Journal of Business Economics and Management

Following successive global health, energy, and geopolitical shocks, this research investigates the persistent transformation of retail consumption patterns. While extant literature examines crisis-driven behavior, a methodological gap remains in synthesizing rich qualitative data with advanced computational techniques. This study addresses this gap by employing a mixed-methods design, integrating Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Sentiment Analysis, to uncover the latent behavioral and affective dimensions of post-crisis decision-making.Conducted in 2024 within the Romanian emerging market, the study utilizes focus group data to identify core drivers of behavioral change. Results reveal an accelerated adoption of retail technologies, a fundamental recalibration of purchasing priorities, and heightened expectations regarding the shopping experience. Sentiment analysis highlights significant variance in consumer adaptation, offering a granular perspective on emotional responses to the “new normal.” Theoretically, this work contributes to interdisciplinary scholarship on economic uncertainty and digital transformation. Practically, the findings provide actionable intelligence for firms to develop engagement and innovation strategies that align with emerging consumer needs in volatile environments. By bridging structural patterns with emotional dynamics, the paper offers a robust framework for understanding consumer resilience in the wake of systemic disruptions.

The swift adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) across EU economies has sparked heightened debate among scholars and policymakers about its association with labor market dynamics, economic outcomes, and sustainability objectives. This research investigates the cross-sectional links between enterprise-level AI adoption and key socio-economic indicators across EU countries, including total employment, the proportion of highly educated science and technology workers, GDP per capita, and the Sustainable Development Goals Index (SDGI). Using a comparative and multi-method approach, the study combines exploratory factor analysis, general linear model estimations, and cluster analysis to identify structural patterns and group countries with similar digital and developmental traits. Results show consistent links between AI adoption and higher economic performance, as well as a larger share of science and technology professionals. The relationships with overall employment and sustainability indicators are weaker but still present. The cluster analysis reveals diverse yet cohesive national profiles, reflecting differences in digital readiness, human capital, and institutional factors across the EU. The study’s primary contribution is to combine employment structures, economic performance, and sustainability into a comprehensive cross-sectional framework, providing a detailed comparison of AI-related patterns across the EU. Its findings provide policymakers with a solid empirical foundation for assessing how the diffusion of AI supports inclusive growth and sustainability goals.

The Journal of Business Economics and Management (JBEM) was established in 2003 as a continuation of the Almanach des praktischen Managements in Mittel- und Ost-Europa, that was founded in 1999. Today, it has evolved into a recognised platform at the intersection of economics, management, and decision science. This study conducts a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of JBEM’s publication record, employing a dual-database approach that examines 1,182 articles published between 2003 and 2024 in Scopus and 1,020 documents in Web of Science from 2007 to 2024. Using VOSviewer for network mapping, the analysis reveals a stable intellectual core focused on multi-criteria decision-making methods, alongside a growing emphasis on sustainability, ESG, and corporate responsibility. Ginevičius, Tvaronavičiene, and Zavadskas emerge as the most prolific authors, while Vilnius Gediminas Technical University, Bucharest University of Economic Studies, and Vilnius University lead the institutional contributions. At the country level, Lithuania, China, and Spain are the main contributors. The findings offer relevant insights for understanding how thematic priorities evolve, and inform future expected research and journal development. From a practical perspective, the results may guide editors and researchers in identifying key contributors and collaboration networks. This study’s originality lies in the integration of dual-database coverage with the combined use of quantitative indicators and visual analysis, offering a richer longitudinal perspective on the journal’s evolution.

Identifying the causes of stock mispricing is crucial for stabilizing capital markets. Utilizing panel data from Chinese A-share listed firms, this paper investigates the causal association between ESG rating disagreement and stock mispricing. We reveal that ESG rating disagreement significantly exacerbates stock mispricing. Further analysis shows that cross-shareholding investors, media attention and marketization weaken the relationship between ESG rating disagreement and stock mispricing. We also demonstrate that the influence of ESG rating disagreement on stock mispricing is more pronounced in state-owned enterprises, heavy pollution enterprises and enterprises with short-term institutional investor holdings. These findings help to provide some insights into ESG rating disagreement as a determinant influencing stock mispricing among emerging markets.

This study challenges the “win-win” narrative in corporate sustainability by identifying a key trade-off between environmental performance and shortterm profitability. Using a global panel of the 1,000 largest companies across 23 developed markets, we employ a two-way fixed-effects estimation to test 24 potential mediation pathways linking board governance to financial outcomes via ESG performance. Our results reveal what we term the “Green Board Paradox.” We find that board independence and gender diversity are robustly associated with improved environmental scores, confirming their role in advancing corporate sustainability. However, this environmental performance acts as a significant mediator that is, in turn, associated with lower Earnings Per Share (EPS). This finding highlights a central tension: the very governance mechanisms that promote environmental responsibility simultaneously create a drag on short-term profits. Furthermore, we find that board independence and diversity act as substitutes, suggesting firms can achieve similar environmental outcomes through alternative governance configurations. Ultimately, our study provides critical evidence on the governance-sustainability-performance nexus, offering a nuanced framework for navigating the trade-offs between corporate ESG ambitions and financial realities.