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2. Corporate social responsibility practices, managerial attitudes toward artificial intelligence, and AI adoption in micro and small restaurant SMEsMarko Kukanja, Tanja Planinc, 2026, original scientific article Abstract: In hospitality SMEs, digital transformation is increasingly linked to sustainability goals. However, evidence on how corporate social responsibility (CSR) relates to the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) in owner-managed firms remains limited. This study ex- amines CSR practices, managerial attitudes toward AI, and AI adoption in micro and small restaurant SMEs in a small European Union (EU) economy. Using survey data from 157 Slovenian restaurant SMEs and structural equation modelling, CSR is conceptualised as an enacted, practice-based orientation. At the same time, managerial attitudes toward AI are modelled as the key mechanism preceding adoption. Results reveal an asymmet- ric relationship between CSR and AI. Employee-related CSR practices, which are mainly institutionalised, do not significantly influence managerial AI attitudes. In contrast, en- vironmental CSR practices are negatively associated with AI attitudes, indicating more cautious evaluations among environmentally responsible managers. Managerial attitudes toward AI are positively and significantly associated with AI adoption, confirming their central role in adoption decisions. Financial performance, measured by objective revenue data, does not emerge as a direct outcome of AI adoption but rather operates as a contex- tual condition shaping how CSR practices relate to managerial attitudes and how those attitudes translate into adoption decisions. Overall, the findings indicate that CSR does not uniformly translate into managerial attitudes toward AI and subsequent AI adoption in restaurant SMEs.
Keywords: corporate social responsibility, artificial intelligence adoption, managerial attitudes, restaurant SMEs, sustainability, financial performance
Published in RUP: 23.03.2026; Views: 346; Downloads: 11
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3. ESG, Risk Management and SMEs : What Are the Potential Links? An Empirical Analysis of Friulia S.p.A.’s Investment PortfolioTommaso Cortivo, 2015, published scientific conference contribution Abstract: This paper examines the determinants of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) adoption in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) financed by Friulia S.p.A., a privately managed institutional investor under public control of the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region. Using data collected through a structured questionnaire, we build a synthetic indicator of ESG activation through Principal Component Analysis (PCA), which captures the degree to which firms internalise sustainability practices. The first three principal components extracted through PCA represent distinct ESG dimensions and are used, separately, as dependent variables in Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regressions, with environmental certification and firm size as explanatory factors. Results show that the presence of an environmental certification is significantly associated with stronger ESG activation – particularly along the operational dimension – confirming its role as a key driver of structured sustainability practices. By contrast, firm size does not emerge as a significant predictor, suggesting that financial support (equity, specifically) from a professional investor may offset resource disparities across SMEs. Secondary ESG dimensions related to governance and residual social behaviours are not explained by structural variables, pointing instead to cultural and organisational factors. The findings contribute to the literature on SME sustainability by demonstrating that certifications serve as both signalling and learning tools, while also providing practical guidance for policymakers and public investors on how to design effective strategies to support the ESG transition of SMEs.
Keywords: SMEs, ESG, certification, PCA, risk management, sustainability, Friulia S.p.A.
Published in RUP: 04.03.2026; Views: 297; Downloads: 19
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4. Insights into Slovenian Hospitality SME Managers' Attitudes toward AISaša Planinc, Marko Kukanja, original scientific article Abstract: This study explores the attitudes of Slovenian hospitality SME managers toward artificial intelligence (AI), with a focus on how their demographic characteristics (DC) and the physical characteristics (PC) of SMEs influence these attitudes. The study used a structured questionnaire and convenience sampling. Using data from 288 managers, it identifies both positive and negative perspectives on AI within a sector undergoing digital transformation. The findings reveal quite balanced attitudes, with both positive and negative experiences being recognized, though there is a slight tendency towards a more negative perspective. Managers’ DC play a more significant role in shaping attitudes than SMEs’ PC. Younger and less experienced managers tend to be more optimistic and enthusiastic about AI adoption, while older and more experienced managers are generally more sceptical. Family-owned businesses, which represent 61% of the sample, recognize some of AI’s potential benefits but primarily express more concerns about its use compared to non-family-owned businesses. SMEs with more employees and those operating in more competitive environments demonstrate a stronger propensity to adopt AI. This study highlights key barriers to AI adoption in hospitality SMEs, emphasizing the need for targeted education and training programmes, particularly for older managers and those with limited exposure to digital (AI) tools. Promoting awareness of AI’s benefits through practical demonstrations and best practice examples can reduce resistance and foster more positive attitudes. By addressing these challenges, the hospitality sector can enhance its digital transformation in an increasingly technology-driven environment.
Keywords: artificial intelligence, attitudes, hospitality, managers, SMEs, Slovenia
Published in RUP: 15.09.2025; Views: 593; Downloads: 4
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6. English is not enoughIgor Rižnar, 2015, published scientific conference contribution abstract Keywords: angleščina, tuji jeziki, poučevanje, mala in srednje velika podjetja, ELAN study, english-language arts network, SMEs, language management strategy, foreign language skills
Published in RUP: 14.10.2015; Views: 5087; Downloads: 81
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7. Networking, resource acquisition, and the performance of small and medium-sized enterprisesBaoshan Ge, Robert D. Hisrich, Baobao Dong, 2009, original scientific article Keywords: resource acquisition, networking, performance, SMEs, entrepreneurship
Published in RUP: 15.10.2013; Views: 4579; Downloads: 103
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9. The dynamic internationalization model of Slovenian born global SMESIna Lejko, Štefan Bojnec, 2013, original scientific article Abstract: Small and medium sized enterprises (smes) are important business actors in the Slovenian, as well as European economy. In addition to the current global market conditions, reflecting a severe economic downturn, the smes in Slovenia and other transition economies operate under additional extensive external pressures, arising from the opening of their domestic markets. Under such conditions, companies, including smes, perceive internationalization as an inevitable, or even urgent step in the process of their business operations. However, companies pursue different paths in their internationalization efforts, one of them being a rapid internationalization strategy, denoted as the Born Global concept. In the paper, we explore the internationalization process of Slovenian Born Global smes. We employ an exploratory qualitative case study analysis of selected Slovenian smes in order to grasp the key characteristics of their internationalization process. On the basis of the latter we construct a dynamic internationalization model that might be used as a conceptual framework for empirical research of dynamic smes market behavior in Slovenia and other transition countries.
Keywords: born global enterprise, internationalization, small and medium sized enterprises, SMES, transition economies
Published in RUP: 15.10.2013; Views: 5138; Downloads: 74
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10. ICT adoption policy of Australian and Croatian SMEsHazbo Skoko, Branka Krivokapić-Skoko, Marinko Škare, Arnela Cerić, 2006, original scientific article Keywords: SMEs, ICT, adoption models, case studies, qualitative comparative analysis, Boolean algebra
Published in RUP: 15.10.2013; Views: 4236; Downloads: 79
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