Marketing is limited. It also refines these discussions from both a non-western and a developing economy context.

Background. The vast majority of historical buildings no longer serve its original function because that function is no longer needed today. This fact is the reason why many of the abandoned monuments are subject to the process of degradation. A chance to extend the life cycle of historical buildings is their reuse, which is made possible thanks to adapting these facilities to perform new functions. Polish regulations lack a comprehensive, multi-criteria approach to the selection of variants of adaptation of historical buildings despite the practical needs in this area.

Research aims. Fuzzy inference system assisting the choice of a variant of adaptation of historical buildings presented in this article meets the above requirements.

Methodology. In the analysis, an expert inference system has been developed on the basis of inference rules database by taking into account the fuzzy logic.

Key findings. The developed expert fuzzy inference system is designed primarily for decision-makers from the so-called public sector. The choice made by the above mentioned concerning the use of a historical building will result not only from the analysis of expenditures that need to be incurred for the process of adaptation, but also from the benefits which stem from the idea of sustainable development that can be achieved at the same time.