Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Mehdi Amin Boukredimi Author-Workplace-Name: Doctoral School of Management and Business, Faculty of Engineering, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary Author-Name: Andrea Emese Matkó Author-Workplace-Name: Doctoral School of Management and Business, Faculty of Engineering, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary Title: Women’s Leadership in Higher Education: Trends, Challenges, and Opportunities Abstract: This study explores women’s leadership in higher education through a synthesis of research on leadership trends, organizational challenges, and institutional op-portunities influencing progression into senior academic and administrative roles. A PRISMA-based systematic review was conducted using peer-reviewed studies identified through academic databases, with search terms related to aca-demic leadership and higher education management. After screening and apply-ing inclusion criteria, the selected studies were analyzed using thematic synthe-sis. The findings indicate increasing scholarly attention to women’s leadership in higher education, alongside persistent management-related challenges, including constrained leadership pipelines, promotion systems focused on academic output, centralized governance structures, workload imbalance, and limited leadership development opportunities. The review also identifies institutional practices that support leadership progression, such as mentorship, succession planning, leader-ship training programs, and transparent evaluation systems. This study contrib-utes to the higher education management literature by integrating leadership trends, organizational challenges, and leadership development practices within a single analytical perspective. Keywords: Women’s leadership, higher education management, academic leadership, organ-izational challenges, leadership development Pages: 7-15 Volume: 28 Classification-JEL: M12; I23; J24 Journal: Cross-Cultural Management Journal Issue: 1 Year: 2026 Month: July DOI: 10.70147/c28715 File-URL: http://seaopenresearch.eu/Journals/articles/CMJ2026_I1_1.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf File-URL: https://cmj.seaopenresearch.eu/articles/cmj-xxviii-1-1.html File-Format: text/html Handle: repec:cmj:journl:y:2026:i:1:p:7-15 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Mădălina I. Petrea Ivanov Author-Workplace-Name: Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iași, Iași, Romania Title: Strategic Management of Corporate Sustainability: The Role of Gender Differences Abstract: Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has evolved from an ethical obligation in-to a strategic advantage, encouraging companies to integrate sustainability into their operations. However, the success of these strategies depends on how well businesses understand consumer preferences. This study examines the relation-ship between gender and sustainable consumption, highlighting differences in at-titudes and behaviors. Using a cross-sectional survey of 65 participants, the re-search analyzes purchasing habits, awareness, and perspectives on future sus-tainability trends. The findings reveal significant gender differences: women are more proactive in purchasing sustainable products, more attentive to sustainabil-ity certifications, and more supportive of policies promoting sustainability, even at higher costs. These results are consistent with existing literature, which attrib-utes women’s stronger engagement to higher ecological awareness and a more holistic understanding of environmental issues. The study offers important im-plications for corporate strategy, suggesting that businesses should tailor sus-tainability initiatives to female consumers by enhancing transparency, ensuring credible certifications, and clearly communicating sustainability efforts. Overall, the research contributes to understanding gender dynamics in sustainability and provides practical insights for companies and policymakers. Keywords: CSR, sustainability, gender differences, consumer behaviour Pages: 17-29 Volume: 28 Classification-JEL: M14, Q56, D12, J16 Journal: Cross-Cultural Management Journal Issue: 1 Year: 2026 Month: July DOI: 10.70147/c281729 File-URL: http://seaopenresearch.eu/Journals/articles/CMJ2026_I1_2.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf File-URL: https://cmj.seaopenresearch.eu/articles/cmj-xxviii-1-2.html File-Format: text/html Handle: repec:cmj:journl:y:2026:i:1:p:17-29 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Zsuzsanna Herman Author-Workplace-Name: University of Debrecen, Hungary Title: Measuring Compliance Maturity and Organizational Integrity: A Conceptual Framework for an Integrated Governance and Ethics Model Abstract: This paper examines the evolution and current limitations of compliance maturi-ty models and develops the conceptual foundations of an integrated approach—the Compliance Governance Maturity Model (CGMM). The study is based on a comprehensive literature review covering the period 2018–2025, focusing on governance-, ethics-, and compliance-oriented models as well as emerging inte-gration approaches (Antonsen & Madsen, 2021; Zammit et al., 2021; Makowicz, 2023). The findings indicate that many existing models primarily emphasize regulatory compliance and control mechanisms, while giving limited attention to critical dimensions such as leadership commitment, ethical culture, and organi-zational integrity. In response, the paper proposes an integrated conceptual framework that reinterprets compliance maturity through the systematic incor-poration of governance and ethical dimensions. The Compliance Governance Ma-turity Model (CGMM) is introduced not as a finalized empirical model, but as a conceptual pre-study aimed at establishing a theoretical foundation for measur-ing organizational integrity. The full model development and empirical valida-tion will be conducted in a subsequent phase of doctoral research. Keywords: Compliance maturity, governance, business ethics, organizational integrity, ma-turity models, compliance management, GRC, organizational culture Pages: 31-38 Volume: 28 Classification-JEL: Journal: Cross-Cultural Management Journal Issue: 1 Year: 2026 Month: July DOI: 10.70147/c283138 File-URL: http://seaopenresearch.eu/Journals/articles/CMJ2026_I1_3.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf File-URL: https://cmj.seaopenresearch.eu/articles/cmj-xxviii-1-3.html File-Format: text/html Handle: repec:cmj:journl:y:2026:i:1:p:31-38 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Adrian Ulinici Author-Workplace-Name: Academy of Economic Studies of Moldova Title: Reconfiguring Agricultural Export Strategies in the Context of International Market Volatility: Manageri-al Perspectives Abstract: The study is devoted to the rethinking of agricultural export strategies in the conditions of instability of international markets from a managerial point of view, taking into account structural shocks, geopolitical risks, logistical gaps and price volatility. The goal is to identify management adaptation mechanisms that increase the sustainability of export activities, strategic flexibility and reliability of management decisions in agribusiness and export-oriented agricultural systems. The analytical framework combines strategic management approaches, export strategy models, risk management tools and supply chain resilience concepts. The methodological basis is formed through a comparative analytical review, structural mapping of instability factors, scenario interpretation and synthesis of modern empirical and institutional data on agrarian trade in crisis conditions, including war and post-pandemic disturbances. The results show that traditional export models, focused mainly on cost minimization and stable logistics routes, are insufficient in conditions of high market turbulence. Effective restructuring of strategies requires diversification of the export portfolio by sales directions, transport corridors and contract formats, dynamic selection of partners and formation of a multi-channel export architecture with builtin risk buffers. The highest adaptability is demonstrated by management systems that integrate operational market analytics, monitoring of regulatory changes and logistical risks into the decision-making circuit. Generalized evidence suggests that companies that apply flexible export management models – modular contract schemes, distributed storage, and combined transportation solutions – provide more stable results in volatile conditions. Strategic flexibility, scenario planning, and a delegated management structure have been proven to increase responsiveness and reduce systemic vulnerability to trade shocks. Institutional interaction with international regulatory regimes, regional trade associations and mechanisms of extraordinary trade facilitation is defined as an important competence. In addition, the study emphasizes that intercultural adaptation and culturally sensitive communication with international partners increase the effectiveness of export coordination, strengthen contractual stability and support long-term presence in diversified agricultural markets. The ability of export-oriented enterprises to integrate cultural and behavioural specifics into managerial decision-making is considered an additional factor of resilience in volatile international environments. The importance of digital traceability tools, analytical risk panels, and data-driven export management is emphasized separately. The practical value of the results lies in the formation of an adaptive management model of the export strategy, which reconciles the diagnosis of instability with the configuration of strategic decisions and supports the increase in the stability of agricultural exports in an unstable international environment. Keywords: Agricultural export, reconstruction of the export strategy, volatility of the international market, sustainability of supply chains, risk management, intercultural adaptation Pages: 39-47 Volume: 28 Classification-JEL: F14, O17, M11 Journal: Cross-Cultural Management Journal Issue: 1 Year: 2026 Month: July DOI: 10.70147/c283947 File-URL: http://seaopenresearch.eu/Journals/articles/CMJ2026_I1_4.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf File-URL: https://cmj.seaopenresearch.eu/articles/cmj-xxviii-1-4.html File-Format: text/html Handle: repec:cmj:journl:y:2026:i:1:p:39-47 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Pinto, Zeala Author-Workplace-Name: Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iasi, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration Title: Normalizing Sponsorship: The Unspoken Pathways to Advancement in High-Tech Abstract: Sponsorship already operates through reference calls, meetups, calibration sessions, stretch assignments, demo slots and quiet introductions. Because it is informal and opaque, access skews toward the well-connected. This study draws on qualitative interviews with leaders and senior professionals in Israeli high-tech and uses item-level survey data (N = 219) as a supporting complement. The findings map the everyday places where sponsorship lives and show how it can be normalized through light-touch routines that are fair, auditable and hybrid-work friendly. The paper offers a practical taxonomy (access, risk-shielding, credit and visibility, brokerage, capital allocation) and converts each into concrete practices: sponsor-of-record rotations, sponsor minutes in calibration, referral-equity scripts, meetup-sourcing logs, authorship and credit checklists, and demo rotations. Treating sponsorship as organizational infrastructure reduces leakage, improves perceived fairness and makes advancement less dependent on proximity to power. Keywords: Sponsorship, women in technology, career advancement, organizational routines, gender equity, high-tech Pages: 49-61 Volume: 28 Classification-JEL: Journal: Cross-Cultural Management Journal Issue: 1 Year: 2026 Month: July DOI: 10.70147/c284961 File-URL: http://seaopenresearch.eu/Journals/articles/CMJ2026_I1_5.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf File-URL: https://cmj.seaopenresearch.eu/articles/cmj-xxviii-1-5.html File-Format: text/html Handle: repec:cmj:journl:y:2026:i:1:p:49-61 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Fusu, Grigore Author-Workplace-Name: Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iași, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, Doctoral School of Economics and Business Administration Title: The Role of Visual Education and Social Perception in Shaping the Art Photography Market: A Qualitative Analysis Abstract: This paper asks how visual education and the consumer's social perception of art photography combine to shape demand in Romania. It focuses on the consumer's side of the market, picking up where two earlier studies left off: the first looked at photographers themselves, the second at the macroeconomic footprint of the field. Thirteen Romanian consumers of art photography were interviewed in depth by telephone. Coding was manual and emergent. Eleven thematic categories surfaced from the transcripts. Schools in Romania teach virtually no photography, and the consequence is observable in the interview data. Content drives purchasing decisions; the photographer's name comes second, or sometimes nowhere at all. Therapeutic, mnemonic, and patronage motives kept appearing where we had not expected them. Willingness to pay was substantially higher than we had assumed before going into the field, with the average minimum standing at 520 RON and the average maximum at 1,460 RON. This is the first qualitative study of the Romanian art photography market built from the consumer's perspective. It also serves as the empirical scaffolding for a forthcoming quantitative survey Keywords: Visual education; social perception of art; art photography consumption; consumer motivation; Romanian art market; thematic analysis Pages: 63-74 Volume: 28 Classification-JEL: M31; Z11 Journal: Cross-Cultural Management Journal Issue: 1 Year: 2026 Month: July DOI: 10.70147/c286374 File-URL: http://seaopenresearch.eu/Journals/articles/CMJ2026_I1_6.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf File-URL: https://cmj.seaopenresearch.eu/articles/cmj-xxviii-1-6.html File-Format: text/html Handle: repec:cmj:journl:y:2026:i:1:p:63-74 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Arany, László Author-Workplace-Name: University of Debrecen, Faculty of Economics and Business, Institute of Economics, Non-independent Department of Agricultural Economics Author-Name: Popovics, Péter András Author-Workplace-Name: University of Debrecen, Faculty of Economics and Business, Institute of Economics, Non-independent Department of Agricultural Economics Title: The Infrastructure Framework of the Digital Economy: Broadband Access, Economic Resilience, And the Digital Divide in the European Union Abstract: The aim of this study is to provide an overview of the infrastructure conditions of the digital economy, with particular emphasis on the undersea fiber-optic cable networks that support global data flows, the economic impacts of broadband internet, and the regional and corporate dimensions of the digital divide observable within the European Union. Today, digital infrastructure cannot be viewed merely as a technological foundation but also as a fundamental prerequisite for economic growth, productivity, employment, business adaptability, and social participation. According to the international literature, broadband internet access is positively correlated with GDP growth, productivity, business dynamism, and economic resilience to crises; however, the intensity of these effects may vary considerably by country, region, firm size, and by demand-side adaptation. The study emphasizes substantial convergence in internet access within the European Union, particularly in Eastern and Southeastern European member states, however, urban–rural disparities, differences by firm size, and access to higher-quality connections continue to indicate structural inequalities. The development of the digital economy therefore cannot be understood solely through the lens of infrastructure availability; it is necessary to also consider actual usage, digital skills, business adaptation, and the socio-economic environment. Keywords: Digital economy, digital infrastructure, broadband internet, digital divide, digital convergence, economic resilience Pages: 75-88 Volume: 28 Classification-JEL: L86; O33; R11 Journal: Cross-Cultural Management Journal Issue: 1 Year: 2026 Month: July DOI: 10.70147/c287588 File-URL: http://seaopenresearch.eu/Journals/articles/CMJ2026_I1_7.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf File-URL: https://cmj.seaopenresearch.eu/articles/cmj-xxviii-1-7.html File-Format: text/html Handle: repec:cmj:journl:y:2026:i:1:p:75-88 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Pinto, Zeala Author-Workplace-Name: Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iasi, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration Title: From Work-Life Balance to Integration: Shifting Perceptions in High-Tech Abstract: This paper examines the shift from work-life balance rhetoric to work-life integration practice in high-tech, using Israeli firms closely coupled to United States time zones as a critical case. Drawing on a mixed-methods design that combines nineteen semi-structured interviews with engineers, product leaders, recruiters, and executives with survey data from 219 women across the Israeli high-tech sector, the study synthesizes classic lenses of work-family conflict and enrichment, boundary fit, and job demands-resources theory with current organizational realities such as hybrid work and return-to-office policies. The analysis identifies a practical core to integration: temporal equity. Outcomes depend less on total hours and more on four conditions operating together: usable schedule control, boundary fit between preferences and team routines, contained connectivity load so that evenings do not become shadow stand-ups, and credit decoupled from live presence through artifacts such as recorded demos, written kudos, and sponsor-of-record practices. Interviews reveal how Israeli-U.S. coordination creates a recurrent time-zone tax, how mental load extends beyond leave into daily logistics, and how simple routines (protected family bands with written exceptions, mirrored ceremonies across time zones, rota audits for late hours) reduce friction without slowing delivery. Men's planned co-ownership of care appears as a small but notable cultural shift. Quantitative data triangulate these themes: 72% of surveyed women cite work-life time constraints as the primary barrier preventing participation in professional meetups, and 36% report that personal obligations have prevented them from pursuing advancement opportunities. The paper contributes a clear, practice-oriented temporal equity lens on integration and specifies low-cost routines that teams can adopt. Managing when work happens and how recognition is earned, rather than only where work occurs, enables the same total hours to sustain careers without taxing family life. Keywords: Work-life integration, work-life balance, women in technology, hybrid work, temporal equity Pages: 89-99 Volume: 28 Classification-JEL: J16, J22, J28, M12, O33 Journal: Cross-Cultural Management Journal Issue: 1 Year: 2026 Month: July DOI: 10.70147/c288999 File-URL: http://seaopenresearch.eu/Journals/articles/CMJ2026_I1_8.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf File-URL: https://cmj.seaopenresearch.eu/articles/cmj-xxviii-1-8.html File-Format: text/html Handle: repec:cmj:journl:y:2026:i:1:p:89-99 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Hanukayev, Elizabeth Author-Workplace-Name: Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iasi, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration Title: Internal Marketing, Job Satisfaction, and Nursing Motivation in Psychiatric Settings: A Qualitative Study Abstract: This paper presents the qualitative findings that emerged from a mixed-methods study examining job satisfaction, work motivation, organizational commitment, and internal marketing perceptions among nursing staff and managers in an Israeli psychiatric hospital. Content analysis that was employed on the data collected through semi-structured in-depth interviews from eleven nursing staff members and four senior nurse managers, identified four overarching themes, i.e., job satisfaction, motivation, organizational commitment, and internal marketing as well as twelve related categories. Findings indicate that chronic workload, burnout, and insufficient recognition are the primary drivers of job dissatisfaction, while a sense of mission, curiosity, patient connection, and work enjoyment constitute core motivational resources. Organizational commitment is sustained through belonging and mutual team support, whereas internal marketing practices, particularly open communication, attentiveness, and individualized reward and recognition emerge as pivotal organizational levers. A convergence between nursing staff and managerial perspectives validates the identified themes. Evidence-based recommendations for healthcare managers and policy-makers are advanced, with implications for the retention and engagement of Generation Y and Z nursing staff in mental health settings. Keywords: Mental health nursing, job satisfaction, motivation, organizational commitment, internal marketing, burnout, generation Y and generation Z Pages: 101-112 Volume: 28 Classification-JEL: I12; J24; J28; M31; M54 Journal: Cross-Cultural Management Journal Issue: 1 Year: 2026 Month: July DOI: 10.70147/c28101112 File-URL: http://seaopenresearch.eu/Journals/articles/CMJ2026_I1_9.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf File-URL: https://cmj.seaopenresearch.eu/articles/cmj-xxviii-1-9.html File-Format: text/html Handle: repec:cmj:journl:y:2026:i:1:p:101-112 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Magar, Amihay Author-Workplace-Name: Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iasi, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration Title: Consumer Behavior Characteristics and Cultural Aspects in Marketing Israel’s Public Housing Abstract: The paper explores consumer behavior characteristics and cultural patterns in Israel’s public housing market, focusing on the tenants’ exercise of their purchase rights. Public housing is a social safety net and a fundamental right for disadvantaged populations, providing shelter and the potential for social and economic mobility. Although the Public Housing Law in Israel was intended to enable eligible tenants to purchase their apartments at a significant discount to help them break out of the poverty cycle, in practice, many fail to exercise this right. The study’s significance lies in its analysis of purchasing barriers through cultural and behavioral lenses, with a view to empowering vulnerable populations to exercise their rights. The quantitative research sought to examine relationships between public housing consumer characteristics and purchasing intentions. The findings indicate a market failure characterized by a gap between legislative intent and reality. While Socio-demographic variables did not constitute a significant barrier to consumer behavior, a correlation was found between literacy gaps, the absence of external professional and financial guidance, and the reluctance to initiate the purchasing process. The study found that to motivate purchasing intentions, government representatives must integrate cultural competence, proactive information, accessibility, and tailored support systems into the process. Pages: 117-132 Volume: 28 Classification-JEL: R21, D12, R38 Journal: Cross-Cultural Management Journal Issue: 2 Year: 2026 Month: December DOI: 10.70147/c28117132 File-URL: http://seaopenresearch.eu/Journals/articles/CMJ2026_I2_1.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf File-URL: https://cmj.seaopenresearch.eu/articles/cmj-xxviii-2-1.html File-Format: text/html Handle: repec:cmj:journl:y:2026:i:1:p:117-132 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Hanukayev, Elizabeth Author-Workplace-Name: Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iasi, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration Author-Name: Manolică, Adriana Author-Workplace-Name: Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iasi, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration Title: Burnout in Mental Healthcare Systems: A Multidimensional Perspective Abstract: Burnout among mental health nursing staff represents a critical and underexamined challenge with far-reaching implications for both healthcare personnel and patient outcomes. This article undertakes a systematic review of the organizational, environmental, and personal determinants of burnout within psychiatric nursing contexts, situating the analysis within established occupational health frameworks and current empirical literature. Drawing on Maslach’s conceptualization of burnout, the Conservation of Resources model, and generational workforce theory, the article examines how structural deficits—including chronic understaffing, inadequate professional autonomy, high emotional labor demands, and misaligned organizational culture—interact with individual vulnerability factors to produce and perpetuate burnout. Special attention is given to the distinct pressures inherent in acute inpatient psychiatric settings, where staff are routinely exposed to patient aggression, complex ethical dilemmas, and unpredictable clinical demands. The article further explores generational differences in work values and coping styles among Generation Y and Z nursing staff, and discusses evidence-based strategies for burnout prevention at the individual, team, and institutional levels. The discussion culminates in a set of policy-oriented recommendations aimed at fostering sustainable motivation, psychological resilience, and high-quality care delivery within mental health nursing workforces. Keywords: Mental health nursing, organizational culture, occupational stress, Generation Y, Generation Z, resilience Pages: 133-140 Volume: 28 Classification-JEL: I12, I18, J28, M54 Journal: Cross-Cultural Management Journal Issue: 2 Year: 2026 Month: December DOI: 10.70147/c28133140 File-URL: http://seaopenresearch.eu/Journals/articles/CMJ2026_I2_2.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf File-URL: https://cmj.seaopenresearch.eu/articles/cmj-xxviii-2-2.html File-Format: text/html Handle: repec:cmj:journl:y:2026:i:2:p:133-140 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Zaharia, Mara Author-Workplace-Name: Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iasi, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration Author-Name: Horodnic, Ioana Alexandra Author-Workplace-Name: Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iasi, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration Title: Corporate Social Responsibility and Corporate Moral Responsibility: Historical Trajectories and Conceptual Boundaries Abstract: This study examines the historical and conceptual relationship between corporate social responsibility (CSR) and corporate moral responsibility (CMR), two distinct but unevenly developed concepts referring to corporate responsibilities beyond purely economic concerns. Drawing on key CSR and CMR literature, the paper traces the evolution of both concepts from early formulations to contemporary debates, highlighting their different trajectories and shifting relationship. The analysis shows that CSR became a widely developed field of inquiry, while CMR remained more narrowly focused on debates around corporate moral agency. It also indicates that CSR and CMR were initially treated largely separately, before being examined together more explicitly from the 2000s onward. Three main directions can be identified in this later literature: (1) treating CSR and CMR as distinct constructs, (2) incorporating moral responsibility into CSR, and (3) comparing CSR and CMR as related or potentially competing frameworks. The paper contributes to the literature by offering a conceptual overview of how the relationship between CSR and CMR has been articulated and by clarifying the main points of connection, overlap, and divergence between the two concepts. Keywords: Corporate social responsibility, corporate moral responsibility, corporate moral agency, business ethics Pages: 141-152 Volume: 28 Classification-JEL: M14, L21, B15 Journal: Cross-Cultural Management Journal Issue: 2 Year: 2026 Month: December DOI: 10.70147/c28141152 File-URL: http://seaopenresearch.eu/Journals/articles/CMJ2026_I2_3.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf File-URL: https://cmj.seaopenresearch.eu/articles/cmj-xxviii-2-3.html File-Format: text/html Handle: repec:cmj:journl:y:2026:i:2:p:141-152 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Onea (Neculăesei), Angelica-Nicoleta Author-Workplace-Name: Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iasi Title: Organizational Inclusion as a Multi-Level Process: A Conceptual Synthesis of Access, Participation and Belonging Abstract: Workforce diversity has become commonplace, yet the mere presence of differences does not ensure equitable participation or equal access to opportunities and decision-making. Research on organizational inclusion has expanded, but what is studied and how it is studied vary across disciplinary fields, leaving a fragmented picture. This article proposes a preliminary conceptual model, CLAR, that treats inclusion as a complex, ongoing process. The components were derived by grouping the processes identified in theoretical and empirical contributions according to the role each plays in producing access, participation, and belonging at the micro, meso, and macro levels. Organizational culture provides the context within which the identified components operate and is, in turn, influenced by them, while inclusive leadership helps activate the functions of these components. Several organizational practices are also recommended. The main contribution is an integrative multi-level model that connects perspectives usually analyzed separately. Keywords: Organizational inclusion, diversity management, multi-level model, belongingness, inclusion climate, inclusive leadership Pages: 153-162 Volume: 28 Classification-JEL: M14, M59, Z19 Journal: Cross-Cultural Management Journal Issue: 2 Year: 2026 Month: December DOI: 10.70147/c28153162 File-URL: http://seaopenresearch.eu/Journals/articles/CMJ2026_I2_4.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf File-URL: https://cmj.seaopenresearch.eu/articles/cmj-xxviii-2-4.html File-Format: text/html Handle: repec:cmj:journl:y:2026:i:2:p:153-162 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Benrebiha, Mohamed Author-Workplace-Name: Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Tiaret, Algeria Author-Name: Zerrouki, Djilali Author-Workplace-Name: University of Algiers 3, Algiers, Algeria Title: The Role of Tourism SMEs' Internationalization in Achieving Economic Transformation: A Conceptual Framework from the Algerian Contex Abstract: Algeria's long-standing dependence on hydrocarbon revenues has made economic diversification a national priority, and tourism has emerged as a strategic alternative. This conceptual paper develops an integrative framework linking the internationalization of tourism small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to broader economic transformation in resource-dependent economies. Drawing on the resource-based view, the dynamic capabilities perspective, the Uppsala model, the network approach, and institutional theory, the paper synthesizes international and Algerian-specific literatures. The framework proposes four antecedent clusters — intangible resources, digital and dynamic capabilities, network embeddedness, and institutional conditions — that shape internationalization trajectories, which in turn drive three economic transformation outcomes: productive diversification, foreign exchange and employment generation, and knowledge spillovers. Eight testable propositions and a multi-method empirical agenda are advanced, contributing to international business, tourism management, and development economics scholarship. Keywords: Tourism SMEs; internationalization; economic transformation; dynamic capabilities; Algeria Pages: 163-173 Volume: 28 Classification-JEL: F23; L83; O14 Journal: Cross-Cultural Management Journal Issue: 2 Year: 2026 Month: December DOI: 10.70147/c28163173 File-URL: http://seaopenresearch.eu/Journals/articles/CMJ2026_I2_5.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf File-URL: https://cmj.seaopenresearch.eu/articles/cmj-xxviii-2-5.html File-Format: text/html Handle: repec:cmj:journl:y:2026:i:2:p:163-173 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Makkai, Csanád Author-Workplace-Name: Doctoral School of Management and Business, Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Debrecen Title: Selection to Value Creation in Bolt-On Acquisitions: A Multi-Stage Configurational Framework Abstract: Despite decades of scholarly attention, mergers and acquisitions (M&A) continue to exhibit persistently high failure rates, with empirical estimates suggesting that approximately 60% of transactions fail to meet their stated objectives. While prior research has investigated strategic relatedness, integration processes, and organizational fit as independent determinants of M&A performance, the field lacks an integrative, process-oriented framework that connects pre-deal selection decisions to post-integration value creation — particularly in the context of bolt-on acquisitions, where knowledge-intensive, innovation-driven targets are acquired to augment the acquirer's existing capability portfolio. In this paper, the author summarizes the key contributors to M&A outcomes and develops a conceptual model that explains M&A performance as a dynamic capability development process rather than as the outcome of a discrete transaction. The author argues that bolt-on acquisition value creation is not a direct function of strategic selection decisions, but rather the outcome of a multi-stage process in which pre-deal information quality, organizational fit, integration configuration, and governance mechanisms jointly determine whether anticipated synergies are realized. The paper concludes by outlining an empirical research agenda. Keywords: M&A, bolt-on acquisitions, post-merger integration, value creation, acquisition performance, organizational learning Pages: 175-186 Volume: 28 Classification-JEL: G34, L10, M10, O30 Journal: Cross-Cultural Management Journal Issue: 2 Year: 2026 Month: December DOI: 10.70147/c28175186 File-URL: http://seaopenresearch.eu/Journals/articles/CMJ2026_I2_6.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf File-URL: https://cmj.seaopenresearch.eu/articles/cmj-xxviii-2-6.html File-Format: text/html Handle: repec:cmj:journl:y:2026:i:2:p:175-186 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Helfenbein, Krisztina Katalin Author-Workplace-Name: University of Debrecen, Faculty of Economics and Business, Hungary Title: Trends and Developments in the Hungarian Pension System: An Assessment of the 2010–2025 Reforms Abstract: This study examines the main changes in the Hungarian pension system between 2010 and 2025, focusing on four major reforms: the abolition of the mandatory private pension pillar, the removal of the contribution ceiling, the increase in the statutory retirement age to 65, and the restructuring of pension-related contributions. Using secondary literature, official budgetary and demographic data, and descriptive time-series analysis, the paper assesses the fiscal, demographic, labor-market, and distributional implications of these measures. The findings indicate that several reforms improved the short- and medium-term financial position of the pension system, but their contribution to long-term structural sustainability was more limited. Among the measures examined, the increase in the statutory retirement age had the strongest direct connection to demographic sustainability, while the other reforms mainly affected financing conditions, redistribution, and the contribution base. The results highlight the continuing importance of demographic trends, employment, wage growth, and future policy decisions for the sustainability of the Hungarian pension system. Keywords: Hungarian pension system, pension reforms, pension sustainability, demographic ageing Pages: 187-200 Volume: 28 Classification-JEL: H55; J26; H53; J11 Journal: Cross-Cultural Management Journal Issue: 2 Year: 2026 Month: December DOI: 10.70147/c28187200 File-URL: http://seaopenresearch.eu/Journals/articles/CMJ2026_I2_7.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf File-URL: https://cmj.seaopenresearch.eu/articles/cmj-xxviii-2-7.html File-Format: text/html Handle: repec:cmj:journl:y:2026:i:2:p:187-200